A day in the booth with Dave Niehaus that I’ll never forget
Published 11:31 am Thursday, November 11, 2010
I’ve written a lot over the years about Dave Niehaus because, frankly, he’s such a beloved part of the Mariners and perhaps the most accomodating person I’ve ever had the pleasure to interview.
One of the best days of my professional life — no, make that my life, period — was Aug. 11, 2009, when I spent the night in the Safeco Field broadcast booth watching the magic of a Mariners radio broadcast come together during a game against the White Sox.
I’ve known Dave, Rick Rizzs and producer/engineer Kevin Cremin for years, but I wasn’t sure how they would react to my request to document a day in the life of the radio team. It wouldn’t have surprised me if they’d said no because they knew anything said on or off the air might be used in a story.
There wasn’t a second of hesitation on their part, and when Herald photographer Jennifer Buchanan and I arrived early in the afternoon they welcomed us warmly, especially Dave.
He offered information. He offered something to drink. He offered a midgame snack tray that featured a mixture of fruit and also a pile of mini corn dogs that couldn’t be beat. (Dave ate the fruit, not the corn dogs)
Most of all, Niehaus, Rizzs and Cremin opened their world to us and it became one of the most special stories I’ve written.
