Safeco Field
Kingdome
Officially known as King County Stadium
Seattle, Washington
Groundbreaking: November 2, 1972
First event: March 27, 1976 (NASL Seattle Sounders vs. New York Cosmos)
First NFL game: September 12, 1976
First American League game: April 6, 1977
Last American League game: June 27, 1999
Last NFL game: January 9, 2000
Demolition: March 26, 2000
Surface: Astroturf
Capacity: 59,166 (baseball); 66,000 (football); 40,000 (basketball)
Architect: Naramore, Skilling and Praeger
Owner: King County
Cost: $67 million
Dimensions:
LF foul line: 315 (1977), 316 (marked, 1978), 314 (1978), 324 (1990), 331 (1991)
Left-center: 375 (1977), 365 (1978), 357 (1981), 362 (1990), 376 (1991)
Center field: 405 (1977), 410 (1978), 405 (1981), 410 (1986), 405 (1991)
Right-center: 375 (1977), 365 (1978), 357 (1981), 352 (1990)
RF foul line: 315 (1977), 316 (1978), 314 (1990), 312 (1991)
Fences: Left field: 11.5 ft. (1977), 17.5 ft. (1988), 11.5 ft. (1990);
Center field: 11.5 ft. (1977); Right field: 11.5 ft. (1977), 23 ft. (1982).
Hosted World Series: Never
Hosted MLB All-Star Game: 1979
Hosted Pro-Bowl: 1977
Hosted NBA All-Star Game: 1987
Hosted NBA Finals: 1978, 1979
Hosted NCAA Men's Final Four: 1985, 1989, 1995
One of the Kingdome's greatest attributes was accessibility -- next to Seattle's King Street railroad station, which made baseball trips convenient from Portland, Spokane and Vancouver; a few blocks from the waterfront, making it easy for boaters; walking distance from downtown and only a few miles from the Space Needle. But its greatest weakness was personality.
The dome (250 feet from field level to apex) sprawled over the turf-covered field like a gigantic umbrella, protecting its patrons from the rain and chills of Seattle's inclement weather. Speakers suspended from the ceiling provided grounds-rule nightmares and the Mariners tried to dress things up with banners, bunting and red, white and blue ceiling streamers, but nothing seemed capable of relieving the cavernous, morgue-like atmosphere that plagued the building through much of its tenure.
The 59,856-seat Kingdome did have some distinctive sights and sounds. For several years, outfield dimensions were offered in both feet and fathoms and through most of the 1980s the USS Mariner, a gold ship positioned behind the left-center field fence, would rise up and salute Mariners home runs and victories with a cannon blast. This was the home of Rick Kaminski, one of the best-known peanut vendors in the world, and "Ruuuuuuuupe" -the nickname for popular outfielder Ruppert Jones from 1977-80.
Baseball life in Seattle took its most dramatic turn in 1995 when the Mariners captured their first AL West Division championship. That title, which was repeated two years later, ignited a fan fury that transformed the stadium from a tomb into a loud, raucous house of fun, complete with offensive bombers named Griffey, Rodriguez, Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez and a flame-thrower named Randy Johnson, a.k.a. "The Big Unit."
With that success came some of the personality Mariners officials had always sought. Griffey and A-Rod became national figures. The popular Buhner, alias Bone, attracted his own right field following -- a section called the Boneyard. One of the more fascinating Mariners promotions was Buhner Buzz Night, when hundreds of fans would shave their heads (like Buhner) for free admission to the game.
"It's been called ugly by a lot of people through the years, but it will always be beautiful to me," said Dave Niehaus, the Mariners' play-by-play broadcaster since their expansion debut in 1977. "It's been a huge part of my life. I'm going to miss it. Aesthetically? No, I won't miss it. I know people are excited to see it go, but remember, we wouldn't have baseball here at all if it wasn't for the Kingdome."
In 1999, the Mariners moved into Safeco Field, a new half billion dollar convertible roofed ballpark in downtown Seattle.
King County Stadium, the future home of all three Seattle pro sports teams.
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Sick's Stadium
Also known as Sick's Seattle Stadium
Seattle, Washington
First PCL game: June 15, 1938
First American League game: April 11, 1969
Last American League game: October 2, 1969
Demolished: 1979
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 15,000 (1938); 18,000 April, 1969); 25,420 (June, 1969)
Cost: $350,000 (1938)
Dimensions: Left field: 325 ft. (1938), 305 ft. (1969); Alleys: 345 ft. (1969); Corners just right and left of center: 405 ft.(1969); Center field: 400 ft. (1938), 402 ft. (1969); Right field: 325 ft.(1938), 320 ft. (1969)
Fences: Left field: 8 ft.; Center field: 12 ft.; Right field: 8 ft.
Sick's Stadium was named for it's owner, Emil Sick, who had purchased the Seattle Indians a year earlier, and changed thier name to Rainiers. The new 15,000 seat ballpark instantly sparked a wider spread intrest in baseball in the greater Seattle area. Soon after Sick's Seattle Stadium opened, the Rainiers won three consecutive pennants, earning Sick the Minor League Executive of the Year for 1941.
In 1967, MLB awarded A.L. franchises to Kansas City and Seattle. It was agreed that within three years, a new domed stadium had to be built in Seattle. Sicks Stadium was to be used until then. Before the 1969 season started, the capacity of Sick's Stadium was increased to 18,000. It was supposed to be 25,000 but work on adding the new seats didn't begin until January - only 3 months before the start of the season! In fact on opening day, 700 fans were forced to wait an hour, while carpenters put finishing touches on thier seats. Eventually the capacity was indeed raised to the promised 25,000, but conditions at Sicks Stadium became worse throughout the year. Visiting players showered at their hotels due to low water pressure, and when attendance exceeded 14,000, the toilets stopped flushing.
At the end of the season, the team was nearly $1,000,000 in the red. Attendance was only 677,944 for the season - 250,000 less than expected. Other problems included the city demanding a letter of credit to secure future rental payments, a bond to ensure that the stadium would be returned to the city in good condition, and a demand by the PCL of $1,000,000 in damages for the loss of one of its most succesfull franchises!
Soon afterward, AL club owners decided to try and find a more financially secure ownership for the club. In late March, 1970, the A.L. approved the sale and immediate move of the team to Bud Selig of Milwaukee. He moved the team to County Stadium in Milwaukee for the 1970 season. The Pilots were renamed the Milwaukee Brewers, and thus ended Seattle's first attempt at Major League Baseball. After the Pilots left, Sicks Stadium went unused for two seasons, but was once again home to baseball in 1972, this time for a class A team that would call Sick's Stadium home until 1976. In 1979, Sicks Stadium was demolished. However, MLB returned to Seattle, when in 1976, the American League awarded the city another team called the Mariners, who began playing at the long-since promised Kingdome in 1977 - several years too late however, to save Seattle's first Major League franchise.
The Sicks' Stadium site is now home to Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. There is a glass display case inside the store which shows some memorabilia from the Rainiers and Pilots.
Notes, Facts and Features
The first baseball sellout in Kingdome history didn’t come until Opening Night 1990 (in the team’s 14th season) and the team has drawn as many as 2 million fans only three times. The stadium is 660 feet in diameter and 250 feet high at the apex of its concrete dome.
Four ceiling tiles fell a few hours before the gates were to open for a Mariners game in 1994. This forced the Mariners to play their final 15 games of the season, before a strike ended it, on the road. The repairs to the roof cost $70 million.
Gaylord Perry won the 300th game of his career in 1982, and both Randy Johnson (1990) and Chris Bosio (1993) pitched no-hitters in the Kingdome.
Baseball history was made when Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. started a game together in the same outfield, marking the first time that a father and son had taken the field together as players.
The name "Kingdome" is derived from the stadium's location in King County, Washington.
A Large American flag flew above the concrete dome.
Sick’s Stadium's home plate was on display in Royal Brougham trophy case.
Two foul balls have gone up without coming down. On August 4, 1979, Ruppert Jones of the Mariners hit a foul ball that stuck in the speaker above the first base dugout, thus disproving the old adage of physics that what goes up must come down. On May 20, 1983, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Ricky Nelson managed the same feat. Both flyballs were ruled strikes.
Called "the Tomb" by visiting sportswriters because it’s gray and quiet.
For two seasons, outfield distances were marked on fences in both feet and fathoms. (1 fathom equals 6 feet).
Home plate was moved several feet towards the first-base dugout in 1990, in a change that altered outfield distances.
A 123-foot-by-11˝-foot scoreboard placed on the 23 ft. high right-field wall in 1990 in a dramatic facelift.
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