By Tim Clinton
Former Seattle Mariners star pitcher Randy Johnson will be in town for the Ichiro number retirement ceremony Saturday, Aug. 9 and will hold an autograph session three days earlier for only longtime season ticket holders who have purchased his new book.
Since his retirement from baseball as a national Hall of Fame hurler, The Big Unit, as he was nicknamed for his 6-foot, 10-inch height, has taken up photography as his second career.
Johnson just released a new 100 photograph book of his work entitled: "Experiencing Africa: On Safari. The People. The Land."
It documents the wildlife and indigenous communities of Botswana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya and more.
For those who do not qualify as longtime Mariners season ticket holders and have paid the $149 ahead for the book and the autograph session, the book is being sold direct from rj51photos,com online for $70.
Both Johnson and Ichiro wore No. 51 in their time with the Mariners.
Ichiro's No. 51 is being retired at the Aug. 9 ceremony before the 6:40 p.m. game against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park shortly after his Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.
Johnson's No. 51 will be retired at a ceremony next year before a game to be announced.
The 1,500-seat softball stadium at the University of Washington played host to three games this past weekend featuring the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
It is a new professional league that currently has four touring teams that will be expanded to six city-based teams next year at locations to be announced.
A total of 24 games will be played in 10 different cities this year.
The Seattle Reign women's professional soccer team has signed Chelsea FC standout striker Mia Fishel to a contract through 2029 it was announced last Thursday.
Fishel, a 24-year-old, was inked for an estimated $2.5 million.
Free agent guard Tiffany Mitchell signed on last week to play for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association.
Mitchell last played 16 games for the Las Vegas Aces earlier this season.
Lee Elia, who served three different stints as a coach for the Seattle Mariners, passed away last Wednesday at the age of 87.
Elia was with the team from 1993-97 and came back from 2001-02 and again in 2008.
Elia served as a manager in the 1980s for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.