Giants vs. Red Sox at AT&T Park

Trafton B.

June 27, 2010 - 1:35 PM

Sitting in my favorite chair with my parents at our home in San Mateo, we're enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon watching the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox play the rubber match of their weekend series at AT&T Park. Nothing feels more like home than sitting in our living room watching Giants' games.

Yesterday morning my mother happened upon three tickets to the game, so I called up my buddy Dan, a born and raised member of the Red Sox Nation, and hopped on the train into the city. I don't mean to be nostalgic but I really need to provide some background info for all of you to understand the significance of watching baseball games has for Dan and myself.

Obviously, we both grew up watching Giants' game. In fact, we were at the ballpark with our fathers the last time the Red Sox came to San Francisco about five years ago. Pedro Martinez struck out Barry Bonds in the first inning, but as I recall the Giants emerged victorious at days end. Our baseball bond stems from something deeper though.

The summer after we graduated high school, before I could even called myself a Duck, Dan and I set out on a two-month, thirteen thousand mile road trip across America visiting Major League Baseball Parks. Our box score read something like twenty major league parks, a dozen minor league games including Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A, one college summer league game and even a high school game in Colorado. I'd love to give you a full recap of the summer extravaganza, but I wouldn't be able to do it justice. We saw a game ending walk in San Diego and future Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum make his debut in Milwaukee. We had a flat tire in North Carolina and a busted taillight in Cooperstown. In New Orleans, we watched a brass band play in the outfield and in New York we missed a Yankees game because we were stuck in traffic on the George Washington Bridge. As you can see, the Baseball Road Trip was a true coming of age story for us teenagers on the open highways.

If anyone wants to know more, please I will take any questions. I'll save you a little time and answer the obvious one. My favorite stadium fittingly was Fenway Park in Boston, which just so you all know is pronounced "Fenway Paaaahk." Best atmosphere, rich tradition and tastiest hot dogs. ‘Nuf said.
Like I was saying baseball holds a special place in my heart and Saturday was a special day for San Francisco Giants Fans, too.

Before the game, the Giants retired the number of Monford Merill "Monte" Irvin, who became the first African American born player to play for the franchise after signing with the New York Giants on July 8, 1949 only two years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier. Balloons flew as they revealed the orange and black #20 hanging in the rafters. Legends like Orlando Cepeda, Gayord Perry and Willie McCovey were on hand to congratulate him, and Willie Mays even told stories about his former teammate in New York.

What surprised me was that Monte had the poise to speak in front of the crowd and he was good! At 91 years young, he meekly shuffled to the podium. But then, all of a sudden this deep, booming voice with a hint of southern drawl echoed through the microphone, "Good afternoon. Thank you all so much. It's a pleasure to a be here, but then again at my age it's a pleasure to be anywhere..." He was awesome! He romance the crowd with stories of coming into the big leagues, and he told us his only regret in baseball was that he never had the privilege to play in San Francisco. He told us that he now feels like his career in baseball is complete before leaving the podium saying, "Once again, thank you to the Giants for this great honor. I still have one question though. What took you so long? Thank you and enjoy the game."

The only thing that would have made it more perfect would have been if the Giants could have pulled out a victory. We played a good game behind our young prospect, Madison Bumgarner, but the Red Sox just played a better one. Dan and I bantered back a forth during the game obviously. Then my mother leaned over to remind Dan that if he talked too much, she'd make him pay for the ticket. Nice move.

Alright that's enough baseball for now. Students arrive tomorrow and I still need to prep some materials. I'm excited, but I'm already exhausted thinking about how much work it's going to be. I think of it like I'm preparing for my post-collegiate years when there's no such thing as summer break.