M’s honor Dan the Man

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, April 8, 2006

SEATTLE – Dignitaries, families, former teammates and front-office executives showered retired Dan Wilson with gifts and praise in a 45-minute ceremony honoring the retired Mariners catcher before Saturday night’s game.

It already had become a feel-good event – complete with sniffles of emotion from Wilson and his wife Annie – when one surprise guest brought the Safeco Field crowd to its feel.

Lou Piniella, who managed Wilson for nine of his 12 seasons with the Mariners, returned to honor his longtime catcher.

Piniella even wiped away a tear before he spoke.

“It’s really great to be back in Seattle,” said Piniella, who isn’t managing this year. “I missed you guys.”

Then he remembered the offseason before the 1994 season when the Mariners made the trade that brought Wilson from the Cincinnati Reds.

“When I was with Cincinnati, we had this young guy in camp who was a great catch-and-throw guy,” Piniella said. “Every time he caught, the pitchers loved throwing to him. When I came here to Seattle a few year later and we needed a catcher, I asked (former general manager Woody Woodward) if he could get Dan Wilson over here. It’s been a great move for this organization for a long, long time.”

Former teammates Matt Sinatro, Rich Amaral and Bob Wells presented Wilson with seats from the Kingdome and Safeco Field; Gov. Chris Gregoire declared Saturday as Dan Wilson Day in the state; the Mariners’ wives honored Wilson’s wife, Annie, with a gift to the Seattle Public Schools’ Powerful Schools reading program; and the Mariners presented a $100,000 endowment to Children’s Hospital in Dan and Annie Wilson’s names.

Throughout the ceremony, Wilson’s strong family values were apparent.

His 9-year-old daughter, Josie, honored Dad with a poem, finishing with, “We’re glad you’re back. We’re glad you’re here. But most of all, we’re glad your schedule is clear.”

Wilson returned all the appreciation with a long thank-you of his own.

“My wife and I are completely overwhelmed at having a day to honor what has been our pleasure to do,” he said. “Seattle has been our home the last 12 years. We can’t think of a better place to be.”

Wilson thanked everyone from his current and former teammates to the Mariners’ clubhouse workers, but he didn’t get really emotional until he thanked his family.

“Thank you for understanding when Daddy was gone during your school plays or your games or your birthdays,” he said. “It’s just like Josie said. My schedule is now clear.

“Daddy’s home.”