We left our hearts in San Francisco
Driving to San Francisco on a school/work Monday is not the
ideal way to spend the evening
– unless, of course the end of that drive is AT
&
amp;T Park, home of the Giants.
The last time my family and I went to a game, the Giants were
one win away from clinching the National League West title last
fall. We had no idea at the time that we were watching a
championship run that would end with a World Series title.
We left our hearts in San Francisco
Driving to San Francisco on a school/work Monday is not the ideal way to spend the evening – unless, of course the end of that drive is AT&T Park, home of the Giants.
The last time my family and I went to a game, the Giants were one win away from clinching the National League West title last fall. We had no idea at the time that we were watching a championship run that would end with a World Series title.
This week’s game was a little different, with the Giants’ hopes of reaching the playoffs for the second straight year quickly dimming. That didn’t detract at all, however, from the escapism that is an evening at the ballpark.
Any trip to San Francisco is like a journey to another world. Nowhere else does fog play such a role in framing a cityscape. Roiling, undulating clouds spill off the bay and over the city, alternately hiding and revealing skyscrapers or dipping in and out of the ballpark.
Being at a ballgame anywhere has much to do with the group experience. In San Francisco, that dynamic is heightened and flavored by a diverse, vocal crowd that on some nights and in some sections makes it look like its Halloween.
Walking across the Lefty O’Doul Bridge past the ticket scalpers looking to make big bucks and the homeless hoping for a handout of just one, we bought two bags of peanuts for $2 from an “unofficial” vendor sitting on a cooler. The purchase saved us close to $10, though we still needed some serious scratch to spend on the overpriced yet tasty fare inside the stadium walls.
Through the gate and up the stairs we went, the green grass of early evening illuminated by the day’s remaining sunlight and the evening’s bright lights above the field.
As a dad, watching my youngest son’s excitement at getting to watch his heroes is worth the price of admission. Getting to share the experience with my own father and my wife made it a Monday to remember.
There’s a special joy in being at a professional sporting event. Even though we pay a steep price and drive a long way to attend, being there makes it a much different experience than sitting in front of the television to watch a game.
The sounds and the smells and the setting all add to the mystique.
My wife commented on how many aromas wafted by us as we sat in our lower reserved seats, just feet away from a hot dog vendor. Garlic fries, beer, popcorn, wine, onions, nachos – the smells changed by the minute.
They also made me hungry every minute, which isn’t a good thing when the price of snacks rivals the price of entrees at some restaurants. But that’s the price we pay for the major league experience.
On this evening, the struggling Giants looked like the world champion Giants, hitting three homeruns, playing good defense and scoring eight runs to keep the crowd happy for nine innings.
As a crowd, we sang the National Anthem; we sang “When the lights go down in the city;” we sang “I left my heart in San Francisco.” It was karaoke night, except 42,000 people were at the party and many of them were wearing panda or giraffe hats.
My son bought a Giants shirt and Giants socks, and that made him feel good. I bought kettle corn and ice cream and chicken nachos, and that didn’t make me feel so good.
At least I avoided the veggie burger and the chardonnay, as those just didn’t seem like ballpark fare to me.
In the end, the Giants won, keeping their playoff hopes alive – just barely. We had a great time and the ride home seemed a bit shorter that the ride there. That may have had to do with the fact that my dad did the driving and I slept from Daly City to Hollister.
If this turned out to be the last game that we see in person this year, we’ll feel like we picked a winner.
