Candlestick: A Reluctant Goodbye
I just watched this ktvu thing about saying goodbye to Candlestick. Everyone wants to get in on a good bye. This is it:
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/touring-candlestick-park-at-the-end-of-its-life/vCLZ5x/
While I was watching it I got emotional. I’m going to do that a lot in the coming days. Keith Olberman can take his witty quips and go fuck himself. The times I spent at Candlestick were some of the best memories of my childhood.
And while we didn’t always win it *all*, in fact we never did in our actual park, going to games at the ‘Stick will always be part of who i am, who I always will be. Till I die.
I’m sitting here typing this blog thread out and all I can think about are the players. That’s unusual for me, I’m usually about *the moments*. But god dammit did these guys give us some moments or what?
My list in THIS moment: (And hang on, it’s gonna be a wild ride. Stream of consciousness. Freestyle. I will miss so many of the best. No order except maybe the first one.)
Here goes.
Joe Montana
Dwight Clark
Joel Youngblood
Michael Carter
Will Clark
One Flap Down
Renaldo Nehemiah
Jim Barr
Brett Butler
Willie Mac
Mike Ivie
Wendell Tyler
Barry Bonds
Steve Young
John Taylor
Ronnie Lott
Chris Brown
Candy Maldonado
Bill Ring
T.O.
Jerry Rice
Mike Sadek
Dave Fucking Radar!
Rickey Watters
Jack Clark
Ed Halicki
Bobby Murcer
Frank Gore
Johnnie LeMaster
Von Joshua
Larry Herndon
Eric Wright
Ray Wersching
Paul Hofer
Mike Krukow
The Count
Gary Thomasson
Russ Francis
Earl Cooper
Steve DeBerg
Darrell Evans
Atlee Hammaker
The MoonMan
Gary Lavelle
Jeff Fuller
Rod Beck
Mike Cofer
Robby Thompson
William VanLaunchingpad
Matt Williams
Alex Smith
Ozzie Fernandez
Garrison Hearst
Solomon Torres
Vida Blue
Rennie Stennett
Vernon Davis
Bob Knepper
Patrick Willis
That Great Big Ass Escalator
Phil Nastu……. 🙂 …..just to keep it real.
That took me less than 5 minutes to type. And this list could go on forever. Literally. And it will play on inside all of us long after we are gone……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Last baseball I game I went to there with my godson, his hero bonds homered in the first, but the Pirates beat the funk out of the giants. It was one of those rare summer days when it was too hot to sit in lower boxes and get your ass sunburnt so we moved underneath the overhang to cool off. Lot of people disguised as empty seats.
some guy I never heard of named Midre Cummings blasted an HR off the face of the second deck off a giants reliever in garbage time late game. We still had a great time, kinda like always no matter wtf happened.
stoked you remembered your final game. Sadly, I do not remember mine.
just for fun looked it up on b/r—August 8 of 95. Solo shot off Mulholland. Guy hit 2 out the entire year in 150 ABs. Crushed that one tho.
The last game I went to was the last baseball game there. It was a Thursday day game,and I went on a whim witha couple of coworkers. The seats were the farthest away in the place. Last row, sec 57. It was pretty funny watching from that far away. We might as well been on the hill. All I remember is the Dodgers kicking our ass like 8-3, and Estes getting raked. We hung around as long as we could til the place was damn near empty. It sorta reminded me of the bad old days when they’d draw 847 people, but it was a full house that day.
Does anyone know if it is possible to go up on that hill and look down into the stadium? Its probably not quite high enough. My brother was saying the other day that he thinks you could see some of the seats, but not the actual field.
My last game was near the end of the last year. A night game against the Cards—who were also the opponent at my first game at the Stick in the early 70’s. I was with my brother and my friend Doug—both of whom I tailgated with at the Shehawk game recently. It was a cold, foggy night, and we sat out in right field. I remember seeing a bunch of skunks—and not just on the dirt banks under the stands. We left early and I think JT Snow hit a game winning homer in extra innings. Would have been a helluva way to go out as JT is one of my all-time fav Giants, but we were long gone by that time.
The KTVU story was great…thanks for posting.
