Groundbreaking of Safeco Field, Seattle, 1997

An exciting day for Seattle as ground is broken for the new outdoor baseball stadium later to be known as Safeco Field. Announcer Dave Neihaus and centerfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. are featured. Ironically, Griffey, who is widely credited with making Safeco the Field that Griffey Built, asked to be traded after only playing half a season there, apparently because it wasn't considered a hitter's park after it was finished. Playing for Cincinnati, he has never played as well as he did in his 10 Hall-of-Fame years at Seattle.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Safeco
• Field
• Seattle
• Mariners
• Baseball
• Dave
• Neihaus
• Ken
• Griffey
• Jr.

[hitimes]

I beg to differ. Safeco Field opened after the All-Star break in 1999 and Griffey played there until the end of the season.

[tacular3]

griffey was on his way to being the best ever before he left for Cinci..... hes rusted away there

[freebiepetey]

awesome video. classic nineties, just look at niehaus

[cochranexyz]

What a waste of public money. 

[OregonDucksForever]

i was there .... i was 6.

[ladysavala]

@tacular3

Yes in terms of his baseball career it was a very bad move. He had it all going on in Seattle. He had a fan base that absolutely worshiped him, good teammates, a lot of good friends, and beautiful Safeco. He may be from Ohio, but his home is Seattle, and that's how it will always be in terms of the game for Griffey.

[hitimes]

2 Hall of Famers

[LJSJIUJITSU]

Man, Griffey was so thin and fit!!!!!!!!!!!! A true god of the game.

[mrakbaseball]

Safeco Field's groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 8, 1997. Not 1996. Construction didn't begin in earnest until June of 1997.

[coolsquirrels]

wow u r really retarded

[fooloof]

It should be the house that Gorton (U.S. senator) built. We (Seattle voters) rejected a sales tax increase to get this stadium built. Despite the people having "spoken", the stadium was built anyway...with public funds. Oh well, I'm glad it's there now.

[3Dirtbag3]

the years spent in C were way less productive than in S