Every fan's dream: 104-year-old gets to tell Mariners manager Servais exactly what she thinks
SEATTLE -- Last week, 104-year-old Margaret Hardin told Q13 News she wanted to speak with the Mariners manager.
She was a huge fan, she said. And she thought the team could use some pointers.
On Friday, Hardin got her wish. She got a phone call from manger Scott Servais, and the die-hard fan didn't mince her words.
"I was very happy with Hernandez, and you guys did not help him," Hardin told Servais, referring to Thursday night's strong performance by starting pitcher Felix Hernandez in a 4-1 loss to the Yankees.
"Felix threw the ball really well last night," Servais said. "Unfortunately, we needed to get him a few runs."
"Well, if I could have been in that shortstop position, I think I could have saved that game a little bit," Hardin responded, laughing.
In the brief conversation, Servais and Hardin talked Mariners history and the team's playoff chances. She and Servais plan to meet in-person when Hardin -- along with six generations of her family -- go to a game in August.
The two seemed to get along great, with Hardin making Servais chuckle a few times.
Still, Hardin didn't mince words.
"I was hoping he would have more answers to why they couldn't back up Hernandez last night," Hardin said after her phone call.
Hardin celebrated her 104th birthday earlier this month at the retirement community Aegis on Madison. Surrounded by friends and family, Hardin ate cake, chatted with friends and even threw the baseball around.
Hardin says she gravitated toward baseball because it was one of the only sports African-Americans could play and watch when she was young.
“I like baseball because we could play baseball in those days, but we couldn’t play no football,” Hardin said. “Football was for the other folks.”
She has followed the Mariners since before they were a Pacific Coast League team, before becoming a Major League team in 1969. She says games used to cost a quarter or 50 cents.