Milt May
Bill Laskey
Marc Hill
Glenn Adams
Terry Whitfield
Lenvil Elliott
Ricky Patton
Carlton Williamson
Saladin Martin
Willie Montanez
Don Dokken
Alex Van Halen
Tommy Hart
Terry Whitfield and Carlton Williamson. I am a freaking moron for missing 2 if my all time flav’s.
But whatever, as I said, “freestyle”.
I appreciate the Garrison Hearst reference.
A few more from my era
Steve Miss a mile
John Brodie
Gene Washington
Charlie Krueger
Jimmy davenport
Chris Speier
Tito Fuentes
DickWicher
Ted Kwalick
Cedrick Hardman
Wide richey
Bruce gossett
Jimmy Johnson
DEvans
Dave Wilcox
Tommy Hart
Dirty Al Gallagher
Moon man Minton
Preston f$&@&ing Riley
And
Yamid Haad
Speier! Fuck my ass. I should never have written a list.
Uribe.
RIP
“Uribe Gonzalez”
Who else remembers him rolling with that name for like a day and a half? Who does that shit anymore? I loved Uribe.
The true player to be named later, didn’t he change his name three or four times?
Great list, Flav. For the Giants, I’d like to add a couple favorites, Kevin Mitchell and The Caveman, also Joe Morgan and Brian Johnson for a couple memorable HRs. Of the Niner guys, thanks for the John Taylor mention, that guy was one of my all time favs but could we also include Charles Haley?
Tough list, so many memorable players wondered if they made the right career decision as they walked onto that field, and we all had a chance to watch them. I know the place and many of the teams sucked, but I still love the joint. Flav, go if you can, hell dude, ya gotta visit that stall one more time.
Did I ever mention that even though I’m in bum fuck stumpy, my neighbor down the street played HS ball with Atlee? Don’t matter where you at, da Giants have been der.
From Rennie Stennett to God, I mean Joe. From Jimmy Johnson and Ray Wersching tapping on Montana’s shoulder before a FG try to Willie Mays flying around 2nd into 3rd on triple, and Stretch blasting a 1-iron into the right field retractables. From cold summer night games with less than a 1000 in the stands, to Niner champ games springboarding them to won Super Bowls. This place has a ton of history, even including memories of overflowing urinal troughs and blown off baseball caps flying out to the centerfield cyclone. The place will be imploded, but living on will be the memories of Hall of Fame heroics to crap teams that defined love of the GAME of baseball…
BTW, Tito fuggin Fuentes — Chuck posted him. He had the before-the-AB flippin’ bat and sign of the cross with a kiss routine at the plate long before Panda was even born…
Yeah, Tito and Chris Speier were my faves when I was a kid. I musta bruised my shins 150 times trying to recreate that bat flip thing.
Kevin Mitchell!
Yeah, this can drive you mad.
Jim Ray Hart
Fat Ray Wershing
Orlando Cepeda
Mike Benjamin
Danny Abramowitz
Horace Stoneham
Dick Dietz
Jimmy Ray Hart
Kenny Henderson
Gaylord Perry
Juan Marichal
Chris Speier
Monte Clark
Dave Kingman
Ray Sadecki
Steve Carlton
Sudden Sam McDowell
David Glass
Sarge
Dick Nolan
Mike Nolan
Sing
Gary Carter
Bob Brenly
Bobby Bonds
Frank Robinson
Wayne Walker
Barry Bonds
Hal Lanier
Jose Pagan
Willie Montanez
Mike McCormick
Bedrock
Jeff Garcia
Kirt Manwaring
Jimmy Davenport
Bob Lillis
Ed Halicki
Humm Baby Roger Craig
Lasorda blowing kisses
Dave Bristol
Ron Fairly
Art Eckman
Phil Stone
Lindsey Nelson
Kruk
Will the Thrill
Billy Swift
Joe Altobelli
Stretch
Tiny Felder
Murph
Charlie Krueger
Forrest Blue
Ted Kwalick
Gene Washington
Brodie
Steve Spurrier
Ken Willard
Russ Francis
John Frank
Frank Nunley
Dave Wilcox
Ray Wersching
Freddie Solomon
Eddie D
Bill Walsh
George Seifert
Boo
Bob Lurie
Bud Herseth
Krazy Krabbe
Lon Simmons
Bill Thompson
Al Michaels
Russ Hodges
Willie
And each one there
Has one thing shared
They have sweated beneath the same sun
Looked up in wonder at the same moon
And wept when it was all done
For bein’ done too soon…
I was wondering if anyone would list Crazy Crab. LMOA…
The ’71 season was my first year as a Giants fan, and I also learned to keep score that year, and that lineup is sacrosanct to me:
Bonds
Fuentes
Mays
McCovey
Henderson
Dietz
Gallagher
Speier
Marichal, Perry, and whoever else.
