46,800 people attended today's game. It's the last game the Oakland A's will ever play at the Coliseum — before the team moves to Sacramento for three years, and then on to Las Vegas.
On the train to the stadium, everyone was wearing an A's shirt. And soon the guy sitting next to me was telling old-timer stories...
He remembered 1973, when he was seven years old, and his dad took him to Game 7 of the World Series. His father had told him and his brother not to run onto the field if the A's won — but they'd disobeyed, and didn't come back for two hours. His brother stole a handful of grass from the field — he was going to plant it in the family's backyard... "It was Willie Mays' last game," he says — Mays was playing for the New York Mets. And the Oakland A's won, 5-2...
In line for today's game, I talked to a younger fan with a yellow plastic horn. He still remembered the infamous Cespedes trade of 2014 — and I'm wearing a Cespedes shirt. "They handed these out on the same day that they traded him away," I said.
"For Jon Lester," he says...
It seems like everyone is remembering their favorite player. The crowded concourse is a parade of uniform-style shirts, with names old and new. McGwire. Canseco. Donaldson. Reddick. Olson. Vogt. "Rooted in Oakland," says one shirt. "Long Live the Coliseum," says another.
And of course: "Sell." Lots of t-shirts from those fans who'd grokked that the only way the team stays in Oakland is if the current owner sells it to a different local buyer. Someone even wore a brown paper bag over his head with "Sell, MFer" written underneath the mouth.
But with a face hole cut out, so they could still watch the A's last game...
Maybe it shows how the fans prepared special outfits to wear for this final game. One woman wore a long green dress with an elaborate yellow flower stuck in her hair. I saw two huge men both wearing necklaces — one all-green, the other green and gold. Another man wore a gold chain with an oversized "A's" logo. And some fans carried hand-lettered signs.
"Oakland We Love U." "Gonna Miss This." "Oakland Forever." "No Love Like Oakland."
The outfield fence still has its "Holy Toledo" sign honoring the catchphrase of announcer Bill King, who died in 2005. "It comes down to how we choose to remember this," a voiceover said in the scoreboard's montage. And before the game, the scoreboard showed a montage of "Coliseum Moments". There's Oakland's Rickey Henderson, stealing his 939th stolen base to set the all-time record...
There's Scott Hatteberg, pumping his fist as he seals the A's 20th-in-a-row victory. And there's Billy Martin, arguing with an umpire. All framed by the words "Thank You, Oakland."
And in a miracle, the visiting team's line-up starts with a former Oakland A's shortstop, Marcus Semien.
They put fan signs on the scoreboard for everyone to see. "Pardon our tears." "Thanks for the memories." And the first pitch was thrown out by A's legends Dave Stewart and Rickey Henderson. The loudspeakers played "Can't Touch That" by M.C. Hammer — a former Oakland A's batboy...
The Star-Spangled Banner was sung by former A's pitcher Barry Zito. The "Holy Toledo" sign lit up red white and blue. A military aircraft did a flyover. The crowd cheered at "the rockets' red glare" — and then cheered again when Zito finished.
And then the crowd chanted "Sell the team."
The A's took the field to cheers. Some shouted "Let's go!" The first pitch was a strike. So was the second. A fly ball, and the batter is out. And then, another strikeout...
"Make noise" says the scoreboard. Cow bells ring in the outfield. But the third batter walks. The crowd boos the umpire. But the pitcher gets the final out after just 12 pitches. And somehow it felt like the 1970s again — with a historic game underway...
The second A's batter gets a hit. The crowd cheers what looks like another hit — but it's a foul. "Let's Go, Oakland," the crowd begins to chant. The last voice to stop chanting is a little girl in a long yellow A's shirt...
A man in a yellow suit walks by, handing out yellow roses. The loudspeakers play the Grateful Dead's "I Will Survive." The grounds crew had written "Thank you, Oakland" in the grass. Someone hands out stickers making fun of the man responsible for the team's move away from Oakland-- A's owner John Fisher.
