![🔥 [40+] Mariners Logo Wallpapers | WallpaperSafari](https://cdn.wallpapersafari.com/53/1/GMjFnd.jpg)
The Seattle Mariners entered Major League Baseball in 1977 as an American League expansion franchise. From their early struggles in the Kingdome to the glory years of Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson and Ichiro Suzuki, the Mariners have produced some of baseball’s most memorable players and moments.
Seattle has never won a World Series, and it has never appeared in the World Series. Yet the Mariners have won division championships, produced MVPs, Rookie of the Year winners, Cy Young Award winners and numerous Hall of Famers.
The franchise has also become famous for another reason: some of the great players it traded away before they reached their full potential.
The Beginning of the Seattle Mariners
Major League Baseball awarded Seattle an expansion franchise on February 6, 1976, with the team scheduled to begin play in 1977. The ownership group included entertainer Danny Kaye and Seattle-area businessmen Stanley Golub, Walter Schoenfeld, Lester Smith, James Stillwell Jr. and James A. Walsh.
The team held a contest to select its name. More than 15,000 entries were submitted, and the name Mariners was selected because of Seattle’s connection to the sea and Puget Sound.
The Mariners played their first regular-season game on April 6, 1977, against the California Angels at the Kingdome. Seattle lost 7-0.
The first Mariners victory came two games later, when Seattle defeated the Angels 7-6.
The inaugural Mariners team finished 64-98.
Mariners Ownership History
The Mariners have had five major ownership eras.
1. Original Ownership Group — 1976-1981
The original ownership group consisted of:
Stanley Golub, Danny Kaye, Walter Schoenfeld, Lester Smith, James Stillwell Jr, James A. Walsh
Danny Kaye, the famous actor and entertainer, became the best-known member of the original ownership group.
2. George Argyros — 1981-1989
Real-estate developer George Argyros became the principal owner in January 1981 after purchasing a majority interest in the franchise.
His ownership came during one of the more difficult periods in Mariners history.
3. Jeff Smulyan and Partners — 1989-1992
In 1989, the Mariners were purchased by a partnership involving:
Jeff Smulyan, Emmis Broadcasting, Michael Browning, Morgan Stanley Group
Smulyan became chairman.
4. Nintendo of America / Baseball Club of Seattle — 1992-2016
The Baseball Club of Seattle took control of the Mariners in 1992. The ownership group was closely associated with Nintendo and Hiroshi Yamauchi.
Howard Lincoln became one of the most recognizable executives of the Nintendo era.
This period included the greatest stretch of Mariners baseball to that point, featuring Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Ichiro Suzuki and Félix Hernández.
5. First Avenue Entertainment / Baseball Club of Seattle — 2016-Present
In 2016, Nintendo sold the majority of its interest to the current ownership group, First Avenue Entertainment LLLP, while retaining a 10-percent interest. John Stanton became chairman, CEO and MLB control person.
John Stanton remains the principal public face of Mariners ownership.
MARINERS HOME PARKS
Kingdome — 1977-1999
The Kingdome was the Mariners’ original home.
Seattle played its first game there on April 6, 1977, and remained in the stadium until June 27, 1999.
The Kingdome was an enormous concrete domed stadium and also hosted the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics and other sporting events.
The final Mariners game at the Kingdome was played June 27, 1999, when Seattle defeated Texas 5-2.
The Kingdome was demolished in 2000.
The Kingdome’s Greatest Mariners Moment
The 1995 season transformed the franchise.
The Mariners won their first American League West championship and then defeated the New York Yankees in one of the most famous playoff series in baseball history.
Edgar Martinez’s double in Game 5 of the Division Series scored Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr., giving Seattle a dramatic 11-inning victory and sending the Mariners to their first American League Championship Series.
That season helped convince Seattle that Major League Baseball belonged in the city and played a major role in building support for a new ballpark.
T-Mobile Park — 1999-Present
The Mariners moved into their new ballpark in July 1999.
The stadium opened as Safeco Field and retained that name until 2018. Beginning in 2019, it became T-Mobile Park.
The first game was played July 15, 1999, against the San Diego Padres.