There were other variations- sometimes Speier batted lead-off and Bonds batted 5th, and so on. Hal Lanier played the role of classic utility infielder getting the occasional start. Actually, Lanier started opening day at shortstop, and got Wally Pipped by rookie Speier at some point during the season.
I couldn’t sleep because Vic Washington didn’t make any list.
Sniff! Goodbyes……so sad. Tempus fugit.
Interesting Joel Youngblood the first baseball player mentioned.
Dan Dokken? Gonna have to look that one up.
Been so long since I was out there, I don’t know what I will feel when they tear it down. Feeling pretty damn old now thinking back.
First time out there was 68, the Perry no hitter. Only time my old man took me to a Giants game. He hated that dump.
Yeah, poor Joel Youngblood, out of position at 3b and throwing balls into the OF. And unlike Brenly couldn’t come up with GWHR after multiple f-ups.
Salt, was the Perry game the time there were back to back no nos at the Stick? Cards Ray Washburn I think was the other guy.
Giants announcers were kind of a crapshoot after Simmons and Hodges, but I always liked Hank Greenwald, who was great partner to Bill King on dubs broadcasts too.
In defense of Gonzalez Uribe, latins/Hispanics often add the mother’s maiden name to their given (dad’s) last name. Mexican (and other south American) presidents are known publicly by both, as in *Diaz Ordaz*, Perez Jimenez, etc. I used to watch boxing from the Olympic out of LA all the time as a kid, and one fighter was named Cesar Gomez Kee, and no one ever knew what to call the guy/which name went where.
VIc Washington!!
Sam Bam Cunningham
Forgot Delvin Williams
Fudge Hammer
Kermit Alexander
Bruce Taylor
Skip Vanderbundt
The Count of Montefusco!!!!!!!!!!!!
ooh, good one chuck Delvin Williams was awesome. Finish out career with fins?
Poor Kermit forever known for ending career of Gale Sayers…whom I remember watching score the 6 TDs in the rain vs. SF.
Speaking of old decrepit stadiums, that was at Kezar wasn’t it? Looked like a miserable day! But a record setter. Didn’t he return 2 punts for touchdowns? I remember reading his book “I Am Third” and he said he felt untouchable that day. Everyone was sliding annd falling, and he just floated around the field making people miss.
Yeah, the late 60s/early 70s teams were my first sports loves. GIants and Niners. Yeah, Delvin went to the Fins, got into some heavy cocaine use and ended up in jail for 5 years? Loved him as our RB. When Zumie said Vic Washington, I immediately thought of Delvin.
Benito Santiago. SF went *rent a catcher* for a few years during the Manwaring Brent Mayne days, and Benito lasted a good while despite not fitting typical physical profile for a C. Blew me away how he threw out would be base stealers from his knees.
My friend Mike and I went to the entire final series. Giants dropped 2 of 3, and got their asses handed to them in the finale (9-4 I believe). Shawn Estes got rocked and didn’t even make it out of the 4th.
On Saturday we went over and walked around the new yard, and then went to MoMo’s for a drink. We’re standing at the bar when we hear someone say “look, some Giants fans.” We turn around and it is Chris Berman and Larry Baer. We chat with them for a few, they buy us a drink, and then we had the hostess snap a picture of the four of us in the entryway.
Like Chuck, we stuck around for quite a while after that final game. The CHP had a helicopter come in and pick-up home plate, and fly it to the new yard. The transfer was caught on video and shown on the jumbo tron.
