Lookout Landing Podcast 137: “Why I’m a Mariners Fan” with Wesley Robinson

0:00-17:25: Wesley Robinson joins the show all the way from Pennsylvania, where he works as the press secretary for a State Senator. Though he grew up in Tacoma, Wesley admits he’s both physically and emotionally removed from the Pacific Northwest, save for his Mariner fandom. How does one follow the team from the eastern time zone? Matthew and Wesley swap stories about moving away from home and how that affects your baseball life. It takes less than 20 minutes for a conversation about Mariner fandom to include the phrase “this is rough” and “I’m going to remember Charles Gipson for the rest of my life”. 17:30-33:10: Going back to the beginning of Wesley’s fandom, which he pinpoints in 1992. Omar Vizquel’s departure led him down a dark and confounding yet everlasting path. After being told about the Mariners’ eternal struggles, and watching them at an early age, seeing them build a competent team hooked him forever. How does McDonald’s factor in here? Which point in Wesley’s journey has been the most stressful for him? 33:15-46:35: When you leave the Northwest, what sort of things do the people you meet say about it? What about when you move to Kentucky and your friends back home start spewing misconceptions about it? The one constant feeling of home, as Wesley explains, is funneled through the Mariners. Both dudes grumble over the stadium’s name change and how no other fan base has any attachment to the name Safeco Field. Which non-Mariner sporting event from early-2000s Seattle made Wesley a lot of money? We also remind you that no matter how big Russell Wilson gets or how synonymous he becomes with the city, HE IS NOT COOL. 46:40-1:16:05: Matthew and Wesley end the episode by talking about their experiences as Black men who love baseball, how most people find that strange, and why it’s Major League Baseball’s fault. The official end of the episode comes after a nuanced look at the future. Music: “I Feel It All” by Feist // “Big Fish” by Vince Staples Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices