SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners' 10th Annual Salute to Armed Forces game was a one of a kind. More than 3,500 service members were not only recognized at Safeco Field Saturday, they saw baseball history as Chicago White Sox pitcher Philip Humber threw the sport's 21st perfect game spanning almost 150 years. Humber tossed 96 pitches to the hitless Mariners as the White Sox blanked their host 4-0.
"It's not very often you get to see history in person," Sgt. Eric Johnson of the 593rd Sustainment Brigade said. "To be a part of it and then to see history in the making was an added bonus. And it was the 21st perfect game on the 21st of April. It was outstanding to see."
Johnson was born and raised in Washington and while he's a Mariners fan he admitted to cheering on Humber toward the end. Johnson was part of the historical day at Safeco that was dedicated to the Armed Forces.
As fans filed through the gates they were greeted with tunes performed by Navy Band Northwest at the home plate gate and I Corps Band at the left field gate.
Once on the field, Sgt. Steve Capen, a 62nd Medical Brigade Soldier and I Corps' 2011 Soldier of the Year; Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Fahlund, Air Force Reserve Tech. Sgt. Keith "Bull" Sekora, Marine Sgt. Gregg Johnson and Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Torre Finley represented the five branches of the military as they each threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Rick Walters also threw a first pitch. He returned from Afghanistan in January after a 10-month deployment and brought his family to the game.
"My boss asked me if I wanted to take the kids to a ball game and the next thing I know I'm throwing out the first pitch," Walters, who had his 7-year-old son Chase by his side on the field, said.
Eric Johnson, who was married at neighboring CenturyLink Field last year, said he'd never been on the field at Safeco.
"It's not every day you get a chance to be down in front of 25,000 fans," Johnson said. "Even though the camera might not be on you that particular second, the spotlight is on all the military men and women that are out there. I'm stoked to be in my home state stadium."
Eric Johnson, along with Staff Sgt. Angel Rosario, Sgt. Brandon Polite and Spcs. Gerald Jauernig and Ricky Flores, all from the 593rd Sust. Bde., were lined up on the first base side, along with several other service members from a variety of branches and military organizations. Players from the White Sox and the Mariners lined up with the service members as Tech. Sgt. Alyson Jones of the Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve sang the national anthem. No stranger to performing at sporting events, Jones flew from Georgia to Seattle to perform. Spc. Erik Hasselquist, of the I Corps Band, followed with a performance of Taps.
During the 20-minute pre-game ceremony, senior officers from each branch were recognized and received a commemorative plaque. Among those honored were Col. Steven Bullimore, I Corps chief of staff who accepted on behalf of Lt. Gen. Mike Scaparrotti, I Corps commanding general, and Col. Bruce A. Bowers Jr., 446th Airlift Wing commander.
Throughout the game the Mariners' announcer recognized each branch of the military in between innings. There was also a video shown mid-game of Mariners players reflecting on the military with footage of service members at Safeco, including Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry.
Lindsey Fawley's husband recently deployed with the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. She attended the game with other spouses whose husbands recently shipped out to Afghanistan.
"We have a lot of people who have kids," she said. "We team up together and help each other out, and the kids get to come to a baseball game, which is what they might have done with their dad."
The Salute to Armed Forces game is not the only game to recognize military this season. U.S. Army Night at Safeco is June 16 at 7:10 p.m. The Mariners will host the San Francisco Giants for the Army's 237th birthday.
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