Edgar, Macklemore highlight opener festivities
SEATTLE -- Opening Day in Seattle was once again filled with pomp, circumstance and pageantry, headlined with newly elected Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez receiving a roaring ovation after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mariners' 12-4 win over the Red Sox at T-Mobile Park.
Martinez hurled a would-be strike to the left side of the plate on the mound-facing side, connecting with Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger, who stood in as the backstop. The moment was yet another milestone on Martinez’s path to Cooperstown, N.Y., which will culminate in his induction in 115 days -- a countdown not lost on the Mariners, who revealed a “Countdown to Cooperstown” banner in right field as Martinez emerged from the home dugout.
Just before Martinez was introduced, the Mariners played the video of Martinez receiving the call from the Hall to a massive ovation, followed with a tribute video of his most memorable highlights over his 18-year career, all spent with the Mariners.
The most notable in Martinez’s estimation was his game-winning double to clinch the 1995 American League Division Series over the Yankees in Seattle’s first postseason appearance. Martinez recalled the moment during an appearance on the ESPN telecast of Thursday’s game, which featured former Mariner great Alex Rodriguez -- who was on the ’95 club -- as an analyst.
“I think in part through my whole career, there were great moments. The first time I got the call [to the big leagues]. The first time I walked into the Kingdome clubhouse. And you know in ’95 brings a lot of memories and I think the playoff that we had against the Yankees. That moment, when I hit the double, it was something that I’ll never forget.”
Martinez, 56, was elected in January in his 10th and final year of eligibility with an 85.4 percent vote from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, joining 2016 inductee Ken Griffey Jr. as the lone Mariners players to be represented in Cooperstown. Martinez will be enshrined on July 21 with Mariano Rivera, Harold Baines, Mike Mussina and Lee Smith. The late Roy Halladay was also elected to the ’19 class.
Thursday’s festivities kicked off with Seattle-area native and diehard Mariners fan Macklemore performing a live concert beyond the left-center field wall. The former Grammy Award winner donned a Varsity sports jacket bearing Griffey’s name on its back, and he paid tribute to longtime Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus with his song “My Oh My,” a 2010 release in memoriam shortly after Niehaus’ passing. At the song’s conclusion, the brand new Mariners scoreboard flashed Niehaus’ family waving in appreciation.
Also, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready -- a Seattle-area native and lifelong Mariners fan -- performed the national anthem, as he has regularly through the years, punctuated by a flyover of EA-18G Growlers from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
And, as has been custom for years, the Mariners were introduced from the right-center-field tunnel, only this time, they did so via pink carpet as an homage to the sponsor of the newly renamed T-Mobile Park.