Back in 2001, Lou Piniella managed the Seattle Mariners into winning the American League West division, beating the then-Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series, but falling to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
It was the last time the Seattle Mariners made the postseason, until they play the Toronto Blue Jays Friday for the first game of the Wild Card Series.
But what else happened in 2001?
“My Favorite Martian” Ray Walston died on Jan. 1.
Just before George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States on Jan. 20, both iTunes and Wikipedia were launched.
Dale Evans, the actress and singer, died in California on Feb. 7.
Dale Earnhardt, after a sudden last-lap crash at the Daytona 500, died on Feb. 18.
On Feb. 27, the Seattle Mardi Gras riot broke out in Pioneer Square, killing one man and injuring about 70 people.
The Nisqually Earthquake shook Western Washington for almost a minute, causing between $1 and $4 billion in damage on Feb. 28.
Known for his Jason Bourne series, author Robert Ludlum died in Florida on Mar. 12.
The Russian space station Mir fell into the Pacific Ocean on March 23.
Lead singer and founding member of The Ramones, Joey Ramone, died of lymphoma on Apr. 15.
Author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” Douglas Adams, died on May 11.
Perry Como, the singer, actor and television personality, died in Florida on May 12.
On May 21, the University of Washington was firebombed, causing $1.5 to $4.1 million in damages.
Between June 5 and 9, Tropical Storm Allison dropped 36 inches of rain on Houston, killing 22 people and causing $12 billion in damage.
Star of “All in the Family,” actor Carroll O’Connor, died of a heart attack on June 21.
Actor Jack Lemmon died in Los Angeles on June 27.
Basketball player LaMelo Ball was born on Aug. 22.
Singer Aaliyah and several others were killed when their plane crashed shortly after takeoff in the Bahamas on Aug. 25.
The most notable, of course, was the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and United Airlines flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought to regain control of the plane from hijackers.
Starting on Sept. 18, anthrax was mailed to several news organizations, killing five people.
In response to the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States, and other nations, invaded Afghanistan.
Apple introduced the iPod on Oct. 23.
Microsoft released the original Xbox on Nov. 15.
George Harrison, the lead guitarist for The Beatles, died of cancer in Los Angeles on Nov. 29.
Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2.
After 11 years and spending $27 million in repairs, the Leaning Tower of Pisa reopened to the public on Dec. 15.
Singer Billie Eilish was born in Los Angeles on Dec. 18.
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