In Departure From Norm, Fans Turn Out To See M’S

There were some nice crowds in baseball stadiums throughout the major leagues Saturday, though the largest was parked in what is largely perceived to be the homeliest ballpark in America - the Kingdome.

There were 40,185 fans in Baltimore’s Camden Yards, 32,695 in Boston’s Fenway Park, 37,188 at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.

And there were 40,653 in Seattle.

Fans who have shown their anger and frustration in other ballparks haven’t in the Kingdome, where no one has thrown a golf ball - or a dollar bill - at a Seattle Mariner yet.

In fact, after six home dates the Seattle Mariners rank fifth in the American League in attendance, ahead of the New York Yankees, California Angels and Chicago White Sox. And the Mariners were, after that huge crowd, one of only three teams whose attendance was actually higher in 1995 than in 1994.

That changed on Sunday, when a crowd of 19,475 watched the Mariners and White Sox, and Seattle dropped behind its 1994 pace by 12,151 fans.

Around the league, players have noticed the crowds or lack of them. Oakland’s Mark McGwire called the trend depressing.

“I understand the anger, even though I don’t think it’s justified,” McGwire said. “It’s not as much fun to play in front of 5,000 or 6,000 people.”

The smallest crowd at the Kingdome this season was the 18,166 on hand Friday night. Compare that to the fan response in Oakland, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Minnesota, San Diego, Pittsburgh and San Francisco - where the teams have averaged fewer than 18,000.

Notes

Bill Risley has retired 27 of the 33 batters he has faced in relief and A.L. hitters are batting .156 against him. Only one teammate has held opponents under .200 - Randy Johnson, against whom the league is batting .191… . Chris Bosio has been dropped back into the rotation and will pitch Thursday in Kansas City… . Ken Griffey Jr. hit his fifth home run in the sixth inning.