The Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. made his major-league debut in 1989 and hit the second pitch he saw four a double in a game against the Athletics on April 4, 1989, at the Kingdome in Seattle. (AP Photo/Robert Kaiser)

The Mariners’ Ken Griffey Jr. made his major-league debut in 1989 and hit the second pitch he saw four a double in a game against the Athletics on April 4, 1989, at the Kingdome in Seattle. (AP Photo/Robert Kaiser)

On this day in 1989: Griffey Jr. doubles in 1st MLB at-bat

Read an original game story from April 4, 1989, when the Mariners Hall-of-Famer made his debut.

  • By Bob Finnigan The Seattle Times
  • Saturday, April 4, 2020 12:00am
  • SportsMariners

By Bob Finnigan / The Seattle Times

(Editor’s note: This story was originally published in The Seattle Times on April 4, 1989.)

OAKLAND — In case anyone had forgotten, after scads of scandals about paramours and parimutuels, baseball is still a game of inches.

That was the distance between the left-field foul pole at Alameda County Stadium and Darnell Coles’ bash in the sixth inning last night. It slid to the outside of the pole with two runners on base, taking with it the Seattle Mariners’ last chance to turn opening day into something other than a 3-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics.

“I thought it was gone,” said Seattle Manager Jim Lefebvre, who was defeated in his debut.

“I thought it was gone,” said Coles, who also had missed a home run — by a dozen feet — in his first-inning at-bat.

“I thought it was gone,” said pitcher Mark Langston, who might have started his last opener for Seattle.

What was gone was the game, and though Lefebvre lost the first outing against his old club, he said he was satisfied with the effort.

“If we play 162 games like that, I’ll take my chances,” he said. “We played well, very well. We pitched well. We played well.

“You want to win, but the signs were good, strong. Intensity like that is what we were talking about all spring, what we were shooting for. And our kids were right in there battling like veterans.”

Indeed, but for an error by shortstop Omar Vizquel, who also made a handful of dazzling plays, the four rookies who started for the Mariners gave good accounts of themselves.

Ken Griffey Jr., center of attention, hit the second big-league pitch he ever saw to the wall in center field for a double. He hit two others to the warning track, the second after fouling off five two-strike pitches in a magnificent eighth-inning at-bat against left-hander Rick Honeycutt.

Vizquel misplayed the second chance he had, overthrowing first baseman Alvin Davis on Carney Lansford’s grounder in the third. That mistake was compounded by Mark McGwire on Langston’s next pitch. He drove a ball into the left-field seats which, combined with his first-inning sacrifice fly, put Seattle in a 3-0 hole.

“I was excited, nervous,” Vizquel said. “But never again will I give a runner too much credit like that. I rushed my throw when I should have set myself and made the good play.”

Vizquel followed by showing why, while he might not get Griffey-sized attention yet, he may contribute as much to the Mariner future. In the sixth inning, he was hit in the ear by Dave Parker’s bad-hop grounder, dropped it, picked it up and calmly forced McGwire at second. In the eighth, he robbed McGwire of a hit by going deep in the hole.

Third baseman Edgar Martinez was flawless in the field and hit two line drives, the first of them a single that drove in Seattle’s first run in the fifth. “I feel half and half,” he said. “Good about my play, bad about the game. But I feel like we can play with anyone, and this game showed it.”

Left fielder Greg Briley came up with a key walk in the fifth off Oakland starter Dave Stewart, pushing Jeffrey Leonard into scoring position after his leadoff single. “We were OK,” Briley said, “but we’ll get better.”

Langston was having none of that “good effort” business, however.

“It definitely felt different, a feeling of confidence that we could come back,” the pitcher said. “But to me, there is nothing really good to come from a loss. It leaves a bitter taste.”

Langston was the primary reason for the feeling of confidence.

He overcame early problems, and after McGwire’s two-run homer in the third, body-slammed the best batting order in the game, Jose Canseco or no. The Athletics got only five hits, only two after the homer.

