Remembering The Rainiers -- The Memories Go Back, Back, Back As Seattle Fans Recall The Long, Glorious Summers At Sicks' Stadium

The best part about going to a Seattle Rainier game, says Charles Kapner of Redmond, was the black and white baseball cards found in boxes of popcorn.

Not so, says Jim Rost of Seattle.

"What could be more memorable," he asks, "than a doubleheader with Old Rocking Chair Hal Turpin pitching the first game and Kewpie Dick Barrett the second game?"

Al "Moose" Clausen of Edmonds recalls "the aroma drifting down the aisles when the vendor opened the lid of steaming hot dogs. And watching him slap the mustard on with a wooden stick."

With the Mariners' "Salute To The Rainiers" tomorrow night in the Kingdome, readers of The Times shared their memories of Seattle's Pacific Coast League baseball team for 27 years, 1938 to 1964.

By fax and post, the responses came. Rainier fans remembered the players, Sicks' Stadium, the experience of getting to the games and a nasal-voiced radio announcer, Leo Lassen, whose stature in city lore rivals the Queen Anne counterbalance.

"Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, Barrett is pitching . . . three and two," was the way Burton Hoff of Bellevue recalled one of Lassen's oft-repeated remarks concerning Barrett's penchant for extended counts.

Gordon Personius of Union remembered Lassen's pet expressions. A fielding mistake (or gem): "It was a do or ya don't and he didn't (or did)." A home run: "Back . . . back . . . back . . . and it's over!"

"Summer nights . . . meant The Voice, and the heroics of Jo-Jo, Big Mike, Kewpie Dick and Highpockets in muffled emanations from an old Motorola hidden, mostly unsuccessfully, under the bed covers," Personius wrote.

For tomorrow night's game against Oakland, the Mariners will wear uniforms of the type worn by the Rainiers during their pennant-winning year of 1955 and the Athletics will be attired in uniforms of the Oakland Oaks of the PCL. The first 20,000 fans will receive Rainier caps.

"Will this 62-year-old be at the park to partake in Rainier nostalgia night?" asked Hoff in his letter.

"Is Barrett pitching?

"Is the count three and two?"

We'll bet he'll be there. And maybe he'll swap a few of the old stories. Until then, here are some of our readers' memories of Seattle's Rainiers:

`OH, THOSE AROMAS'

As a boy during the late '40's I was in the process of growing up in the Ravenna District of Seattle. What a thrill when Mom let me accompany the neighborhood guys to Sicks' Stadium. We'd catch the bus at 55th and 25th and get off right next to the shining arena that housed Jo-Jo White, Dick Gyselman, Ray Orteig, Mickey Grasso, George McDonald, Dick Barrett, Johnny Rucker, Bill Ramsey, Ted Norbert . . . and so many more.

We paid our pittance, ran across the cement concourse, past the smells . . . oh, those aromas of popcorn, hot dogs, Cracker Jack . . . up the stairs and then to stare blankly at the most beautiful sight those young eyes had ever seen. Lush green grass, hawkers selling the "aromas," glorious Mount Rainier, the scoreboard with the adored Rainiers and opponents' lineups, the soft tan of the infield, the stark white of those three bases . . .

No one could play this boys game like they could and here they were, bigger than life; bigger than they were last night as I sneaked my radio under the covers and listened to Leo Lassen tell me how we had vanquished once again those hated Portland Beavers. Bob Moliter, Coupeville

`WHAT A GREAT DEAL'

Going to the Rainiers baseball games meant listening to "Moonlight Serenade" and "Roll Out The Barrell" over and over again on the PA system (no complaint, great songs). I sold programs for 5 cents, getting a 1 cent commission. I would finish selling about the fourth inning and then could watch the rest of the game.

We program sellers always hoped for warm, sunny weather and a winning streak, because the fans were more apt to buy programs. Those Sunday doubleheaders were great! We had to be at Sicks' Stadium early, so we had a chance to chat briefly with some of the players.

What a great deal. I could earn money for college and watch part of each game free. George H. Hood, Redmond

`THE CROWD ROARED ...'

My fondest memory of the Rainiers is the Old Timers game of the early 1970s at Sicks' Stadium.

During the game, my grandfather, Chet "Lefty" Johnson (Ballard High School), held the ball over the plate waist high. He then walked backward to the mound, keeping the ball exactly waist high on an imaginary line.

As he backed onto the rubber, he let go a pitch that landed in the catcher's mitt exactly waist high for a strike.

The crowd roared with laughter and applause.

Chet had many fine seasons with many of the PCL teams, including the Rainiers. He had at least a handful or more of 20-win seasons. John Puetz, Seattle

HORNSBY REMEMBERED

Being raised in Rainier Valley and having gone to what seems like hundreds of Rainier games, I have years of memories. They include rushing to the popcorn stand to see what Rainier's picture they were putting into the popcorn boxes, paying 25 cents and sitting in the bleachers watching Sunday doubleheaders (the first game was nine innings, the second game was seven). And when I couldn't get to the game I would stop off and catch a glimpse from cheapskate hill.

But my greatest memory was living next door to Rogers Hornsby in 1951, as he managed the Rainiers to the PCL championship. Even though I was very young, Rogers would take me to team practices on a regular basis. At that time I had no idea how great a ballplayer Rogers was.

