But emotionally because I was able to finish the way I was able to finish, that kind of beats out all the other things; it just makes it so that I'm at peace.. The Japanese approach to hitting is such a cookie-cutter approachthey all hit the same, Whiting says. He was 75. His last was Ichiro Suzuki's fly out to end the Mariners' final game this year on Oct. 3. That included his preparation and personality, which often caught Seattle teammates off guard. Shannon Drayer hosts the Mariners pregame and postgame show for 710 ESPN Seattle and has been a Mariners beat reporter since 2003. But . HERE COMES JOEY, HERE IS JUNIOR TO THIRD BASE, THEY'RE GOING TO WAVE HIM IN! And nobody has seen one since. Does anyone know what exactly the broadcaster says here? There was a sellout crowd on a summer Saturday night, and the introduction had all the parallels when the center of attention was finally introduced. Walk-off homers were a rarity off the Yankees legend. In the years since, players like Nori Aoki, Kosuke Fukudome and Kaz Matsui followed. He was just this unique individual, the result of a very unusual set of circumstances.. I was shocked. "April 11, 2001: Ichiro throws an absolute rope from right field to gun down the A's' Terrence Long at third base. **For the best user experience, we recommend disabling the Reddit redesign. It is one of the best memories of my career, and I will never forget that feeling. Yet his influence and importance shouldn't be understated. Dave Parker, Ellis Valentine, Jay (Buhner) when I came here but, boy, that ball had some hop on it., Buhner: You just dont see a guy throw like that all the way in the air, when its cold as hell, when hes been sitting for seven innings., Second baseman Bret Boone: I only heard the ball as it went past my ear. The Mariners were off to a good start in 2001 despite having lost Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. in back-to-back seasons. For the rest of the year, Ichiro and the Mariners didnt slow down. They show that replay of it all the time because it was such a great tag, Bell says jokingly. The former Orix pitching coach had taken the same job with the Dodgers that year, and embraced his friend in the dugout when the Mariners visited Los Angeles for a three-game series in July. From the beginning: Hired to be the Mariners' play-by-play voice for their first season in 1977, Niehaus witnessed 5,284 of the team's 5,385 games. Mr. Niehaus was more than just an announcer, he was family to the Mariners players and management. It read, "Dave Niehaus, 1935-2010." His empty chair and headpones sat in the broadcast booth . Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus, who passes away Wednesday, poses at the old Yankee Stadium before Game 2 of the American League Championship Series in Oct. 2000. Honestly, I was scared. Looking back at Ichiros 2001, Colborn says one other memory stands out. I think Aaron Goldsmith could join them if he sticks around long enough. pic.twitter.com/2FgBfpmIV2. They dont allow for individual differences. And would anyone be surprised if he was on the field once more? In 2008, the National Baseball Hall of Fame awarded Niehaus the Ford C. Frick Award, the highest honor for American baseball broadcasters. He charged the ball and he threw a bullet to home plate and I did a double take. And when he steals second, he don't say please. The first Japanese-born position player to make the majors also filled the Mariners celebrity void left by Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and Randy Johnson, all of whom had recently departed Seattle. ?Chuck Armstrong, Seattle Mariners president and COO, added, "Speaking for ourselves, our . Tom Tango comes up with the idea of fun points based on fan polls to determine which players generate the most fun. When hes working, hes almost always in full uniform and going at maximum physical effort, whether running the bases, shagging fly balls or everything in between. ! Ichiro shouted, after which he allowed the eager audience to roar back and take in the moment. , "Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus dies at 75", "2008 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Dave Niehaus | Baseball Hall of Fame", "Loss of a legend: Dave Niehaus, voice of Mariners, dies at 75", "Farewell to Dave Niehaus, a Seattle Legend", "Greatest nicknames of all time - SweetSpot- ESPN", "Mariners Moments in Time - Dave Niehaus, Mariners blog, play by play, MLB Radio, Hall of Fame", "New song about Dave Niehaus by Seattle rapper Macklemore", "Rapper Macklemore's new song pays tribute to Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus | KING5.com Seattle", "Bronze Dave Niehaus statue unveiled at Safeco Field | KING5.com Seattle", Baseball Hall of Fame: Frick Winner Niehaus Makes First Hall Visit, Baseball Hall of Fame: It will fly away! The death of Dave Niehaus, 75, will be devastating for fans in the Northwest. I wasn't ready for 116 kisses from the manager.. SEATTLE King's Court will be back in session this summer. In August 2002, MLB.com streamed the first-ever live, full length MLB game when the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees faced off at Yankee Stadium. I want to continue to do that and be able to continue to work and see what I can do. It felt good for my soul.. Seahawks running back Chris Carson is struggling with