Celebrity World Blog

Growing up, the Atlanta Braves were my team. The Jones’ Boys, Chipper and Andruw, were my favorite players. Why the Braves growing up in Grants Pass, Oregon? My grandmother was an admirer of the now-retired Bobby Cox, the Braves games shown conveniently on TBS, and I happened to visit routinely (and intentionally) at game-time. She would be there knitting, listening to Skip Caray and Joe Simpson call the game while I, from the years 1990-2003, plopped in front of the television and watched in awe. This was baseball. This was growing up on the game.

But, living in the northwest, the Seattle Mariners rightfully caught my attention. I watched the Braves intently, and they were always my favorite team during my youth, but the Mariners were up near the top of my list. Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Dan Wilson, Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, and others, joined alongside the Jones’ Boys. It wasn’t just the play on the field that made the game exciting, it was the way it was called, too. And just as Caray and Simpson added to the experience as the Braves announcers, Dave Niehaus did the same for the Mariners.

Neihaus, who passed away today at the age of 75, brought an uncanny amount of excitement to the booth since the franchise’s inception more than 30 years ago. When the Mariners were awful he made games worth watching. Some broadcasters do that. I would watch the sloppiest Dodgers game just to listen to Vin Scully tell stories. Niehaus was like that for many. An 11-6 loss was a loss, but there was two and a half hours of Niehaus. That was the consolation prize to many who appreciated his enthusiasm.

Some announcers profess excitement when necessary. They scream jubilantly when a big play is made by their team. But, a fan could really tell how much Niehaus cared. Not just the person behind the mike but the person outside the booth. It wasn’t a job for Niehaus, nor was he putting on a mask for viewers. It was a way of life; a passion. And he enjoyed every diving stop by Rodriguez, every game-winning gapper by Martinez, every diving catch and every moonshot by Junior, and every strikeout by The Big Unit to the fullest. It didn’t matter if it was April or October.
Read More:Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Mariners, passes away