SEATTLE — As the Seattle Mariners march the farthest they’ve ever been into the MLB post-season, it’s hard to discount the impact that a dedicated fan base has had on the M’s success.
If you’re not from the Emerald City, it’s hard to understand what being a Mariners fan carries with it.
“Electricity is very real, here at this stadium. And there’s a reason they’ve been bringing out the seismographs — it’s that these fans want it!” explains Alex Clark, a lifelong fan while sporting a Mariners jersey he’s added numerous patches onto.
“We, with bias, we want it more than anyone else,” joked Alyssa Galmish, who was in line for the watch party at T-Mobile park before Game 6 of the ALCS.
While the Mariners have made this post-season push using their big swings, Mariners fans have helped with their big lungs.
“This is an electric place, this is an electric fan base, it’s an incredible fan base,” said Manager Dan Wilson during an Oct. 10 press conference.
“You know Josh Naylor said it best, he’s like, ‘I’ve never felt this energy anywhere I’ve played,'” said Adam Owens, a fan for decades, who has brought his children to multiple playoff games this season.
“We have an awesome fanbase, awesome group here to play in front of,” the first baseman said from the Mariners locker room on Oct. 7.
This fall, the Mariners claimed their first AL West Division crown in 24 years, along with their first ALDS in that same amount of time.
If you ask fans, that hasn’t happened by accident.
“I’ve been wearing this jersey, every playoff game, so I have not washed this, since they started playing,” said Galmish while laughing alongside her mother.
It takes some superstition. No better example of that stands, than the Rally Shoe.
Fans by the hundreds, maybe thousands, take off one of their shoes and balance them on their heads, when they need the Mariners to pull out a clutch moment.
It follows the lead of one man who went viral during the 2022 wild card series, when the M’s were down 8-1. He was seen on the televised broadcast with one Birkenstock sandal on his head, before the Mariners started knocking in runs to eventually win the game.
Of course, superstitions within one’s wardrobe isn’t anything new.
Carter Owens, a young fan who was headed into T-Mobile Park for the watch party on Sunday, was donning his little league team sweatshirt.
“It was my good luck sweatshirt, because I wore it two times, and we both won both games to clinch,” said Carter, with a cape on, and plastic trident in hand.
Those two games he’s talking about, are the Game 5 ALDS walk-off against the Tigers, and the electric Game 5 win over Toronto in the ALCS.
Carter was also in attendance for the walk-off playoff win in 2022 against the Blue Jays.
It’s safe to say why he himself, may feel like a good luck charm.
“Any gear I wear, I just like, win,” he said with a smile.
Like Carter, the extra-dimensional energy that emanates from Mariners fans, is most effective when the team plays at home.
They’ll hope to secure the franchise’s most historic game of all on Monday: Game 7 of the ALCS, to head to the team’s first ever World Series.
It would give those starving fans a few more chances to scream their hearts out, one final time.