Seattle Mariners Tickets

SEATTLE MARINERS INFORMATION:
Founded: 1977
Location: Seattle, Washington
Stadium: Safeco Field
Conference: American League
Division: West Division
Rivals: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics
Notable Players: Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Alvin Davis
Seattle Mariners AL Championships: 0 - last ALCS appearance, 2001

In 1969, the Seattle Pilots were the first baseball franchise in the city, and while they were initially received with great fanfare, problems began to surface almost immediately. Although they were only scheduled to play in a minor league stadium for a year, workers were still putting additional benches into the stands at Sicks' Stadium during the team's home opener. Worse yet, the team's new stadium was to be placed on the site of the current Seattle Center, which was met with an outpouring of public sentiment opposing the destruction of the facility. With low attendance numbers and a poor finish to the season, the team moved to Milwaukee where they would become the Brewers.

The Seattle Mariners were the MLB's second try at professional baseball in the Emerald City, and this time they had the Kingdome to call their own. From their start in 1977, the team struggled to create a winning formula to stay relevant in the AL West race. The franchise's fortunes finally changed in 1989, when a 19-year-old non-roster invitee named Ken Griffey Jr. impressed his coaches so much that he found himself in centerfield on opening day. Griffey would become one of baseball's most dangerous home run hitters with a swing that is widely considered one of the smoothest in baseball history. He won the AL MVP Award in 1997 and is surely on his way to the Hall of Fame.

While Griffey helped to improve the Mariners' profile on the national stage, it wasn't until 1995 that the team would win its first division championship. With Cy Young winner Randy Johnson leading the way, the Mariners upset the New York Yankees in the American League Divisional Series en route to their first AL Championship Series appearance. The Cleveland Indians would dash their World Series hopes, but the huge success of the team helped the Mariners get approval to build a new stadium.

The Mariners won division championships in 1997 and 2001, but have been fighting to go deeper into the playoffs ever since. In recent years, the batting prowess of outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and the emergence of Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez has given fans plenty of reasons to be excited. The team has a bright future in store and is one of the growing contenders in the AL West.

See Also:
Seattle Mariners Playoff Tickets
Seattle Mariners Preview History