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Rick Rizzs

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Rick Rizzs
Born (1953-11-17) November 17, 1953 (age 71)
Blue Island, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSouthern Illinois University
Sports commentary career
Team(s)Seattle Mariners
(1983–1991, 1995 to present)
Detroit Tigers
(1992–1994)
Ohio State football
(1981–1982)
GenrePlay-by-play
SportBaseball

Rick Rizzs (born November 17, 1953) is an American sportscaster and is the lead radio voice for Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners. He is the longest-tenured broadcaster in franchise history.

Early life and career

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Rizzs attended Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Illinois. He graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1975.

From 1975 to 1980, he handled play-by-play duties for several minor league baseball teams, including the Alexandria Aces, Amarillo Gold Sox, and Memphis Chicks.[1] He became the sports director at WBNS in Columbus, Ohio in 1981, where he called Ohio State football and Columbus Clippers baseball games for two seasons.[2] He was named the Ohio Sportscaster of the Year in 1981 by the Ohio Sportscasters Association.[3]

Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers

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In 1983, Rizzs began broadcasting Mariners games, sharing play-by-play and color commentor roles with Dave Niehaus.[2]

In 1992, Rizzs moved to WJR in Detroit as the sports director, and assumed duties as the new radio play-by-play voice of the Detroit Tigers. The previous announcer, Ernie Harwell had been with the Tigers since the 1960 season and was fired in late 1991.[4] Harwell's dismissal was not at all popular with fans. Rizzs teaming with Bob Rathbun, who replaced the retiring Paul Carey, proved difficult. Both were let go after the 1994 season.[5][6]

Rizzs returned to Seattle. In 2000, Rizzs was named the Chicago-area sportscaster of the year by the Chicago Pitch and Hit Club.[3]

Although he previously broadcast Mariners games on both television and radio, Rizzs was transferred prior to the 2007 season to work exclusively on Mariners radio broadcasts. For the first three innings, he was accompanied by Dave Sims, who was hired prior to the 2007 season, and for the remainder of the game he was accompanied by Niehaus (as Sims and Niehaus switched positions after the third inning). Rizzs did play-by-play for the first three and one-half innings, and again in the 7th inning. In games that went to extra innings, Rizzs did the play-by-play for the even-numbered innings.[citation needed]

After Niehaus died in November 2010, Rizzs became the Mariners lead radio voice. During the 2011–2012 seasons, Rizzs did broadcasts of Mariners baseball with a rotation of guest color commentators, including former Mariners Dan Wilson, Dave Valle, and Jay Buhner, and former Mariners announcers Ron Fairly, Ken Wilson, and Ken Levine.[7]

In January 2013, it was announced Rizzs' new radio partner would be Aaron Goldsmith, formerly of the Pawsox Radio Network.[8] Goldsmith does the play-by-play for the 3rd, 6th, and 7th inning, as well as even innings when the game goes into extra innings.

Before the 2025 season, the Mariners announced that Rizzs would be the team's lead radio announcer, with Goldsmith serving as the television play-by-play.[9] On March 10, while calling a spring training game between the Mariners and the Milwaukee Brewers, a foul ball batted by Rhys Hoskins struck Rizzs in the head. However, medical staff cleared Rizzs, and he returned to the broadcast one inning later.[10]

Catchphrases

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Rizzs is noted for using the following catchphrases on Mariner broadcasts:

"Goodbye baseball!"- used on home run calls.[11]

"Holy smoke(s)!"/"How about that?"- used for exciting plays.

"Get out the rye bread and mustard, Grandma, it is grand salami time! Holy smokes!"- used when the Mariners get a grand slam. Formerly used (except for Holy smokes!) by his longtime radio partner Dave Niehaus.

"Grandma, get out the rye bread and mustard, it is grand salami time!"- alternative grand slam call made by Rizzs.

"How about that, buddy?"- also used after a Mariners player hit a grand slam, in honor of his longtime broadcaster partner/friend Dave Niehaus.

"Happy totals"- used during the postgame when the Mariners win the ballgame, now taken over by Aaron Goldsmith. It was originally used by Chicago Cubs broadcasters in the 1970s.

Personal life

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Rizzs resides in Issaquah, Washington. He has a son, Nick, and three grandchildren.[3]

Rizzs provided the commentary for the 2005 GameCube game Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball, but the game was canceled.[12][13]

In 1995, Rizzs and former Mariner Dave Henderson founded a charity that provided Christmas gifts to children.[14] In November 2024, Rizzs launched Rick's Locker, which provides sporting equipment and gear to children.[15]

In December 2022, Rizzs was diagnosed with grade 1 prostate cancer.[16]

In July 2023, Rizzs was involved in an all-terrain vehicle accident in which he suffered a fractured vertebra in his neck, two fractured vertebrae in his back, a fractured rib, and cuts on his head and ear.[17]

References

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  1. ^ Watson, Emmett (March 10, 1991). "Mariner Baseball Broadcaster Glad Just To Be On Base". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Rizzs takes Mariners's position". The Commercial Appeal. February 2, 1983. pp. D4. Retrieved April 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Mariners Broadcasters | Seattle Mariners". MLB.com. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  4. ^ Knobler, Danny (November 21, 1991). "Rathburn, Rizzs new Tiger voices". The Kalamazoo Gazette. pp. D7. Retrieved April 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Carty, Jim (August 11, 1995). "Harwell knows firsthand: Detroit loves its legends". The Courier-News. pp. C1. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  6. ^ "Ex-M's Broadcaster Rizzs `Shocked' By Tiger Firing". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  7. ^ Stone, Larry (December 1, 2011). "Mariners continue announcer rotation on TV, radio for 2012". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  8. ^ "M's hire new radio announcer to partner with Rick Rizzs". KOMO. January 17, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Jude, Adam (February 7, 2025). "Mariners making major changes to broadcast team". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on February 8, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  10. ^ Contes, Brandon (March 11, 2025). "Seattle Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs endures vicious foul ball to the head: 'Scary situation'". Awful Announcing. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  11. ^ Skorheim, Jamie (April 17, 2014). "Mariners announcer needs signature Robinson Cano call". myNorthwest. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  12. ^ Kloster, Darron (February 22, 2005). "Game Plan". Times Colonist. pp. B1, B3. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  13. ^ "Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball research update". 30-30.club. December 13, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  14. ^ "About Us". Rick's Toys for Kids. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  15. ^ Tamurian, Niko (February 3, 2025). "Mariners legend Rick Rizzs opens 'Rick's Locker' to help kids play baseball". KOMO. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  16. ^ "Rick Rizzs preaches early testing for prostate cancer in sharing his own treatable diagnosis". The Seattle Times. May 27, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  17. ^ "Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs will miss homestand after ATV accident". The Seattle Times. July 15, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
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