Cubs Snag Chapman from the Bronx

•July 27, 2016•

Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports Columnist

This week in sports was highlighted by the induction of longtime outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. and catcher Mike Piazza into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Griffey, the first overall pick in the 1987 MLB draft at the ripe young age of 18, led the American League in home runs from 1993 to ’99 maxing out at 56 bombs in ‘97 and ‘98 consecutively, part of 630 dingers over a 21 year career. “Junior” compiled a .284 batting average to boot, proving himself not just a power threat.

Griffey, said by some sports writers to have the sweetest swing in MLB history, was a part of the controversial home run renaissance after the strike that cost baseball its only World Series but was never connected to performance enhancement use as several others of his era.

Also of note, Junior received the highest vote total to enter Cooperstown to date, receiving 99.32% of votes in his first year on the ballot.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.