The Kid Is In The Hall And It’s Nearly Unanimous

Ken Griffey Jr. has been selected for induction into baseball's Hall of Fame .  The Mariner favorite set a record by being named on 99.3 percent of all ballots, surpassing the mark set by Tom Seaver in 1992.

There had been some talk about the prospect of whether Griffey would become the first player ever elected unanimously, but that did not happen, as three writers out of 440 left him off their ballots. He is certainly a deserving first-ballot selection, evidenced by his spectacular career achievements, which include:

• 630 home runs (sixth all time)
• 13-time all-star
• 10 straight Gold Gloves in center field
• 1997 American League Most Valuable Player (along with six other top 10 finishes)

Junior as he was called was likely the most popular player in baseball during the 1990s, a decade during which he was a dominant force as the Seattle Mariners' center-fielder, and probably the best player in the American League during those years.

He was an all-star and the Gold Glove winner every single year. He had back-to-back 56-homer seasons in '97 and '98. He was traded to his hometown Cincinnati Reds in the 1999–2000 off-season. He suffered through numerous injury-plagued seasons there, before returning to Seattle to close out his career in 2009–10.

Also making the Hall of fame was Mets Slugger Mike Piazza.