Becoming Big League: Seattle, the Pilots, and Stadium Politics
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2012
- Author Bill Mullins discusses his upcoming book "Becoming Big League: Seattle, the Pilots, and Stadium Politics, which tells the history of Seattle's halting progress toward big league status, as the city acquired a baseball team, lost it, then struggled to build a new stadium and lure a new team.
Produced by Christopher Redner, Make It Timeless Inc.
Becoming Big League is the story of Seattle's relationship with major league baseball from the 1962 World's Fair to the completion of the Kingdome in 1976. Bill Mullins focuses on the acquisition and loss, after only one year, of the Seattle Pilots and documents their on-the-field exploits in lively Play-by-Play sections.
The underfunded ownership, led by Seattle's Dewey and Max Soriano and William Daley of Cleveland, struggled to make the Pilots a success. They were savvy baseball men, but they made mistakes and wrangled with the city. By the end of the first season, the team was in bankruptcy. The Pilots were sold to a contingent from Milwaukee led by Bud Selig who moved the franchise to Wisconsin and re-christened the team the Brewers.
Becoming Big League describes the character of Seattle in the 1960s and 1970s, explains how the operation of a major league baseball franchise fits into the life of a city, and examines the business of baseball.
Bill Mullins received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington and is professor emeritus of history at Oklahoma Baptist University. He lives in Federal Way, Washington.
"Becoming Big League is written with a verve and wit that makes the most of all the engaging and/or exasperating characters involved."--Carl Abbott, Professor of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University and Cincinnati Reds fan. 
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Seattle has won a Stanley Cup (1917), a Super Bowl(2014) and a Basketball championship(1979) but never has a World Series game been played in Seattle.
Nice bit of trivia. And soon to be an NHL city again.
Now add 2 MLS titles to the mix and I feel like a world series the last thing missing in Seattle
The kids from Kirkland won the Little League World Series.
SEATTLE PILOTS WAS A GREAT NAME FOR A TEAM. i WAS IN THE NAVY HERE AND THEY HAD PILOTS
Also, a Boeing aircraft plant is located there.
When I was in Seattle back in 1996 I took a tour of the Kingdome. It was a rainy Monday morning and I was the only one on the tour. So it was one to one. My guide told me that Seattle put a small tax on rental cars to fund the stadium as there would be little objection from anyone in the city. Most renters were visitors. So people who paid for the park were problem those who never say a game there. If this is true.
I think, if it comes right down to it, a single senator in Missouri, Stuart Symington caused all the trouble by INSISTING that Kansas City Missouri get a team in 1969. In order to do that, MLB had to move up activation of the Seattle Pilots so the addition of Expansion teams would not be uneven. fortunately, despite senator Symington, the Pilots did pretty good AFTER they left Seattle. They became the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers even made it to the World Series. the Mariners have yet to make it there.
Symington was very powerful on Capitol Hill and threated to go after baseball's anti-trust exemption. He, and many others, were outraged that Charles O. Finley was allowed to move the A's out of KC and on to Oakland.
The Pilots baseball team is what I'd like to call a "one-season wonder."
I'd like to know why would the mayor threaten to evict the team for rent issues, only months after he and the whole welcomed the new team with great fanfare. Especially since the city apparently did not keep its end of the bargain by completing renovations in time for opening day.
What a disgusting way to treat your new major-league franchise.
Both the owners and the American League were to blame. The Pilots and the Royals were not due to join until 1971. That would have given Seattle plenty of time to expand Sickly Stadium, and get going on the Kingdome. But a Missouri Congressman demanded an immediate replacement for the Athletics. So the Pilots and Royals came aboard two years too early. The Royals were much better off, because they already had a decent stadium, and a much smarter (and richer) owner.
The Pilots were doomed. Renovations on Sickly Stadium were hindered by weather delays. Even when finished, the stadium was woefully inadequate, even for temporary use. Even worse, if I remember correctly, the Pilots did not even have a broadcast deal. While they did have some success at first (they were in third place as late as June), a series of losing streaks did them in. If attendance had been high enough (they needed at least 750,000 to break even), they might have toughed it out. But they just didn't have what it takes.
@@davidlafleche1142 The Seattle ownership (which included a Cleveland investor) was bankrupt. They did not have the wherewithal to last even one season. The American League and the Commissioner should have never awarded that ownership group a franchise. Even if the Pilots had been successful at the gate, they still would have gone broke. Once the Bank of California and other creditors (including the City of Seattle for rent) demanded payment, the Pilots were sunk. Bud Selig bought them out of bankruptcy court, paid their outstanding bills and moved them to Milwaukee. The Pilots did have a radio deal with Golden West Broadcasting (owned by Angels owner Gene Autry) and the games were broadcast on KVI with Jimmy Dudley and Bill Shonley announcing. A few games were on local TV.
Opening night, Seattle, 1969,,,,Diego Segui on the mound. The stands were overflowing and folks on the hill back of Sicks Seattle Stadium cheering wildly. But that good feeling only lasted one season. Then it was back to the Raniers, which were always entertaining.
The stands weren't overflowing-- some of the stands were still under construction. It was also an Opening Day. The first night game was the next night. "Back to the Rainiers" was in 1972-1976 when they were a Class A team.
The starting pitcher at the Pilots' home opener in Seattle was Gary Bell, who pitched a 7-0 shutout. Segui was the starting pitcher for the Mariners' home opener in 1977, he lasted three innings, and the Mariners lost 7-0.
@@metv2363 Segui pitched three innings in the opener at California in relief of Marty Pattin, then, four days later, pitched 7.2 innings in the home second game against Chicago. I was at that game.
@@lynntempleton9640 O Lynn, after doing research about your neck of the woods which I believe the Seattle area, restaurants are leaving in groves and the ones that are not, are losing money hand over fist!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@lynntempleton9640 , you are correct and so was I.
The ballpark in the picture looks like an aerial shot of Old Comiskey Park.
Maybe you should find an airial shot of Comiskey and notice the difference, especially in the outfield bleachers.
To Marilyn Pelideau-The Ma riners almost made it to the World Series in '01, but the b ig shot Yankees made sure t hey didn't ). But the Snakes (Arizona Diamonbacks) won the Series, instead. Ha, ha, Y ankees lose!
The ballpark in the picture lo oks a lot like old Comiskey Park to me.
Except that its Sicks Stadium in Seattle. Find an aerial shot of Comiskey and notice the difference, especially in the outfield bleachers.
Sick's Stadium look more lik e old Comiskey Park to me.
No it doesn't.
Not at all.
Hey BTW how is paying by city mandate restaurante servers $15 an hour working out!?
Excellent. Thanks for asking.
@@lynntempleton9640 I seriously doubt that restaurants that pay their staff 15 an hour, are going to eat that additional cost! Try and raise prices and see how long you will stay in business. One thing that is universal, that is the economics of profit and loss..... And I do not believe a restaurant owner is going to loose money because they want to be good little libs!!!!!!!!
@@dougthegreat1808 New restaurants are opening continually. Seattle's economy is booming. There are more construction cranes downtown than anywhere else in the United States. The real estate market is white hot. You need to learn the difference between loose and lose. Trump loves the poorly educated.
@@lynntempleton9640 BS!