Royals Star Honored At 50th Annual Hutch Awards

Alex Gordon, a gold glove outfielder, who helped the the Kansas City Royals battle to the World Series received the 50th Fred Hutchinson Award at a luncheon at Safeco Field.  The award is given to the player who exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of the late Fred Hutchinson, a Seattle native who became famous as a pitcher and a Major League manager and whose career was cut short by lung cancer. Proceeds go to supporting the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
 Gordon is credited with raising more than 1 million dollars for research through the non-profit Alex's Lemonade Stand.  Gordon spoke movingly of  his mother surviving breast cancer.
Hall of Fame player Dave Winfield  (bottom picture with me) was the keynote speaker. Winfield, voted best all-around athlete by ESPN, was drafted by 4 teams in 3 different sports.  Unlike Bo Jackson and Dion Sanders, he stuck with baseball where he would eventually play for 6 teams and carve out a 22 year career.  Of course, he spun old baseball anecdotes, including being snubbed by Bob Gibson as his career was beginning.  Winfield was no stranger to Seattle, since his father had moved here after Dave's parents split.  Winfield mentioned his family's humble beginnings in St Paul Minnesota He also spoke movingly of losing his mother to cancer.
Host for the afternoon event were former talk radio host Mike Gastineau, Mariner reporter Shannon Drayer, and Mariner play by play man Rick Rizzs.

Mariners Honor 2001 Team

Thanks to our friends, Louie and Hera, we were able to go to Safeco where the Mariners honored the 2001 team that had won 116 games.  It was a moving ceremony anchored by Rich Rizzs. Lou Piniella, the Manager that year was also there and addressed the crowd. Like a serial TV show, the Mariner left unfinished business as they did not get to the World Series.  They did tie a record set by the Chicago Cubs, perhaps there is a jinx to winning 116th as the Cubs are also known for hard luck.  Incidentally, the only member of that team still playing for the M's is Icharo.

Old Friend Ken Levine Returns To Mariners Broadcast Booth

Ken Levine, the brilliant TV comedy writer who moonlighted in the early 90s as a Mariner play by play announcer will return on a fill in basis during the Mariner series against the Tigers next weekend.
Levine was added to Mariner team ironically when Rick Rizzs left for a short time to join the Tigers broadcast team. When veteran Tiger broadcaster Ernie Harwell returned, Rizzs returned to the Mariners.