And a sheet behind home plate begs "Don't Take This From Us"...
I'm remembering "Billy Ball" ads in 1982. How the receptionist at work wore a Dennis Eckersley jersey back in 1995. Suddenly the scoreboard is showing footage of a fan being asked trivia questions — and they're asking him how many saves Dennis Eckersley had with the A's. The fan guesses correctly — 320.
In the third inning the A's get a hit. Another hit advances the runner. He steals third on a wild pitch. Soon the A's have loaded the bases. They score twice before the inning is over.
And then in the top of the 4th, Marcus Semien hits into a double play...
A man in a tie-dyed t-shirt swings his rally towel. Our section is visited by "Krazy George." He's the Oakland fan who actually invented The Wave. He's 80 years old, and still going to games. The fans in our section recognize him, and give him a big cheer.
Also walking by is a man with two hand puppets. A woman in a green jacket takes a photo with a green camera...
Between innings, the scoreboard shows a little girl in a green wig who lifts up third base and carries it back to an outfield finish line. Then they show shots of the crowd. One crowdmember shakes a home-made sign. "You broke this green and gold heart."
Another sign says "Thanks for the memories." But the A is the Oakland A's logo — and the O is a baseball.
Another sign just says "We'll miss you."
And then a baseball-shaped beach ball bounces through the crowd. It flies onto left field. A member of the ground crew scoops it up, and carries it to the sidelines. The stadium boos, and chants "throw it back"...
The loudspeakers play Wham's "Careless Whisper." Every fan knows it was Josh Reddick's 2014 walkup music. He'd been slumping, switched to "Careless Whisper," started getting hits, then continued using it. Whenever it played, fans would raise their arms over their heads and sway back and forth...
The scoreboard shows birthday greetings — many acknowledging that it's also the team's final homestand. "Farewell A's amigos. It's been a blast." "Cheers to the Countless Memories We've Made."
A spontaneous chant breaks out in the stands. "Sell the team."
The A's go quietly in the 4th, but Texas is at 65 pitches. And the bottom of the 5th starts with a double. Soon the A's have two outs, but then the Texas left fielder drops a fly ball. The A's score — as the scoreboard shows Texas outfielder Langford dropping the ball from three different angles. With a runner still at first, there's a conference on the pitcher's mound...
I smell peanuts. I see that big guy with the green-and-gold necklace dancing on the scoreboard. They play the song "Ballpark Kids" by Barry Zito as they show children at today's game. The last shot is a row of kids all dressed in yellow shirts — all jumping up and down...
Texas gets a walk. Two more hits. A runner scores. Our pitcher gets pulled. The crowd gives him a standing ovation...
The scoreboard shows more footage of fans. There's two kids wearing giant green-foam fingers. A man with a sign that says "Thanks," nodding fondly.
And there's already a t-shirt for "The Last Game"...
The score is 3-2, but the A's score another double play. Our pitcher pumps his fists in the air. The wrap-around display flashes the play is "Under Review." Then it flashes "Call overturned." But the pitcher strikes out the next batter, and when the inning ends, Texas has failed to score.
The pumped up crowd resumes chanting "Sell the Team."
We heckle the guy in a Dodgers shirt. Someone's wearing a Godzilla mask. Between innings, the bigheads race — and the winning bighead is Rickey Henderson.
And the Wave goes around the Coliseum twice...
Our relief pitcher takes the mound, as the loudspeakers play thrasher punk music. There's a fly ball, but our centerfielder J.J. Bleday makes a spectacular diving catch. Soon it's time for the 7th-inning stretch. 46,800 people stand to sing "Take Make Out to the Ball Game."
"...if they don't win it's a shame..."
"Look around, take it in," the announcer advises. From the broadcast booth, our sportscasters toss baseballs to the fans. The whole stadium chants "Sell the team."
Even the two hand puppets...
