SEATTLE - More than 43,000 spectators cheered as Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 1st Corps Command Sgt. Maj. Frank A. Grippe stepped up to the Safeco Field pitchers mound and rocketed the ceremonial first pitch for the Seattle Mariners home field match up June 18 against the Cincinnati Reds, kicking off the stadium's annual Army Night, a celebration of the Army‘s 235th birthday.

"It's obviously an honor to bring myself, my family, to throw the first pitch in honor of the Army's birthday," said Grippe. "The local community, in this time of persistent conflict, is really going out of its way to support the
servicemembers."

Following Grippie's change-up toss over home plate, the 1st Corps Color Guard and the 56th Army Band took the field to play the national anthem and render military courtesies before the nearly sold out stadium.

But the night was not all about ceremony. The Mariners offered discounted tickets to 400 JBLM servicemembers and their families.

"I think its great," said Army Maj. Patrick Canchola, a veterinarian at Madigan Army Medical Center, who came with his wife and four children. "They drop the ticket prices a little bit, and that makes it affordable for a family to come up here and watch a game."

"Its awesome the Mariners let the Army families come out and watch the game. It means that they‘re really supporting the military and what they do," said 11-year-old Collin Keith, son of JBLM-based Army Maj. Scot Keith, while wearing a commemorative Army/Mariners T-shirt, handed out to JBLM families in attendance.

But the savings that night wasn't the only thing that had the servicemembers leaving the game happy.

With the help of some Army fans cheering him on, Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee earned the fifth shutout of his career, leading Seattle to a 1-0 victory over the Reds, knocking Cincinnati out of the National League Central's top position.