On the first day of 2024, baseball and hockey joined forces for one day. Indeed, January 1 is the traditional day of the NHL Winter Classic. This year's edition took place in the state of Washington, in the city of Seattle, more precisely at T-Mobile Park, the magnificent home of the Mariners. Having personally gone there in 2018 to attend a game between the Mariners and the Royals, it is really a very beautiful baseball stadium!
January 1st is THE day of the NHL, in the same way that American Thanksgiving belongs sportingly to the NFL and July 4th, for its part, is the day of the MLB. They've got it, the Americans! to quote Elvis “Bob” Gratton.
Obviously, several links are made between the sport of baseball and that of hockey as part of the festivities surrounding the event. Wayne Gretzky, who needs absolutely no introduction, made a nice statement as part of his duties as an analyst for the TNT television network, broadcaster of the Classic. This statement was about a true legend of the city of Seattle and baseball in general.
The elite recognizes the elite
The one who was nicknamed The Wonder when he terrified his opponents on the ice, did not hesitate to express all the admiration he has towards Ken Griffey Jr. The 99 described Griffey Jr. as the one of the best athletes of all time as well as one of the kindest people he had the chance to meet. Coming from a man of Wayne Gretzky's stature and stature, that's saying something!
Ken Griffey Jr. is an immortal to Seattle sports fans and it's a classy move on Wayne Gretzky's part to spotlight one of the Seattle Classic host city's golden boys. sort.
A ball player during his youth
Like most boys his age at the time, the man considered by many to be the best hockey player of all time played baseball in the summer. He played more specifically at the shortstop position. He admits he wasn't the best, but he loved the sport.
The now 62-year-old is not afraid to say that baseball helped him enormously in his hockey career. He attributes part of his success to his hand-eye coordination, which he developed while playing baseball when he was younger. If Gretzky says it, it must be true!
It is with this kind of affirmation that we must encourage the youth of today and tomorrow to practice more than one sport in life while they are young and sport is still only 'a game.
