Nolan’s Curse

I can't imagine what I was even doing in my seat to begin with, for the first inning of the game in the stadium 30 years ago tonight. We weren't in the habit of arriving at games on-time in those lean years-- rather sauntering into the Kingdome whenever we were drunk enough cheaper elsewhere...

Maybe it was because 46-year-old Nolan Ryan was on the mound for the visiting Texas Rangers.

Of course history allows a morbid glimpse into that inning. After a bases-loaded RBI single to Jay Buhner, Nolan gives up a grand slam to no-name Dann Howitt before going 2-1 on Mariner's first baseman Dave Magadan. After throwing the last pitch of his absolutely ridiculous career, he glances into the visitor's dugout and the trainers jog to the mound. He leaves the mound for the last time ever without having recorded a single out.

Me and my fathead friends were in the right field cheaps gulping Kingbeers and high-fiving our 5-0 lead as the greatest pitcher of his and many adjacent generations walked briskly off the mound without so much as a cap-tip to the few standing fans in attendance.

Tonight, the current roster of the Mariners team that apologetically roughed up Nolan Ryan 30 years ago had their own rank assholes disrespected by the current version of the Texas Rangers. That's baseball. But there are still scores to settle and shaving cream pies to take. I for one am leaning in to the next 9 games with the optimism of spring-- on the autuamnal equanox...

GO MARINERS