Mariners' Legend Ken Griffey Jr. Given Prestigious Honor at Indy 500
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We don't usually think of Seattle Mariners' legend Ken Griffey Jr. and Indy car racing in the same sentence, but this year? We should.
After all, Junior will have a very big job during Sunday's running of the prestigious Indy 500 in Indianapolis.
Per the Indy Motor Speedway on social media:
You might say this one's a home run
Ken Griffey Jr., one of the most prolific home run hitters in @MLB history, will drive the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Pace Car and lead the field to green in the 108th #Indy500 !
You might say this one's a home run 😏
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) May 20, 2024
Ken Griffey Jr., one of the most prolific home run hitters in @MLB history, will drive the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Pace Car and lead the field to green in the 108th #Indy500!#ThisIsMay | #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/l8r4BhQbba
Driving the pace car means that Griffey Jr. will lead the field up to the green flag and is considered a great honor. The festivities begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT).
It will be a busy weekend for Griffey Jr., who will also spend Saturday in Cooperstown, N.Y. at the Hall of Fame East-West Classic. Inside the Mariners will have a presence at that event and is hoping to catch up with Junior, as well as several other Mariners who will be at the event.
One of the best players in baseball history, Griffey spent 22 years in the big leagues with the Mariners, Reds and White Sox. One of the most popular players to ever play the game, he hit 630 career home runs. He was a 13-time All-Star, a 10-time Gold Glover, a seven-time Silver Slugger and a former MVP.
He was a lifetime .284 hitter who helped revitalize baseball in Seattle during the historic 1995 season for the franchise.
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