f13.net

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/early-lead/2010/11/dave_niehaus_mourned_by_seattl.html (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/early-lead/2010/11/dave_niehaus_mourned_by_seattl.html)

Dave Niehaus, voice of the Seattle Mariners for 33 years, passed away last night at 75, from a heart attack.

I always found it fascinating how much we become attached to our play by play guys. I'm not even a baseball fan and I'll miss hearing this guy.

Bummer.  I grew up listening to Dave.  One of the best.

Was he still in the booth doing games?  Haven't seen an M's game in years.

Colin Cowherd had a touching story on the radio this morning about meeting Niehaus when he was 13, and wanted to be an announcer. He told the young Cowherd, "If you want it bad enough, kid. IF you want it bad enough, you'll be sitting in this chair one day."

He will be missed by a lot more people than just Seattle fans. He will be missed along with the other great voices of baseball that are slowly leaving us, never to be duplicated again.

Glad my wife was driving when we heard the news on Wednesday. I knew it was really going to affect me when he died (or even when he retired, but I was pretty sure he would work until he died), but I don't think it will really hit home until the season starts without him. He was the soundtrack to my childhood summers- back before every game was on TV, and back when they were just terrible (oh wait, history repeats itself), I used to listen to him call games for hours on the radio.

Two most vivid memories-
Went to see the Mariners v the Yankees on a Friday night with my family, Mariners won on a Tom Paciorek walk off  home run in the 9th inning. The following night I was home listening to the game in the dark in my bedroom when he did it again- this time a 3 run shot to win it in the bottom of the ninth. Dave really made situations like that come alive- the drama, the excitement, and they joy (when they turned out right).

Working out in the yard on a warm (but not sweltering) summer evening, listening to Dave rave about the rookie lefthander Mark Langston. It was one of his first appearances, and it really made me a Langston fan (I am a lefty too, and we have to stick together). The fact that I remember it 25+ years later is a testament to Dave.

I am really going to miss him. He miscalled a few plays late in his career as his eyesight/attention span started to wane, but the man could flat call a game. He was a storyteller who happened to talk about baseball. He has been the voice of the Mariners since the first pitch was thrown in the Kingdome. Hell, he will always be the voice of the Mariners, even though someone else will be filling in for him from now on. I am going to bawl like a baby on Opening Day.

Yeah, I gotta say that I feel a little sorry for the many baseball fans out there that never got to experience Dave.  He really had a way of infusing drama into the games.  I can hear it now...

"...here's the windup, and the 3-1 pitch on the way...fastball, swung on and BELTED!  Deep to left field!  Back she goes and this one will FLY, FLY, FLY AWAY!!

Gives me chills just thinking about it.