“That pitch was a slider that hung high and must have looked as big as that orange,” Langston said, pointing to a fruit basket sent to him by an old friend. “But after that I told myself, ‘That’s all they’re going to get.’ “

But after Coles chased Oakland starter Dave Stewart by following his just-foul home run bid with a run-scoring single, Seattle faced the best bullpen in baseball. “With that group,” Oakland manager Tony La Russa said, “I’m the envy of every manager in baseball.”

Sure enough, Gene Nelson came in with two runners on base and struck out Leonard and Briley, the latter with an unhittable pitch.

Nelson cruised through the seventh inning after Dave Valle’s leadoff single. Honeycutt started the eighth to get left-handers Griffey and Alvin Davis, and Dennis Eckersley got the final four outs, the first in the ninth with the help of third baseman Lansford’s diving stop that robbed Leonard of a hit.

Langston matched the group out for out over the last innings of what may be his last opening day start for the Mariners. Trade rumors still dog him.

“I’m putting all that behind me as best I can now that opening day has come,” he said. “I have no control over it so I just go out and pitch and don’t listen to trade rumors.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

AquaSox outfielder Carson Jones gets settled in the batter's box during Everett's 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 6, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox show progress, but drop fifth straight to Canadians

Jones’ go-ahead, 3-run homer is spoiled in 4-3 loss to wrap up homestand.

Bryan Woo of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Toronto. (Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Three Mariners added to MLB All-Star Game

Major League Baseball announced today that Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez,… Continue reading

George Kirby (68) of the Seattle Mariners pitches in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenne / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Pirates finish historically bad offensive series in Seattle

Similar to the first two games of the series, the… Continue reading

Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark (32) and Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) guard each other during a free throw in a WNBA basketball game between the Aces and the Seattle Storm at Michelob ULTRA Arena Friday, June 20, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter / Las Vegas Review-Journal / Tribune News Services)
Storm uses third-quarter thunderbolt to down Liberty

Rookie Dominique Malonga scored 11 and took over in the third quarter for Seattle.

AquaSox pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje follows through on a pitch during Everett's 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 5, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox blanked by Vancouver as losing skid continues

Everett generates just three hits in 3-0 loss to the Canadians on Saturday.

AquaSox infielder Charlie Pagliarini starts to swing at a pitch that he would launch for a two-run home run in Everett's 9-2 loss to the Vancouver Canadians at Funko Field on July 4, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox lack spark in Independence Day loss to Vancouver

Everett draws eight walks, but has just two hits in 9-2 loss to the Canadians.

Kimberly Beard, a rising senior at King's, stands next to the results board after winning the girls hammer throw at the Nike Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on June 22, 2025. (Photo courtesy Donna Beard)
Beard, Tupua shine at Nike Outdoor Nationals

The rising seniors make their mark on a national stage amidst a busy summer schedule.

Everett AquaSox shortstop Colt Emerson catches the ball at second base for the first out in a double play during the Opening Day game against the Hillsboro Hops on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Emerson’s preparation finally paying off in Everett

The AquaSox shortstop is coming off his best month in High-A. Here’s how it came together:

The Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, right, claps after stealing second base during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Witt Jr. and Mariners’ bullpen both slide, KC wins series

The Kansas City Royals found a way against the Seattle Mariners on… Continue reading

Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins (4) tries to drive past Dallas Wings guard JJ Quinerly (11) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game at College Park Center on Monday, May 19, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
Storm survive Dream on Diggins game-winner

Nneka Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler combined for 45 points in the 80-79 win.

Julius Miettinen listens to a coach during Kraken Development Camp on-ice session for forwards on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pair of Silvertips check status at Kraken Development Camp

Julius Miettinen hopes to take strides back in Everett, while Kaden Hammell turns pro.

Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with the team trident after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Mariners overcome Perez to beat Royals

The Kansas City Royals found themselves in another close encounter against the… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.