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I know that putting this page under the "Motivation"
might be weird but know that this is the single most emotional
sports moment of my entire life. Not an avid fan and smarting
from the 1994 baseball strike, I vowed never to watch baseball
again. Then IT happened.
The 1995 Seattle Mariner Game was nearly orgasmic for the
entire city. I was going to college and by mid-season, the Mariners
were in their usual poor form and 13 games down. Then from nowhere,
they started to not only win, but win in spectacular fashion.
It seemed game after game, they would get behind and then through
heroic effort, come back to squeeze out a win. And it seemed
every night, it was a different hero until the entire city were
in a near religious fever. For the first time in their 19 year
history, we really felt like they had a chance for the World
Series.
Every night, the city would practically shut down as everyone
rushed to a television set. Forget getting a ticket because
it was sold out every night. I was working as a security guard
at the University and I would sit in front on a TV and ignore
my duties for three hours (sometimes not even starting my lock-up
rounds until after 10:00 PM and then spend half
the night catching up.)
The other thing you must understand about all of this
is the Mariner's announcer. He is a legend named Dave Neihaus
and has one of those voices that perfectly represent baseball.
He is viciously beloved by the fans because he's been announcing
Mariner games from the first game and getting on in years, the
city wanted a championship for him as much as they wanted one
for themselves. He tends to get excited and escalates to sheer
yelling, holding nothing back while he lets his emotion take
over and speak for the entire Seattle fan population. He has
more than a few catch phrases that electrify his audience and
make him even more loved, if that's possible.
So what I have done is to post here the sound bites
and the transcription of each.
Click for mp3 |
Transcription |
Comments |
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"… Wetteland one more time
set and here comes the 2-2 pitch to Edgar Martinez, now
and A FAST BALL SWUNG ON AND HIT TO DEEP CENTER FIELD…
BERNIE WILLIAMS GOES BACK AND IT IS… GET OUT THE RYE
BREAD AND THE MUSTARD THIS TIME, GRANDMA, IT IS A GRAND
SALAMI! AND THE MARINERS LEAD IT 10 TO 6 … I DON’T
BELIEVE IT, MY OH MY!!!" |
I was sitting in my in-laws' living
room, literally sitting on edge of the couch, rocking
back and forth with my hands clasped to the side of my
head, mumbling "Come on Edgar, one time, baby,
one time, right here, Edgar..."
When he hit it, I jumped up with my hands in
the air, unbelieving that the moment was happening. I
was afraid I was going to get my hands chopped off by
their ceiling fan.
Dave Neihaus had tons of rye bread loaves and
salamis sent to him, sometimes on hook and line, lowered
to his announcing box from fans above. |
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"… to Tino, SWUNG ON AND BELTED DEEP
TO RIGHT FIELD, AND THAT WILL BEEEE… FLY AWAY. AND
THE MARINERS WIN IT 9 TO 8 IN PERHAPS THE MOST INCREDIBLE
GAME IN THEIR HISTORY!!!!" |
Another game when last minute heroics pulled out
a big win. I think I hyper-ventilated when this happened. |
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"… (????) SWUNG ON AND BELTED, DEEP
TO RIGHT FIELD, THE MARINERS HAVE DONE IT, FLY AWAY!!!!!
JUNIOR WITH A TWO-RUN HOMERUN AND THE MARINERS HAVE GOT
THE 8TH INNING APE OFF THEIR BACK!!!" |
Junior smacks another home run and Dave Neihaus
goes nuts.
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"… and October was for watching somebody
else in the playoffs. Then came this year…
“ … RIGHT OVER THE HEART OF THE PLATE!!!
RANDY LOOKS TO THE SKY THAT IS COVERED BY THE DOME AND
BEDLAM!!!! AS THE MARINERS NOW ERUPT!!! NINETEEN LONG
YEARS OF FRUSTRATION IS OVER!!! THIS IS JUST … INDESCRIBABLE!!!" |
Randy Johnson delivers a fiery meteorite right
down the middle of the plate that had to break the catcher's
hand. This won the one game A.L. West tie-breaker.
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"…Edgar Martinez, swung ON AND LINED
DOWN THE LEFT FIELD LINE FOR A BASE HIT. HERE COMES JOEY,
HERE IS JUNIOR TO THIRD BASE, THEY’RE GONNA WAVE HIM
IN…THE THROW TO THE PLATE WILL BEEEE…. LATE!!!!
THE MARINERS ARE GOING TO PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.
I DON’T BELIEVE IT, IT JUST CONTINUES!!! MY OH MY!!!
THE MARINERS WILL PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP…" |
Far and away the single most emotional moment
I've ever experienced as a result of sports. Little Joey
Cora was on second and Ken Griffey, Jr. was on first.
With two outs in the ninth, the Mariners were 1 run behind
and all seemed lost. Then there was this moment.
I've watched the video and when they show Junior
rounding third base, my eyes bulge. He is a home run hitter
so not known for his base running speed but when he approaches
third and rounds it, for the love of God he is accelerating
like a wild, graceful, powerful animal. There was no need
to wave him anywhere; he was going for everything and
giving the same. When he gets to home and they miss the
tag, the team rushes out and dog piles him and the entire
dome erupts in a super nova. I thought Dave Neihaus's
heart was going to explode and expected to see glass shatter
out his booth in a big explosion.
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