Ken Griffey Jr. is Etched in Stone (This is NOT a Baseball Card!)

It's only a matter of time. Ken Griffey Jr. will be immortalized in a statue of some sort in Seattle. It may be 2015 after his election to the Hall of Fame, maybe sooner, maybe later, but when you think superstars of the 1990s Griffey has to be mentioned. He's a 13-time all-star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, 7-time Silver Slugger winner, MVP, All-Star Game MVP, 3-time Home Run Derby winner, and the 2005 NL Comeback Player of the Year. He has 630 home runs - currently fifth on the all-time list, with steroid user A-Rod right behind him. Amongst all the allegations and evidence of players around him using steroids, Griffey has never been linked to steroids, while still dominating the sport.

Another one of those oddball products to come out of the late 90's (1997 to be exact) is this relief sculpture of Ken Griffey Jr. As far as I can tell, Griffey is one of four products made - Babe Ruth, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt are the other three. It's not a statue, but it's close, and it fits on a shelf, unlike a life-size bronze tribute.

 It's pretty easy to see why these weren't too successful. The batting profile looks good, but that portrait makes Griffey look like a 70 year old. A little color wouldn't hurt, either (though I get the fact that sculptures aren't necessarily supposed to have color). The real kicker, though, is the price. Would you pay $20 for this product that probably cost around $2 to make? The plaque is about 3" by 5".

As you can see from the back of the box, the plaque comes with a stand (visible in the scan above, as well) and a decent back design reminiscent of a trading card. The portrait image looks better in the photo than in the actual piece, possibly due to the angle. But he still looks old and tired.

Despite the shortcomings, I love this product. It's one of those oddball items that would look great on display alongside Starting Lineup or McFarlane figurines, bobbleheads, and other souvenirs of your favorite player or team. I'm happy to have it, and I got it for a great price - one dollar. I probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise.

Do you have any unique souvenir items in your collection?