Sports03 September, 20263 min read
Mariners Unveil Legacy Plaza Statue at T-Mobile Park Featuring 2001 Flag-Raising Moment
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Legacy Plaza at T-Mobile Park features statue of Cameron and McLemore raising the American flag. The statue commemorates the 2001 flag-raising moment days after 9/11.
6 outlets told this the same way.
Legacy Plaza unveiled
The Seattle Mariners unveiled their new Legacy Plaza at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, featuring a statue of Mike Cameron and Mark McLemore and their iconic 2001 moment raising the American flag after the 9/11 attacks. The plaza, located in center field, includes a recreation of the moment by Cameron and McLemore, surrounded by a wall of 116 commemorative bats and 2,269 baseball medallions bought by fans to support Legacy Field projects across the state. Mariners chairman John Stanton said in a statement, "It depicts Mike Cameron and Mark McLemore carrying an American flag across the field when baseball restarted days following September 11."
The backstory described in the coverage says the Mariners returned to action a week later in the midst of their MLB record-tying 116-win season, and the club clinched the AL West title during a game against the Los Angeles Angels on September 19, with the needed result posted on the in-stadium scoreboard. After shutting out the Angels 5-0, Mariners players came onto the field to celebrate their accomplishment in a subdued manner, with video coordinator Carl Hamilton bringing a large American flag onto the field to wave with outfielder Stan Javier.
Voices at the ceremony
Local coverage of the Thursday opening said the unveiling included a small ceremony with McLemore and Cameron and their families and friends in attendance, along with most of the Mariners ownership and front office, manager Dan Wilson, former first baseman John Olerud, Sen. Maria Cantwell and members of Seattle Police, Fire and King County sheriff's departments.
Mariners chairman John Stanton spoke of the statue’s meaning, saying, "This monument stands as a tribute to not only those who were present on 9/11, but those who continue to serve," in a prepared speech.
The ceremony also echoed the original night’s tone, with the Mariners staying out on the field after their postgame handshakes and public address announcer Tom Hutyler asking the crowd of more than 46,000 for a moment of silence.
In comments carried by FOX 13 Seattle, Cameron said, "There was no ‘hey man, let’s get the flag and hold it up.' There was none of that," describing how the moment fit their daily routine.
The Seattle Times coverage similarly framed the event as a permanent reminder at T-Mobile Park, saying the Mariners officially opened the “Legacy Plaza” with the unveiling of a commemorative fifth statue behind the center field gate.
Funds and future impact
The installation behind the statue is tied to fundraising for Mariners Legacy Field projects, with the FOX 13 Seattle account saying the inventory of bats and medallions raised more than $300,000 in support of Legacy Field projects across the state.
The MLB coverage described the display as including 116 bats and 2,269 commemorative balls, and said the funds raised by the art installation — over $300,000, according to the organization — will go toward Mariners Legacy Field projects to build and restore youth fields in Washington.
The Union-Bulletin and Seattle Times coverage both tied the statue’s opening to the 25-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and the resumption of professional sports, noting the Mariners clinched the American League West earlier in the game with the A’s losing in Texas.
The MLB story also said the Mariners resumed their schedule on Sept. 18 that year and clinched the division the next day, while emphasizing that no champagne was sprayed in the clubhouse and the players stayed on the field after handshakes.
Looking ahead, the Times of India report said the Mariners’ 2001 flag statue is part of a larger effort at T-Mobile Park, noting that a statue honoring Hall of Fame outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was unveiled earlier in 2026 and that a statue dedicated to former Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Randy Johnson is expected to be installed during the 2027 season.