11 Days of Edgar: Seattle Icon
Edgar Martinez is an iconic figure in the Seattle sports landscape.
He spent 18 Major League seasons in a Mariners uniform, the longest career of any pro athlete with a Seattle-based team.
The list of the 10-longest tenured athletes in Seattle pro sports history reads like a who’s who of pro sports in Seattle — and at the top of that distinguished collection of names, steady as ever, is Edgar.
Longest Careers: Seattle Pro Athletes
Edgar Martinez, Mariners, 18 seasons
Sue Bird, Storm, 15 seasons*
Joe Nash, Seahawks, 15 seasons
Jay Buhner, Mariners, 14 seasons
Steve Largent, Seahawks, 14 seasons
Mack Strong, Seahawks, 14 seasons
Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners, 13 seasons
Felix Hernandez, Mariners, 13 seasons*
Fred Brown, Sonics, 13 seasons
Gary Payton, Sonics, 13 season
*active players
Edgar debuted with Seattle in 1987 and has worn №11 in a Mariners uniform in parts of four decades, including the last 3 seasons as the club’s hitting coach. All in all, as a player and a coach, he has worn a Mariners Major League uniform for 20 of the club’s 41 seasons.
Most Games Played: Seattle Mariners (1977–2016)
Edgar Martinez, 2,055 Games
Ichiro Suzuki, 1,844 Games
Ken Griffey Jr., 1,685 Games
Jay Buhner, 1,440 Games
Dan Wilson, 1,251 Games
Alvin Davis, 1,166 Games
Harold Reynolds, 1,155 Games
Raul Ibanez, 1,110 Games
Jose Lopez, 873 Games
Kyle Seager, 846 Games*
Dave Valle, 846 Games
*Active Mariners
There is no doubt of Edgar’s indelible impact on baseball in the Northwest. He is the Mariners all-time leader in games played and has appeared in more games than any other Seattle pro athlete in any sport.
Edgar delivered the iconic hit in Mariners history, a ringing double into the left-field corner to score Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr. in Game 5 of the 1995 American League Division Series vs. the Yankees and send Seattle to its first ALCS appearance.
Shortly after Edgar’s retirement in 2004, the City of Seattle ensured there would be a lasting tribute to his contributions to the community. On March 5, 2005, the section of Atlantic Street South that runs along the south side of Safeco Field was designated as “Edgar Martinez Drive South”, giving Edgar his own lined drive.
Edgar Martinez Weekend is set for August 11–13 when the Mariners host the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field. The weekend-long celebration begins with Bobblehead Night on Friday, August 11. Edgar joins Ken Griffey Jr. in becoming the 2nd player in franchise history to have his number retired in a pre-game ceremony on Edgar Martinez Number Retirement Night, Saturday, August 12. The festivities conclude with Edgar Martinez Replica Jersey Day on Sunday, August 13.
Tomorrow, we take a look at Edgar’s postseason heroics, from his historic performance in the 1995 American League Division Series to his overall contributions to each of the Mariners postseason teams.
