Excelling in baseball throughout his high school career, Griffiths became a college MVP before being drafted by the New York Mets. A member of the Shoremen baseball team all four years, Griffiths was voted the SWC MVP his senior year, when he was also a SWC first-team selection and made the All-Ohio team. He also played golf his sophomore, junior and senior years, and was among the SWC’s best players his senior season.

Griffiths played baseball for Toledo University, where he became the Mid-American Conference MVP. He was drafted by the New York Mets and played professional baseball for six years, which included several starts with the Mets.