WEATHER THE STORM
DEREK BAGGETT x NIK BROWNLEE
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE JOURNEY ORIGINS + PAST TO PRESENT + 2001
THE ICONS
PAPI + THE KID + ICHIRO + KING FELIX + SWEET LOU + MY OH MY
THE NORTHWEST
CHALLENGES + CHARACTERISTICS + POTENTIAL
THE MANTRA
THE JOURNEY
ORIGINS PAST TO PRESENT 2001
1977
1982
1994
1969
ORIGINS
The Seattle Mariners were born in 1977. Previously, Seattle housed a baseball team named the Pilots. However, the Pilots would only stay in Seattle for one year, before relocating to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Pilots are now known as the Milwaukee Brewers. The Seattle Mariners’ first winning season was in 1991, almost fifteen years after the Mariners entered the MLB. Unfortunately, they are still one of two teams to never appear in the World Series.
FROM PAST TO PRESENT
The Kingdome was an epic covered stadium that could seat more than 60,000 fans. Though The Kingdome was most known for hosting Mariners games, it was also used for basketball and football games for the Supersonics and Seahawks respectively. Talks of a new stadium didn’t occur until the mid 1990s, when individuals began to question The Kingdome’s infrastructure and profitability. The Kingdome was imploded by a controlled demolition on March 26th, 2000, after being home to the Mariners for 22 seasons.
TO PRESENT
Seattle began to look into options for a new stadium during the 1995 season, and many fans feared that the team would relocate if a new stadium was not built. With the increased fan support following the 1995 AL West division title, and an ALDS victory over the New York Yankees, plans for a new stadium were solidified. On July 15th, 1999, the Seattle Mariners hosted their first game in their new ballpark. Safeco Field is often referred to as “The House That Griffey Built,” and is home to the Mariners for the foreseeable future.
2001 SEASON
The Seattle Mariners’ historic season occurred in 2001, where they would win 116 of their 162 games. The Mariners tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the most wins in a single season. The Seattle Mariners still hold the record for most wins in a single season under the American League division. Despite their incredible season, the Seattle Mariners were unable to clinch an American League Pennant, and would later decline in the following seasons.
THE ICONS
PAPI THE KID ICHIRO KING FELIX SWEET LOU MY OH MY
EDGAR MARTINEZ #11
PAPI
2247 HITS
.312 BATTING
309
HOME RUNS
Edgar Martinez is one of the most iconic designated hitters in all of MLB history. He started his career in Seattle, and retired 18 years later, staying with the Mariners for the entirety of his career. Martinez is a 7-time All Star, who has also received five Silver Slugger Awards as well as two American League batting titles. Martinez’s number was retired by the team, and he is now a member of the Seattle Mariners’ Hall of Fame.
KEN GRIFFEY JR. #24 2781
THE KID
HITS
.284 AVERAGE
630
HOME RUNS
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the first players to play alongside his father on the same MLB team. He played 22 years in the MLB, for three different teams before retiring with the Seattle Mariners. He has the 6th most home runs ever in the MLB, hitting 630 during his career. To add to this impressive resume, Griffey Jr. is also a 13-time All Star and holds 10 Gold Glove Awards. These stats landed him in the Mariners’ Hall of Fame, and is a likely candidate for Cooperstown.
THE
ICHIRO
EFFECT
ICHIRO SUZUKI #51
Besides Ken Griffey Jr., Ichiro Suzuki is one of the most recognized names in Mariners history. In 2001, Ichiro was signed by the Seattle HITS Mariners, becoming the first Japanese position player to play in the MLB. Ichiro is a 10-time All Star and holds the record for most consecutive STOLEN BASES 200-hit seasons with 10. He also holds the record for most hits in a single season with 262, and has over 4,000 hits when his Japanese and MLB careers are combined. In 2001, Ichiro received the AL Rookie of the Year Award AND AL MVP the AL MVP Award.
2742 472
2001
FELIX HERNANDEZ #34 110 WINS
1703
STRIKEOUTS
3.20 ERAS
At 19 years old, Hernandez was one of
the youngest pitchers to ever start in the major leagues. He is a 4-time All Star and received the American League Cy Young award in 2010. Hernandez is also one of the few pitchers to throw an “immaculate inning” - which occurs when a pitcher strikes out three batters with nine pitches. As if these achievements weren’t enough, in 2012 Hernandez became the first Seattle Mariner to throw a perfect game.
SWEET LOU
Lou Piniella managed the Mariners for nine years (1993-2002). Piniella was actively managing the Mariners during their incredible 2001 season. He played in the MLB for twenty years before becoming a manager. Piniella has managed five teams in the MLB, staying longest with the Seattle Mariners. Piniella won AL Manager of the Year in 1995, as well as in 2001. Throughout the entirety of Seattle Mariners history, they have had only eleven winning seasons, while reaching the playoffs four times. Piniella is responsible for seven of the eleven winning seasons, and is also responsible for taking the Mariners to the playoffs all four times. He remains the only manager to have a winning record with the Mariners.
MY OH MY
Dave Niehaus began his career with the Seattle Mariners as a play-by-play announcer in 1977. He would continue calling Mariners games until his passing in 2010. Niehaus is responsible for broadcasting 5,284 of the 5,385 games in Mariners’ history. As the voice of the Mariners, fans endeared Niehaus as much as they did the team. Being a two-time winner of the Washington Sportscaster of the Year award, and also throwing out the first pitch ever at Safeco Field, Niehaus was considered one of the greatest sportscasters to ever grace a microphone. His legend lives on as one of the few members in the Seattle Mariners’ Hall of Fame.
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
CHALLENGES CHARACTERISTICS POTENTIAL
CHALLENGES
Two major Pacific Northwest professional sports organizations are owned by Paul Allen. The Mariners, however, are owned by the Nintendo Co. Recently, many fans have shown concern with the ownership, and their investment to the well-being of the team as a whole. With the recent turnaround of the Portland Trailblazers and the Seattle Seahawks, the key to success in the Pacific Northwest is in the hands of the owner. The Mariners have not had a playoff berth since 2001. However, the fans have remained loyal and eagerly await their resurgence to the top.
CHARACTERISTICS
The Pacific Northwest is home to a uniquely branded individual. Out there, they do things their own way. Beards frequent the faces of loggers and account executives alike, impossibly finding the balance of rugged and refined. In the Pacific Northwest, hard work is a requirement, not a phrase to be thrown around lightly. The region embraces the challenge of the struggle. Achievements are earned, not handed out. And that’s how they like it. The Mariners grew from a new franchise to the best record in baseball history. They are struggling, but struggle breeds progress. Embodying the resilient spirit of the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Mariners will climb the ladder to the top.
POTENTIAL
The Mariners are located in a unique region. Having no surrounding competition in the MLB market, the Mariners have an opportunity to expand their brand, while at the same time acquiring a new fan base. The Pacific Northwest is known for having some of the most invested fans in sports; the Seahawks, Blazers and formerly the Supersonics are all known for their rabid fans and intense stadium atmosphere. While not the most complete team in the MLB, the Seattle Mariners have the pieces to build a successful franchise.
THE MANTRA
We are guardians of our safe, and protectors of the king. Here, the conditions aren’t always ideal, but we like it that way. We represent an entire region. Up or down, you’ve been there with us, and we model our resiliency after you. Where greatness once walked, greatness will walk again. Our city is on the rise and we are next. Because like you, we keep pushing to be better. Steps have been taken, moves have been made, and things are going to change. We are building. We are working. WE ARE THE MARINERS.