Griffey turns 46: 'The Kid' through the years
Ken Griffey Jr. is another day closer to officially becoming a senior.
Griffey, the 13-time All-Star affectionately known as "The Kid," turned 46 years young on Saturday, more than 26 years after making his major-league debut, and just a week removed from his inclusion on the 2016 Hall of Fame ballot.
The sweet-swinging Griffey is among 15 newcomers to appear on the BBWAA ballot, and is expected to be easily elected when the results are revealed on Jan. 6. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all-time, Griffey's impressive resume includes 630 home runs, 10 Gold Gloves, and the 1997 AL MVP award.
While the baseball world awaits Griffey's induction into Cooperstown, let's relive some of the most memorable images and highlights from The Kid's 22-year career:
1989: Griffey made his much-anticipated debut in 1989, two years after the Seattle Mariners selected the athletic center fielder with the top pick in the MLB draft. The 19-year-old phenom hit 16 homers and stole 16 bases in 127 games as a rookie.
1990: The Griffeys become the first father-son duo to play together when the Mariners acquired 40-year-old Ken Griffey Sr. from the Cincinnati Reds. The pair made more history on Sept. 14, 1990 when the two hit back-to-back homers.
1994: Griffey won the first of three Home Run Derby titles at the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh.
1995: Griffey missed nearly three months of his age-25 season when the Gold Glover broke two bones in his wrist on this famous catch that robbed Ruben Sierra of extra bases.
1995: Griffey returned from the injury in August to help lead the Mariners to their first division title in the shortened 1995 season. His winning run in Game 5 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees would become one of the most iconic moments in playoff history.
1997: This photo from Griffey's 56-homer, MVP-winning season includes fellow Mariners superstars Alex Rodriguez, and Jay Buhner. The star-laded Mariners won a then-club record 90 games in 1997, en route to their second playoff appearance in three years.
1998: Griffey's trademark backwards cap is on display during the Home Run Derby at Coors Field, an event he initially declined to participate in, and then ended up winning.
2000: The Kid follows in the footsteps of his father when the longtime Mariners star is traded to the Reds after leading the AL with 48 homers in 1999.
2004: After a pair of injury-plagued years in Cincinnati, Griffey adds to his Hall of Fame resume by hitting his 500th career homer. With his dad seated in the background of the photo, Griffey fittingly accomplished the milestone on Father's Day.
2006: Griffey and his dad during the first-ever World Baseball Classic.
2008: Griffey embraces manager Dusty Baker after becoming the sixth player in MLB history to hit 600 home runs.
2008: Griffey's career makes a pit stop in Chicago, where the superstar hit three homers in 41 games for the division-winning White Sox.
2009: Griffey salutes fans in Seattle on Opening Day of the 2009 season, when Junior made his long-awaited return to the team he began his career with. He hit 19 homers for the Mariners that year.
2010: During the final month of his final season, Griffey delivered a memorable final hit. On May 20, 2010, Griffey ripped a pinch-hit walk-off single down the right-field line versus the Toronto Blue Jays to cap a three-run Mariners rally, and provide one last highlight from his incredible career. Griffey announced his retirement from baseball less than two weeks later, on June 2, 2010.