History of the Seattle Mariners facts for kids
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team from Seattle, Washington. They joined Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1977. The Mariners play in the American League's Western Division. Their home stadium is T-Mobile Park, which they moved into in July 1999. Before that, they played at the Kingdome from 1977 to June 1999.
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How the Mariners Started
Before the Mariners, Seattle had a minor league baseball team for many years. In the 1960s, there were attempts to bring a major league team to Seattle. One try involved moving the Cleveland Indians in 1965, but it didn't work out.
Later, Seattle got a new team called the Seattle Pilots in 1969. However, the Pilots faced many money problems. After just one season, they moved to Milwaukee in 1970 and became the Milwaukee Brewers.
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The Mariners team was created because of a lawsuit. After the Pilots left, the city of Seattle and King County sued the American League. They felt the league had broken its promise to keep a team in Seattle. While the lawsuit was happening, King County built the Kingdome, a large stadium. They were confident that baseball would return.
The lawsuit lasted until 1976. To settle it, the American League offered Seattle a new baseball team. Another team, the Toronto Blue Jays, was also added at the same time. The new Seattle team, the Mariners, started playing in 1977. A group led by entertainer Danny Kaye owned the team.
The name "Mariners" was chosen in August 1976 from over 600 ideas. It was suggested by Roger Szmodis, but the team could never find him to give him his prize! The Seattle Mariners have kept their name ever since.
Early Years: Learning to Win (1977–1990)
The Mariners played their first game on April 6, 1977, at the Kingdome. They lost 7–0 to the California Angels. Two days later, they got their first win, beating the Angels 7–6. The first home run in team history was hit by Juan Bernhardt.
In their early years, the Mariners often struggled to win games. They had talented players like Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry and Rookie of the Year Alvin Davis. They also had Harold Reynolds and Mark Langston. But the team usually finished with losing records.
In 1989, a young star named Ken Griffey Jr. joined the team. He was the first player picked in the 1987 draft. Fans hoped he would help the team turn things around. In 1990, pitcher Randy Johnson threw his first no-hitter. Also, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. made history by hitting back-to-back home runs in the same game. This was the first time a father and son had done that!
A Glimmer of Hope (1991–1992)
In 1991, the Mariners had their first winning season ever, finishing 83–79. This was their best record yet, but it wasn't enough to make the playoffs. The team's manager, Jim Lefebvre, was fired after that season. The next year, in 1992, the team struggled again, losing 98 games.
During this time, the team's owner, Jeff Smulyan, wanted to sell the team. He even thought about moving the team out of Seattle. But with help from U.S. Senator Slade Gorton, a group of Seattle businessmen bought the team. This group was led by Nintendo chairman Hiroshi Yamauchi. Baseball officials were at first against a non-North American owner, but they allowed the sale. The new owners promised to keep the team in Seattle.
The Rise of the Mariners (1993–2002)
New Look, New Manager (1993)
In 1993, the Mariners got new uniforms and colors. They also hired a new manager, Lou Piniella, who had won the 1990 World Series with the Cincinnati Reds. Fans loved Piniella, and he managed the team for many years. The Mariners had another winning season in 1993, finishing 82–80.
The Strike-Shortened Season (1994)
The Mariners started to get better in 1994. They had a strong group of players, including Ken Griffey Jr., pitcher Randy Johnson, Edgar Martínez, and Jay Buhner. In July 1994, some ceiling tiles fell from the Kingdome roof. This made the stadium unsafe. The Mariners had to play 20 games on the road. They started poorly but then won many games. However, a players' strike on August 12 ended the season early.
"Refuse to Lose" and First Playoff Trip (1995)
The 1995 season started tough for the Mariners when Griffey got injured. But they kept playing well. In mid-August, they were far behind the California Angels. Then, the Mariners went on an amazing winning streak, with many late-game comebacks. This led to their famous slogan, "Refuse to Lose." The Angels struggled, and the Mariners caught up, tying for first place.
They played a special tie-breaker game against the Angels, which they won 9–1. This sent the Mariners to the playoffs for the first time ever! They had won 25 of their last 36 games.
The Mariners faced the New York Yankees in the first round. They lost the first two games but won the next two at home. This forced a deciding Game 5. In the bottom of the 11th inning, with the Mariners down by one run, Edgar Martínez hit a game-winning double. This hit scored two runs, winning the game 6–5 and sending the Mariners to the next round. This moment, known as "The Double," is famous for saving baseball in Seattle. It created new excitement for the team and helped make a new stadium possible.
Soon after, the state approved money for what became Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park). The Kingdome was later torn down.
Even though the Mariners lost to the Cleveland Indians in the next round, the 1995 season is remembered as "The Magical Season."
Ups and Downs (1996–1999)
In 1996, the Mariners won a team-record 85 games but missed the playoffs. Their offense was strong, but their pitching was inconsistent. In 1997, they won their division again, hitting a record 264 home runs. Ken Griffey Jr. won the MVP award. But they lost in the playoffs to the Baltimore Orioles.
In 1998 and 1999, the Mariners had losing records. Pitcher Randy Johnson was traded in 1998. After the 1999 season, Ken Griffey Jr. asked to be traded and went to the Cincinnati Reds. This left Alex Rodriguez as the team's main star as they moved into their new stadium, Safeco Field.
Wild Card Success (2000)
The 2000 season was a good one for the Mariners. They finished just behind the Oakland Athletics and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. Mike Cameron replaced Griffey in center field and was great at hitting and defense. Alex Rodriguez became the team's new leader. Edgar Martínez continued to hit well. The team also added John Olerud at first base. Their pitchers, Jamie Moyer, Freddy García, and Aaron Sele, were very good. Closer Kazuhiro Sasaki won the Rookie of the Year award.
