Get ready for some serious waterworks, Emerald City, because our legend, Rick Rizzs, is officially headed into the Mariners Hall of Fame next season! The announcement dropped on April 10th right there at T-Mobile Park, ahead of our game against the Houston Astros, and yeah, it was exactly as emotional as you’d expect. While nobody was genuinely surprised by this news, Rizzs himself, and pretty much everyone in the crowd, definitely shed some tears. He’ll be just the twelfth member of the Mariners HOF, and unbelievably, only the second non-uniformed member, joining the iconic Dave Niehaus.
41 Seasons of Summer Nights, and a Voice That Means Home
This induction is absolutely perfect, coming as our team celebrates its 50th season. Think about it: Rick Rizzs has called 41 of those 50 seasons, even if they weren’t all back to back. He kicked things off with the organization way back in 1983, spending nine years as Dave Niehaus’s broadcast partner. He took a detour to Detroit for a bit, becoming the lead broadcaster for the Tigers, but thankfully, our guy came back home to Seattle in 1995 and has been with the club ever since. After Niehaus passed before the 2011 season, Rizzs stepped up as our lead radio voice, and he hasn’t looked back. Forty-one years of service makes him the longest-tenured broadcaster in Mariners history. As John Stanton said, and every single one of us feels it, for generations of fans, the voice of Rick Rizzs *is* the voice of the summer. It’s truly impossible to imagine a Mariners game without him.
Beyond the Booth: A True Seattle Legend’s Impact
Rick Rizzs isn’t just a voice; he’s a pillar of our community. He’s always there, supporting Mariners charities, and he even founded his own incredible organization, the Toys for Kids charity, back in 1995. What started as a mission to give kids in need a special toy at Christmas has grown into something huge: college scholarships, supporting unhoused mothers, helping kids facing food scarcity, and even providing baseball equipment to those who want to play the game. Talk about stepping up. The team hasn’t locked down the exact ceremony date for 2027 yet, but c’mon, it’s gotta be in August, right? That’s when they usually do these things. And we’re all crossing our fingers for a statue to echo Niehaus’s in centerfield, because Rizzs deserves it. The M’s are scheduled to be home the weekends of August 13th and August 27th, so mark your calendars, because you absolutely don’t want to miss this.
Rick gave a heartfelt, tearful speech at the announcement, even managing to crack a joke through all the emotion. It’s poignant, really. While the team might be failing in their job to send him off with an exciting playoff run this season , that 3-2 loss to the Rays didn’t help , we fans are gonna have our chance to properly honor the longtime voice of the Mariners. It’s something we never really got to do for Dave Niehaus, and we are not missing this opportunity. Get ready to celebrate a true Seattle icon!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Lookout Landing.
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