Ken Griffey Jr. returns to Safeco Field, the house that he built

SEATTLE — Amid the various “congratulations” and frequent chants of his name, one phrase stood out above all the rest during Ken Griffey Jr.’s number retirement ceremony at Safeco Field on Saturday: “The house that Griffey built.”

Whether it was team president Kevin Mather, broadcaster Rick Rizzs or the thousands of fans in attendance, everyone seemed to have the phrase on their lips.

It wasn’t just a mindless, thoughtless slogan, either. Every single one of them truly believes baseball in Seattle wouldn’t exist without Griffey.

After a dismal first decade in Seattle, the Mariners were all but dead. Moving to another city wasn’t a question of “if,” it was a question of “when.” Then, Griffey happened.

His contributions nationally have not been understated. Griffey transcended the game as a player. He’s the most beloved baseball player of the past 30 years. If you need proof of that, consider the record-setting 99.3 percent of the vote he received to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The only three BBWAA writers to leave him off their ballots have, to this day, remained anonymous. Can you blame them?

In Seattle, though, his accomplishments mean so much more. This was the city in which he became a Hall of Famer. These were the fans who saw him play every single day. This is the man who singlehandedly ensured Safeco Field would be constructed. The man who singlehandedly saved baseball in their city!

So when the Mariners announced the date of the ceremony, local fans were going to make sure the event sold out within minutes.

“Nothing is more important than being here tonight,” says life-long Mariners fan Kristine Kisky.

For Kisky, being at Saturday’s game meant more than seeing Griffey at Safeco one more time. It was about the memories she shared with her children.

“I have four children, they range in age from 30 to 11,” she says. “I’m so happy all four of them got to see the greatest player of my generation and their generation play live.”

For 37-year-old Michael Stiles, Griffey’s ceremony was about living his childhood one more time.

“It’s really all about growing up,” Stiles says. “It’s about having that childhood idol. As a child, he was the man. There was no one better, no one greater.”

Both Kisky and Stiles knew that once the ceremony began, things would get emotional. For Kisky, it was reminiscent of the day she heard Griffey was coming back to Seattle after a nine-year stint with the Cincinnati Reds.

“When Griffey left and went to the Reds for a while, and then came back to the Mariners, I’ll never forget hearing that on the radio,” she says. “I’m going to get choked up talking about it. I was driving in my car and I pulled over on the side of the road and started crying when I heard Junior was coming home. And I feel that way again tonight.”

This time around, though, there was a finality to Griffey’s appearance. Griffey is in Seattle for good. Given his accomplishments, it’s fitting that his No. 24 is the first number ever retired by the Mariners (with the exception of Jackie Robinson’s No. 42).

Griffey’s career is over, and it’s time to reflect on legacy. For local fans, what Griffey means to the city almost outweighs what he was able to accomplish on the field.

“Here in Seattle, it’s unique because we’re in the Northwest,” Stiles says. “We’re in the corner no one thinks about. We were the hidden gem up here. We always fought for respect and national recognition and Griffey brought that to the region.”

That recognition brought many things. A spotlight on the city, a national star and a sense of legitimacy. Without Griffey, the 2016 Seattle Mariners might not exist. The fans in Seattle know that better than anyone.

“This is the house that Junior built, everyone knows that,” Kisky says. “He wasn’t just Seattle, he’s the region. And he was the player of his generation too, nationwide. He put us on the map. Everybody loves Junior.”

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik