On Wednesday, the Seattle Mariners announced that “King Felix” Hernandez will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame, becoming just the 11th member in franchise history to receive the honor. The ceremony will take place at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, Aug. 12, prior to the Mariners’ matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.
Hernandez spent 15 seasons with the Mariners, setting numerous club records and establishing himself as a fan favorite.
The King’s Court was a staple of Mariners’ home games during the final years of Hernandez’s career, with the iconic yellow shirts and yellow ‘K’ signs flailing in the left field seats.
Hernandez threw the franchise’s first and only perfect game on Aug. 15, 2012, vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. It was just the 23rd perfect game in Major League Baseball history and remains the most recent such performance in the MLB.
Hernandez also won a Cy Young Award in the 2010 Season. He holds the Mariners club record for wins (169), starts (418), innings pitched (2,729 and 2/3) and strikeouts (2,524). He finished his career with a 3.42 ERA in 419 games played, 418 of which he started.
King Felix’s reign of dominance over the league was stifled by the Mariners’ lack of offensive talent throughout his career. He will return to T-Mobile Park as the Mariners look to reach the playoffs for back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2000-2001.
Northwest Sports Desk 