George Kenneth Griffey was born April 10, 1950 in Donora, Pennsylvania, one of five children to Ruth and Joseph “Buddy” Griffey. When Ken was two years old, Buddy moved to Ohio on a work transfer while Ruth refused to move with him. Ken would not see his father again for 16 years. Growing up, Griffey attended Donora High School where he was a 4-sport athlete in baseball, basketball, football, and track. It was in football that Ken was most proficient, and with his brother Fred at quarterback, the Griffey’s led the Donora Dragons to consecutive undefeated seasons, with Ken receiving the Donora community’s “Athlete of the Year” in 1969.
