2016 MLB HOF Inductee, Ken Griffey Jr!

First off, we all knew I couldn't go today without at least saying something. So congrats to a well deserved place in the Hall Of Fame to one of the greatest to EVER step out on the field, Ken Griffey Jr.

Second, Upper Deck asked this weekend on Twitter and Facebook that fans show pictures of their favorite Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr cards. If you didn't know, Upper Deck and Ken Griffey Jr are like PB&J. You couldn't have one without the other and between 1989-2009 you found plenty of Griffey UD cardboard. There were special commemorative sets, inserts, packaging and so on plastered with the face of baseball at the time.

But, sadly today, we don't get to marvel at what once was with the hobby all singled out to one company per sport. We do get a few Griffey cards from time to time in special promo sets from UD, but not like it once was.

So, today, I thought I would pick out a few of my favorite Upper Deck cards that's not the infamous and Hobby Hall Of Fame worthy '89 rookie card to appease Upper Deck's social media request and to celebrate what I have waited for to see for years with Griffey Jr making his final baseball stop.

This isn't a big gallery, but I chose a few of my favorites.

Let's see my gallery and in comments you can tell me some of your favorite Upper Deck Junior cards.

Bloodlines. Nothing like getting the family together on a card. You can tell pops is pretty proud.

 

The key to Upper Deck's early baseball card success was they always had fun when they did photos like this

 

Griffey is everywhere!!!!! I wished I could have said that more in the 90's in my card packs, but I always think this was one of the more unique photographed base cards I had ever seen.

 

Bugs Bunny and Ken Griffey Jr on a hologram...boo yeah! Can't go wrong here.

 

Not sure how many of you remember how popular this card was. This one and Aurora were the first two to feature Ken Griffey Jr in a Red's uniform after the trade. This one was the hotter and more popular of the two with collectors running to chase packs to find it. I was fortunate enough to pack pull it.

 

And we close it out with some Austin, I mean, Awesome Powers. UD Ionix was such a pretty product and this was my favorite insert pulls from it.

 

Hope you all enjoyed my gallery and like I said earlier, would love to hear about your favorites too in comments.

Congrats again to Ken on making the Hall Of Fame and for giving us 90's raised kids someone to idolize. It was a career and highlight reel that I will never forget with those amazing catches and that "sweet,sweet" swing. I started watching baseball because of you and even though I was a Yankee fan, I always routed you on even when you faced them.

Thank you.