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Once upon a time I was what you might call a frequent visitor to the ol' ballyard. That was back in the day before the Giants shared it with the 'Niners. I remember the adventures fielders had with fly balls, particularly before the outfield end was closed in. Night games were awful. I can't begin to relate how cold it got. Day games were okay... until about 3pm. Then it was as bad as a night game.
Ironically, the 'Niners games don't suffer the same climate conditions the Giants did because of the time of year. I've attended any number of football games, even in December and it has been shirtsleeve weather. I'm not sure that was ever the case when they played at Kezar Stadium.
Back to the Stick- about the funniest thing I ever saw involved Willie McCovey. A pop-foul was hit to the right side and McCovey gave chase. Foul territory was huge so there was lots of room. As Stretch circled under the ball, a fan down in front of us began crying, "He's gonna drop it, he's gonna drop it, ...gonna drop it." Sure enough, he dropped it.
Today, they call being a Giants fan torture. I'm fairly certain it has been that way ever since they came west.
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I have one of those pins. Got it for staying to the end of an extra-inning night game. Against the Expos back in '89(I think). Game ended at like 11:45. Then I rode in the back of a '69 Firebird convertible all the way back to Campbell (by San Jose) with the top down 'cuz the top was jammed.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't warmed all the way back up from that trip.
I never actually got a pin. But I think the last night game I attended there was in 1969. Heck now that I think about it, the last Giants game I attended there was in August 1993.
ReplyDeleteProbably the only thing worse that getting to a game at Candlestick is getting away from a game there.
I kinda wonder if the 49ers will fix that issue when they finally get their new stadium?
I stayed in the RV park right across the street from Candlestick for about a month when I first moved to SFO in 2000. The only transportation I had at the time was my mo'sickle... which I rode back and forth to work in the Financial District every bleedin' day. Like Inno, I still haven't warmed up completely from that experience.
ReplyDeleteSide note: riding thru Hunters Point at night was "interesting." To say the LEAST.
I remember taking the Greyhound from Redwood City or Palo Alto to Tunnel Avenue and walking from there. I liked it better when I could get off the bus right outside the bleachers gate at Seals Stadium on Potrero at 16th St.
ReplyDeleteBuck - There were a lot of "interesting" places in SF back in the day. Almost anything "South of Market" was a no-no after dark.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite story about Candlestick is the one about pitcher Stu Miller being basically blown off of the mound, by a gust of wind, during the all-star game.
ReplyDeleteSuldog - He was the game winner, though.
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