Ken Griffey Jr. Says He and His Dad Will 'Be Sitting Front Row' If LeBron and Bronny Play Together (Exclusive)

The Hall of Fame slugger spoke with PEOPLE about his unique perspective on playing with his dad, Ken Griffey Sr., in the 1990s

Ken Griffey Jr. knows the power of fatherhood!

The retired Hall of Fame slugger, 53, who ranks seventh all-time on the MLB home run list, made history in the ‘90s when he and his dad, Ken Griffey Sr., became the first son and father to play on the same Major League Baseball team, the Seattle Mariners.

Years later, it’s still an unmatched feat, and one which has brought the now-father of three a treasure trove of memories — and a unique perspective when it comes to others doing the same in pro sports, like possibly LeBron James and his eldest son, Bronny.

“We'll be sitting in the first row,” Ken Griffey Jr. tells PEOPLE exclusively, saying he and his dad, now 73, plan to cheer the duo on if that day comes. “No matter what, this is something that I look forward to. I know LeBron does.”

He also points out just how slim the chances are of a parent-child duo in sports. “I mean, you know, there's quite a few things that have to happen. One is having a child early, right? Two, having your child be really good at an early age. And three, being able to hang around and be productive. I mean, two of those things are out of your control. Two of those things are dependent on your dad. So you look at LeBron being really early in the NBA and having 20 years of longevity, and [it] doesn't look like he's slowing down.”

Related: Magic Johnson Tells Son EJ to 'Keep Living Your Truth' on 31st Birthday: 'Love Your Pure Heart'

For now, it’s just a hypothetical scenario Griffey Jr. enthusiastically endorses. But one thing’s for sure: The superstar athletes, who share a Nike agent, also share an unwavering love and appreciation for family.

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For Griffey Jr., who has childhood memories of hanging out in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse with his dad who played for the team from 1973-1981 and later from 1988-1990 and won two World Series there in 1975 and 1976, it all came full circle when his father joined him on the Seattle Mariners in 1990.

Related: Ken Griffey Jr., Who Retired in 2010, Is Among Highest-Paid Players on the Cincinnati Reds

“Just being, just being on the field with my dad, being able to play catch with him,” Junior says, looking back on the historic time.

He adds, “He was a teammate, not a dad until we got home. Then he became Dad. I had an absolute blast playing with him. I was his teammate. He wasn't my teammate. He was there first, as far as being in the big leagues. And you know, he taught a lot of guys a lot of things on the Mariners.”

Among the highlights, the father and son tandem conspired to hit back-to-back home runs in one particularly epic moment during a game against the California Angels on Sept. 14, 1990.

Another special day that stands out for Griffey Jr. is when he just so happened to hit his 500th career home run on Father’s Day 2004, no less, with his dad, eldest son Trey and daughter Taryn in the stands.

Related: 2 Brothers Make MLB History Playing Against Each Other in NLCS Game 2

“I  can't believe that one swing made so many people happy in my family,” he laughs, “that they can get on. And, and what I mean by that is yeah, that they traveled with me for a week and it was like, 'Can we just hurry up and get this over with so they can get on with their lives?' And that's what it was. It was like, I'm holding 12 people captive.”

But, he recalls, “it was an awesome experience.”

“To be able to do it and happened to be on Father's Day. I gave him a hug,” he says, about finding his family in the stands following the history-making homer. “Sometimes you don't take a chance to reflect on what you've done. And watching my dad's reaction when I was running over to him, I could just see all the things that he's taught me.”

The younger Griffey recently got to spend more time with his dad while the two filmed a new Budweiser commercial pegged to Father’s Day.

In the ad, Junior and Senior sit side-by-side on a couch and share a beer while reminiscing about their mutual accomplishments in the sport — which have spilled over into real life.

“I tell my dad this all the time that he is not the same parent that raised me,” Junior says. “Growing up there was a whole lot of ‘No’s.’ And you have grandkids, I guess it's a whole lot of ‘Yesses.’

He adds about his now-grown children, whom he shares with wife Melissa: ‘They're like, ‘Grandpa, can we do this? And I'm looking at them going, I'm waiting for him to say no. [He’s] like, ‘Oh yeah, let's go do it.’ So [he’s] not the same guy. I don't even know him anymore,” Junior laughs. “But, it's quite an experience, to be part of Budweiser, to be part of this campaign. It's been truly a blessing.”

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