Lots of great memories both Niner and Giants in that ol’ shithole. With all the history, it is a trip to think that within a year or so, it will be gone.
BTW, Flavor…great thread, and thanks for sharing the KTVU video. I heard mention in the video that there will be a fan fest of sorts there. Might be a prime time for a Flapalooza to visit the old yard one last time…something to think about.
outstanding idea
Baer buying Giants fans a beer. I’m floored… 😉
It was before noon…I’m thinking around 10:30 or so, and Baer was already hammered. He has always since been affectionately referred to by Mike and me as “Larry the Lush.” And if you have not seen Berman in real life…he is a LARGE man.
Sounds great, Chuck. That would be cool. And I totally forgot avbout the helicopter taking hoime plate to China Basin. I have some pics I took in 1999 when pac bell was about 1/2 done. Got to tour the whole place.
I’ll DL them one of these days.
I’m still holding out hope that the Niners get the NFC Championship game there.
Yeah, I have pictures from that day we went down there (finding them may be a problem at this point since we just moved). I too am holding out hope for the NFC Championship game there…slim, but a possibility.
Okay, so I did not get to go to this concert, but I know some people that did. The Rolling Stones played there in 1981. That concert sold out in less than 2 hrs. I want to say 80,000 people were there. Never the less, One of the best Rock and Roll bands ever played at the STICK!!
I was sorta at that Stones show, J Geils opened as I recall. I stayed in the Stadium club while my pals went out to watch the concert. The playoffs between the Expos and Dodgers was supposed to be on but it was a rainout. I was having so much fun with the staff that I only saw four or five tunes from the Stones before going back to the Club. I ended up passing out at the bar. I might not remember much but it is a story my friends bring up to this day.
ha ha, that is too much. sounds like you had a good time no matter what!!
A couple I did not see…
Rick “Big Daddy” Reuschel
Hacksaw Reynolds
Chili Davis
Dave Dravecky
Mike Aldrete
Ernest Riles
Terry Mulholland
Kelly Downs
Steve Bedrosian
Randy Cross
Mike “LaCostUstheGame” LaCoss (Buffy)
Oh, and how could everyone forget Chris Brown (JUST KIDDING!)…
Alou
Alou
Alou
Alou
Chuck, a buddy of mine and I had a bunch of beers with Chris Berman at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii in 98. It was pretty funny. We had just gotten to the hotel, dumped our shit and hit the patio bar. The next table over is Chris Berman with his wife. We were half in the bag, and my friend was not very subtle. OH MY GOD! IT’S CHRIS BERMAN!!! He noticed the 49er stuff we were wearing and starts talking to us about the 49ers and invites us over for a beer. His wife gamely hangs in there for a little bit, but she says she’s going to go shopping and bails. I’d imagine this happens to her a lot!
We talk sports for a while, and says that he’s not really much of a football fan, but that his favorite sport is baseball, and his favorite team by far is the Giants. This gets us all going, and we must have had 5-6 without even trying. Very nice guy, and yeah, he’s a big dude.
Atlee Hammaker
Harry Sydney
John Isenbarger
Charlie Fox
Great story Chuck.
Ooooo-reee-bayyyyyyyyyyy
Jose, can you see?
Here is one that wont be on anyone’s list:
Max Venable and his yellow VW Bug hanging out at the player’s lot in 1982 trying to get autographs. Chili telling my buddy he was up shit creek because he could not find Chili’s picture in the program for a signature…
Hum Baby Roger Craig also high on my list!
I never realized until watching the KTVU piece how god-awful ugly those ’89 unis were! Eh gads!
He was a red-ass, and he and Bonds did not get along (allegedly), but the dude could fucking rake for a 2nd baseman. Would LOVE to have a pull-hitting RHer like him, again.
Oh…and his name was Jeff Kent…I need a cold one…
But my ode to Candlestick was my memories from college making the trek up fro San Jose (usually a 12-pack consumed on the way…oh the 80s, life was way different – we did a case once between 4 of us and my girldfriend at the time in my VW Rabbit) grabbing sandiwiches at Piccolo Pete’s, sitting in the bleachers for $2.50 with your sandwich and a soda in plastic bottle. Never leaving before the final out and then racing to your car to get the hell out of there…great, great memories.
