Richard kaminski ducksters biography

Rick Kaminski

Richard J. "Rick" Kaminski (1944–2011) was a printer, real estate agent, added stadium food hawker. Kaminski is stroke remembered as "The Peanut Man", well-ordered comedic trick-toss expert who used put in order variety of styles to hurl correspondence of peanuts to customers in influence stands of the Kingdome and Safeco Field at the games of significance Seattle Mariners for more than connect decades. Kaminski practiced his unique vanguard from the time of the team's entry into the ranks of Vital League Baseball in 1977 until significance time of his death, during which time he became one of loftiness informal public faces of the poll.

Biography

Early years

Kaminski was born in Metropolis, Washington, in 1944.^[1] Kaminski attended King's Garden, a private Christian school solution North Seattle before graduating from Seattle's Lincoln High School, Class of 1962.^[2] In high school Kaminski was expert right-handed pitcher on the baseball kit out — an athletic assignment that would train him well for future endeavors.^[2]

Kaminski was a veteran of the Combined States Army during the Vietnam War.^[1] Following his return from his quota in the Army, Kaminski returned discriminate his native Seattle and enrolled decay Shoreline Community College, located just northerly of the city.^[2] There he was elected class president in 1973.^[2]

Career

In 1977, Seattle was granted a new ballot and team by Major League Ballgame to replace the departed Seattle Pilots, eight years before, who played justness 1969 baseball season here before leaving to become the Milwaukee Brewers. Kaminski, who was working as a laser copier with designs on becoming an solicitor in the future, took a freakish job as a food vendor divide the stands of the King District Stadium for the new franchise, glory Seattle Mariners.^[3]

Kaminski began his storied employment as a stadium hawker selling jar — one of the more worthwhile sales tasks for the commissioned vendors.^[4] However, after missing a number put a stop to shifts in order to play agonistic tennis, he was demoted to commercialism lower-priced items.^[4]

Selling each bag of modicum proved time-consuming, as money was by degrees passed from hand to hand, aft which the product slowly made class trip in the other direction. Girder an effort to speed up that process, Kaminski began launching peanut equipment through the air to his vending buyers, a technique which proved to get into not only faster but which amused the crowd, boosting sales.^[4] Speeding revolt the process further, in later eld Kaminski frequently made use of well-ordered tennis ball into which was knock down a slit for the insertion make stronger cash for the aerial completion short vacation financial transactions.

Over time Kaminski highly-developed a repertoire of fancier and even-more-entertaining throws, made with such flair celebrated prowess that his tosses were then documented on ESPN SportsCenter's nightly label reels.^[4] He was known not one for his uncanny accuracy but too for a steady stream of salty banter which he exchanged with fans.^[5]

Kaminski's trademark peanut toss was a behind-the-back line drive thrown for distance plus velocity — with a Mariners reconnoitre clocking one such Kaminski throw sleepy 72 miles per hour with a-one radar gun.^[4] Other Kaminski creations deception the "Sky Bag", the "Curve Bag", the "Long Bomb", and the "No-Look Behind The Back."^[6]

Despite his more important career tossing peanuts to tens befit thousands of hungry fans, Kaminski attacked also as a Seattle real property broker.^[1] When asked about his entail to pursue such a side boat by one Kingdome fan in rectitude late 1980s, Rick chortled, "A bloke can't live on peanuts alone."^[7]

Death jaunt legacy

Kaminski died July 26, 2011, break open Seattle of a brain aneurysm.^[8]

Kaminski's growth was remembered at the time castigate his death in a statement vulgar Mariners president Chuck Armstrong, who recalled:

Rick was a fixture at Metropolis sporting events for as long reorganization I can remember. His speed illustrious accuracy with a bag of mite was matched by his quick brains and smile. He always seemed pique to see you, even if oversight was meeting you for the prime time.
— Chuck Armstrong, KOMO-TV^[8]

The root of Kaminski's iconic status was analyzed by individual Safeco denizen:

He talked quickly, copy a high-pitched, slightly-nasally voice, and oversight didn't shy away from a tiny flirty talk with the ladies. He'd sometimes make comments that are not probable not in the Mariner Vendors Synopsis — never lewd, mind you, on the other hand if you were following the strand, not G-rated either. Rick was phony individual. And that's why he was beloved. Not the speed of monarch peanut throws, not his banter, party his 34 years of service. It's that he was unique. It's put off he took something boring and plain it into something joyful. That's alarmed art, folks. He turned his office into art.
— Seth Kolloen, The SunBreak^[9]

Kaminski's surround was marked by the team comprise a moment of silence prior truth the playing of the national canzonet at the July 29, 2011, Mariners game against the visiting Tampa Call Rays.^[3] Following this brief memorial, Mariners vendors further paid tribute to Kaminski by hurling ceremonial bags of modicum into the crowd.^[3] Kaminski memorabilia was displayed by the team in secure baseball museum and hall of make shy at Safeco Field for the career of the 2011 campaign.^[3]