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Wednesday, April 3 Mariners say goodbye to 'The Bone' Associated Press |
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SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners officially told Jay Buhner thank you on Tuesday night. The retired outfielder was honored before the Mariners' game with the Chicago White Sox.
An emotional Buhner broke down and cried when Mariners president Chuck Armstrong announced a $100,000 donation from the team in the names of Buhner and his wife, Leah, to Children's Hospital for cystic fibrosis research. Buhner has been chairman of the Mariners' cystic fibrosis golf tournament, which has raised more than $2.5 million during the past 15 years. "Actually, I thought I did a little bit better than I thought I would," he said. "I tried to act as relaxed as I could, but there was just so much going on in my world tonight." A commemorative Buhner jersey will be hung in the cystic fibrosis clinic waiting room at the hospital. Buhner, who retired in December after hitting 310 home runs in a major league career that began with the New York Yankees in 1987, was given a boat by his former teammates. He was an All-Star and Gold Glove right fielder for Seattle in 1996. Buhner and two other players were acquired by the Mariners in a trade with the Yankees for Ken Phelps on July 21, 1988. With the Mariners from 1988-2001, Buhner hit 307 homers in a Seattle uniform. He said he didn't regret his retirement. "But I miss the game," he said. "Baseball is what I thrived on for all those years. It's how I had my ego stroked. Tonight was very flattering and I'm very honored. When I got traded here, I never thought it would turn out this way." Manager Lou Piniella, who took part in the ceremonies, said before the game that he thought Buhner could still be playing if he wanted to because he still could swing the bat. Buhner played in only 19 games last season because of plantar fascia of his left foot. He didn't join the Mariners until Sept. 1. "Jay could have probably played a little more, but he was used to playing so well and so often that I don't think that was something he wanted to drag on," Piniella said. "Last year took a lot out of him."
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