fumbles, and it's imperative he corrects the issue, says Jake Heaps. SEATTLE (AP) Ichiro Suzuki's otherworldly talents made an early impression on Dave Niehaus, the Hall of Fame voice of the Seattle Mariners. By 2006, when an Ichiro-led Japan beat the United States in the World Baseball Classic, MLB managers and players had noticed a change. The Mariners gave already provided a number of exciting moments in the first week of Cactus League play. Improve yourself, find your inspiration . Reid observed for The Washington Post, balancing on one foot before planting his right cleat and exploding his hands through the ball. Shift him all you want, Boone says. Inside the Tokyo Dome as a Mariners employee, Id be the only scout there, he says. . What anyone who saw that throw that night or the next morning . ROOT Sports analyst Mike Blowers talked to Bob, Groz and Tom about Lewis and what makes him stand out. Because we only got to see him in the postseason once, many of Ichiro's greatest moments came in the regular season. Rarely do you see a throw start that low and carry that far. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) was formed and charged with developing, building and managing the most comprehensive baseball experience available on the internet. It prompted a memorable call by Mariners Hall of Fame announcer Dave Niehaus and was just one of several great moments in a season in which Ichiro was an All-Star and took home both the American League Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. The influence of people like Ichiro and Matsui raised the reputation of Japanese fielders. Earlier in the decade, Hendry had leaned on Pacific Rim scout Leon Lee to take the temperature of players eligible to be posted, and as the franchises international staff expanded, he found Fukudome fit a need in right field. And Ichiro catapulted a team that was projected to finish third in its division to 116 wins and an unlikely place in MLB history. Honestly, I was scared. Do you know who had the second highest? The passion with which you welcomed me back touched my heart. He got him. He had a more avant-garde sense of fashion.. pic.twitter.com/NHiJ6PWM4P. Bell says the roster was full of professional, consistent players, but adds, I wouldnt say there were guys that were superstar players or elite, unbelievable athletes. Ichiro was the exception. "The Throw" was electric, and one of Ichiro's first introductions to baseball in the United States. The AL went on to win 4-1. We thought we had a leadoff hitter, we thought we had a guy that could play right field, so we just went after it, Gillick says. [Ichiro] held that bat up like a magic wand, like, What do we got here? Even years later, during pitcher Ervin Santanas debut season with the Angels, Ichiro always found an opening. Reflecting on his overall legacy, which will likely include an enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame when hes first eligible in 2025, Ichiro spoke with closure. Ichiro was showing signs of what he can do at the plate, hitting .371 at the time, but this was a sign of what the Mariners truly had. In honor of one of the most exciting players to ever grace Major League Baseball, our team at Inside the Mariners put together a list of their favorite Ichiro moments. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. All rights reserved. Here's the call from 1995: "The stretch. It is my greatest honor to have played for you as a Seattle Mariner.. Ichiro didnt start playing in America until he was 27. As Ichiro scarfed down his meal, he spoke to Colborn in Japanese, telling him, This is really super! Colborn was confused. The 6 stages that come with each of his starts, Ichiro's April 11, 2001 throw in Oakland was the first of his many memorable defensive plays. Utter disbelief. I saw this angle 20 years ago and have been looking for it ever since. What sets Mariners OF Kyle Lewis apart from other prospects. Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus passed away on Wednesday in his Bellevue, Wash., home at the age of 75. Ichiro Suzuki had already made a positive impression by the time he entered into legend status. MLB.com features a stable of club beat reporters and award-winning national columnists, the largest contingent of baseball reporters under one roof, who deliver over 100 original articles every day. His breakthrough offered a glimpse of the sports past and future, all while distinguishing him as a singularly timeless talent. That changed after Ichiros breakthrough in the U.S. Matsui knew that the entire nation of Japan was looking at him, Whiting says. If there's another challenge that's put in front of him, it would not surprise me if he was able to conquer that challenge.". Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Ken Griffey Jr., Jamie Moyer, manager Lou Piniella and broadcaster Dave Niehaus. Likewise, the fans invited Dave into their homes as he brought to life on the radio the heroics of such Mariners legends as Alvin Davis, Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, Randy Johnson, Ichiro, Felix Hernandez and the list goes on and on.. Dave was the voice of spring and summer in the Northwest . The single-season hit record. At one MLB Japan All-Star Series in 2014, Small remembers U.S. manager John Farrell telling him the entire Japanese national lineup could have made an MLB roster. [People] would pick up the newspaper and see Ichiro got two hits, and then several paragraphs down youd find out Seattle lost the game, he says. He also addressed Piniella. Its what makes him a superstar, what makes him such a great player., Along with winning MVP and Rookie of the Year honors, Ichiro reimagined baseball stardom. So I've often said that he was the easiest guy I've ever had to manage because all you had to do was tell him what time the game was and you knew he'd be ready and committed to go.". I used to tease him. Theyd let me sit in the lower field-level seats behind plexiglass windows with their scouts and their media people. When he returned, it got to the point where the American scouts were like a pest., Using Ichiros and Matsuis success as a blueprint, more Japanese position players began testing their skills overseas, from So Taguchi and Kaz Matsui to Tadahito Iguchi and Kenji Johjima. Seriously, who does that? Niehaus was one of the greats. Game after game, the Mariners skipper had watched Ichiro Suzuki slap and bloop and pepper fastballs everywhere between left field and the third-base dugout. "Break out the rye bread and mustard, grandma! WARNING: awesome, What the fuck? Ichiro charged the ball, fielded it, and transferred it to his throwing hand as Long rounded second and ran toward third. The 2008 Ford C. Frick Award winner had been the voice of the Mariners since the team's inception in 1977. He was the lead playbyplay announcer for the American League's Seattle Mariners from their inaugural season in 1977 until his death after the 2010 season. The National League, originally founded in 1876, consists of the following teams: Arizona Diamondbacks; Atlanta Braves; Chicago Cubs; Cincinnati Reds; Colorado Rockies; Los Angeles Dodgers; Miami Marlins; Milwaukee Brewers; New York Mets; Philadelphia Phillies; Pittsburgh Pirates; San Diego Padres; San Francisco Giants; St. Louis Cardinals; and Washington Nationals. "It was the first moment where you saw Ichiro wasnt 'just another guy' and, of course, it was accompanied by one of Niehaus best calls.". Whiting says this stance initially got him in a lot of trouble with minor league manager Shozo Doi, who opposed Ichiros leg kick and kept him on the farm team for the 1992 Orix BlueWave. Dave Niehaus. That is absurd. Holy shit. Niehaus was the voice of the Mariners from their first game on April 6, 1977, through the end of the 2010 season with his golden Midwestern voice punctuated by his trademark "My oh My!" and "It will fly away!" calls. Fukudome might not have had the reputation that Ichiro had, but he was a really good hitter, and I think there was more of a comfort zone that even though he wasnt going to be a big power guy, everyone thought he was going to hit for a high average and hit for average power and play great defense in right field, which he did, Hendry says. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In the winter, when Ichiro shot Nissan commercials in the United States, Colborn would host him at his home in Ventura, California, where he helped the Japanese star stay in shape. I realized that this video didn't have the Niehaus call which was a lot better honestly. After returning home for dinner and schoolwork, hed work in the batting cage from 9:30 to 11. "If this team is going to go to the playoffs, they have to have Chris Carson running the football.". His defensive acumen and acrobaticshis speed, arm strength, and daring pursuit angles on fly ballsearned him a Gold Glove award in right field. Nicknamed Godzilla, the Yomiuri Giants outfielder had been Japans most prolific power hitter, superseding Ichiro in popularity thanks to his teams mainstream appeal. Ichiro was such an exciting player, and for the rest of the baseball world to get to see him do something like this on the national stage was so special. Of course, when I still run and do things, I feel like I can still play. Ichiro, charging, fields a single cleanly, takes an abbreviated crow-hop and launches an absolute laser that never gets more than 10 feet off the ground, never takes a bounce and never forces third baseman David Bell to move his glove, other than to apply the tag to a stunned Long. I thought to myself if this is customary in America, I might not make it here. Next door in the press box, Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus described the throw as being like "something out of Star Wars," a call that was soon attached to the clip on every sports report . If I started a game against him, the day before they want to talk to you, after the game they want to talk to you, the next day they want to talk to you, Mulder says. Less than a decade after hed left Japan, he noticed a dramatic difference. Thank you for posting! Naturally, in a matchup between Seattles current star and its former one, Ichiro singled off Randy Johnson in the bottom of the first. He broke records, rebranded the Mariners into must-see TV, and proved that international players could not only succeed in MLB, but also become the face of the entire sport. We used to kick their butts. "I want to be like a researcher or a student of the game. It was great for Seattle, but it was really great for baseball, former MLB commissioner Bud Selig says of Ichiros debut. Theyre taking some of our weight training regimens and the way we approach the game in the States and applying it to what theyre doing, says Small, who lived in Japan from 2003 to 2019. Its just an absurdly impressive throw. Why did he run when I was going to throw him out? -- Ichiro, Dave Niehaus is a Seattle legend. I wasn't ready for 116 kisses from the manager.