Dave Niehaus

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Niehaus’s tenure spanned the entire history of the franchise up to his passing in 2010. He was recruited by part-owner Danny Kaye in 1977, becoming the radio voice for a team that would not see a winning season until 1995. Even during those lean years, his talent kept fans engaged, with radios often turned on more frequently than for other leading major-league teams. His career included calling 4,817 of 4,899 games through the end of the 2007 season and reaching his 5,000th broadcast on May 7, 2009. By the end of the 2010 season, he had called 5,284 of the team's 5,385 games. In 2008, he received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the highest honor for baseball broadcasters. He was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2000 and threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Safeco Field’s opening on July 15, 1999.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere shifted instantly on October 7, 1995, when Edgar Martinez broke a 6–6 tie in the bottom of the 8th inning. Niehaus erupted with his iconic call: "Get out the rye bread and the mustard this time, Grandma! It is a Grand Salami! And the Mariners lead it, 10-6! I don't believe it! My, oh, my!" This moment helped propel the team to their first American League Championship. He also coined nicknames like "A-Rod" for Alex Rodriguez and "The Kid" for Ken Griffey Jr., while Franklin Gutiérrez became known as "Death to Flying Things." His voice defined the Kingdome's famous calls, such as when Randy Johnson struck out a batter: "Right over the heart of the plate! Randy looks to the skies that is covered by the dome and bedlam! As the Mariners now erupt!

Reader's Guide

Fans can honor Niehaus at Safeco Field (now T-Mobile Park), where a bronze statue unveiled on September 16, 2011, depicts him sitting at a desk with his scorebook. The sculpture includes an empty seat next to it for fans to sit beside the broadcaster. On April 8, 2011, Seattle declared "My oh My! Dave Niehaus Day," and the city renamed First Avenue S. between Edgar Martínez Dr. S. and S. Royal Brougham Way as "Dave Niehaus Way S." His legacy was further immortalized in Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest for the Nintendo 64, where he appeared as an announcer. The song "My Oh My" by Macklemore, released on December 22, 2010, features audio from his 1995 ALDS winning call and describes his influence on Seattleites. Governor Chris Gregoire noted that while Alvin Davis was great, Niehaus was truly "Mr. Mariner," an institution since the team's first pitch in 1977.

Did You Know?

• He broadcast 5,284 of the 5,385 Mariners games played through the end of the 2010 season.
• Niehaus was added as an announcer to the Nintendo 64 game Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest in 1999.
• He coined the nickname "A-Rod" for Alex Rodriguez and "Death to Flying Things" for Franklin Gutiérrez.
• He died on November 10, 2010, at age 75 while preparing to barbecue ribs on his deck in Bellevue, Washington.
• A bronze statue of Niehaus includes an empty seat next to it so fans can pose for photos sitting beside him.