By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff reporter
ST. LOUIS - The pursuit of a career-defining milestone ended with one majestic swing Sunday.
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 500th career home run at 2:48 p.m. at Busch Stadium.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would accomplish something like this," said Griffey, who hit No. 499 a week earlier in Cleveland. "All the aches and pains that I had this year were gone for like two minutes while I rounded the bases."
In this ballpark where in 1998 Mark McGwire pursued Roger Maris' single-season home run record, Griffey hit a 2-and-2 pitch from Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris 393 feet to right field in the sixth inning of a 6-0 Reds win.
The home run ball found its way into the hands of Mark Crummley, a 19-year-old college student from Mount Carmel, Ill.
Crummley returned the ball to Griffey without hesitation and received numerous items from the 34-year-old player in return.
Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro are the only other active major league players with more than 500 home runs.
At 34 years old, and healthy again, Griffey has a legitimate chance of getting to 600.
His father, Ken Griffey Sr., who hugged his son after the historic blast, hit 152 home runs in his 19-year career and knew early on that his son would go well beyond that.
"It's been a great Father's Day for me. I've just enjoyed every minute of it."
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