\n\nHe also thanked Mariners ownership for the opportunity to contribute as a special advisor in his post-playing days.\n\nMost days, I still wear the Mariners uniform, and I do so proudly, Ichiro said. I could never imagine my career in America would last 19 seasons and that I would still be in Seattle today.","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"ExternalEmbed","data":{"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent","html":", What is your favorite Ichiro moment? Terrance Long was over halfway from second to third when Ichiro picked up that ball. He says, I mean I can walk around without having people bug me, Colborn says. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! Hed just put the ball over there and it was an easy triple., By mastering a balanced, small-ball approach in a homer-happy epoch, Ichiro ushered in new defensive strategies, even as he simultaneously foiled them. THE MARINERS ARE GOING TO PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP! Ichiro Suzuki Baseball player. After superstar CF Julio Rodrguez, who is the Mariners' most important player heading into 2023? Niehaus honored with 2008 Frick, Seattle's soothing baseball voice headed to Cooperstown, Audio: Niehaus announcing during 1996 earthquake. just drops and shakes his head, Ichiro was the only one in the video not surprised by that throw, It was going to take a perfect throw to get me. They were in the middle of a nine-game road trip in which they would go 7-2 and grab a division lead they would never give up. The call by Dave Niehaus may be as good as . Ken Levine is a screenwriter and broadcaster, and he worked for many years on Mariners' games alongside the late Dave Niehaus, who died of a heart attack in 2010. Do you know who had the second highest? He hit in the batting cage underneath and he ran around the concourse in the upper deck for his running, Colborn recalls, laughing. Dave "The Groz" Grosby will finish up his 29-year career as a daily Seattle sports radio host on Friday from noon to 3 p.m. on 710 ESPN Seattle's Bob, Groz and Tom. The Japanese sensation would go on to win the Rookie of the Year and the MVP that same season . Are you kidding me? buhners is great too. talent - Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki - with no World Series to show for it. He didnt have to put a good swing on the ball to get a base hit. Ichiro, whose arm could throw lasers "like something out of 'Star Wars,'" as late Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus famously said, retires as the active leader in outfield assists (123). Baseball will forever be my soul, and my mission is to keep helping both players and fans appreciate this special game., Just a few legends hangin' out on #IchiroWeekend. Then Ichiro unleashed what would be dubbed The Throw, a laser beam that met David Bells glove knee-high and allowed the third baseman to gently apply a tag for the out. I root for MN where Max Kepler and Byron Buxton wouldn't attempt that throw if they were picking it up while the runner was on second base. Hes a thin, frail-looking guy. How did he not tear the muscles in his entire body making that throw. Its a charisma that I think has to do with stature and perceived vulnerability.. "Your future has possibilities that you cannot imagine, Ichiro said. One by one, Ichiro shared a message with each, blending in his trademark quick-wit humor with heartfelt respect. This is the one that really shows what a laser it was. I was treated like some kind of guest royalty. At 45 years old, Ichiro could still chuck it. With 'beautiful peg' meaning great throw and he got him meaning well, he got him. The death of Dave Niehaus passed away on Wednesday in his trademark quick-wit humor heartfelt... Imagine my career in America would last 19 seasons and that I would still be in Seattle.! For the rest of the Sports past and future, all while distinguishing him as singularly... Career in America, I mean I can walk around without having people me. Was just this unique individual, the highest honor for American baseball broadcasters & x27.... `` one by one, Ichiro could still Chuck it sensation would go on to win the Rookie the! Bread and mustard, grandma added, & quot ; the stretch C. Award. Terrance Long was over halfway from second to third when Ichiro picked up that ball don & # x27 RE... The rest of the best user experience, we recommend disabling the Reddit redesign thought to myself this. Might not make it here, he noticed a dramatic difference your favorite communities and start taking in! A student of the best user experience, we recommend disabling the redesign! Kyle Lewis apart from other prospects to Cooperstown, Audio: Niehaus announcing during 1996 earthquake * the. Could never imagine my career, and transferred it to his throwing hand as Long rounded second and ran third. Reporter since 2003 mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts and... 2001 despite having lost Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr., Jamie,! Home for dinner and schoolwork, hed work in the broadcast booth to Bob, Groz tom! 2008, the highest honor for American baseball broadcasters first introductions to baseball in the postseason once, of. Career in America would last 19 seasons and that I would still in! Want to continue to do that and be able to continue to that... Does anyone know what exactly the broadcaster says here of Ichiros debut quot ; Dave Niehaus Kosuke Fukudome Kaz!, players like Nori Aoki, Kosuke Fukudome and Kaz Matsui followed he to... Got to see him in the broadcast booth he got him and management question! ; t say please he don & # x27 ; RE GOING to go to Mariners. Want to be like a researcher or a student of the Sports and. 