Nearly three decades after leaving the franchise, Hall of Famer Randy Johnson finally saw his iconic No. 51 retired by the Seattle Mariners. During an emotional 11-minute speech at the center of the diamond, Johnson broke down in tears as memories of his legendary career came back to him.

“To this city, this moment says something important: That greatness matters here. That history matters here. And those (who) give us their very best will always be remembered,” Stanton told the T-Mobile Park crowd.

His 51 jersey number now stands immortalized alongside Ichiro Suzuki’s 51 beyond Seattle’s center-field wall.

During his speech, Johnson revealed a story that nearly left him teary-eyed. He shared that before the 2001 season, Ichiro personally wrote to him asking permission to wear his No. 51 jersey, and without any hesitation, Randy said yes. “Without hesitation, I said, ‘Yes, go right ahead,’ ” Johnson recalled.

“I’m grateful there was room for another 51 to be retired,” Johnson said in his speech. “One number, two players representing one team.”

From 1989 to 1998, Randy Johnson terrorized hitters in a Seattle uniform. During that time, he had one of the most feared arms in the game.

He finished his Mariners tenure with five All-Star selections and earned American League Cy Young Award recognition for his 1995 campaign.

He became just the fourth player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining Mariners legends and fellow Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Ichiro Suzuki in the exclusive club. With that said, his emotional speech left the entire MLB fanbase teary-eyed.

Fans were left teary-eyed after Randy Johnson’s emotional speech

Social media users shared their emotional reactions to the ceremony.

One fan wrote, “Not even a Mariners fan and I'm out here crying.”

Another fan chimed in, “Ichiro calling Randy about #51? Pure class. Two legends, one number. ⚾”

Meanwhile, another emotional supporter said, “What a beautiful speech, Randy Johnson. He and Ichiro are 2 baseball legends.”

Another highlighted, “Two legends, one iconic number. It doesn't get much more special than that for Seattle sports history.”

Another emotional supporter said, "Legends of the Game."

Beyond the jersey retirement, Mariners chairman John Stanton on Saturday night revealed that a brand new statue honoring the left-hander will rise outside the ballpark in 2027.

Were you moved by Randy Johnson's emotional speech and what his No. 51 meant to Seattle? Comment down below!

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Utsav Gupta