SEATTLE – There was one more honor for Ken Griffey Jr. this summer, and "The Kid" soaked up every moment.
Griffey's No. 24 was retired by the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night with an emotional outpouring from fans that had the new Hall of Famer fighting back tears. The Mariners retired the number throughout the organization, and the final time it was worn came during batting practice when every member of the roster and coaching staff took the field with No. 24 on their jersey.
Griffey entered the stadium, appropriately, through center field, stopping along the way to acknowledge the roaring ovation.
The Mariners pulled out all the stops, including a video message from Willie Mays and the presence of Hall of Fame players from other Seattle professional franchises. Steve Largent and Cortez Kennedy represented the Seattle Seahawks, while Spencer Haywood and Gary Payton represented the Seattle SuperSonics.
And the Mariners brought in a pair of No. 24s in the Baseball Hall of Fame with a special connection to Griffey: Rickey Henderson, a teammate in Seattle, and Tony Perez, a teammate of Griffey's father in Cincinnati.
Associated Press