The Mariners swept the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the playoffs. But they lost to the New York Yankees in the next round. After the season, Alex Rodriguez left the Mariners for a huge contract with the Texas Rangers. However, the Mariners replaced him by signing Japanese superstar Ichiro Suzuki and second baseman Bret Boone.
Record-Breaking Season (2001)
In 2001, with the addition of Ichiro Suzuki and a great season from Bret Boone, the Mariners tied the record for most wins in the modern era. They won 116 games, matching a record set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906. Ichiro won the MVP, Rookie of the Year, and a Gold Glove Award all in the same season.
Seattle also hosted the All-Star Game that year. Eight Mariners players were chosen as All-Stars, a team record!
The Mariners won their first playoff series against the Cleveland Indians. But they lost to the New York Yankees again in the next round. Even though they had an amazing regular season, they couldn't win the championship.
Lou Piniella's Last Year (2002)
The Mariners started the 2002 season strong. They won 93 games, which was their second-best record ever. But they still missed the playoffs because the Anaheim Angels and Oakland Athletics had strong finishes. After the season, manager Lou Piniella left the Mariners to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was reportedly unhappy with how the team was being run.
Rebuilding and New Eras (2003–Present)
New Manager, Same Results (2003)
The Mariners hired Bob Melvin as their new manager in 2003. The team had another excellent start and won 93 games again. But they missed the playoffs once more, losing their lead to the Oakland Athletics late in the season. Fans blamed the team's management for not adding new players during the season.
Rebuilding the Team (2004–2006)
From 2004 to 2006, the Mariners struggled. Their older players were not performing as well. In 2004, they traded away key players like Freddy García and released others. The season highlight was Ichiro Suzuki breaking the single-season record for hits, finishing with 262. Also, Mariners legend Edgar Martínez retired.
The Mariners hired Mike Hargrove as their new manager. They also signed two big free agents, Adrián Beltré and Richie Sexson. In November 2004, Nintendo of America became the main owner of the team.
Despite these changes, the team finished in last place in 2005 and 2006. A bright spot was the young pitcher Félix Hernández, who became one of the youngest players to debut in MLB.
A Season of Change (2007)
The 2007 season began with some hope. The team made many changes to its roster, bringing in more experienced players. Manager Mike Hargrove unexpectedly resigned in July, and John McLaren took over. In July, Ichiro Suzuki signed a big contract to stay with the Mariners. The team stayed in the playoff race for a while but fell short at the end. Ichiro made history by getting 200 hits for his seventh straight season.
Tough Times (2008)
The Mariners hoped to do well in 2008, but they had one of the worst offenses in the league. They lost many games and ended up with 101 losses, one of the worst records in team history. The general manager and manager were both fired during the season.
However, there were some good moments. Pitcher Félix Hernández hit a grand slam, which is very rare for a pitcher. Adrián Beltré hit for the cycle, meaning he got a single, double, triple, and home run in one game. And Ichiro tied a record by getting 200 hits for his eighth straight season.
The Zduriencik Era (2009–2013)
In October 2008, Jack Zduriencik became the new general manager, and Don Wakamatsu became the new manager. The team made many changes to the roster.
On February 18, 2009, Ken Griffey Jr. returned to the Mariners, which made many fans happy. He wore his old number 24. In April, Griffey hit his 400th home run as a Mariner. Ichiro also continued to break records, getting his 200th hit for the ninth straight season. The Mariners finished with 85 wins, a big improvement from the year before.
Griffey returned for the 2010 season but announced his retirement on June 2, 2010. He ended his career with 630 home runs. The Mariners struggled again in 2010, finishing with 101 losses. Don Wakamatsu was fired, and Eric Wedge became the new manager. Wedge managed for three seasons, but the team continued to finish in fourth place in their division. He left after the 2013 season and was replaced by Lloyd McClendon.
The Robinson Canó Era (2014–2018)
On December 6, 2013, the Mariners signed star second baseman Robinson Canó to a huge 10-year contract. In 2014, the Mariners had their first winning season since 2009, with 87 wins. They were in the playoff race until the very last game. Félix Hernández had an amazing season, pitching at least seven innings and giving up two or fewer runs in 16 straight games. Kyle Seager won his first Gold Glove Award at third base.
In 2016, Nintendo of America sold most of its shares in the team to a group led by John W. Stanton.
The 2017 season was tough due to many player injuries. The Mariners used a record-tying 40 different pitchers! Despite this, they stayed in the playoff hunt until August. On March 7, 2018, Seattle legend Ichiro Suzuki returned to the team. In December 2018, the Mariners traded Canó and star closer Edwin Díaz to the New York Mets.
Back to the Playoffs (2019–Present)
In 2019, Ichiro Suzuki played his final two games for the Mariners in Japan before retiring. The team finished with a losing record that year. After a shorter 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mariners had their best season since 2003 in 2021, winning 90 games and just missing a playoff spot.
The 2022 season marked a big return to the playoffs for the Mariners, ending the longest playoff drought in North American sports. In June, the team had a losing record, but then they went on an incredible winning streak, winning 22 of their next 25 games. With new pitcher Luis Castillo, the Mariners kept winning. On September 30, Cal Raleigh hit a walk-off home run that clinched a playoff spot!
In the playoffs, the Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in two games, coming back from a seven-run deficit in Game 2. This was their last win of the season. They were then swept by the Houston Astros. Game 3 was the first home playoff game in Seattle since 2001. It was a historic 18-inning game, the longest scoreless postseason game ever, until the Astros hit a home run in the 18th inning to win 1–0, ending the Mariners' season.