It's the bottom of the 7th. Rooker walks, and then another hit advances him to second. Someone throws a beer can onto right field. Two more outs. And the inning ends with a fly ball...
Someone walks by carrying a sign that says "John Fisher has sex with couches too."
In the top of the 8th, our pitcher is pulled. As the crowd cheers, he pumps two fists in the air in solidarity with the fans. It's time for our all-star closing pitcher, Mason Miller. The scoreboard plays a montage with more thrasher music, and tells the crowd "It's Miller Time."
After three pitches, the runner is thrown out at first. After the third out, right fielder Lawrence Butler tips his hat to the crowd. The A's start their final at-bat in the bottom of the 8th with a walk — and then a sacrifice bunt. Then a single — advancing the runner to third — but then, two outs. And the score stays 3-2...
A sign in the crowd says "John Fisher is the definition of greed." Someone throws a roll of toilet paper. The crowd chants "Sell the team."
It's the final inning. The crowd rises to its feet. "Let's go Oakland" chanting begins. Miller has only thrown 10 pitches — and six of them were strikes.
Two fans storm onto the outfield...
Eight security officers in black uniforms run from the other direction. The one in centerfield dodges, dodges again, but slips to the ground. Soon they're both apprehended and escorted off the field. As one goes, he pumps his fist up into the air...
The organ plays the notes for a "Let's Go Oakland" chant. I hear that yellow plastic horn in the outfield. Then the left fielder calls time out. Someone's thrown something onto left field...
There's two outs and two strikes. The pitcher steps off. His next pitch? Foul... But his final pitch triggers a ground ball to third, which is tossed over to first for the final out. The A's have won their final game in the Oakland Coliseum....
The loudspeakers play "Celebrate". Our mascot Stomper runs to the pitcher's mound carrying a giant Athletics flag. As the players leave the field, they're congratulated by Rickey Henderson. Black-uniformed security officers quickly line up on the first base line...
A's manager Mark Kotsay is given a microphone. The crowd has stayed — everyone expecting there to be at least one thing more. Something... Kotsay says into the microphone that he feels privileged and honored to stand on this field. And he says that it hit him when his wife told him to walk out onto the grass one last time on the night before.
"I'm gonna keep this short," he says, "because I don't really know if I'm going to be able to make it through this..."
He thanked the staff "who have dedicated their lives to the Oakland A's. Especially those who aren't coming with us. I am forever grateful. I will never forget you."
And then to the fans he said — on behalf of all the players past and present, and the coaches, and "every one who's worn the green and gold... There are no better fans than you guys."
"Thank you all for loving the game of baseball..."
The wrap-around scoreboard flashed "Thank you Oakland." The players applauded. Some tipped their cap to the fans. "And last, I wanna..." Kotsay said — and then he got choked up.
Pulling himself together, he said "I wanna thank you guys for coming out today to share this moment. With the club that I'm so proud of... " He asked the crowd to pay homage to "this amazing stadium that we've had the privilege and pleasure of enjoying for 57 years."
He raised his cap to the fans. The scoreboard showed footage of fans cheering back. Third baseman Max Schuemann ran onfield with the green Athletics flag, and waved it from the pitchers mound.
And for the next hour, someone from the grounds crew scooped dirt from the outfield, and handed it up to any fan in the stands who wanted it...
I see that a sign hanging above the outfield wall says "Goodbye MLB". Another sign says "Mahalo Oak" — the Hawaiian word for gratitude and admiration. One sign just says "Farewell Oakland We'll Miss U"
And on the bus home, I heard the last post-game conversation that I'll probably ever hear.
"It was a good game."
"It was a good game. At least they gave us a good game for their last game."
"God bless 'em. We'll miss 'em."
"Yes we will."
But getting off the bus, I spotted one last A's fan. He's walking home on the other side of the street. He's still wearing his green vest, and I see that he's wearing it over one last hope-never-dies t-shirt. It says...
"Sell."