Lou Pinella To Enter Mariners Hall Of Fame
By Dan Hughes
Apr 1, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Former outfielder and manager Lou Pinella throws the ceremonial first pitch at the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Boston won 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Lou Pinella, the only manager in Seattle Mariners history to have a winning record, will become the eighth member of the club’s Hall of Fame on August 9, at Safeco Field.
Pinella will be honored at a luncheon at Safeco on Aug. 8th prior to his induction ceremony before the Mariners play the Chicago White Sox on the 9th.
Pinella joins Alvin Davis, Dave Niehaus, Jay Buhner, Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Dan Wilson and Ken Griffey Jr. in the Mariners Hall.
Pinella took the Mariners to their first-ever postseason in 1995 and took the club three more times en route to a 840-711 record in ten seasons.
In 23 years as a Major League manager with the Yankees (1986-88), Reds (1990-92), Mariners (1993-2002), Rays (2003-05) and Cubs (2007-10), Piniella had a career .517 winning percentage (1,835-1,712) and won Manager of the Year honors in 1995, 2001 (both with Seattle) and 2008.
"“I’m super excited for him. The fans just love to see him, and I can’t wait to hear that ovation when they introduce his name into the Hall of Fame. It’s very well deserved. He’s a guy that demanded your respect, demanded your best every day.Nobody in the ballpark wanted to win more than Lou, especially when we were in New York. He was a manager you loved to play for, because you knew he was in your corner and would do everything he could do that day to win a ballgame. It was a lot of fun playing for him. — Dan Wilson"