Rick Rizzs says goodbye to Mariners booth after 52-year career: ‘I’ve lived my dream’

Rick Rizzs has three games left behind the microphone for the Seattle Mariners, and a lifetime of memories competing for his attention.

His first opening day with Dave Niehaus. The return to Seattle for the unforgettable 1995 season. The fans who made a broadcaster from Chicago feel at home.

“I’m a wreck,” Rizzs said Friday on “Seattle’s Morning News.” “Sometimes I just lose it, you know.”

As he prepares for his final weekend calling Mariners baseball, Rizzs is balancing the sadness of goodbye with gratitude for a career spanning 52 years, including eight in the minor leagues, and excitement about what comes next.

“I’m going to be sad, but I’m also happy,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of my life.”

That life will include something a baseball schedule rarely allowed: a trip to Rome in May, during the season.

He also plans to attend spring training, sit on the berm with a cold beverage and watch the Mariners prepare for another year. There will be visits with Tucker, the team dog, and bacon and treats to share.

Retirement will not mean leaving Seattle. His son grew up here, his grandchildren are here, and Rizzs intends to stay.

“I tell everybody I grew up in Chicago, but Seattle has been my home,” he said.

Before stepping away, his priority is thanking the fans after Sunday’s game. Their affection and phone calls have reinforced how deeply those relationships matter to him.

“They’re the ones that have made me feel like a part of their lives,” Rizzs said.

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His farewell comes with disappointment on the field. The Mariners’ playoff hopes ended Thursday, closing a season that began with expectations heightened by last year’s postseason run.

Rizzs described an injury-riddled year but said he remains confident in the organization’s direction and its young talent.

“I’ll be rooting for this team for the rest of my life,” he said. “They deserve it.”

He also defended manager Dan Wilson, saying injuries and inconsistent performances had complicated the season.

Rizzs pointed to absences involving Cal Raleigh, Brendan Donovan and Matt Brash, among others, and said Wilson deserved credit for managing through those setbacks.

“I thought he did a great job,” Rizzs said.

But the conversation’s emotional center was Niehaus, the longtime broadcast partner Rizzs credits with bringing him to Seattle in 1983 and helping him return in 1995 after a stint in Detroit.

Asked to imagine joining Niehaus someday in a heavenly broadcast booth, Rizzs pictured a familiar introduction and a game between the Angels and the Devils.

His response to his old partner would begin with gratitude.

“Dave, thank you for everything, man,” Rizzs said.

Returning in 1995 allowed Rizzs to witness the team he credits with saving baseball in Seattle, a roster featuring Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Wilson, Mike Blowers, Edgar Martinez, and Randy Johnson.

“I wouldn’t be here right now talking with you if it wasn’t for those guys,” he said.

He thanked team leadership, ownership and colleagues, describing himself as fortunate to have spent his working life doing exactly what he wanted.

“I’ve lived my dream for 52 years,” Rizzs said. “How many people can say that?”

Even with the emotions arriving in waves, he said the decision to retire feels right. He had sensed a couple of years ago that the time was approaching.

Now, the final weekend is here sooner than he expected.

“But I’m going to enjoy every second for the next three days,” he said.

For Rizzs, the broadcasts are ending. His connection to Seattle is not.

Manda Factor is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. Follow Manda on X and email her here. 

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