Remember Al? You better. I took him to the game on Monday night; it was Firefighter Appreciation Night, and apparently the last warm day of the year. I asked Al, as is my practice now “Could you send me a couple of sentences or a quick paragraph in answer the question ‘What did you think of the evening, Al?’” Some people respond with things like “It was great!” or “Thank you for taking me to the game!” Al, as I mentioned, is a busy and important civic functionary in Winters, and so he couldn’t get back to me right away. “Come on, Al,” I thought, “It’s just a couple of sentences, bang it out!” But Al is not a man to half-ass things (remember that when you’re voting in Winters), and because he went above and beyond, he gets his own post. Take it away, Al!
“It was a very fun and enjoyable evening getting to know about you and just talking baseball, not so much from a statistical point of view, which has its place, but from a personal history point of view – where you first saw baseball, who were the teams, who we remember.
I came to realize that for many of us that connection ties back to our fathers. The young man Jeremiah, sitting alongside us, made many references to his “old man” this and that about baseball. You too made reference to your dad. For me, even though I lost my father at the age of five, I feel a strong connection to him because of baseball and his introduction to the game when I was a toddler. My memories of being at Seals Stadium at 16th & Bryant Streets, along side the Hamm’s Brewery and the big goblet of beer atop the building behind home plate which would fill-up with sparkly amber colored lights, then foam -up and over the brim in white, over and over! Or the time my father went for a foul ball where we sat, up in the wooden bleachers. I don’t remember if he was successful in catching it but I remember the action, the bright cushions many brought to make those wood bleachers a bit more comfortable, and the vivid green of the grass on the playing field which still today is awesome and strikes me visually!
The National Anthem – what can I say? Over all the years, it is that moment when I stand with and join the many thousands of fellow fans at a ballgame for the Star-Spangled Banner as a moment that I most feel like an American! I agree fully with you, the firewoman who sang Monday evening’s rendition was most beautiful! Solid, pretty and strong, soprano-alto voice that when she came to that section at “wave” onward, where it goes way up the scale and so many get showy or crack, she was restrained in handling the lyrics and the music and it was beautiful! Well done!
Finally, after missing live baseball for going on four years, I’d forgotten what a scene it is in person. The colors, the sounds, the people. All coming together to watch a bunch of guys hit and catch, pitch and run! To cheer your team on! To talk about who’s hot, who’s not doing so well. It’s quite the deal! I guess that’s why it’s called the Game.
Thanks so much for the treat. It was good meeting you and making a new friend. It’s always an adventure heading into the City and figuring out how to get around.
I believe the last season the Seals played at 16th and Bryant was the 1957 season, not 1958. The Giants became the SF Giants that year and they played at Seals Stadium while Candlestick was being built.”
Thanks, Al!
81 Dates 