LeBron and Bronny James join short list of father-son teammates

In April 1989, the Griffeys became the first father-son combination to play in the major leagues at the same time. One year later, they ended up in the same outfield.

“I feel I still have a little left,” Griffey Sr., who was hitting .206 in 46 games, said after he was placed on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds and claimed by the Seattle Mariners in August 1990. “I just hope I can help them.”

“We need someone to really carry us, and we haven’t had it lately,” Mariners Manager Jim Lefebvre, whose team was coming off a 2-8 road trip that left it four games under .500, said of the signing. “This is not a dog and pony show. We’re looking for a spark.”

On Aug. 31, 1990, Griffey Sr., 40, made his Mariners debut, batting second and playing left field. His 20-year-old son, the No. 1 pick by the Mariners in the 1987 draft, batted third and played center. During warmups, Craig Griffey, a 19-year-old cornerback at Ohio State, delivered a recorded message for his father and brother that played on the videoboard at the Kingdome.

“I’m very nervous,” Griffey Sr. told reporters ahead of the game. “[Griffey Jr.] wasn’t as hyper as he usually is. I think he was nervous, too. For the last year and a half, this is something that has been in the back of my mind.”

“This is the pinnacle for me, something I’m very proud of,” Griffey Sr. said afterward. “You can talk about the ’76 batting race, the two World Series I played in and the All-Star Games I played in. But this is number one. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Two weeks later, the Griffeys made more history when they hit back-to-back home runs off Kirk McCaskill in the first inning of a 7-5 loss to the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium.

“I didn’t think we’d ever do it,” Griffey Jr. said. “We started talking last year about hitting home runs on the same day. After my homer, I gave some high-fives in the dugout, then I hugged him.”

The Mariners finished 77-85 in 1990 and Griffey Sr. retired after appearing in 30 games for Seattle during the 1991 season. His son played 22 seasons and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016.