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Best known as the father of the Hall of Fame outfielder who bears the same name, Ken Griffey was a fine ball player in his own right. In the collection is this questionnaire filled out entirely by a 19-year old Griffey Sr.

The outfielder penned it just three months after his high school graduation in 1969, a full four years before his big league debut.

Griffey lists his birthplace as Donora, Pennsylvania, the same small town that produced Stan Musial and lays claim as the hometown of the younger Griffey as well. Senior also lists his race as, “Negro” and notes that he earned high school letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track.

Though he wouldn’t debut in the bigs until nearly four years to the day after filling out the questionnaire, Griffey was in the midst of his first season as a professional. Senior enjoyed a 19-year big league career, most notably as a three-time All Star with the Reds.

After starting his career with a dozen years in Cincinnati, Griffey spent five years with the Yankees, three in Atlanta, and two in Seattle. He finished with 2,143 career hits and a .296 average.

This piece provides an interesting glance into the early career of the two-time World Series champion. As a footnote, notice the date of the document, August 29, 1969. Senior’s wife was 6 months pregnant with his namesake son who went on to a Hall of Fame career.

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Ken Griffey Jr. grew up in and around big league clubhouses. His father and namesake showed him the inner workings of baseball. Not all of the early education was positive.

One lesson Junior learned at an early age stuck with him forever.

Griffey Senior broke in with the Reds in 1973 and was a key cog in back-to-back World Series champions. After 9 seasons in Cincinnati, he was traded to the New York Yankees. George Steinbrenner promptly signed him to a six-year deal.

During Griffey’s time in the Big Apple, Junior learned he never ever wanted to play for the Yanks.

In his own words, the reason becomes clear.

“I came up to visit my dad. It was just me and him and got to the ballpark early. I’m sitting in the dugout. The security guard comes over and says, ‘Hey, George [Steinbrenner] doesn’t want anybody in the dugout.’ My dad was like, ‘What? That’s my son.’

“So he goes, alright, ‘Hey go to my locker. But before you go, look at third base.’

“It’s Craig Nettles’ son taking ground balls at third base.

“And at that time my dad was 38 years old and he’s like, ‘I ain’t fightin’ this no more. I got somebody a little younger and a little bit better.’

“You know there are certain things that a dad drills into you as a kid that just stick with you. And that was one of them.”

Junior never forgot the double standard imposed by Steinbrenner. Throughout his career he said he’d rather retire than play for the Yankees.

In the collection is this thank you note dated August 13, 1986 and written entirely in The Boss’s hand.

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The Seattle Mariners had high hopes for Ken Griffey Jr. when the selected him with the first overall pick in 1987. Two years later at 19 years old, Junior was their Opening Day centerfielder.

Griffey finished his first big league with the highest WAR among first-year position players. Two pitchers finished ahead of him in Rookie of the Year balloting.

Fledgling baseball card company Upper Deck went all in on Junior. Seeking to make a big splash, they made him featured him on card #1 of their 1989 set. It was quite a gamble for the first-year outfit.

Armed with thicker card stock, bolder photography, and beautiful packaging, Upper Deck tabbed executive Tom Geideman with choosing which prospect would adorn the initial card in the set. Geideman whittled down the possibilities to two-time Minor League Player of the Year Gregg Jefferies, talented prospects Gary Sheffield, Sandy Alomar Jr., and Griffey Jr.

Geideman and Upper Deck made the right choice with a closeup photo of a smiling 18-year-old Junior on the card. Interestingly, in the original picture Griffey was wearing a hat of the San Bernadino Spirit, the team he started with in ’88. Upper Deck altered the image, replacing the Spirit crown with a blue and yellow Mariners cap.

Griffey’s card became one of the most iconic of the era with collectors. Shown here is that card with PSA grading its condition at 9/10 and the autograph a 10/10.

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Blessed with athletic talent and youthful exuberance, Ken Griffey Jr. became known as “The Kid”, and “The Natural” during his playing career. A Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, Griffey finished with 630 career home runs.

In this letter, he reflects on the beauty of baseball. “People ask me my favorite part of the game and I tell them: the whole thing. It’s making that impossible catch; it’s gunning down a speeding baserunner at home plate from deep in centerfield. And it’s the feeling you get when you see your pitch. Then you hear the crack of the bat and you know the ball is gone.”

It’s no wonder that fans who saw Griffey play always picture him smiling. Junior finished his 22-year big league career with 2,781 hits, 630 home runs, and 1,836 runs batted in. He was selected to 13 All Star teams, earned ten straight Gold Gloves, and seven Silver Sluggers

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Ken Griffey Jr. hit the Hall of Fame ballot with plenty on his side. Two 50-homer campaigns, seven 40-homer seasons and 630 overall made him a no-doubt selection. The 13-time All Star’s trophy case overflows with ten Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers, and the 1997 MVP Award.

The writers recognized his greatness with the highest Hall of Fame voting percentage in history. He appeared on all but three ballots and earned 99.3% of the vote. That figure broke Tom Seaver’s 1992 voting percentage of 98.8%.

Three years after Junior was inducted closer Mariano Rivera became the writers’ first unanimous selection.

In the collection is a photo taken of the last Major League pitch in old Yankee Stadium. Fittingly Mariano Rivera is on the hill and has signed, this image. He adds the inscription, “Final Out 9.21.08”. Rivera was magnificent that season, posting a 1.40 ERA with 36 saves.

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During the 20th century the Western Pennsylvania borough of Donora maintained a population between 5,000 and 15,000. Despite it’s small size, Donora has produced three big leaguers who combined for 8,554 hits, 1,257 homers, and 4,646 RBI.

Ken Griffey was born in Donora, Pennsylvania on April 10, 1950. Despite his 2,143 hits, three All Star selections and two World Series rings, Griffey remains the third-best player born in little Donora.

While in Donora, Griffey’s wife gave birth to a son who bears his father’s name. Junior followed his dad’s path to the big leagues. Behind the strength of 630 homers in an outstanding 22-year big league career, he became a first-ballot selection for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One of the game’s most-popular players, Griffey isn’t even the best Donora player born on November 21st. That honor goes to Stan “The Man” Musial. Beyond sharing the same birthplace, the two men were also born the same day albeit nearly a half-century apart.

An inner-circle Cooperstown man, Musial has more hits than everyone not named Aaron, Cobb, or Rose. Among position players, Stan’s career WAR of 128.5 is passed only by Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Cobb, Aaron, Tris Speaker, and Honus Wagner. Musial’s career stats include 3,630 hits, 725 doubles, 475 doubles, 1,951 RBI and a .331/.417/.559 slash line.

Shown here is a letter written by Musial as a 21-year old. Notice the return address of Donora, Pa. in the top right corner.