When Ken Griffey Jr. was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, word has it there was some question as to whether all his accomplishments would fit on his bronze plaque in Cooperstown. During the legendary center fielder’s 22-year career, “The Kid,” as he’s known to his legions of fans, not only hit more than 600 home runs, but he spurred big rookie card investments, appeared on The Simpsons, imitated Spider-Man with his athletic catches, saved a franchise, built a stadium, made a fashion statement with his backward cap, and ran for president (well, sort of, per ESPN).
When the induction was in the books—setting a then-record 99.32 percent of the ballots—the plaque featured the sensational swinger’s 630 career home runs, 13 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves, and 1997 AL MVP honor. It also noted his status as the first top overall draft pick to enter Cooperstown and his shared Pennsylvania hometown of Donora and birthday with fellow legend Stan Musial.
A soaring travertine foyer frames views of the palms through massive arched windows.
Victor Quintero/VTR IMAGE
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After the pomp and circumstance, Griffey Jr. went on to pursue a second career in sports photojournalism, shooting everything from the Masters Tournament to NFL games. He also invested in the sports franchises of his adopted hometown of Seattle, including the Sounders FC and Mariners, while serving as a senior adviser to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
On the proverbial real estate diamond, he and his wife, Melissa, purchased an 11.5-acre lakefront lot in the Orlando suburb of Windermere back in 2004 for just under $2.6 million and custom-built a lavish Mediterranean-style mansion completed in 2008. Now, 18 years later, the home has surfaced on the market for $27 million, with Llin Lu of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s southwest Orlando office holding the listing.
An elegant primary bedroom is showcased by a stone fireplace and tufted headboard.
Victor Quintero/VTR IMAGE
Set beyond a gated driveway amid a palm-laced parcel spanning almost 11.6 acres with 440 feet of frontage on Cypress Lake, the turreted structure offers seven bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, and two powder rooms in roughly 22,100 square feet. Three levels of Moorish-inspired living space hold a media lounge, a golf simulator, a wine room, a salon, a gym, and several recreation areas, plus an elevator and automated smart-home system.
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A porte-cochère off a motor court opens into the residence, which is introduced via a 28-foot foyer bathed in travertine and anchored by a wrought iron-railed, bifurcated staircase flanked by a trio of soaring Gothic-style, tracery-framed windows. Other highlights include a formal dining area lined with columns, a coffer-ceilinged kitchen with professional-grade appliances, and an elegant primary suite sporting a stone fireplace and tufted headboard. A two-bedroom guest wing with its own entrance and living area is ideal for guests or staff.
The property has 440 feet of frontage on Cypress Lake.
Victor Quintero/VTR IMAGE
Dotted with palm and mossy cypress trees, the grounds host a 125,000-gallon, grotto-style pool with a slide and waterfalls, along with a basketball court and a dock. There’s also a 10-car garage with two lifts for auto enthusiasts.
The son of Ken Griffey Sr., who he famously shared the outfield with for the Seattle Mariners in 1990, Griffey Jr. was selected as the first overall pick in the 1987 MLB draft out of Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller High School by the Mariners. After his first stint with the team, he went on to play for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox before returning to Seattle to retire with the Mariners in 2010.
Click here for more photos of the Windermere residence.
Victor Quintero/VTR IMAGE
Authors
Wendy Bowman
Wendy Bowman is a real estate writer at Robb Report. Before that, she was a freelancer for Modern Luxury and several other media outlets, where she primarily covered luxury properties for…