Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the biggest MLB legends ever. He has always looked to give back to the game following his Hall of Famer career and was given the perfect opportunity to do so in the 2023 MLB Al-Star Game festivities hosted by the team he grew into a superstar with, the Seattle Mariners.

Griffey took on a big role to set up the HBCU Swingman Classic, a new addition to the All-Star festivities that showcases some of the best baseball players from historically black colleges and universities. Split into an American League and National League team, the players put on a show at T-Mobile Park.

Griffey was super proud of the event, according to Chris Stevens of HBCU Sports. The 13-time All-Star is very happy to help promote young, Black baseball players who are looking to make their mark like he did.

“It’s been great to see the smiles on the guys’ faces and their attitudes about being here, which is what we wanted,” Griffey said, via HBCU Sports. “…I grew up differently – my dad played baseball. Not everybody can play at a Power 5 conference or pay the $30-40,000 a year to go one of those schools. I’ve found that the lower the level, the more that guys want to be a part of [baseball].”

The American League squad won 4-3 in a close contest. Alabama State's Randy Flores won the game's MVP award after hitting a double, stealing third base and scoring on a passed ball to give his team the lead late in the game. The first HBCU Swingman Classic was a great start in what should be a fantastic event during the MLB All-Star break.