Memorial for Tuba Guy at Seattle Center

For decades now, one of Seattle’s most notable sports-related figures hasn’t been an athlete, an owner, or a journalist, but a friendly guy with a tuba. Ed McMichael, known as “Tuba Man”, and his instrument were fixtures outside Seattle’s sports and theater venues for decades. Good weather, bad weather, victory or defeat, Tuba Man was always there with his goofy hats and his bottles of juice, playing his tuba.

His repetoire was astonishing; he’d blow out anything and everything from serious classics to contemporary hit tunes. As the Seattle P-I’s Robert Jamieson reports, he was more than talented enough to play in a band but chose his to play outdoors for the opportunity to be part of the community and meet people. Last year he told Jamieson that what he valued most was meeting people.

He sure met a lot of them. Any time I’ve mentioned him in conversation, I’ve never had to explain who he is–who in Seattle didn’t know Tuba Man? Seeing Tuba Man outside is just as much of the experience of going to a game or watching a play as buying the tickets and sitting in the seats.

Rather, it was.

Ed McMichael was at a bus stop in the 500 block of Mercer on October 25 when he was jumped by a bunch of young thugs. Two of them are in custody, the other three are very much wanted by the police. Injuries from the attack sent him to Harborview where he was treated for head wounds and sent home to recover; he passed away in the dark of Sunday night or Monday morning at home. Police believe his death was directly connected to the assault.

Last night at the Key Arena a makeshift memorial went up in the place where he always sat before games and concerts. Flowers and juice and notes were clustered with candles dedicated to his memory. The Thunderbirds game opened with a moment of silence in his memory; heads bowed and tears flowed as images of Tuba Man throughout the years flashed on the scoreboard.

Tuba Man will be missed very much by many people. If you happen to have any information that could help the police, please, please do not hesitate to contact them.

One of my favorite memories of Tuba Man is the time when I was waiting for some friends to show up and meet me outside the Key Arena for a game. It was a cold, dark, and rainy evening, the sort where even the hardcore smokers decided being inside under cover was worth giving up their nicotine fix. To give myself something to do while I waited, I was pacing from the fountain to the box office and back over and over; once he caught on to what I was doing, Tuba Man would play a march every time I passed by him. What are your favorite Tuba Man memories?