Voices of the Game

Lifetime Seattle Mariner fans have never really met Ken Griffey or Ichiro or Julio Rodriguez. Except maybe a glimpse or a word with them at a public event.

Fans don't really know what their favorite players are REALLY like as people. But many baseball fans develop an attachment to the broadcasters who call the action of their favorite team. Many fans might not even recognize Ken Griffey Jr.'s voice, but generations of M's followers instantly recognized the voice of longtime Mariner voice Dave Niehaus.

When Niehaus, who broadcast the first-ever Mariners' game in 1977, died of a heart attack in 2010, for many fans it was like a loss in the family. Some of them listened to Niehaus' mellifluous tones more than they talked to some of their relatives. Particularly shut-ins and older fans who'd watch on TV and more often listen to the games on the radio. A link to the outside world.

The day after his passing, fans placed flowers and other mementos at the front gate of Safeco Field. Someone even left a shoe with a note reading, `No one will ever fill his shoes.' There's also a statue of Niehaus in left-field (above) and he's a member of the Mariner Hall of Fame.

Seattle fans are hardly unique in this regard. Los Angeles Dodger fans would bring transistor radios to the game to listen to the sainted Vin Scully, who could make the description of a baseball game sound like a sonnet. Harry Caray was a larger-than-life personality in St. Louis and Chicago, particularly the latter, where he would sing `Take Me Out To The Ballgame' during the seventh inning stretch on the PA system.

Longtime Milwaukee Brewers' announcer Bob Uecker passed away during the off-season at the age of 90. Uecker was well-known nationally from appearances on the Tonight Show, the movie Major League, Lite Beer Commercials and the Mr. Belvedere TV show.

However, former Brewer pitcher Dan Plesac noted on MLB.TV that Uecker was first-and-foremost a `Milwaukee guy,' born and raised in Wisconsin. He might appear on the Tonight Show when the Brewers were on the West Coast, and he received offers from bigger MLB markets, but he preferred to stay home in Milwaukee.

Dave Niehaus wasn't a Seattle native, (born in Princeton, Indiana) but he introduced the locals to major league baseball in 1977. Niehaus was third man in the Angels booth with legends Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale but was lured to Seattle by Mariners' owner and well-known entertainer Danny Kaye. Mariner games were broadcast by KVI radio owned by Angels' owner Gene Autry.

While Seattle's been blessed with great announcers like Sonic broadcaster Kevin Calabro and the Kraken's John Forslund, some baseball fans prefer listening to the games on radio, particularly with a wordsmith like Niehaus who captured the essence of the game.

One of those fans is Neil Scott, the producer/host of RECOVERY-Coast to Coast a syndicated national radio show based out of Seattle that focuses on recovery from alcoholism and other addictions. Scott attended the first ever Mariners game at the Kingdome but also recorded the radio broadcast of the contest.

Years later, while doing reports for Mariner games on ESPN Radio, Scott met Niehaus, whose eyes lit up when Scott mentioned that he had a cassette recording of the first M’s game. KVI apparently didn’t have a copy of the game. Scott presented Niehaus with a copy of the game. (A trivia note: the first batter in that game was California Angels’ second baseman Jerry Remy, who may be more remembered as a longtime Boston Red Sox announcer).

The Mariners begin the 2025 season with a revamped broadcast team. Dave Sims, who broadcast M’s game for 18 years, has headed back East to replace the legendary John Sterling on New York Yankee radio games.

Aaron Goldsmith will handle all the TV games with a variety of analyst/sidekicks including Angie Mentink, former Mariners' Ryan Rowland-Smith and Dave Valle along with Seattle favorite Jay Buhner. Rick Rizzs, who’s actually broadcast more Mariner games than the late, great Niehaus, handles the radio side with Gary Hill.