Just a few hours before the first pitch of Rick Rizzs’ farewell weekend, the Seattle Mariners released a video on Friday of the tearful broadcasting legend listening to an emotional tribute from fans.
Rizzs, who is set to retire Sunday after 41 seasons with the Mariners, will be celebrated throughout the weekend series against the Angels. A video released Tuesday showed Cal Raleigh gifting Rizzs a custom chest protector that he plans to wear this weekend. In addition to the video released by the Mariners, Rizzs shared his own statement thanking fans for their love.
“I don’t think I was prepared for the amount of love you would send my way this week,” Rizzs wrote in an Instagram story. “It has meant more to me than I could ever put into words.”
The broadcaster shared that he has received many photos, messages and memories. He promised to sit down and read every message after calling his final game.
But first, Rizzs will call his final three games, which are likely to be full of surprises and sentimental moments as the organization honors his career.
Players, staff and the front office gathered in the tunnels of T-Mobile Park on Friday afternoon to greet Rizzs. A video showed the group lined up with signs that read “Rick Rizzs” and “Holy Smokes.”
Rizzs greeted people with hugs and handshakes, before dancing in the center of a circle as the group chanted “holy smokes.”
The video released by the Mariners Friday afternoon added to the outpouring of love for Rizzs. He was shown sitting in a chair as a string of messages from Mariners fans across the country played. Some called him the “voice of baseball.” Others spoke to the joy, both in Rizzs’ voice and that he inspired within them.
One fan described growing up in the Pacific Northwest and falling asleep with the Mariners games playing from the AM-FM Walkman under their pillow.
“It’s been such a thrill to listen to you call Mariners games all these decades,” a fan said.
“I just gotta tell you, you’re the reason I love baseball,” another added.
“I’ve grown old listening to you,” the next clip told Rizzs. “I’m no longer able to go to the games, but you bring me to them.”
Tears rolled down Rizzs’ face as he listened to anecdotes of how his voice supported someone as they went through chemo or brought a sense of comfort to a man grieving the loss of his brother.
Several messages mentioned listening to Rizzs and the late Dave Niehaus call games together. Rizzs spent 25 seasons in the booth alongside Niehaus, who died in November 2010. One fan called the pair “one of the greatest broadcasting duos baseball has ever known.”
As the messages came to an end, Rizzs appeared speechless for a brief moment as he wiped tears from his face.
“You think you’re just doing a baseball game and you realize the impact that you have on peoples’ lives. It’s a lot more than a baseball game,” Rizzs said. “It’s bringing them a little bit of joy if they’re having a rough day.
“That meant everything to me. It really did. Because that’s the reason why I walk through that door. That’s the reason why I sit in that seat and try to do the best I can for 41 years here.”