Felix Hernandez raises MLB All-Star flag on top of Space Needle
Jul 6, 2023, 2:12 PM | Updated: 3:20 pm

The flag Mariners legend Felix Hernandez helped raise Thursday, July 6 marks a start to a week full of activities at T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field. (Photos by Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio)
(Photos by Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio)
Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week in Seattle is almost here, and to mark the occasion, Seattle Mariners legend Felix Hernandez raised the All-Star flag on top of the Space Needle Thursday morning.
The flag marks a start to a week full of activities at T-Mobile Park and Lumen Field.
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KIRO Newsradio’s Sam Campbell went to the top of the Space Needle to see the flag get raised.
SPACE NEEDLE: Waiting on @RealKingFelix to ascend to the top and raise the @MLB All-Star flag here! pic.twitter.com/XidiXBdPRc
— Sam Campbell (@HeySamCampbell) July 6, 2023
He also discovered that despite standing up to pressure on a pitcher’s mound, Hernandez is still scared of heights.
“Is this thing moving?” @RealKingFelix says he wasn’t told he’d be coming ALL the way onto the Space Needle’s upper deck.
“When are we going to go downstairs,” he just asked off camera. pic.twitter.com/32QTw2qeXQ
— Sam Campbell (@HeySamCampbell) July 6, 2023
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Visit Seattle projects over 100,000 fans will attend All-Star events across the city with Monday and Tuesday seeing sold-out crowds at T-Mobile Park. Transit Spokesperson John Gallagher encourages public transit riders to get to the train early and pack some patience.
“We run light rail trains at eight minutes during peak hours and 10 minutes during other times. We’re going to be running trains on the 8th, 10th, and 11th, light rail trains eight minutes all day long,” Gallagher said. “Don’t stand at the center of the platform be at either end of the platform, the first and last cars tend to be less crowded.”
The opening ceremonies of the All-Star Commissioner’s Cup will be held Thursday night at 7 p.m.
The All-Star Commissioner’s Cup (baseball) and Jennie Finch Classic (softball) will feature games between youth teams from around the country and Puerto Rico set to take place throughout Seattle, according to a press release from MLB. And for the first time, a team from Seattle – Baseball Beyond Borders Nike RBI – will compete in the Commissioner’s Cup. The games for both tournaments, which are free and open to the public, will begin Friday.
Contributing: Sam Campbell, KIRO Newsradio