Larkin turned down more money to play elsewhere, because the town suits his personality. Now, Ken Griffey Jr., Moeller '87, has returned, seeking something only he can define. It's a feeling. That's what they all say. The chain is broken almost everywhere else.
Kids grow up and away.
The trip home is more ordeal than joy. Not here, not for Griffey Jr. Not now. To return to his hometown, Griffey accepted a contract that will pay him upfront for the next nine years less than half what he could have earned elsewhere. That's like buying Indian Hill and paying for it with Blue Ash. But in the twisted world of baseball economics, it's close.