Re: World Series Champions

11/03/10 - posted by jb

Like allergies and shorter days, I seem to notice baseball more in October although this wasn't always so. As a kid, I'd go watch the Seals with my Uncle Tom and practice my pitching arm tossing peanuts at the bald-headed men a few rows down. And when a team of Giants came to town, everything seemed to escalate, save the outfield fog in Seal Stadium. Seal Stadium was hallowed ground, now lovingly placed between the folds of our memories and senses like a kid's first glove rubbed with Neat's foot Oil and placed under a mattress, to be reshaped and seasoned with reverence and loving care. A rite of passage in our neighborhood was sleeping with your mitt and giving up belief in the tooth fairy. My interest in the Giants and baseball in general seemed to wane after 1962, as if a page in history had been torn from my heart, their loss in the series seemingly devastating for they were one of the greatest teams ever to play the game. I say "team" because while this was a collection of all-stars they moved together like a Swiss watch and as time wore on and free-agency and age took their toll, much of baseball became a group of individuals who just happened to be wearing the same uniform for the season. At least this is my uneducated opinion.And all but the most die-hard fans were finding new outlets as multimedia and overlapping seasons provided sports on the fast track. And I became a fair-weather fan of a team and game that rarely had good weather and, like life, is not always fair. I recall the early 70's Oakland A's barely getting 6,000 to a game while going on to win the 1972 World Series. Personally, I liked the team and the Colosseum must better than Windlestick; better weather, food and beer. And save for Crazy George, they had style. But alas, the Gertrude Stein curse still hovered over Oakland. Fast forward to the end of the Giants regular season and I find myself turning to the sports section and noting the standings. What...the Giants are in contention? When did this happen? Or better...how? Watching them play these last two months clearly has answered any questions I may have had and, like many, this TEAM captures my heart, hope and imagination. They never disappointed this fair-weather fan while playing some great, great ball and seemingly with heart and skill rather than ego and steroids. Their individual comments to the press were consistently humble and gracious, reaching a high water mark in professionalism and giving due credit to their opponents. These guys are a true class act. These Giants, their fans and all of San Francisco deserve a great parade today. They are a team to be proud of, for their victory in the World Series and the fact that they play as a team. Who knows...maybe it's time to start sleeping with my mitt and believing in the Tooth Fairy again. Go Giants, jb