I have been a season ticket holder off and on since the mid 1980s. We used to share with a family member and after 1995 season we opened up our own account with a neighbor and an old friend of my Mom's. Over the years they dropped off and in 2010, I ended up taking over the account 100%. So now I have 81 games I'm responsible for, and let me tell you as much as I love baseball I just can't make it to all of them.
I went to college at WSU in Pullman for 5 years from 1999-2004 and wasn't able to make it to as many games as I would have liked to, especially that amazing season of 2001. I am guessing my record for attending was in 2005 when I went to around 60/65 games. I would go four or five games in a row. It was fun, and exhausting.
I've been to, in no particular order: an Earthquake at the Kingdome; Bosio's no-hitter; the 1995 game in which Griffey broke his wrist; inaugural game at Safeco; the only rain delayed game (so far) at Safeco Field; the 2001 All-Star game; Nolan Ryan's final game; a home/away doubleheader; and the final homestand in 2004 in which Ichiro passed Sisler for all-time hits in a season, which just so happened to be Edgar's final games before his retirement. There are many more memorable games, the above is just a sampling.
I can't recall when I first became aware of the game of baseball, or when I became a fan. I played T-Ball when I was six (I couldn't hit the tee, which is when they realized I needed glasses). I distinctly remember reading the book "The Kid Who Only Hit Homers" by Matt Christopher countless times. I did a book report on Babe Ruth in the 2nd or 3rd grade, he was my first favorite player. One summer I watched Rookie of the Year 56 times during the summer, sometimes 3 times a day.
The first World Series I remember watching was the 1991 series in which Minnesota won. To this day, they are still my second favorite team behind the Mariners. The Toronto Blue Jays followed the next two years, and so they became my third favorite. Of course, as many around the country did, I watched the Atlanta Braves on TBS for many years.
I am hoping the Mariners will get to the World Series and bring home a ring before my time runs out. While we've been through some tough years, especially recently with the futility of 2010 and 2008, I can take solace in the fact that at least I'm not a Cubs fan.