T-Mobile Park features a retractable roof that protects fans and players from Seattle’s weather while still allowing the stadium to function as an open-air ballpark.
The stadium has hosted:
Mariners games
The 2001 MLB All-Star Game
Numerous playoff games
Félix Hernández’s perfect game
Multiple no-hitters Some of the greatest moments of the Ichiro era
Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame and Baseball Hall of Fame Players
Several players who wore a Mariners uniform have eventually been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Gaylord Perry — Hall of Fame Class of 1991
Hometown: Williamston, North Carolina
Position: Pitcher
Mariners: 1982-1983
Perry joined Seattle late in his career while chasing 300 victories. He achieved the milestone with the Mariners in 1982.
Perry finished his career with 314 victories and two Cy Young Awards.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Interestingly, Perry also pitched for the New York Yankees during his career.
Rickey Henderson — Hall of Fame Class of 2009
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Position: Outfielder
Mariners: 2000
Rickey Henderson was already one of baseball’s greatest players when he briefly played for Seattle.
He finished his career with:
3,055 hits
2,295 runs
1,406 stolen bases
297 home runs
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Henderson also played for the New York Yankees and won a World Series with Oakland and Toronto.
Randy Johnson — Hall of Fame Class of 2015
Hometown: Walnut Creek, California
Position: Pitcher
Mariners: 1989-1998
Randy Johnson arrived in Seattle in one of the most important trades in franchise history.
The Mariners sent Mark Langston to Montreal and received Johnson, Gene Harris and Brian Holman.
Johnson was only 25 and struggling with his control when Seattle acquired him. He eventually became the greatest pitcher in Mariners history.
With Seattle, Johnson won:
130 games
1995 AL Cy Young Award
Five All-Star selections
Four AL strikeout titles
2,162 strikeouts
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Johnson also played for the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants.
Ken Griffey Jr. — Hall of Fame Class of 2016
Hometown: Donora, Pennsylvania
Position: Center Field
Mariners: 1989-1999 and 2009-2010
Ken Griffey Jr. is arguably the most famous player in Mariners history.
Seattle selected Griffey with the first overall pick of the 1987 MLB Draft.
“The Kid” became a superstar almost immediately.
His Seattle accomplishments included:
1997 AL MVP
10 Gold Gloves
Seven Silver Slugger Awards
417 home runs as a Mariner
630 career home runs
13 All-Star selections
Griffey won the American League MVP Award in 1997 after hitting 56 home runs and driving in 147 runs.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016 with 99.32 percent of the vote, at the time the highest percentage in Hall of Fame history.
Griffey also returned to Seattle in 2009 and finished his career as a Mariner.
Edgar Martinez — Hall of Fame Class of 2019
Hometown: New York City, New York / raised in Dorado, Puerto Rico
Position: Third Base / Designated Hitter
Mariners: 1987-2004
Edgar Martinez spent his entire Major League career with Seattle.
He became one of the greatest designated hitters in baseball history.
Martinez won two American League batting championships and finished his career with:
.312 batting average
2,247 hits
514 doubles
309 home runs
1,261 RBI
His most famous hit was the 1995 double against the Yankees that helped Seattle reach its first ALCS.
The American League’s outstanding designated hitter award is now named the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.
Martinez was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Ichiro Suzuki — Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Hometown: Kasugai, Japan
Position: Outfielder
Mariners: 2001-2012 and 2018-2019
Ichiro changed Major League Baseball when he arrived from Japan in 2001.
He became the first position player to move directly from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB and immediately become a superstar.
In 2001 he won both:
American League Rookie of the Year
American League MVP
He collected 242 hits in his rookie season and eventually recorded 3,089 MLB hits.
Combined with his professional career in Japan, Ichiro finished with more than 4,000 professional hits.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025, one vote short of becoming the first unanimous Hall of Fame selection.
Adrian Beltré — Hall of Fame Class of 2024
Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Position: Third Base
Mariners: 2005-2009
Beltré joined Seattle after becoming a star with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During his career he accumulated:
3,166 hits
477 home runs
1,707 RBI
636 doubles
Five Gold Gloves
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024.
The 1995 Mariners: The Season That Saved Baseball in Seattle
The 1995 Mariners were more than a good baseball team.
