A Pacific Northwest icon passes...Dave Neihaus.

Since 1977 his voice helped me pass those long dreary summer days and nights. His stories, to this day, reveal to me the insides of a game, that more than any other, tell us what is great about America.

Dave Neihaus passed away from a heart attack last week on Nov. 11.

I was fourteen years old when the Mariners began to play baseball in Seattle, and over the next 33 years his voice described the trials and tribulations of our Mariners. He introduced me to Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ken Griffey, jr and sr. ...and a whole host of others. They became friends, and companions over that spring and summer, and fall. Rain, snow, and sweltering heat, his voice took me to where the action was.

His signature home run call, especially when it was a grand slam will live on in my memories for the rest of my life.

I never met the man, yet I knew him well. Through our shared love of baseball we became, in a rather odd way, companions, even friends.

"My, oh, my..." "Get out the rye bread, and mustard, grandma, it's a grand salami..." ...and a host of other signature lines.

When he spoke to you over the radio, his deep abiding love of the game, and his listeners, came through so very clearly. It's tough to articulate just what this man, and his voice, meant to me. In times of turmoil in my life, a baseball game broadcast was a way to escape that turmoil, if only for a couple of hours. For that, and many of pleasant evening or afternoon, I thank you, Dave.

RIP.

Condolences, my friend. I enjoyed Dave's calls quite a lot while I lived in the Seattle area and was sad to hear he had passed. I can certainly relate to how the M fans feel as my lifelong voice of the Braves, Skip Caray, passed away a couple of years ago.