MY OH MY Seattle Mariners players (from left) Adam Jones and Mike Morse and Mariner broadcaster Rick Rizzs sign autographs for youths at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club Jan. 10. Photo by Michael Dashiell By Michael Dashiell Staff Writer The yelling, cameras flashing, youths scrambling to-and-fro ? all in a day?s work, says Cheryl Stough. But even Sequim?s Boys & Girls Club interim unit director knew this was something special. More than 200 youths shook hands, asked for signatures and even grabbed a little Moose ear when players Adam Jones and Mike Morse and announcer Rick Rizzs pulled into town at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club Jan. 10, part of the 2007 Seattle Mariners Caravan. The Mariners, including the lovable Mariner Moose mascot, played up to the frenzy of children ? and, undoubtedly, many of their parents ? by signing posters, baseballs and gloves, and posing for a few pictures. Stough said the impact it made to the throngs of Sequim youths was huge. ?We?re all about the children learning how to make positive choices,? Stough said. ?If you make the right choices in your life, you can become anything you want to. (This shows) adults respect them enough to take time out of their life to come and see them.? The autograph and photo-op session is part of a three-week, 19-city promotion tour across Washington state, from its start in Olympia to Sequim, Pasco, Walla Walla, Spokane and finally to Tacoma Jan. 26. While some of the stops include presentations to elementary schools, the Sequim session was for autographs and photos only. On Jan. 10, after a stop in Bremerton earlier that day, the Mariners? caravan rolled into Sequim as plump snowflakes caked city streets. Arriving earlier than expected, the Mariners needed to leave early too, fearing worse driving conditions as the day expired, said Mariners community programs manager Sean Grindley. Stough said the Mariners expected to be at the club for about five minutes. But once inside, mayhem ensued and the Seattle players simply smiled their way through it. Jones, Rizzs and Morse joked with fans while the Moose gave hugs. The session lasted about an hour. ?They had a ball,? Stough said. ?Once they got here, the players did not want to leave. The Mariners give time out of their busy schedule; the kids really respect that.? Jones is considered Seattle?s top prospect. He earned 24 starts and 32 games overall with the club in center field after playing shortstop most of his minor league and high school career. Shortstop Morse played 21 games for the major league club and 57 games for the team?s AAA affiliate in Tacoma in 2006. He is expected to battle for a spot on the Mariners this spring. Rizzs is a 21-year veteran of the Mariners? broadcasting crew. After the autographs and pictures, the two young players ? Morse is 24; Jones is 21 ? slipped outside for a snowball fight and two ?snow angel? shapes in the Sequim snow before slipping back onto the bus, headed for Longview. VIEW SLIDESHOW |
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