|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… |
As longtime Seattle Mariners radio broadcaster Rick Rizzs wrapped up his final baseball season this fall, he made a pit stop to do the morning announcements Wednesday morning, Sept. 30 at Auburn Mountainview High School.
“Go Lions!,” Rizzs, 72, said into the microphone in the high school’s office, according to a video.
Departing from his usual play-by-play announcing from T-Mobile Park, Rizzs told high schoolers details about French club, the school’s tardiness policy and what colors to wear for homecoming spirit week.
Rizzs was at the school to present the Toys for Kids Hendu Education Scholarship, established by Rizzs and former Mariners player Dave Henderson, to Auburn Mountainview student Christie Bui-Hoang, according to Activities Director Sarah Erdmann. The award for the scholarship was $5,000.
The scholarship was established to honor the legacy of Dave Henderson, who died from a massive heart attack at age 57 in 2015 in Seattle. Henderson played with the M’s from 1981 to 1986. Trent Henderson, his son, showed up with Rizzs at Auburn Mountainview to present the scholarship.
Rizzs retired Sept. 27 after 41 seasons with the Mariners. “Holy smokes?” became his catchphrase. He worked with the Mariners from 1983 to 1991, left from 1992 to 1994 to broadcast for the Detroit Tigers and returned to Seattle in 1995.
Although at the school to present the award, Rizzs couldn’t resist the mic while he was there, making a request to do the morning announcements, Erdmann said.
“We’re going to get you to the World Series next year, how does that sound?” Rizzs said as he closed out the announcements.
