T his was news to us, but apparently Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. has been working on his pilot’s license. And just in case he has an off day at the controls, he owns a plane with a built-in parachute to help bring him back to earth.

Those are some of the unexpected details from this new online video in which he endorses Cirrus Aircraft, whose planes come with an Airframe Parachute System as standard equipment.

Hey, some sports legends pitch shaving cream or golf clubs, but Junior goes straight for the high-end, specialized aircraft. Somehow that’s not a surprise, actually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQdE_CoysLI

This excerpt from EAA Sports Aviation magazine has more background on Griffey as a pilot, explaining that his dad, fellow baseball great Ken Griffey Sr., is also a pilot who introduced his son to flying.

You learn something new every day.

Thanks to Isaac Alexander for the tip.