The house that Dave built

I was born in May of 77. About a month after the city of Seattle was blessed with a baseball franchise.

The Voice on the radio that first pitch was Dave Niehaus. Dave died today still the voice of the Mariners.

33 years made up of mostly subpar baseball teams… but 1 voice.

I am in broadcasting today because of the impact of that man.
He captivated his audience like no one I’ve ever heard.

I remember being 8 years old on a gorgeous Seattle summer evening. The smell of fresh cut grass, some corn on the cob in my hand, and the voice of Dave Niehaus calling a walk off Phil Bradley home run on the radio. We were 32 games out of first place. But it was perfect.
His voice and calls united a region for 33 years.

Ken Griffey, Jr will always get the credit for saving baseball in Seattle. But Mr. Niehaus gave Griffey something to save. The 1 voice that kept fans of a flailing franchise together for decades.

One of my most prized possessions was the Mariner’s 20th Anniversary cd. Every moment of important moments in the franchise’s first 20 years. It was filled with calls from Dave Niehaus and each one brought me back to a place in front of a radio.

I remember cracking the shrink wrap off the cd on my way to a minimum wage job as a 20 year old. I looked in the rear view mirror noticing how ridiculous it was that a grown man is sobbing on his way to work. Listening to his call of the Mariner’s game 5 win over the Yankees in 1995 with Griffey charging around 3rd base got my “mascara” running for sure!

I had 2 opportunities to meet Dave. As a young passionate broadcaster I was able to corner Dave, Ron Fairly, and Rick Rizz outside a 2nd floor elevator at the old cement sanctuary known as the Kingdome. I could tell they were just trying to get to busses without being bothered. Thankfully for me the elevator was jammed and I was able to get them to talk. They had some tips about how to get into baseball broadcasting.

But the real treat came in 2008. I finally got to corner Dave outside Tropicana Field in Tampa. In 15 seconds I muttered out some flattering words about how his work changed my career path and how he united a region. I thanked him. Those 15 seconds to him probably did not make any sense.

I’ve interviewed Sylvester Stallone, Sinead O’Conner, Reba McIntyre and more… but those 15 seconds in front of Dave were the most star struck seconds of my life. Why? Because the man was attached to a thousand memories in my life time. Lord knows I didn’t watch Rocky 5 enough times to raise that kind of passion while meeting Sly!

He died 2 ½ years after that conversation. And Dave would never remember those 15 seconds. But they meant the world to me. A chance to say thank you. Thanks to the man whose voice held together the Pacific North West for 33 years.

"My oh my"

“Swung on and belted”

“Get out the rye bread and the mustard this time Grandma… it’s Grand Salami time!”

RIP Dave
Sincerely,
That kid outside that Kingdome elevator