Seattle's Best

This past Wednesday Seattle Mariner fans like me lost the one constant we had through all the years, Dave Niehaus. Though I never had the honor of meeting him, I feel as though I've lost a very dear friend.  Perhaps that's because countless hours of my life were spent listening to Dave tell stories.  Until about the mid 90's being able to watch the Mariners on television was a pretty rare thing.  Fans listened games on the radio and actually got to use our imaginations to visualize what was described by gifted storytellers, none better than our own Dave Niehaus.

When the Mariners announced there would be an open house today at Safeco Field for fans to gather to remember Dave, I considered going but wasn't sure.  I've never been a particularly religious or spiritual person but I decided that if there is a heaven and people like Dave are able to look down on the world they've left behind, I wanted him to see that I appreciated him taking me out to the ballgame so many times.  The Mariners did a nice job putting something together with very short notice.  They played some of Dave's most famous calls interspersed with music from my favorite movie, The Natural. Behind home plate they displayed his Hall of Fame plaque and scorecard from the very first Mariners game.  In the broadcast booth they hung a home jersey that read "Niehaus 77".  Rick Rizzs and Dave's children were there to greet people after they moved passed the home plate display.  And at the end of it all there was a table with rye bread, mustard, and salami dedicated to "our friend Dave Niehaus".

Life and baseball will go on, but we'll never have it as good... rest in peace, Mr. Niehaus.