Ken Griffey Jr. Shares Hilarious Superstition from Playing Days

Ken Griffey Jr. had a career to remember. The Hall of Fame center fielder was a 13-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glover, seven-time Silver Slugger and former MVP.

During his playing days, Griffey had some secrets he kept to himself about his routines and superstitions. One of his biggest superstitions was that he wouldn't let himself touch somebody else's gear without asking.

The same went for somebody else touching his gear without asking, and Griffey shared a hilarious story about a time when that happened.

The Kid's hilarious superstition

Jul 11, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; MLB hall of fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. in the dugout during a game between the National League and American League in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"We had a kid grab my glove, stick his hand in it, and think it was funny in between innings," Griffey said, as quoted by Jackson Roberts of Baseball Now. "And I literally ran back to the dugout to get a brand new glove, and I'm pulling off the wrapper of a brand new glove while I'm running to the outfield because I don't like people touching it."

This superstition ultimately created a little bit of drama for Griffey. Clearly, he didn't like people touching his stuff, and always had reservations about touching other players' equipment unless he asked.

"The only person you could put their hands in my glove, there's two. There's my dad, who broke in all my gloves mainly, and Trey, because he was, you know, he was my kid," Griffey continued. "And I had to learn that. But I am very superstitious about touching other people's stuff."

So, as a result, Griffey had to improvise on the spot. He knew he didn't like other people touching his glove, but he at least had a backup ready in the event that something took place.

But he had to scramble to get ready. It caused a moment of panic for the Hall of Famer and caused him to have to go back into the dugout and quickly grab another glove and get it broken in before the inning started.

Normally, that's a process that takes a lot of time, but Griffey had to scramble in order to make it work. Still, it makes for a funny story decades later and one that sets Griffey apart from some of the greats in the history of Major League Baseball.

One thing is clear though; Griffey does not appreciate having his stuff touched by other people, simply because of his funny superstition that goes back decades.

Griffey hit for a lifetime .284 average and hit a total of 630 home runs while also posting an 83.8 career WAR.