my oh my, the dave niehaus memorial patch

from their inception in 1977 through the 2010 season, the mariners had played almost 5400 games.  and of those games, dave niehaus broadcast all but about 100 of them.  after niehaus passed away in november of 2010, the mariners added a memorial patch to their right sleeves to be worn during the 2011 season.  the memorial, an oval patch with niehaus' first name and his signature call 'my oh my' next to a microphone can be seen on dustin ackley's 2011 topps update card below.

it's also seen on mike carp's 2012 topps card

and miguel olivo's 2012 topps card as well

hank conger better watch his ears.  and, hello alfredo griffin - i almost didn't see you lurking in the background!

in the post-griffey era of mariners baseball, there is really only ichiro as far as i am concerned.  the patch is shown on his 2012 bowman card

still, it doesn't give a good enough look at the patch to stick in the collection.

here's a better look at the patch

during the all-star game, the patch was moved to the left chest as seen on miguel pineda's 2011 topps update card

that pineda card, along with brendan ryan's 2011 topps update card

are the two that represent the memorial in my collection.

niehaus won the ford c. frick award in 2008, and is further memorialized by the mariners with a statue at safeco field.  i am sure most fans have heard his famous call of edgar martinez' game and series winning double in the 1995 alds, but if he was anything like my favorite team's broadcaster, it was the non-dramatic calls and conversational tone of the day to day broadcasts that mariners fans must miss the most.