There was a time in his career when he was criticized for being "disrespectful" to the game when he used to wear his hat backwards during bating practice or when shagging flies in pre game. Now to hear these same ass*ole prognosticators, he's referred to as being a "class act" and a credit to the game.

My lasting memeory of him will be his mad dash from 1st base in the play in game against the Yanks in 95. I just wish Steinbrenner hadn't been an asshole to his dad when he played here, then maybe he could have held down CF for the Yanks during the height of his career.

Actually Mays.

Where is Pole with Duke Schneider??

Griffey would be behind Mantle based on the one thing that counts most...WINNING..Mantle did damage in Oct... the kid did not. Talentwise it would be hard to separate the two but the edge goes to winning..Interestingly enough Mays was not a big post season performer either...so I ask........who do you want up with the game on the line in the WS...MY pick...MANTLE..or Eckstein the little bastard did KRod in last nite on a too good two strike pitch.

Griffey had AROD and a weakened watered down AL for many years in which multiple teams qualified for postseason..Mantle played in an era where the best two squared off and the rest watched. I have always thought Mantle and Maris continued the golden era of the Yankees and were responsible for their many post season appearances...There were times Mantle CARRIED the team in August and willed them into the playoffs. Griffey was a 5 tool special player and the best MLB offspring to ever play the game (including Bonds) but I give the edge to the winner which is why they play the game and the truth is the startling truth is Griffey just did not get to the post season enough.Maybe the ghosts of Yankee Stadium were protecting mantle!! BTW extrapolating the numbers is dangerous Griffey and Mays were both post season busts. I think the one year Seattle went deep into the playoffs with the Randy Johnson meltdown Junior had 5 homeruns..that would leave him with 1 in multiple other series.The finger pointed at him often when they took an early exit.He was invisible.

No I am an asshole! LOL.

I like Griffey and thought he was tremendous a first ballot sure fire HOF'er..I just don't think he was the guy to be feared in Oct..Kind of like Arod until last year and of course Barry Bonds who vanished every postseason..DIfference is Arod had the chance to redeem himself..an earlier post referred to the nasty way Boss treated Griffey and how he never considered coming to the Bronx..No Bernie and a sure porch who knows where he would have gone..

I saw the refernce to "Brooklyn fans" earlier in this thread. I was one of them as a youngster and actually saw some ball games at Ebbets Field. I even got to see a "World Serious" game at Ebbets Field with my father in 1953 (the game Joe Black won). The '53 Dodgers were probably the best team that Brooklyn ever put out but they still couldn't get by the Yankees.

With regard to Snider he was a thing to see. From Jan. 1st, 1950 until Dec. 31st, 1959 nobody in baseball hit more home runs than the Duke. The big pissoff was the Duke would pout and shoot off his mouth. He was from southern California and once said after a bad beat in the World Serious to the Yankees (of course) that the people of Brooklyn did not deserve a World Champion for the way they got on him in a slump or a bad at bat.

Opening Day next year at Ebbets Field the people threw bottles, full cans of beer, petrified horse shit from 1890, marbles and everything else they could grab at Duke Snider as he took the field.

My favorite players were Gil Hodges and Roy Campanella when I was a young kid and a Brookyn fan going to Ebbets Field to see a game live.

Snider could deliver though. I saw him hit a home run in a Series game at Ebbets Field that was still on the rise over the high cyclone fence in right and kept going over Bedford Avenue and only coming down once it cleared the Dodger Dodge dealership across the way.

I don't want to talk about Mantle and Berra homers at Ebbets Field.

He was one of best ball players I saw. He was amazing.

Griffey, as the thread is supposed to be bout him. I am to young for those others.