Remember those right field bleachers and they were hardly open for games, but they were awesome seats if you could get them. Then one night during one of the Dodger weeknight evening melees, we got seats in those bleachers and fights were breaking out every half inning…glorious memories!
One of Loo’s all time fav’s, the late Ron Herbel.
Gaudin of his day and a feared presence at the plate with a lifetime BA .029
I’m impressed, Salty! My first autograph….I think he felt bad watching the big names snub me.
DIck Pole!
Ah yes…one of Dusty’s thugs (pitching coach, I believe)…
Don’t think I’ve seen Johnny Disaster yet either . . .
On Craig’s original list…
Don’t think I have seen Candy Moldando, either…but after his blown catch in St. Louis…fuck him…
also on my original list
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm the all-Gary outfield? (Matthews, Maddox, Thommason?)
The all-Alou outfield?
Dave Kingman?
Candy will forever hold a warm spot in my heasrt for his flying death punch that he delivered to Ozzie Smith when Will Clark slid into 2nd, and Ozzie started sucker punching him. Maldonado ran from 1st and launched himself at Ozzie.
Finally found this video. Okendo kicks Clark, and the fun ensues. Check out Ozzie trying to cheap shot Clark oin the back of the head about 3 times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hbxU20SkNQ
Unca, second person to that pile was our 1B coach, Mr. Dusty Baker. I remember thinking, man our coach can kick your player’s asses. Didn’t Kruk fuck up his hand in the fight?
Dusty always used to say as manager, “We don’t start nothin’, but we don’t take nothin’, either…
I was trying to remember my last game and thought is would have been the summer of ’93 (after attending the final game in 1992 thinking that was it for the Giants in SF and playing at the Stick) before movign to DC seeing Barry prowling the outfield back then and destroying pitches, but then I got back home in ’96 and was there with my parents in the “new” bleachers in left in Hideo Nomo’s fiirst major league start and he was dominant. Game goes extras and dont remember who on the Dodgers smacks a 2-run homer I think in the11th to take the lead.
I felt badly for my mother who hated everything about baseball and submitted to leaving the game after the homer. And of course I dont remember who it was on the Giants hits a game-winning three-run homer after we left exactly in the row in front of where we were sitting.
All my years at the Stick, never came close to getting a ball and the very final game if we had stayed the extra half inning, may have had the greatest memoribilia of my entire fanhood of the Giants!
Sorry just realized I was off by a year. It would have been 1995. So I had to look it up to check my fading memory and the game went 15 bloody innings. Thanks mom for putting up with that one. Dodgers didnt hit a home run, but scored 3 in the the 15th and the Giants came back with 4 in the bottom and it was Robby that hit that 3-run home run.
Another thing I did not remember was that the game was 0-0 going into the 15th inning!
Here’s another great Cards/Giants fight where Roger Craig and the White Rat get into it.
I have absolutely zero recollection of this. How do I not remember this? How have I never seen this?
Nice scrum. I don’t remember it either. I even got to see Harry Spillman. Interesting that Herzog is basically an unknown to the Cardinals now…
After watching the video, one of my favorite Closers…Scott Garrelts
Funny thing was, in that twi-night double-header vs the Dodgers that ended up in a riot at like 1:30 in the morning, I think Garrelts took the loss in both of those games.
I saw him pitch a one-hitter at some point in his career.
My last game at the ‘stick was in May of 1997… I was 20 years old and I took the first girl that “broke my heart.” It was against the Astros and Mark Gardner threw an absolute gem on a gorgeous weekday afternoon…Jeff Kent homered for the Giants and we drove home with the top down in my mom’s Miata…I had no idea at the time that this would be my last game as a month later I moved to Austin Texas…Fast forward to Opening Day of 1998 and my first college girlfriend and I drove to Houston to see the Giants play in the Dome….Jeff Kent hits a grand slam and the GiAnts win in the 14th…We got a room at a Days Inn and fucked like there was no tomorrow….In 2000, my girlfriend (now wife)and I drive from Austin to Houston to see the Giants at the brand new Enron field. Jeff Kent homers and the Giants whip the Stros…I remember telling my wife right before Kent came up, that every time I go to a GiAnts game with a girlfriend, he homers and we break up….I guess the third time was the charm.
