The Seattle Mariners opened Legacy Plaza on Friday, unveiling a bronze statue that recreates the Sept. 21, 2001 American flag-raising at Safeco Field. The sculpture anchors a $10 million outdoor tribute to the franchise’s 2001 squad, the only team in Major League Baseball history to win 116 regular-season games.
The statue depicts center fielder Mike Cameron, pitcher Jamie Moyer, outfielder Al Martin and coach Wayne Krivsky hoisting a U.S. flag over the visiting bullpen. The image came 10 days after the Sept. 11 attacks. Roughly 10,000 fans remained in the ballpark for a ceremonial flag-raising that was not televised.
Cameron hit .260 with 25 home runs and 33 stolen bases in 2001. He started 157 games in center field and tied for the American League lead with 19 outfield assists. The center fielder earned his first All-Star selection that season and won a Gold Glove.
That roster, managed by Lou Piniella, featured Ichiro Suzuki in his first MLB season. Ichiro hit .350 and won AL MVP and Rookie of the Year. Edgar Martinez batted .306 with 23 home runs. The 116-46 record still stands as the single-season mark for wins.
Legacy Plaza layout
The 17,000-square-foot plaza sits beyond the center-field gate at T-Mobile Park. It includes 28 granite pillars inscribed with player names, four custom light poles, and 116 inlaid bricks marking each victory. The flag statue stands 14 feet tall atop a six-foot granite base.
Additional elements include a 2001 team logo etched into a granite wall, and a timeline tracing franchise history from 1977 to 2026. Fans enter the space through a redesigned center-field concourse. The Mariners financed the project through the team’s M Foundation without using taxpayer funds.
Sept. 11 context
The flag moment predated organized league-wide tributes. Players grabbed the flag from the bullpen after a fan threw it onto the warning track. The image circulated through newspapers and broadcasts worldwide during the following days. Organizers chose the scene because it captured a specific team response to a national event.
The Mariners finished first in the AL West that season, three games ahead of Oakland. They lost the ALCS to the New York Yankees in five games. The flag statue is the first new addition to the ballpark’s public art collection since the Ken Griffey Jr. sculpture was installed in 2017.
Cameron’s role
Cameron played six seasons in Seattle across two stints. He returned to the team in 2010 for his final MLB season. His 2001 campaign remains the defensive benchmark for the franchise’s center field. Cameron finished 11th in AL MVP voting that year.
The outfielder joined Seattle in 1999 via the deal that sent Ken Griffey Jr. to Cincinnati. Over parts of nine seasons with the Mariners, Cameron posted a .248 batting average with 142 home runs. He remains tied with Griffey Jr. for the franchise record with 19 outfield assists in a single season.
The flag sculpture is titled “The Flag.” It weighs 1,800 pounds and was cast in bronze at a Seattle foundry over 14 months. Sculptor Glenn Williams modeled each figure from 2001 game photographs. The Mariners will host a public dedication ceremony Saturday.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What is the Mike Cameron statue at T-Mobile Park?
- A: A 14-foot bronze sculpture atop a six-foot granite base recreating the Sept. 21, 2001 American flag-raising at Safeco Field, featuring Mike Cameron, Jamie Moyer, Al Martin, and coach Wayne Krivsky hoisting a U.S. flag over the visiting bullpen.
- Q: Why did the Seattle Mariners build Legacy Plaza?
- A: Legacy Plaza is a $10 million, 17,000-square-foot outdoor tribute to the 2001 Mariners, the only team in MLB history to win 116 regular-season games, finishing with a 116-46 record.
- Q: What are Mike Cameron’s stats from the 2001 season?
- A: Cameron hit .260 with 25 home runs and 33 stolen bases, started 157 games in center field, tied for the AL lead with 19 outfield assists, earned his first All-Star selection, and won a Gold Glove.
- Q: What features are included in Legacy Plaza?
- A: The plaza includes 28 granite pillars inscribed with player names, four custom light poles, 116 inlaid bricks marking each victory, a team logo etched into granite, and the 14-foot flag-raising statue.
- Q: How many fans witnessed the original 2001 flag-raising ceremony?
- A: Roughly 10,000 fans remained in the ballpark for the ceremonial flag-raising 10 days after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the event was not televised.
Extended Reading
MLB.com covered the plaza’s construction timeline and fan donation campaign. The Seattle Times profiled sculptor Glenn Williams and his archive of Mariners game photography. Yahoo Sports examined how the franchise connected the 116-win season to post-Sept. 11 civic identity.