Can THIS Mariners team eclipse the magic of 1995?
October 8th, 1995
This is my best moment as a longtime Mariners fan.
It was a Sunday. A Game 5, winner take all versus the New York Yankees, in the Kingdome.
WILL THEY MAKE IT TO GAME 5?
The week prior, I visited a Ticketmaster location on the Ave in the U-district. The only tickets that remained were for Game 5. I snagged three tickets.
The M’s lost both games in New York. This meant that the Mariners HAD to win Games 3 and 4 to insure that I could see them in person. Game 4 was won in dramatic fashion, or as Dave Neighaus would say, the M's won with a Edgar Martinez GRAND SALAMI!
I Can't Believe that I was there In Person to see it
Game 5 was on and I would be there in person with my best friends Heather and Linda. We had 300 level tickets way up and above the 3rd base line.
During this must win game, I kept score (and I’m hoping that I still have this important historical score sheet in a box somewhere in the garage).
I remember the M’s were down 4-2 in the 8th…and we got two runs to tie in the bottom of the 8th inning. It was, of course, the days of REFUSE TO LOSE. Randy Johnson dramatically came on in the 9th without much rest.
It was do or die time.
The Yanks scored a run in the top of the 11th. But...you know, REFUSE TO LOSE. The rest is history.
Dave Niehaus 1995 ALDS Game 5 Bot. 11th Inning
When Griffey came whizzing around 3rd base to score, I jumped out of my soul and hugged Heather...hugged Linda and proceeded to hug every person in our 300 level nosebleed section.
The Kingdome was a gigantic party with fireworks!
Sidenote: The M's went on to lose to Cleveland in the AL Championship Series 4 games to 2. Seattle has been to the doorstep of the hallowed World Series TWICE. Losing both times.
HOPE
In three days (as I write this) the Seattle Mariners will travel either to Cleveland or Toronto for Round 1 of the MLB Playoffs. Friday, October 7th will be the start of a best 2 outta 3 - all on the road.
-SHOULD the M’s advance, they would play either the Yanks or the Astros in the AL Division Series.
This year's Mariners squad has dealt with odd injuries in the past several weeks. The squad has been gritty and determined to win despite having key players not in the lineup. I’m hoping that this team will not only earn an American League Pennant, but win the whole darn thing. I have an almost biblical memorization of what happened in the bottom of the 11th inning on October 8th, 1995. Dave Niehaus (the man who was the Summer soundtrack of my youth) call of Edgar’s double:
“Swung on and lined down the left field line for a base hit…”
its etched into my brain.
Here’s to hoping the Mariners go further and win a World Series...with all the drama and urgency of 1995.
Here’s to a parade in downtown Seattle that will draw even more than the one million 12s who braved the arctic cold in February of 2014.
Here's to hoping that we'll have moments that will live in our hearts and memory. Memories that will be even bigger than "The Double" in 1995.
To borrow from that magical Seahawks 2013 squad, "Why Can't It Be Us?"