I was at that ’97 weekday afternoon game vs. the ‘Stros, too. It’s the only time I went to a game at the ‘Stick with my father, which was kinda cool since he also saw the Giants play at the Polo Grounds.
Slight intermission from the Stick. For those Hunter Pence, bobblehead fans, you might want to circle 4/9 on your Giants schedule.
Back to the Stick. When I used to fly into SFO, passing the Stick I knew I was almost home, and my whole body would smile. Blow the fucker up, but I bet I still look over at Candlestick point as I pass by when I’m back for a visit.
Unbeknownst to Kobe Bryant, he played an entire half with a broken knee cap last night against the Grizzlies. Ouch.
I’m wondering how the Lakers feel about that 49 mil extension now. Stupid then, stupider now.
When I was about 12 years old, the Giants had a promotion at the Stick where you could call an inning in an actual press box and they would record it for you to keep the VHS….I did it during a Giants-Pirates game…Scott Garrelts versus John Smiley…Bonds was playing left for the Pirates….I haven’t watched the video in years(as I don’t have a VCR lying around) but I was always impressed with my play by play…Except I called every ball hit in the air a “line drive.” Brett Butler hit a lazy pop up to short and there I am saying “line drive” caught by the shortstop.
dude, you need to find this video and upload it to whatever we can play here at the Flap. Please. This would make the Winter. Literally make it.
Short but sweet. http://fieldofteams.csnbayarea.com/2013/12/18/the-hidden-relics-of-candlestick-park/
Reading Wilco’s post about about his last game and the chick he took, I have a vivid recollection of taking my then-girlfriend Ann Marie to a game in ’96 or so. My goal was to save our failing relationship. True, she didn’t like baseball but she said we weren’t doing enough together without our friends always being around. So taking her to a Giants game, sans friends, was my planned out *money move*.
Anyway, it didn’t work for obvious reasons, she left me high and dry a week later. At the time, I couldn’t have felt lower or wetter.
But as it pertains to this thread, I have a wicked recollection of sitting along the first baseline in box seats with the fair Anne Marie doing a slow burn next to me. I remember turning to the right and seeing that sign I had seen many times before, the one that detailed how many days were left before AT&T opened.
It said 993.And I thought to myself, “that’s a lot of days”. But it still looked like less time than I was gonna have to spend on the rest of this imploding date.
And I laughed quietly to myself. Years later I would find out I was actually *lqtm*.
And that’s a quick trip down Flavor’s memory lane (Candlestick/Imploding date version)….
I didn’t know you dated “That Girl”… 😉
My final games at Candlestick came during a 4th of July weekend series vs. the Dodgers in ’98, with my wife and 7-month-old daughter. This ended up having a nice symmetry to it since one year earlier, my soon-to-be-wife and I went to an early-season night game not long after finding out she was pregnant. For obvious reasons I can’t remember who the Giants played that night, although I think it was the Phillies. Later that season we went to a game vs. the Reds, we got some garlic fries and my wife felt a kick inside unlike any other. She still treasures that moment. I even took my dog to a game at the ‘Stick that same season. No wonder I have a soft spot for that ’97 squad.
As for that Dodgers series in ’98, we went to two games, both wins: A Friday nighter with a huge, raucous crowd and fireworks afterward, and a much more mellow Sunday afternoon game, Estes shutting out the Bums and Robb Nen — whose name I haven’t seen mentioned yet — wrapping it up with one of his amazing 2-minute saves that season.
the same 7th month old daughter that’s bringin’ it on the softball field?
Yes, indeed. Soccer, too.
Nice. I’m assuming she’s playing in college, or going to be playing in college? Sorry, I don’t keep track of much when I see a facebook pic
the one I met at Destiny USA?
She’s only a sophomore, so college plans are still a ways off. And she’s now a year away from getting a driver’s license — that’s going to be friggin’ scary.
