Griffey Is Youngest to Hit 400 Homers

L.A. Times Archives

April 11, 2000 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

DENVER —

Monday was a special day for the Griffey family.

On the day his father turned 50, Ken Griffey Jr. became the youngest player in major league history to hit 400 home runs when he hit a Rolando Arrojo pitch into the left-field seats in the fourth inning of Cincinnati’s 7-5 loss to Colorado.

The 378-foot home run was his second of the season and second in as many days.

He was cheered by the Coors Field crowd as he rounded the bases, then was high-fived by teammates and hugged by his father, Reds’ coach Ken Griffey, in the dugout.

At 30 years, 141 days, Griffey is 107 days younger than Jimmie Foxx was when he hit No. 400.

Griffey is fifth on the career homer list among active players, trailing Mark McGwire (525), Barry Bonds (447), Jose Canseco (431) and Cal Ripken Jr. (403).

Monday was the fourth time he has homered on his father’s birthday, including home run No. 1 in 1989.

“I haven’t really had a chance to think about it,” Griffey Jr. said of No. 400. “The biggest thing is, I tell my dad it’s a cheap way of not buying him a gift on his birthday. So he’ll get this ball. My mom got 399, and he’s got 400.

“But it’s on his birthday, so it’s a special moment for both of us, especially that I can do it in front of him. I don’t think I started smiling until I got to the dugout and looked at all the guys sitting there waiting for me to come in. That was pretty special.”

Asked where his 400th homer puts him in baseball history, Griffey said, “I don’t know. Over my last 12 years of playing baseball, I think the No. 1 thing is that I played with my father. I got to call him a teammate. He got to take me out to lunch and things like that.”

During lengthy postgame interviews, Ken Griffey yelled to his son, “Hurry up, I don’t want you to be late for my birthday.”

Griffey’s homer was caught by Jay Wissot, who attended the game with his wife, Alyn Park, of Denver. They requested an autographed hat, glove and warmup top, all of which they promised to donate to charity. They also requested a $1,000 donation in the name of Griffey’s mother, Birdie, to the Conflict Center of Denver.

“This is like the fourth glove I’ve lost this year,” Griffey said. “I’ll have to call tonight and have a glove sent in. It was my game glove.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The 400 Club

All-time leading home run hitters:

1. Hank Aaron: 755

2. Babe Ruth: 714

3. Willie Mays: 660

4. Frank Robinson: 586

5. Harmon Killebrew: 573

6. Reggie Jackson: 563

7. Mike Schmidt: 548

8. Mickey Mantle: 536