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Ken Griffey, Jr. is a talented all-around baseball player. He is a .300 or more career hitter and a spectacular center fielder. In 1996 he signed a four-year, $34 million contract extension with the Seattle Mariners. This made him the highest paid player in baseball at that time.

George Kenneth Griffey, Jr. was born on November 21, 1969 in Donora, Pennsylvania and grew up in Cincinnati. His father, Ken Griffey, Sr. was a famous baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds many years earlier. Craig, Griffey s younger brother, also plays for the Mariners minor league team. His father taught him to stay out of trouble and to be good. He took piano lessons as a boy and practiced hard.

As a teenager, Griffey was an average student, but he was an outstanding athlete. He did so well in football and baseball that when he graduated he had to decide which sport he should play.

When Griffey became a professional player, he was only 19 years old. He could not deal with all the pressures and tried to kill himself by taking more than 200 aspirin. Griffey said he was depressed and did not want to live anymore.

He made about $68,000 in his first year in the majors. Each year his stats increased. Slowly he became a superstar. He won eight Golden Glove awards, was voted into eight straight All-Star Games, homered in every American League ballpark, and was the American League MVP in 1997.

Many people say that Griffey is quiet and nervous during interviews. When he is with his teammates he jokes and laughs with them. Griffey is shy and calls himself a hitter, not a slugger. He throws and bats left-handed.

Griffey also earns money by advertising for Nike, Nintendo, Power Aid, Upper Deck, Pizza Hut, and General Mills. He is a part-owner of the All-Star Caf頩n New York City. At home he likes to play video games, golf, watch basketball and baseball games, and takes care of his three rottweillers. Griffey is very popular with young fans because of his friendly personality and smile.

Ken Griffey, Jr. lives in Washington state with his wife Melissa, his son Trey, and his daughter, Taryn. He owns another home in Orlando, Florida.

Griffey is attempting to break Hank Aaron s career homerun record of 755 and Mark McGuire s season homerun record of 70. He has talent, determination, and a good chance to break them.