Having only seen Candlestick on TV, the amazing thing to me was that about 80% of the game was shown from this crazy angle – a camera located about halfway up between 3rd and home. Also the completely unintelligible PA announcer.
Loosy– (I’ve had a couple of beers tonight, I’m trying to make you feel at home at your “neighborhood bar”).
As you know, I’ve always been a big fan. But you’re not quite as transparent as some of your fellow Flapper brethren when it comes to, well, transparency. You kick down the witty quips and the history references are the best. And maybe you’ve shared this story before and I’ve just blocked it out, but why are you a Giants fan again? I think it has something to do with Mays but maybe that’s Pawlie.
I’m bummed you never hit the Stick, Loo. Watching the wind sweep you all around the stadium, to and fro, woulda been a video that woulda gone viral-implosion. I’m imagining you screaming “Weeeeee!!!!” a lot.
Also, if you’re still here, what was the name of that rockhead, meathead guy you used to roll with?
wasn’t he Buzz Rodriquez? can you search the blog; great shit
I’m bummed that I never hit the Stick, too – a real failure on my part. I was all set for the WS in ’87 – tickets, hotel, and everything but it wasn’t meant to be. I sulked all winter from that and was fired from my job because of it. My dad was a great Giant fan living in enemy territory (Brooklyn). He heard Thomson’s homer on armed forces radio in Korea. They had to physically restrain him.
“Buzzsaw” …The Puerto Rican Andre the Giant.
Gold, Loo, @8:24pm. (Joe Torre was a Giants fan in Brooklyn.)
Great stuff, Flappers. (And thanks for adding Terry Whitfield. You may recall that as a former Syracuse Chief he was my excuse to get a press pass for Pitts. in ’78 and how I met McCovey.)
Yes, I became a Giants fan AFTER the ’54 WS because that winter or spring, 1954-55, I asked my older half-brother whom he liked; the Giants, he answered. I stayed with them largely because of Mays. (Writing a book on all that; worked on it today in fact.)
My only game at Candlestick was the summer of ’74; we won; a Saturday afternoon. Jim Barr won. (Is he listed? How about William Van Landingham? The Longest Name.) It was sunny and pleasant, I recall, which disappointed me a little. I never made it to a night game on that trip in 1974 because I was shit-faced and traipsing around North Beach, cavorting with strippers.
I am recounting this in my next book, which I’ve been working on for a couple years and which will be my testament, but here’s my little 1962 WS Candlestick story: EVERYBODY always talks about Stretch lining out to Bobby Richardson to end the 1-0 heartbreaker. I don’t remember that. It’s a fecking blackout. What I do remember is Tom Tresh chasing down and catching a ball that Mays hit. I guess I knew it was over then, over until Nov. 1, 2010. Then the Yankees fecking hoisted Ralph Fecking Terry on their fecking shoulders in victory. At Candlestick. It still bothers me.
Tresh’s catch is never talked about. It was a killer…
thanks for confirming that I wasn’t in a psychotic fugue for fifty-plus years, though I still might be
Good piece today by Chris Haft: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/candlestick-park-braces-for-its-final-goodbye?ymd=20131219&content_id=66082124&vkey=news_mlb
Here’s the Tresh catch at about one minute in. I think it was better than it looked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD1TPzwIG9I
It WAS a better catch than it looked, in my mind. A couple things: looks like McCovey’s knees hurt even then. Alou should’ve been sent; Mays says so now; it was worth a try. Also, how dya like Mel Allen, called Al Mellon by Pogo’s Walt Kelly? All in all, this clip would bring me down even today were I not to remind myself of the exorcisms of 2010 and 2012.
Choo got 130 mil from Texas. Insane. We got Hunter at a bargain.
Yeah, not only that, but the Rangers will have to forfeit their first-round draft pick to sign Choo. (albeit, Texas would receive a pick as compensation if Cruz signs elsewhere).
Here’s something I found really funny. Grant Balfour wont be counting his new contract money after all. Days after reaching a preliminary agreement with Balfour pending a physical, the Orioles said Friday that they weren’t satisfied with the results of Balfour’s exam. Knowing Balfour, he will probably hunt Oriole GM Dan Duquette and that physician down. 🙂