Ken Griffey, Jr., Forever "The Kid"

This feels a bit like eulogizing because it is a bit like eulogizing. Ken Griffey, Jr. retired last night, and today I and many other baseball fans—not just Mariners fans—are mourning the loss of Junior, even though everyone knew it was coming for quite some time. Some have said his retirement marks the official end of their childhood, which is fitting, given his nickname of "The Kid."  For most of his early career, he was thought of as the best player in the game. Many people thought he might be the best ever. Most people thought he'd be the one to break Hank Aaron's home run record (and certainly would've chosen him over Barry Bonds, but that's a different topic). A simple look at his career statistics and awards illustrates the type of career Griffey had: 630 home runs (5th all time), 1,836 RBIs (14th all time), 13 All-Star Game appearances, and 10 consecutive Gold Gloves (1990-1999). But Griffey wasn't about numbers, really. Most advanced statistics show Griffey as a mediocre-to-good outfielder after his amazing run through the '90s. As the wonderful Mariners blog, USS Mariner, put it, "Junior's slow slide into replacement level started early, but he had so far to fall that he’s hung on for a decade."

Griffey was at once a real-life throwback to the romanticized days of Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, and a glimpse of the promising future of Major League Baseball. With his highlight reel catches and power numbers, he summoned the past while foretelling the likes of Torii Hunter's defense and Alex Rodriguez's offense. But the real beauty of Griffey came in actually watching him play. He was a natural fit in the world of spectacle and had a flare for the dramatic from the beginning. The 19-year-old Griffey hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in the Kingdome. There are countless stories and images surrounding Griffey: the backwards hat, the endless smile, and of course, that sweet swing, which had a rhythm all its own, building up in a steady crescendo until finally exploding with the break of his wrists. Unfortunately that swing got longer and longer, and in 2010, the explosion disappeared. My personal ultimate Griffey memory is his wrist-breaking catch against the wall in the Kingdome. The catch itself was beautiful and painful to watch. In fact, I still cringe every time I think about it. But even more spectacular was Griffey's route to the ball/wall, because even the simple act of Griffey running was a sight to behold. He didn't run so much as glide. Like his swing, his smooth running slowed down and was never quite the same.

Fans have been waiting—and hoping—for Griffey to retire for years. Now that he's gone, let's not forget that Griffey also gave us a bunch of fun pop culture moments as well, including being on The Simpsons and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. For a look at what the future might hold for Griffey, I can't recommend Shannon Drayer's story enough.