Reflections – 2016 Hall of Fame Inductions
It was no surprise to many a devout baseball fan that Ken Griffey Jr. was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot, with the highest percentage of the vote ever. His dedication, intensity, passion for the game and massive talent got him there in grand fashion despite a multitude of injuries hindering him later in his career with the Reds. As an east coast guy, I didn’t see him play nearly as much as I would have liked. Even when living for decade in Los Angeles, my focus was usually on the east coast. When I finally had the chance to really watch him, I was immediately impressed by his relaxed, fluid form in everything he did. The way he threw the barrel of his bat at the ball is something that every young hitter should watch repeatedly. He made it look like he was born in a baseball uniform, with a bat in one hand and a glove in the other. It isn’t difficult to imagine him running from the hospital with his doctor, nurses and parents chasing desperately behind. He was a true superstar, the Michael Jordan of baseball. My podcast co-host, Jim Lefebvre was his first manager in the Major Leagues in Seattle and has nothing but praise for Jr. and his dad, Ken Griffey Sr.. They played for Jim together, father and son for a time during the 1990 and ’91 seasons, often batting #2 and #3 in the order. How amazing that must have been to see every day!
The second 2016 inductee, Mike Piazza, broke through for selection after several near miss ballots. I was living in Los Angeles in the early 90’s when Piazza busted his way onto the scene with the Dodgers. At the time, I couldn’t help but wish that he was playing for my beloved Mets in New York… Hee hee! Yes, funny because in 1998, right around the time that my family and I moved back east to Connecticut from Cally, he was traded to the Mets. It didn’t take long before he was the toast of the Big Apple. That big red apple over Shea Stadium’s center field wall became a familiar sidekick to Mike’s home run hitting prowess. The 1999 and 2000 seasons were among the best seasons ever for Mets fans. Mike often led the charge with an exciting and talented Mets lineup. He always impressed me at the plate with his ability to get quiet internally, to slow down the game and come up big in pressure situations. His swing mechanics struck me as being simple, quick and powerful – easy to duplicate. This was the swing that I worked to emulate when I made a commitment in 2010 to become a competitive amateur baseball player. I watched several videos over and over of Mike in action, from different angles in an attempt understand what he was doing. Ironically, in 2012 when I joined my current summer baseball team, our manager handed me my uniform with number 31 on the jersey. While there is still plenty to live up to, the act of wearing #31 motivates me to become one of the most feared hitters in the league. My son Jeff, in his baseball journey, has also adopted many of the traits of Piazza’s swing. Jeff, also a catcher, read Mike’s book and picked up several useful insights for his development. We’re both big fans of Mike on many levels. There is a reason why he is so loved in New York, which isn’t easy to earn.
For an up and coming player, to see these two gentlemen reach the pinnacle of Mount Baseball, it clearly shows what dedication, hard work and love for the game can do for for those who are truly committed to mastery. A little luck certainly never hurts but talent alone isn’t nearly enough.
