Bob Wolcott throws out ceremonial first pitch August 18
Former Mariners pitcher welcomed to Safeco Field as part of Mariners 35th Anniversary celebration
Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Bob Wolcott, who was a key member of the 1995 Refuse to Lose team, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mariners vs. Minnesota Twins game on Saturday, August 18 (6:10pm start).
Wolcott, who lives in Newberg, Oregon, was drafted by the Mariners in the second round in 1992. He made his Major League debut in August of 1995, just as the Mariners were making their remarkable run toward the team’s first ever appearance in the playoffs. Wolcott pitched well enough in six starts to make the Mariners postseason roster.
After the hard-fought Division series against the New York Yankees, manager Lou Piniella decided to give the front-end of his pitching rotation a break and called on the rookie Wolcott to start Game 1 of the 1995 American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians.
Wolcott walked the bases loaded in the first inning, but got out of the jam like a veteran with a strikeout by Albert Belle, pop up from Eddie Murray and ground out from Jim Thome. Wolcott went on to scatter eight hits while allowing two runs for the 3-2 victory. The Indians would go on to win the series in six games.
Wolcott pitched for the Mariners from 1995-1997, the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998 and the Boston Red Sox in 1999. He also played a season for Japan’s Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2000. After retirement, Wolcott received a degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University. He owns Wolcott Design Services in Newberg, OR, southwest of Portland.
Wolcott’s ceremonial first pitch is part of the Mariners 35th Anniversary celebration, a season-long tribute to the franchise’s history in which former Mariners are welcomed back to Safeco Field for special appearances and promotions at the ballpark.
Tickets for Saturday’s game, and all other games on the Mariners 2012 home schedule, are available at www.mariners.com/tickets. They can also be purchased with no service charge at Seattle Mariners Team Stores (Bellevue Square, Southcenter Mall, Alderwood Mall, and at 4th and Stewart in downtown Seattle) and the Safeco Field box office. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, or by calling 1-888-SEA-HITS.