7 GIFs of Ken Griffey Jr. to remind you how awesome he was

Ken Griffey Jr. will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer after appearing on a record 99.3% of ballots in his first year of eligibility. Griffey debuted in 1989 and had his best seasons in the 1990s, meaning he peaked just before the era of ubiquitous internet highlights. And that’s a shame, because Griffey, in his prime, was an extremely GIFfable player by today’s standards, a true five-tool superstar capable of some astonishing and aesthetically incredible feats.

That swing…

Between now and Griffey’s induction ceremony in July, you will likely hear the sweetness of his swing referenced about 15,000 times. It won’t be enough: Griffey owned one of the smoothest strokes in recent baseball history, masking big-time power behind a short stride and an easy uppercut that put the nation’s upper decks under assault.

Here’s a homer from Game 1 of the 1995 ALDS against the Yankees:

And a moonshot he hit in the Skydome early in the 1996 season:

That swing produced 630 Major League homers, good for sixth in baseball history. But Griffey could do a lot more on the field than just hit home runs.

There’s also the glove.

Griffey was an electrifying center fielder, with great instincts and excellent speed and a remarkable knack for the spectacular catch. Here’s an over-the-shoulder grab he made in May, 1990:

And a leaping catch against the wall to rob Ruben Sierra of extra bases one year later:

Good baserunning…

… and an accurate arm.

But also, that swing:

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