Video: Ken Griffey Jr’s No. 24 retired by Mariners
Aug 6, 2016, 7:10 PM | Updated: 7:34 pm
Among the many greats in attendance for Ken Griffey Jr.’s star-studded No. 24 retirement ceremony was fellow Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who was notorious during his playing days for praising his own greatness.
Griffey, who has never been shy to show off his sense of humor, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to have some fun at Henderson’s expense.
“Rickey, you were the greatest. Today, I am the greatest.”
That was how Griffey ended his speech on Saturday night as he became the first player in Mariners history to have his number retired. It came on the heels of him becoming the first player to wear a Mariners cap into the Baseball Hall of Fame just two weeks prior.
You can watch video of the ceremony above. Here are some other highlights:
• A statue featuring Griffey in his iconic left-handed swing will be unveiled outside Safeco Field in 2017, Mariners president Kevin Mather announced.
• After a video played in which fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays (another No. 24 himself) chastised Griffey for not calling him back two weeks ago in the midst of his Hall of Fame induction weekend, Griffey called Mays on his cell phone. He had to leave a message.
• In addition to members of the Mariners’ Hall of Fame, watching the ceremony on field were Sonics legends Spencer Haywood and Gary Payton, Seahawks greats Cortez Kennedy and Steve Largent, Henderson and Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Perez.
