SEATTLE (AP) — Once Ken Griffey Jr. got the phone call about the honor the Seattle Mariners wanted to bestow upon him he started getting nervous about having to be the center of attention.

As Griffey said Friday, it’s easier to be standing in center field or waiting at home plate than talking in front of thousands of people.

Griffey will become the seventh member of the Mariners Hall of Fame on Saturday night. Griffey spent 13 seasons with the Mariners before retiring part-way through the 2010 season.

Griffey was lauded by former teammates and opponents during a luncheon on the field Friday. He was razzed by his father, who sat next to him, and was told by former teammates that they can’t wait for 2016 when Griffey is eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame.