Prior to the Lakers taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in their season opener, a historic photo was taken at center court. Lakers forward LeBron James along with his son and teammate Bronny posed with MLB stars Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr..
The four athletes made history in their respective sport by creating a father and son tandem on the professional level.
“It’s a great feeling to get to be together for what we love to do,” Bronny said. “I’d say at the same time that he’s gone away doing his job, I’m doing my own basketball, I’ve been able to get through that from the love of the game.”
In his 17th season as a major league player, Griffey Sr. had been released by the Cincinnati Reds. The junior Griffey was called up to the Seattle Mariners in 1989. Griffey Sr chose to join his son in Seattle and played their first game together on August 31,1990, they battled against the Kansas City Royals.
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“I learned how to actually hit watching him because how he set up pitchers, what he did,” Griffey Jr. said in an interview with sportscaster Shannon Sharpe. “I got to see somebody who I look like perform right in front of me.”
The Griffeys created a rare historic moment on September 14, 1990 when they slugged out back-to-back home runs. The 1990 official batting order of the Mariners had Senior batting second and his son batting third.
“[Griffey Jr.] just did a little drive, just went over the wall and I hit straight away center field,” Griffey Sr. said to MLB Network. “I had the most pop that day.”
Both fathers were raised by single mothers and are 19 years older than their sons. Griffey Sr. and Jr. were 40 and 20 respectively when they made history. LeBron and Bronny are 39 and 20 respectively.
The Lakers sealed the historic moment with a 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. LeBron scored 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Bronny earned his first NBA rebound in the three minutes he competed.
“Obviously, that moment, us being at the scoring table together, checking in together. It’s a night I’ll never forget, no matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade,” James said. “We wasn’t trying to make it about us, we wanted to make it a team.”
Bronny will play for both the Lakers and the South Bay Lakers throughout the season.
