Ken Griffey Jr. Is Receiving Loads of Praise After ESPN Airs Controversial '30 for 30' Special 'Long Gone Summer'

Sunday night, ESPN aired its latest 30 for 30, Long Gone Summer. The 1998 home run race between [...]

By John Newby - June 15, 2020 07:36 pm EDT

Sunday night, ESPN aired its latest 30 for 30, Long Gone Summer. The 1998 home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa served as the primary storyline, but MLB fans focused on a different aspect. They started tweeting and talking about Ken Griffey Jr., who only appeared for brief moments during the documentary.

Griffey Jr. became a trending topic on Sunday night as social media users reacted to Long Gone Summer. McGwire may have won the home run race and finished the year with 71 shots over the wall, but Griffey was not far behind. He ended the year with 56 homers, good for third place, while matching his total from the 1997 season. He also led the American League. The fans remembered this production and voiced their support for the former Seattle Mariners star. They felt he provided a better storyline for a 30 for 30 and should be the focus due to his lack of steroid use.

ESPN loves memorializing the cheaters. Lance Armstrong 30 for 30 followed by Sosa and McGwire 30 for 30 tonight.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit 56 home runs that same season, and wasn't on the roids! Won a gold glove too. He needs a 30 for 30. All time great pic.twitter.com/PGOKylGcaP
— SkinsHoops86 (@SkinsHoops86) June 14, 2020

Ken Griffey, Jr., doesn’t get the respect he deserves as a 🐐. Greatest baseball player I’ve ever watched in person. Could do anything. Amazing athlete. Swing so pretty it could win a beauty contest.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) June 15, 2020

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Sammy Sosa: "If it was meant to be Griffey, it would have been Griffey. But God picked me."
Ken Griffey has been remarkably restrained about the guys who took steroids to usurp his spot as the biggest star in baseball. I'd be pretty pissed that they were attributing it to God.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) June 15, 2020

When does that Ken Griffey Jr. 30 for 30 air? Or do we only cover stories shrouded in controversy? @espn
— Nick (@NLarrabee5) June 15, 2020

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Ken Griffey Jr legit hit 56 HR's in back-to-back seasons NOT on steroids.

🤯
— Scott Dunn (@_SDunn_) June 15, 2020

Ken Griffey Jr. plz and thx https://t.co/3y567C0iV8
— Vin2theE (@vinny_bumpus) June 15, 2020

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@SarahSpain I feel like the '98 home run chase is the perfect scenario for a revenge movie starring Ken Griffey, Jr.
— Trevor Seigler (@T_L_Seigler) June 15, 2020

Ken Griffey, Jr! https://t.co/13R7SCKYrx
— Heather (@rubydrm4) June 15, 2020

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Thing that pisses me off is that in 90s, Ken Griffey Jr was out there killing it with one of sweetest swings in history of baseball & he was CLEAN! But instead MLB rode PED players like Bash Bros, Sossa, Bonds & others until public back-lash. https://t.co/rzln7tmGmo
— Alan Stewart (@rum4alan) June 15, 2020

This guy needs a 30 for 30. #thekid #kengriffeyjr pic.twitter.com/oXYdtJMeYB
— Joel (@joelsmostwanted) June 15, 2020

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I still feel Ken Griffey Jr. is underrated...

The. Best. pic.twitter.com/7zz5NP49QR
— Alex Feuz (@AlexFeuz) June 15, 2020

Ken Griffey Jr is the greatest baseball player of all time. Change my mind. Those numbers he put up and was never linked to steroid use.
— Ross DeLuca (@R_DeLuca95) June 15, 2020

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I wonder if Ken Griffey Jr would have kept up with Sosa and McGwire if he also took steroids.#LongGoneSummer
— Montana Parlay (@MontanaParlay) June 15, 2020

Ken Griffey Jr hit the even bigger flex on the roid era though. He sat back and said “hold up, let me show you what true talent and skill does in this game” 😂😂🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️
— BMahaff (@B_Mahaffey11) June 15, 2020

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