Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. photographs the Masters

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. relishing chance to photograph Masters

When Gabe Castro arrives for work at Lone Tree Golf Club, his duties include stocking driving range balls. Wiping down golf clubs and prepping carts, but his recent actions inside the course's grill have landed him *** new title, that of hero. He collapsed in his chair. And I ran over. He says in December, *** man sitting at the courses bar fell to the ground. When Gabe saw he wasn't breathing and didn't have *** pulse, he immediately began administering CPR. I started giving him chest compressions here. The youngster worked on the man while others fetched an AED. No panic to his moves, just the beat of the 1980s hit 9 to 5. When you do CPR beats should be 100 to 120 beats per minute, and that's. That song is pumping the man's heart to that song for 12 minutes in an attempt to save his life. That's when he started breathing. He took that breath. I also took that breath, um, it's just *** big sigh of relief. We're locking our arms out, we're placing our hands in the center of the chest. And to think it was only *** month earlier, the Perry high school sophomore. OK, we're counting out loud, 30 compressions. Learn the life saving technique in his sports medicine class. Crazy, um, I'm obviously very, very proud. His teacher, Allison Romero says the course covers anatomy, injury treatment, and nutrition, but also real world life saving skills like CPR. He was very quiet about it, and I was like, you like, you deserve to be recognized. The Chandler Unified School District made sure of that, awarding him the and then some award in January. Seriously, dad and I are really, really happy and just proud. Of how you reacted and how you used your knowledge. Since then, Gabe and the man he saved have reunited, sharing *** warm embrace that he says is all the reward he needs.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. relishing chance to photograph Masters

Ken Griffey Jr.'s wife, Melissa, asked if he could do some chores around the house this weekend."No," he told her, "I have to work the Masters."They haven't spoken in a few days, he said kiddingly.Related video above: Teen golf course worker saves man's life with CPRBut hey, it's Masters week, and the Hall of Fame baseball player simply couldn't pass up the rare opportunity to work as a photographer for Masters.com, taking pictures of golf's biggest stars like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Phil Mickelson on perhaps the sport's most picturesque stage.A star shooting stars, if you will."I'm not here to take anybody's job, but I am here to learn about as much as I can about sports photography, as well as the history of the Masters," Griffey said. "To be able to sit here and really soak it in for four or five days has really been absolutely unbelievable."The 55-year-old Griffey, a 13-time All-Star, said he's a late bloomer when it comes to sports photography.He started when his children got into sports."People would think if I'm sitting in the stands smiling, they can come up and talk to me," Griffey said with a laugh. "So if I got a camera, they didn't really know what I was doing. It was a way for me to really focus in and watch the kids, and not critique what they were doing, but just be in the moment with them."He's since taken it to a different level.Griffey has shot the World Series, the All-Star game, NFL games and soccer — not to mention driving the pace car during his trip to the Indy 500 last year. This is Junior's first time shooting golf, though he's played Augusta National once before.(He'll modestly tell you his handicap is 13, but some close to him say it's much closer to scratch.)"I think I'm probably best at shooting baseball because I understand it so well," said Griffey, who played 22 big league seasons with four teams and finished with 2,781 hits, a career .284 batting average and 630 home runs. He also won 10 Gold Gloves as an outfielder."Football, too," he added.Griffey has all of his own photography equipment, including the long telephoto lenses.When he first became immersed in the hobby, Griffey phoned former Seattle Mariners teammate Randy Johnson for some advice. He knew "The Big Unit" had taken photojournalism classes and worked some sporting events after retiring from baseball.Johnson rattled off several tips, and Griffey gathered what he could from him.With typical modesty, Griffey said he's still very much a work in progress."You know, I'm getting better at it because I'm starting to understand and know what they expect from me," Griffey said of his time working for Masters.com. "I mean, I can go out there and rattle off 30,000 pictures — anybody can — but it's about so much more than that. The lighting is a big thing, the background, so many things."You can have a good picture of someone," he said, "but if the background isn't right, it can turn out terrible."Griffey said he wants to shoot motocross racing next. But for now, he's excited to finish out the week and see how the Masters turns out — and be there to document a little bit of history."I like it all, because every sport has its challenges," Griffey said. "But this has been a really fantastic week, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity."

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) —

Ken Griffey Jr.'s wife, Melissa, asked if he could do some chores around the house this weekend.

"No," he told her, "I have to work the Masters."

They haven't spoken in a few days, he said kiddingly.

Related video above: Teen golf course worker saves man's life with CPR

But hey, it's Masters week, and the Hall of Fame baseball player simply couldn't pass up the rare opportunity to work as a photographer for Masters.com, taking pictures of golf's biggest stars like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Phil Mickelson on perhaps the sport's most picturesque stage.

A star shooting stars, if you will.

"I'm not here to take anybody's job, but I am here to learn about as much as I can about sports photography, as well as the history of the Masters," Griffey said. "To be able to sit here and really soak it in for four or five days has really been absolutely unbelievable."

The 55-year-old Griffey, a 13-time All-Star, said he's a late bloomer when it comes to sports photography.

He started when his children got into sports.

"People would think if I'm sitting in the stands smiling, they can come up and talk to me," Griffey said with a laugh. "So if I got a camera, they didn't really know what I was doing. It was a way for me to really focus in and watch the kids, and not critique what they were doing, but just be in the moment with them."

He's since taken it to a different level.

Griffey has shot the World Series, the All-Star game, NFL games and soccer — not to mention driving the pace car during his trip to the Indy 500 last year. This is Junior's first time shooting golf, though he's played Augusta National once before.

(He'll modestly tell you his handicap is 13, but some close to him say it's much closer to scratch.)

Ashley Landis

Former MLB great Ken Griffey Jr., center, and former NFL player Ryan Fitzpatrick, left, speak with a patron on the second hole during the second round at the Masters golf tournament, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Augusta, Ga.

"I think I'm probably best at shooting baseball because I understand it so well," said Griffey, who played 22 big league seasons with four teams and finished with 2,781 hits, a career .284 batting average and 630 home runs. He also won 10 Gold Gloves as an outfielder.

"Football, too," he added.

Griffey has all of his own photography equipment, including the long telephoto lenses.

When he first became immersed in the hobby, Griffey phoned former Seattle Mariners teammate Randy Johnson for some advice. He knew "The Big Unit" had taken photojournalism classes and worked some sporting events after retiring from baseball.

Johnson rattled off several tips, and Griffey gathered what he could from him.

With typical modesty, Griffey said he's still very much a work in progress.

"You know, I'm getting better at it because I'm starting to understand and know what they expect from me," Griffey said of his time working for Masters.com. "I mean, I can go out there and rattle off 30,000 pictures — anybody can — but it's about so much more than that. The lighting is a big thing, the background, so many things.

"You can have a good picture of someone," he said, "but if the background isn't right, it can turn out terrible."

Griffey said he wants to shoot motocross racing next. But for now, he's excited to finish out the week and see how the Masters turns out — and be there to document a little bit of history.

"I like it all, because every sport has its challenges," Griffey said. "But this has been a really fantastic week, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity."