Seattle Mariners to induct Rick Rizzs into Hall of Fame next season
Rick Rizzs to Join Mariners Hall of Fame
Rick Rizzs, the longtime radio broadcaster for the Seattle Mariners, will be inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame next season. The announcement was made during the team’s 50th Season Celebration at T-Mobile Park. Rizzs will become the 12th member of the team’s Hall of Fame.
His induction will place him alongside his former broadcast partner and friend, Dave Niehaus, as one of only two non-uniformed individuals in the Mariners Hall of Fame. Rizzs has spent 41 seasons broadcasting Mariners games, making him the longest-tenured broadcaster in the franchise’s history.
Rizzs first joined the Mariners organization in 1983, working alongside Niehaus. He spent nine seasons with Seattle from 1983 to 1991 before moving to Detroit for a three-year stint as the lead broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers, where he replaced Ernie Harwell. Rizzs returned to Seattle for the 1995 season and has remained with the Mariners ever since, taking over as the lead radio voice after Niehaus’s passing prior to the 2011 season.
Community Contributions Beyond the Broadcast Booth
Beyond his work in the broadcast booth, Rizzs has also been recognized for his significant contributions to the community in the Pacific Northwest. He co-founded the nonprofit Toys for Kids charity in 1995. Over the past 30 years, this organization has provided new toys to more than 360,000 children in the Pacific Northwest during the holiday season.
The Toys for Kids charity has expanded its initiatives over time. It has awarded 80 college scholarships, each valued at $5,000, over the past decade in honor of co-founder Dave Henderson. Additionally, its Rick’s Locker program supplies new baseball gloves and bats to children in need, enabling them to participate in the sport.
The year-round organization also extends its support to unhoused mothers who are caring for their children while actively seeking employment and housing. Furthermore, it assists schoolchildren who are facing food scarcity or difficulties in obtaining essential back-to-school necessities. Rizzs’ commitment to these community efforts highlights his impact beyond baseball.
A Career Spanning Decades
Rizzs’ broadcasting career began well before his time with the Mariners. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1975. From 1975 to 1980, he called Double-A baseball games for teams in Alexandria, Amarillo, and Memphis.
In 1981, Rizzs became the sports director at WBNS radio in Columbus, Ohio. During his two seasons there, he called Ohio State football and Triple-A baseball before joining the Mariners in 1983. His 41 years of service with the Mariners surpass Niehaus’s 34-year career in Seattle, solidifying his place in franchise history.
The current members of the Mariners Hall of Fame include Alvin Davis (inducted in 1997), Dave Niehaus (2000), Jay Buhner (2004), Edgar Martinez (2007), Randy Johnson and Dan Wilson (2012), Ken Griffey Jr. (2013), Lou Piniella (2014), Jamie Moyer (2015), Ichiro Suzuki (2022), and Félix Hernández (2023). The team has not yet announced the specific date for Rizzs’ induction ceremony, but it is anticipated to occur during the next season.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
