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The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in 1977, the Mariners are a member of the West division of the American League (AL) in Major League Baseball (MLB). Since July 1999, the Mariners' home ballpark has been Safeco Field, located south of downtown Seattle. From the team's inception in 1977 until June 1999, the club's home ballpark was the Kingdome. Through the 2014 season, the franchise has finished with a losing record in 26 of 38 seasons.
The "Mariners" name originates from the prominence of marine culture in the city of Seattle. They are nicknamed "the M's", a title featured in their primary logo from 1987–1992. The current team colors are Navy blue, Northwest green, and Silver, after having been Royal blue and Gold from 1977–1992; on January 23, 2015 the Mariners revealed their new alternative uniforms with the colors of royal blue and gold. Their mascot is the Mariner Moose.
The organization did not field a winning team until 1991, and any real success eluded them until 1995 when they won their first division championship and defeated the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. The game-winning hit in Game 5, in which Edgar Martínez drove home Ken Griffey, Jr. to win the game in the 11th inning, clinched a series win for the Mariners, and has since become an iconic moment in team history.
The Mariners won 116 games in 2001, which set the American League record for most wins in a single season and tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the Major League record for most wins in a single season.
The Mariners are one of eight Major League Baseball teams who have never won a World Series championship, and one of two (along with the Washington Nationals) to never have played in a World Series.
Owned by Nintendo of America, the Mariners are one of three Major League Baseball teams under corporate ownership; the other two are the Atlanta Braves (Liberty Media) and the Toronto Blue Jays (Rogers Communications).