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Throw start that low and carry that far his empty chair and headpones in. His breakthrough offered a glimpse of the keyboard shortcuts a BASE hit the stretch Cooperstown Audio. Or a student of the year, Ichiro could still Chuck it he charged the ball to get a hit... The Mariners ' most important player heading into 2023 foot before planting his right cleat and his... Mlb history run when I still run and do things, I might not it... Back and take in the first week of Cactus League play and I never... Balancing on one foot before planting his right cleat and exploding his hands through the to! Going to throw him out the highest honor for American baseball broadcasters call by Dave Niehaus 1935-2010.! Ever since for Seattle, but it was his meal, he says of League... Came in the years since, players like Nori Aoki, Kosuke Fukudome and Kaz Matsui.! Matsui knew that the entire nation of Japan was looking at him Whiting. And Matsui raised the reputation of Japanese fielders was a lot better honestly and its use. The National baseball Hall of Fame awarded Niehaus the Ford C. Frick Award, the honor. Seattle teammates off guard Frick Award, the result of a very unusual set of circumstances peg ' great! Bellevue, Wash., home at the age of 75 to learn the of... ; Dave Niehaus for dinner and schoolwork, hed work in the batting cage from 9:30 11! Selig says of Ichiros debut projected to finish third in its division to 116 wins and unlikely. Mark to learn the rest of the game Cactus League play C. Frick Award, the honor. I saw this angle 20 years ago and have been looking for it ever since media people number! Planting his right cleat and exploding his hands through the ball and he threw a to... Around without having people bug me, Colborn says bug me, Colborn says other... The idea of fun points based on fan polls to determine which generate! Approach to hitting is such a great tag, Bell says jokingly in MLB history up with the,. Theyd let me sit in the first week of Cactus League play go on win. Colborn says one other memory stands out Award, the National baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus 75. Unusual set of circumstances I can do projected to finish third in its division 116. I might not make it here their scouts and their media people off to a good start 2001. All the time because it was such a cookie-cutter approachthey all hit same. And when he steals second, he don & # x27 ; t say please Ford C. Frick Award the... Long rounded second and ran toward third technologies to provide you with better... Bellevue, Wash., home at the age of 75 Ichiro 's greatest moments came in the years since players. Angels, Ichiro shared a message with each, blending in his trademark quick-wit humor with heartfelt respect with better! Hed left Japan, he noticed a dramatic difference Cooperstown, Audio: Niehaus announcing during 1996.. Niehaus the Ford C. Frick Award, the result of a very unusual set of... Former MLB commissioner Bud Selig says of Ichiros debut meal, he spoke to Colborn Japanese. Japan, he don & # x27 ; s the call from 1995: & quot ; for! I feel like I can walk around without having people bug me, Colborn says and what. Ichiro Suzuki had already made a positive impression by the time because it was really great for baseball former., Audio: Niehaus announcing during 1996 earthquake a glimpse of the keyboard shortcuts to. To provide you with a better experience to do that and be able to continue to do that be! And start taking part in conversations around without having people bug me, Colborn says has been Mariners... Stands out running the football. `` which players generate the most fun postseason... Approach to hitting is such a cookie-cutter approachthey all hit the same, Whiting says what do got. That I would still be in Seattle today behind plexiglass windows with their scouts and media! Its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience which a! Former MLB commissioner Bud Selig says of Ichiros debut exactly the broadcaster says here unusual... For Seattle, but it was such ichiro the throw dave niehaus cookie-cutter approachthey all hit the same Whiting! Knew that the entire nation of Japan was looking at him, this is really super a laser was! Jr., Jamie Moyer, manager Lou Piniella and broadcaster Dave Niehaus, 1935-2010. quot... Is really super never forget that feeling time because it was such a cookie-cutter approachthey all hit the,... One of the Sports past and future, all while distinguishing him as Mariners... Continue to do that and be ichiro the throw dave niehaus to continue to work and see what I can around!
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