They changed the future of baseball in Seattle.
The team featured:
Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Jay Buhner, Tino Martinez, Joey Cora, Luis Sojo, and Dan Wilson
Seattle won the AL West and then faced the New York Yankees in the Division Series.
The Mariners fell behind in the series before winning three straight games.
Game 5 became legendary.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Edgar Martinez doubled down the left-field line, scoring Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey came flying around third base and scored the winning run.
Seattle advanced to the ALCS for the first time.
The 1995 run helped create the public support necessary for a new baseball stadium and played an important role in keeping Major League Baseball in Seattle.
The 2001 Mariners: The Greatest Regular Season in American League History
The 2001 Mariners produced one of the greatest regular seasons in baseball history.
Seattle finished:
116 Wins — 46 Losses
The 116 victories established an American League record.
The team was led by:
Ichiro Suzuki, Bret Boone, Mike Cameron, Edgar Martinez, John Olerud, Jamie Moyer,
Freddy Garcia, Paul Abbott
Ichiro won both Rookie of the Year and MVP.
Lou Piniella won Manager of the Year.
The Mariners reached the American League Championship Series but lost to the New York Yankees.
The 2001 Mariners remain the winningest regular-season team in franchise history.
Félix Hernández and the King of Seattle
Félix Hernández became one of the most beloved pitchers in Mariners history.
Known as King Félix, he spent his entire 15-year MLB career with Seattle.
His greatest individual achievement came August 15, 2012, when he threw a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
It remains one of the greatest pitching performances in Mariners history.
Hernández was inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame in 2023.
World Series History
World Series Championships: 0
World Series Appearances: 0
This is the biggest missing accomplishment in Mariners history.
Seattle has reached the American League Championship Series three times:
1995
2000
2001
The Mariners returned to the postseason in 2022 after a 21-year playoff drought.
Seattle made another deep postseason run in 2025, winning the AL West and reaching the American League Championship Series before losing to Toronto in seven games.
As of the end of the 2025 season, Seattle still has never played in a World Series.
Major Mariners Eras
1977-1989: The Expansion Years
The Mariners struggled to establish themselves and frequently finished near the bottom of the American League West.
Players such as Alvin Davis and Mark Langston provided hope.
1990-1994: The Young Stars Arrive
Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Randy Johnson began turning Seattle into a legitimate baseball team.
1995-2001: The Golden Era
This was the first great Mariners generation.
Griffey, Martinez, Johnson, Jay Buhner and later Ichiro became household names.
The 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2001 teams reached the playoffs.
2002-2021: The Long Drought
After the remarkable 2001 season, Seattle endured a long period without postseason baseball.
There were talented players, including Ichiro, Félix Hernández, Adrián Beltré and others, but the team struggled to put together sustained success.
2022-Present: A New Generation
The Mariners finally returned to the playoffs in 2022.
The new generation has included:
Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, and J.P. Crawford
The organization hopes this generation can finally accomplish what Griffey, Johnson, Martinez, Ichiro and Hernández could not: take Seattle to its first World Series.
The Seattle Mariners Legacy
The Mariners have never won a World Series, but judging the franchise only by championships would miss much of its history.
Seattle has produced or developed some of the greatest players baseball has ever seen:
Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Ichiro Suzuk, Adrian Beltré, Félix Hernández, Alvin Davis, Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez
The franchise has also been connected to Hall of Famers such as Gaylord Perry and Rickey Henderson.
The Mariners have produced MVPs, Rookie of the Year winners and Cy Young Award winners. They have played in some of baseball’s most memorable playoff games, including the unforgettable 1995 victory over the Yankees.
And Seattle’s history contains an unusual collection of players who got away — David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Derek Lowe, Shin-Soo Choo and Adam Jones among them.
Perhaps the most appropriate way to describe the Mariners is this:
They have never won the World Series, but they have never lacked baseball history.
From the Kingdome to T-Mobile Park, from Griffey to Ichiro, and from the 1995 “Refuse to Lose” team to today’s young stars, the Seattle Mariners have built one of Major League Baseball’s most distinctive franchises.
The next great chapter remains unwritten: bringing the first World Series championship to Seattle.
Artie Fischal
