A Baseball Xperience - Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Getting to the Ballpark

It is Friday June 7th, 2024, and tonight will be a night I will probably remember for the rest of my life. When I learned that the baseball team in Oakland would be leaving after this year and I would be in the Oakland area, I decided to buy some tickets to a game. I chose a Friday Night game because it not only fit my itinerary but also happened to be fireworks night. We left the place we were renting in San Francisco around 5:20 pm and came across rush hour traffic which made a typical 30 minute drive over an hour. It was a typical cold windy day in Oakland. Even though the temperatures were in the low 60s or High 50s the wind makes it feel much colder. As we enter the parking area, I was reminded of the time I went to a game here back in 1999. That day was a nice sunny Wednesday Afternoon. I went up to the gate that day and asked for the best seats they had and they replied we have some tickets behind home plate for $30. Ironically the tickets we got in section 214 Row 12 this time around were about the same price. I found them online at the teams website under specials. They had 4 tickets for a family that included parking. Here is a tip. Look at teams websites first for specials like these before trying to go to a 3rd party ticket seller. Sometimes we will find a hidden deal.

Entering the Ballpark

I could tell right away that sadly this stadium had not been updated during the 25 year period since the last time I was here. We waited in long security lines before entering the ballpark. We immediately entered the team shop so I could get my baseball book stamped and get a little gift of my experience here. As we walked around the stadium to our seats I was surprised by the number of fans that were at the game. We got some nachos to help keep us warm but it didn't really work.

The Game

By the time we got to our seats it was the 4th inning and the game was still scoreless as both starting pitchers were throwing a good game. They were helped tremendously by the cold wind blowing and the ball not carrying very well tonight. The stadium definitely had a weathered old concrete structure feel to it with very little warmth or excitement.

I noticed at first the crowd was not into the game. There was a lot on their mind. Many of them were carrying green banners that simply had the word "SELL". Instead of cheering for the team, when the time came the whole audience would chant "Sell the Team" "Sell the Team"... They were all still holding out hope that somehow the current owner of the team could sell the team and someone locally would buy the team from him and allow the team to stay. I took a photo of the fans cheering and the sun setting at the same time. It felt symbolic at the moment. It reminded me of the situation back in 1995 When the football team in Cleveland decided to move to Baltimore. The emotion in the city back then was both of sadness, anger, and desperation to do anything to keep their team. The game in Oakland kept going with no score until later in the game when both teams scored a run apiece. Then something unusual happened. The top of the ninth the closer for the home team was being introduced with loud music and fire showing on all the scoreboards and all of a sudden the crowd got on their feet and starting cheering very loudly. The whole atmosphere changed in an instant. The closer seem to gather that energy and overpowered everyone he faced that inning. The crowd roared as he finished striking them out. The bottom of the ninth was about to begin; the first batter steps to the plate and the very first pitch he swings hard and sends the ball over the right field fence to win the game. For at least one evening the fans in Oakland got to cheer and celebrate their team.

A Special Moment

A few minutes after the celebration the announcer at the stadium announced something I had never heard before. The fans were invited to come down on the field to watch the fireworks. At first I thought I heard the announcement wrong then about five minutes later it was announced again and slowly the fans start to come down to the field and then they came in hundreds at a time. We went down to the first level seating. and watched; the people of Oakland had a special night to remember and cherish. It was emotional to watch. Sports allow people to forget the issues of life for a few hours and celebrate something fun together. Then a song with the words.. "When the lights go down in the city... by the bay"... the crowd roared. That song was written about their community. The lights went out and everyone looked up and the music started playing and the fireworks began. To view and witness that moment is hard to put in words. It has been stated there is no crying in baseball. You were not human that night if you didn't have a few tears in your eyes. It was bittersweet to see the fans celebrate their team this one last night.

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