Memoirs - 20 Years Of Mariners -- List Of Paciorek's Favorites Even Includes The Kingdome

Seattle will never forget Tom Paciorek, who gave fans one of the top moments in Mariner history - back-to-back game-winning home runs in the ninth inning against the Yankees in May 1981.

And Tom Paciorek, who played 18 seasons in the major leagues for six teams, will never forget Seattle.

"The fondest memories I had in my entire baseball life were here," he said last week when he came to town as White Sox television broadcaster. "I'm glad now I was released twice (by Atlanta) so I was able to come here."

Paciorek signed with the Mariners midway through the 1978 season and stayed through 1981. He hit .326 that year and was the Mariners' All-Star representative but was traded after the season to the White Sox for shortstop Todd Cruz, catcher Jim Essian and outfielder Rod Allen. Paciorek still ranks fourth in Mariner history in career batting average (.296) and seventh in slugging percentage (.460).

"My 3 1/2 years here were great," Paciorek said. "I loved the town, the weather. I even loved the Kingdome. Why wouldn't I? You knew you'd be able to start the game on time in air-conditioned comfort. No rain delays, snow delays or any of that other stuff.

"I wish I could have stayed. Someone told me my career average at indoor stadiums was .350."

Paciorek said that besides his hitting success, his teammates are what made Seattle "a special place" for him. It certainly wasn't the standings. The Mariners finished a combined 140 games under .500 in his four seasons.

"We had a bunch of young guys who were going to be good, guys like Shane Rawley, Rick Honeycutt and Bruce Bochte," he recalled. "And we had great veterans like Willie Horton. One of my favorite guys in baseball was Mario Mendoza. What a great guy. It was a unique bunch of guys. We had a lot of fun and played hard."

Paciorek is still having fun. He is in his 10th season calling White Sox games with Ken Harrelson.

"I figured they would have fired me long before this," he said, laughing. "Other than playing, I think this is the best job there is. You get to see a game every day."

Paciorek's take on the White Sox's trade of Roberto Hernandez and Wilson Alvarez to the Giants for six minor-leaguers?

"The fans don't like this team, no question about it, so they had to break it up and start somewhere else," he said. "The most fun I ever had broadcasting was in 1990 when they got rid of everyone and brought up all the kids, including Frank Thomas. In 1993, they won the division. You can win like that. Sometimes you have to change things up."

Joining Paciorek last week when the White Sox passed through Seattle were his two brothers, both of whom played briefly in the majors: Jim, who hit .228 for the Brewers in 1987 and also had a successful career in Japan, and John, who holds the distinction of having the most at-bats in history of any player with a career 1.000 batting average. He went 3 for 3 in a late September game for the Houston Colt .45s in 1963, injured himself and never made it back to the majors.

Noting that Russ Davis has supplanted him as the Mariners' "Mr. Clutch" with four game-winning hits, including two homers, Paciorek laughed and said, "All those great records I had were made to be broken."

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Age: 50 Home: Stone Mountain, Georgia Family: Paciorek and his wife, Christine, have five children: Kim (10-4-69), Shannon (4-28-71), Tommy (1-4-76), Katie (5-9-77) and Andy (5-13-79). Occupation: Chicago White Sox broadcaster Major-league career: 18 seasons (.282 batting average, 86 home runs, 503 RBI) Seasons with M's: Three-plus (1978-81). Best year: 1981 (.326, 14 HR, 66 RBI).