MIKE BLOWERS — Baseball
From the Spanaway sandlots to Yankee Stadium, Mike Blowers spent nearly a decade in the Major Leagues with four clubs. Drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1986 amateur draft, the Bethel High School and University of Washington graduate, Blowers made his debut with New York in 1989 and spent two years with the Yankees before joining the Mariners in 1992. His most memorable season was 1995 with the “Miracle M’s” when he set career highs in home runs (23) and runs batted in (96). Mike later played with the Dodgers and Oakland A’s, retiring with Seattle in 1999. Blowers batted .257 with 76 home runs over 11 Major League seasons. Since retirement, Blowers has for many years been the primary color commentator on Mariners TV broadcasts.
JOHN CHAPLIN – Coach (Track & Field)
Heralded as one of the nation’s top track and field coaches. During his 21 years as the Cougars head coach, he guided WSU to five straight undefeated dual meet seasons 1981-85. His 1977 indoor team won the NCAA title, the first and only official NCAA title in the school’s history. His Cougar teams won 202 of 217 dual meets, a near-perfect winning percentage of .931. Coached 73 All-America performers at WSU. Head coach of the U.S. Olympic team at the 2000 Olympiad.
DORIS SEVERTSON BROWN HERITAGE – Track & Field
One of the premier distance runners in U.S. track and field history, Doris Brown was a two-time Olympian and at one time owned every world and American record for women from 440 meters to the mile. She excelled on uneven ground as well winning five straight international cross country titles from 1967-1971. In 1970, she was voted the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sports Star of the Year.
She won a silver medal in the 800 meters at the Pan American Games in 1967 and 1971 and placed fifth in the 800 at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Before girls sports were organized, Brown developed her running talent while a student at Gig Harbor’s Peninsula High. She went to Seattle Pacific University and trained with the men’s team but a broken foot kept her out of the 1964 Olympics.
Brown was inducted in the U.S. track and field Hall of Fame as both a coach and athlete. She was a long-time cross country and track coach at Seattle Pacific University. She was also an assistant on the 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic teams and the 1987 and 1990 U.S. World Championships teams as well as other international competitions.
EDO VANNI – Baseball
Edo Vanni became the heart and soul of Seattle baseball although he never played in the majors because of service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Noted for his firebrand style in the glory days of the Rainiers at Sick’s Stadium, Edo did it all. He was King of the Hill during his playing days, he managed the Rainiers, and worked in the front office with the Seattle Pilots, the city’s first American League franchise in 1969.
