Naming a candy bar for Ken Griffey Jr. was an odd choice because the baseball player is allergic to chocolate. In 1989 when Griffey was a 19-year-old rookie center fielder playing for the Seattle Mariners, he was honored with The Ken Griffey Junior Milk Chocolate Bar, a solid chocolate bar embossed with his image. It was released by Pacific Trading Cards Company in Edmonds, Washington after Griffey had played Major League Baseball (MLB) for only two months. He was just the second player in history to have his own candy bar. The company’s president went on record as saying it was a strategic decision before Griffey became more successful and the value of his image went up.
More about Ken Griffey Jr.:
- Ken Griffey Jr. was one of only six players to hit over 600 home runs.
- In 1990, Ken Griffey Jr. and his father became the first father-son pair in history to hit home runs right after one another for the same team.
- Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1989 rookie card was the first baseball card produced by the Upper Deck Company and is considered the most popular rookie card of all time, according to Professional Sports Authenticator.
