Best Sports Moments in 2011

The best and totally random occurences that make it all so much more than a game.

By Seattle Mag December 2, 2011

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This article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Seattle Magazine.

The Best Use of the Jumbotron
Jonah Duvall’s “Thriller”

Stellar fielding replays were rare sights on the Safeco Jumbotron this M’s season (sigh), but the big screen was still put to good use, thanks to 12-year-old Jonah Duvall, who spontaneously broke out a “Thriller” dance to a delighted crowd on July 1. During this, his second appearance (the Snoqualmie resident was first spotted dancing at a game in April), the YouTube sensation got a standing O after doing a 90-second-long dance to Michael Jackson’s classic hit, inspiring even the staid M’s to bust some moves with a 6-0 win. Watch the video.

Best Random Sport Champayle George, Pinball World Champion

As if we needed any more proof that Seattle is the gaming nerd capital of the world: In July, 30-year-old Shoreline resident Cayle George took home the IFPA Pinball World Championship after 30 hours of head-to-head pinballin’ (an epic marathon we suppose Call of Duty: Black Ops fanatics do at least once a week).

Best Fan Club
Felix Hernandez’s King’s Court

Between the court jester costumes, kings clad in velvet robes and the sea of yellow shirts marching into Mariners stadium, it’s become pretty obvious when “King Felix” Hernandez is taking the hill. The young gun’s devoted King’s Court fan section has taken over the third-base-side lower deck for each of his home starts, toting in Larry Bernandez cutouts, screeching chants and for once, all out defying the stereotypical show-up-in-the-third-inning-sort-of-watch-the-game-and-clap-for-the-other-team’s-good-plays Seattle baseball fans.

Best. Run. Ever.
Marshawn Lynch’s 67-yard Touchdown Run

Sure, another season is under way, but there’s no harm in reliving running back Marshawn Lynch’s 67-yard touchdown run that helped the Seahawks clinch a wild card playoff berth last January. Close your eyes and visualize: a zig, a zag, tackle break, head butt, leapfrog over No. 86, backward somersault in the end zone and then Drew Brees looking like he’s gonna cry like a little baby. Sports-replay gold.

 

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