The Double (Seattle Mariners)

[1] Amid rumors that the team would be sold and/or relocated, the Mariners—who had produced only two winning seasons (1991 and 1993) since beginning play in 1977—mounted a late-season comeback in 1995 to clinch their first postseason appearance in franchise history.

[1] Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus' call of the play—which is equally memorable to Seattle fans as the play itself—is also regarded as the highlight of his career.

The play is also credited with keeping a Major League Baseball team in the city of Seattle, as it helped garner support for a new taxpayer-funded stadium for the Mariners.

[4][5] This was primarily due to low attendance and revenue[4] caused by the team's losing ways (prior to 1995, they only had two seasons with a winning percentage over .500).

[6] In addition, the Kingdome was known for its drab baseball environment and it was beginning to fall apart, causing Mariners games to require rescheduling in 1994.

[7] In 1992, Smulyan's ownership group sold the Mariners to the Baseball Club of Seattle, a consortium led by Hiroshi Yamauchi[8] and later Nintendo of America.

[9] Almost immediately, the new ownership group began campaigning with local and state governments to gain public funding for a new stadium.

[10]) In an election held on September 19, 1995, the residents of King County voted against a 1-percentage-point sales tax increase to fund the building of a replacement stadium.

[11][12] As a result, the ownership group set an October 30 deadline for local leadership to come up with a plan to finance a new stadium, or they would put the team up for sale.

Center fielder Griffey singled to short right-center field, allowing Cora to reach third base.

[18] The Mariners' dugout emptied and mobbed Griffey, Martinez, and Cora on the field in celebration of the franchise's first ever playoff series victory.

Brent Musburger[21][22] along with color commentator Jim Kaat and field reporter Jack Arute called Game 5: No balls and a strike to Martínez.

Mariners win it!Musburger's call, dramatic as it was, incorrectly implied that Bernie Williams fielded the double in left.

Gerald Williams was in left field playing the ball and making the late throw back to the infield.

"[1] Soon after the events of October 8, the Washington State Legislature held a special session and approved an alternative funding package to enable the building of a new ballpark, which culminated in the construction of Safeco Field.

[30] The image of Griffey sliding into home plate has been immortalized at T-Mobile Park in a mural created by Thom Ross called The Defining Moment.