The Seattle Mariners, the Emerald City, and the entire baseball world are immersed in emotion as they commemorate the 25th anniversary of the most shocking trade in the team’s history: Ken Griffey Jr. – “The Kid” – was transferred from the Mariners to the Cincinnati Reds on February 10, 2000. This trade not only ended a golden era but also left a deep wound in the hearts of millions of Seattle fans – who once considered Griffey a living icon, a “son of the city.”
Ken Griffey Jr. – born November 21, 1969, in Donora, Pennsylvania – joined the Mariners in 1989 as a top prospect. In just a few years, he became a global phenomenon: his radiant smile, smooth swing, outstanding center-field defense, and the nickname “The Kid” because of his youthful appearance despite being a superstar. From 1990–1999, Griffey was a 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove, the 1997 AL MVP, led MLB home runs four times (1994, 1997–1999), and recorded 398 first-hand kills for the Mariners – a team record that remains to this day.
The 1990s were the Mariners’ “Refuse to Lose” era: the team rose from the bottom of the standings to become AL West champions in 1995, entered the ALCS in 1995, and built the “Big Three” with Griffey, Randy Johnson, and Edgar Martinez. Kingdome shook whenever Griffey stepped onto the plate. Seattle fans loved him not only for his talent – but also for his humility, his love of the city, and his return to playing despite injuries (such as a broken wrist in 1995). He once said, “Seattle is my home. I want to stay here forever.”
But then tragedy struck. In 1999, the Mariners did not renew Griffey’s long-term contract due to concerns about injuries and financial pressure. Griffey requested a trade to the Cincinnati Reds – his father’s hometown team (Ken Griffey Sr.), where he could play with his father and be close to his family. On February 10, 2000, the Mariners agreed: Griffey was traded for Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko, Antonio Perez, Jake Meyer, and Jake Meyer. The news spread, and Seattle fell silent.
At Safeco Field (a new field opened in 1999), thousands of fans gathered, many weeping uncontrollably. One fan wrote in a local newspaper: “Griffey didn’t just leave the team – he left our hearts.” Kingdome – once a place of cheering – was now eerily silent. The press called it “the darkest day in Mariners history.” Griffey himself couldn’t hide his tears during his final press conference in Seattle: “I didn’t want to go, but I needed to be close to my family. Seattle will always be home.”
The trade became a double tragedy: the Mariners continued to decline, while Griffey in Cincinnati suffered a string of injuries, playing only eight seasons and never reaching the peak he had reached in Seattle. He returned to the Mariners in 2009–2010 to retire, but it was too late – the power was gone, the glory was gone. In his final game at Safeco Field in 2010, fans stood up and applauded for five minutes, many weeping as he ran around the field one last time.
25 years later, the pain remains. Mariners fans still ask, “What if?” – if Griffey had stayed, would the Mariners have won the World Series? Would the team have kept young Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez? Griffey shared in a rare interview in 2025: “I still regret it. Seattle gave me everything – love, a second family. If I could go back, I wouldn’t trade.”
The 2000 trade wasn’t just a business deal – it was a deep gash in Mariners history. Griffey wasn’t just a player – he was a symbol of hope, of youth, of Seattle in the 90s. Though he never won a World Series, though he left in tears, Ken Griffey Jr. remains “The Kid” – the son Seattle will forever love and never forget.
Today, looking back, Mariners fans still hold a special place in their hearts for Griffey. No championship ring, no World Series, but a pure love – a love only Seattle understands. And perhaps, that is “The Kid’s” greatest legacy.