Forty-three years have past, but memories of Rogers and that 1951 championship team remain alive in our home with a black and white team picture signed by each player hanging from the wall, a Rogers Hornsby autographed baseball and a picture of Rogers, signed "to Stevie." Steve Calvo, Bellevue

LEO MADE THEM COME ALIVE

As a kid I rarely had a chance to go to the games, so my main memories are of Leo Lassen. He made them come alive. One of Leo's favorite expressions, "Remember, the ballgame is never over till the last man is out," long preceded the modern cliche, "The game is never over till it's over." Hal Latourette, Anacortes

FOND MEMORIES FOR `STRETCH'

Born and raised in Seattle, my fond memories of the Seattle Rainiers include their wives and children because I was the "baby sitter." . . . What an opportunity for a 14-year-old kid who loved baseball and children. Never having any brothers or sisters, this was a wonderful experience.

Many times I was admitted into Sicks' Stadium free because the ushers thought I was Al Widmar's sister.

These were really good times. The children went to the beach (and) visited the Woodland Park Zoo. When the Rainiers had an off day, all of us would go on picnics to Lake Wilderness and fish and play a round of golf. On Sunday afternoon, the well behaved children were taken to the ballpark to watch their daddies play ball. The wives and children sat in the "wives' box," on the third base side, and everyone dressed up and had a good time. Marlene "Stretch" Houtchens, Redmond

BIKES STILL THERE

So long ago, but so clear in my mind . . .

From 1946 to 1948-49 I was a member of the "Knothole Gang," and got in free to Sicks' Stadium on Saturday nights. Most times my brother and I would ride our bikes there and lean them up against the building - and they would still be there to ride home. My mom gave me a nickel in case we had to call home.

We dutifully filled out our programs (I just wish I had kept them). I remember Bill Schuster "The Rooster," the shortstop, and his antics when he got excited. I thought Sammy White was so handsome, and tried to get his autograph after many games. There will never be another Leo Lassen.

Sometimes when I was with my folks in the car we would stop on the hill behind left field and watch part of the game. We always hoped a home-run ball would land in the cabbage patch of the farmer's plot.

Now I am a grandma and all my grandsons play and love baseball. My son helps coach and ump in Little League. I have M.S. and am in a wheelchair now and I don't attend games. But the memories are there and this was fun to recall. Roberta Evans, Seattle

`BEST SEASON OF MY LIFE'

In June of 1956, I was 17 years old, father of two-month-old Tina Maria and living in the South Park housing project.

Since my wife knew the Rainiers were my fourth love (next to my family and education) she squeezed the $1.50 admission price for a game on Father's Day.

At the seventh inning stretch they asked for the oldest, youngest and most prolific fathers present. A 104-year-old man, a father of 11 children and I all received season tickets.

It was the best baseball season of my life even though we didn't win the pennant. Roberto Maestas, Seattle

TROLLEY RIDE DOWN RAINIER

Thanks for all those endearing memories, Seattle Rainiers. Nostalgia is those rollicking Sunday afternoon doubleheaders in the left-field bleachers. And that bumpy trolley ride down Rainier Avenue to our field of dreams, Sicks' Stadium. . . . Leo Lassen was part of our household, as we gathered around the radio. Pearl Keene, Seattle

`DON'T TAKE THEM PEANUTS'

Starting at the age of 13 I was a clubhouse boy at Sicks' Seattle Stadium. From 1954 through 1957 I shined baseball shoes, hung uniforms and ran errands for so many greats of the Pacific Coast League. What wonderful memories.

Second baseman Artie Wilson caught me removing peanuts from the back pocket of his uniform while hanging it up. "Don't take them peanuts. Them are base hits, boy!"

Bill Schuster always had bubble gum in his mouth. "Here, kid, have some gum," he'd say. He would blow big bubbles at the crowd while at third base.

Pitcher Tommy Byrne, who was recalled by the New York Yankees from the Rainiers to pitch in a World Series, gave me a $20 bill for carrying his suitcase to the taxi cab.

San Francisco Manager Lefty O'Doul loved the corned beef on rye sandwiches that I would get for him across the street from the stadium, at the old Triple XXX.

I remember Emmett Watson coming into the clubhouse and the ballplayers becoming a little silent because of the column he wrote, called "Watson's Needle."

I remember the great Leo Lassen on the radio inside the clubhouse, with ballplayers listening closely to him to be sure that they made it back out to the dugout when their team was retired for the inning.

And the head groundskeeper, Joe Martial, who loved the stadium and the grounds he made so beautiful. I remember players saying that the grounds at Sicks' Stadium were better than in major-league parks. Ron Vautrin, Bothell

A CHEAPSKATE'S VIEW

When I was about 10 years old, my family moved to a house on 32nd Ave., about four blocks up the east hill from Sicks' Stadium. Since we lived so close to the stadium, we went to just about every game when the Rainiers were in town.

We'd get our buddies together, having all talked our parents out of a buck or two, and go to a game. Our parents assumed we would be sitting in the right-field bleachers, which we sometimes actually did. Most of the time, however, we would use the money at Ralph's supermarket to load up on Shastas, chips and candy and head up to cheapskate hill overlooking the left-field fence. The view wasn't the greatest, but it was plenty good enough.

We used to sit on top of a big garbage dumpster to get a little better view, but mainly to bang on it with our feet in cheering for the team. I remember one time the radio announcer said `those kids up there on the hill are making a big racket.' That was a pretty big deal to us.

I'll always have fond memories of the Rainiers, cheapskate hill and fun summer evenings of baseball. Except for maybe the time we accidentally set the hill on fire. But that's another story. Richard Gadberry, Auburn