SEATTLE — A new statue inside T-Mobile Park has been created for the record-setting 2011 Mariners team-- who racked up 116 wins.
The patriotic artwork is what M’s fans will now see as they walk through the Center Field gates, as part of the new ‘Legacy Plaza,’ highlighted by a statue of Mike Cameron and Mark McLemore.
It captures the essence of that year’s squad and the country -- particularly in the days after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Both Cameron and McLemore were on hand at the unveiling, while legendary play-by-play announcer, Rick Rizzs, served as the master of ceremonies.
The plaza features the American flag the pair trotted out the night the Mariners clinched the AL West that season, right after Sept. 11.
The flag still stirs up some emotions 25 years later.
“That was the first night that baseball was back,” McLemore said. “So, to be able to share that with the fans and the rest of the country, it really means a lot to me.”
“Those are the memories that are always with me. But, especially on a day like today, they’re all flooding back,” McLemore said.
Meanwhile, an emotional Cameron notes, “For them to choose us. It’s just special, man.”
Another cool feature? One hundred and sixteen bats serve as the backdrop for the piece, representing each win that year.
The plaza also includes more than 2,000 commemorative medallions. They were sold through the team, with proceeds supporting ‘Mariners Legacy Field’ projects to help restore youth diamonds across the state.
It’s a nod to the division-winning, record-setting 2001 squad, but also a time when the team and the country needed something to rally around.
“And, this guy right here kept us loose better than anybody I’ve ever played with. I’ve had a lot of teammates over my 19-year career,” McLemore said.
“But, this guy right here is a special one,” Cameron joked. “So, I can’t imagine or could’ve chosen anybody better to be immortalized with.”
An iconic shot, from the night they won the division, shortly after the September 11th attacks.
“The spirit of that moment lives where we’re all standing right now,” Rizzs said.
The Mariners new ‘Legacy Plaza’ will support the Mariners’ ‘Legacy Field’ projects to restore youth fields in our state. It’s a team-led fundraising effort, sponsoring the future of the game.
For Mike Cameron, that opportunity to give back amid rising costs at the youth level is extremely important.
“When I started playing, it was probably $10 or $20. And you paid for a hat, a belt, and some pants, and, obviously, you got your glove,” Cameron said. “But, now? It is so beyond that.”
As for the artwork itself? In the past, we’ve seen unveilings go sideways -- instances where the sculptor got a little ambitious.
But the M’s legends agree that’s not the case here.
“They did it good, man. They got him to the tee,” Cameron jokes about his teammate, McLemore. “He’s still got his batting gloves in his back pocket.”
“I can’t complain a bit,” McLemore echoes. “Got my stirrups right. All of it. Everything.”
The Mariners are adding to this growing collection, too. They unveiled Ichiro’s statue earlier this year. Randy Johnson’s will go up sometime next season.
And, that 2001 team was tough to beat. This year’s squad still has some work to do, starting a series against the A’s 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
But, with Cameron and McLemore on hand, maybe ‘Legacy Plaza’ is something the current team can rally around with less than a month left in the regular season.
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