Over a month after signing with Inter Miami, football great Lionel Messi’s U.S. matches continue to draw sports legends and celebrities, and Wednesday’s match featured an unusual twist.
The Hall of Fame baseball star Ken Griffey Jr. was spotted filming Messi’s match in Miami vs Nashville SC. He was also photographed with Floyd Mayweather before the game. During the game, Griffey was photographed working as a photographer on the sidelines while wearing his distinctive backward baseball hat. The game concluded in a 0-0 tie.
According to Miami sports reporter Josh Moser, Griffey was officially named as a still photographer for the occasion. According to the New York Post, Griffey has a background in photography that dates back to at least 2015, when he was observed capturing photos at the Fiesta Bowl.
Griffey, a Mariners legend for 13 seasons, was just in Seattle for this year’s Home Run Derby. He even shot photos at the ceremony, which featured current Mariners All-Star Julio Rodriguez.
Randy Johnson, Griffey’s Seattle Hall of Fame teammate, has also explored sports photography in retirement. Griffey stated in 2016 that he would like to photograph track and field sports at the Olympics in the future.
There was no scoring in Wednesday’s game, but Griffey witnessed history as Miami failed to win for the first time in ten matches since Messi joined the team.
Griffey, who was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, on November 21, 1969, had a tremendous baseball career. He grew up in Cincinnati, where his father, Ken Griffey Sr., was a Reds player. Griffey Jr. showed early promise, and he was eventually picked by the Mariners, a selection lauded by Baseball America as one of the best in MLB Draft history.
Griffey struggled in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut on Opening Day in 1989. He doubled off ace Dave Stewart in his first at-bat. Notably, according to Hall of Famers, Griffey and his father both played in the major leagues at the same time.
Griffey immediately rose to prominence in baseball, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 1990. By the end of the 1990 season, he had won his first All-Star Game selection, a Gold Glove Award, and excellent hitting averages.
Griffey earned 13 All-Star Game selections, 10 Gold Glove Awards, and seven Silver Slugger Awards before retiring. His impact on baseball is unquestionably significant.