{
  "id": 178454,
  "title": "A love for the Seattle Mariners reminder to keep swinging | Opinion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/a-love-for-the-seattle-mariners-reminder-to-keep-swinging-opinion",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-05T14:45:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/love-seattle-mariners-reminder-keep-144526205.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This weekend, August 7-9, the Seattle Mariners will celebrate their 50th season with various special events. I decided to dig out my collection of Mariners baseball cards, which brings to mind memorable moments from the past five decades. One of my favorite recollections is from 1975, during a game in the Kingdome, when outfielder Tom Paciorek hit a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning against the New York Yankees. Another special memory occurred when I filled up my car at a Shell gas station on Mercer Island and met Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, who was kind enough to pose for a selfie with me. A less joyful memory took place in a Mexican restaurant in Evanston, Illinois, on the eve of my daughter's wedding. We were watching the Mariners play the Blue Jays in the ALCS when Toronto won the game 4-3, breaking our team's hopes of reaching the World Series. A more memorable experience occurred three years ago, on my seventy-first birthday, when I won a charity auction item that included meeting Mariners play-by-play announcer Rick Rizzs. Although the Mariners lost that day, I felt honored to have been part of this special moment. As I sort through my baseball cards, other memories come to light. Among these are moments shared with Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Ichiro, and Pete \"The Big Dumper\" Rose. I fondly remember a card of Alvin Davis, known as \"Mr. Mariner,\" who became a leader in his church after retiring from baseball. Each photo represents a season when players donned the Mariners uniform, contributing to our team's history. Some of my cards feature players who are no longer in the starting lineup but are still part of our team's legacy. Reading through passages from the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, I recall individuals who exemplified extraordinary faith, much like the players who have contributed to the Seattle Mariners. These players, though not always household names, are worthy of collecting and serve as inspiration to continue swinging in the batter's box, trusting in God, and building our community of faith.",
  "summary": "From collecting cards to chance meetings with Mariner royalty, the hometown team remains something special.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}