Batter up! About 30 miles North of Seattle you'll find the used-to-be-fairly-quiet city of Everett, which is primarily known as the home to a huge Boeing airplane plant. But you'll also find Everett Memorial Stadium, home to the Everett Aquasox. The Aquasox are the single A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners in the Northwest League, and have been since 1995.

Before the game starts, the P.A. announcer always welcomes the crowd with the following line: "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Everett Memorial Stadium, where everyday is Mardi Gras and every fan is king." The beans like being called "king", and their royal highness now command you to fetch them some peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

There are several major league stars who spent some time playing here:

  • Matt Williams (Arizona Diamondbacks)
  • Chris Singleton (Chicago White Sox)
  • Jose Cruz Jr (Toronto Blue Jays)

And although he technically didn't play for Everett, Ken Griffey Jr. did hit his very first professional home run in this ballpark when he was playing for the Bellingham Baby Mariners back in 1987. So we'll let that one slide through...

Chili dogs and chili frogs??? Now, if there's one thing in this whole wide world we love here at BATW, it's mascots. We've proven it time and time again, and Everett is no exception. So here's Webbly and Frank, the Aquasox's mascots, holding the beginnings of some mighty tasty back bean chili...

Now, it is about this point in the essay when the beans would normally make some really bad pun about Frank being a wiener and not being able to cut the mustard, but not today... Relish the thought. Besides, we're running late - we need to (here it comes!) catchup...

Kind enough to hold the beans today is Craig West, the broadcaster for the Tri-City Dust Devils. Craig announces the baseball games during the summer, and junior hockey during the winter. He's one of the most respected broadcasters in the Western Hockey League, having done over 900 WHL games broadcasting for the Spokane Chiefs, and the Tri-City Americans, and is now doing play-by-play for all road games for the expansion team, the Vancouver Giants.

The beans were pleased to make Craig's acquaintance, and hope that he puts them on the air sometime soon (hint, hint)...