BASEBALL!

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Yesterday was our last home game for the season.
Un be known to the crowd, at every gate was players and coaches. ALL of them were inside the gates.

The gate we went in had among others Derek Lee and Micheal Mchenry. This was a show stopper. Theres Mike with a bucket of dirty batting practice balls signing them and giving them to kids. Smiling away. Two little boys wanted Mom to take their picture with him. Micheal was so
cool about it. Mom had a little girl in diapers in her arms. Mike gives the oldest of the boys his CATCHERS mask to put up to his face, and he picked the other little guy up AND held the little girl! It was a family portrait. Damn, I had tears in my eyes! Also at my gate was pitcher Daniel McCutcheon, and he had on mullet wig and a pirate beard and moustache.....he was a photo opp for all of the kids too!

The players gave away the shirts off their backs and auto graphed them at the end of the game. The bandwagon fans all left, but the DIE HARDS, all went down to the lower level and ovated them (I thought this was nice) the players took off their hats, signed them tossed them into the crowd and stood there clapping for us......Truely fan appreciation.

I agree with Kobe- this is super! And you are a terrific fan! I so wish I couod go to more Giants games. I love it when they have pre-game things with the players and you can ask them questions. The little kids make me smile!!

Yeah- I'm a gushy when it comes to seeing what I used to feel as a kid at the ballpark. I loved going to games with my folks and siblings. It is a family memory that is very warm to me. It could be any kind of activity for any family, but I feel so blessed that I had these kinds of things in my childhood.

I shook hands with Willie Mays when I was 8 or 9 and with Willie McCovey, too. John Montefusco was another hero of mine as well as Mike Kruckow and Duane Kuiper, now our "hometown" announcers.

The Giants players are always talking about how they appreciate the fans- even during times my guys have not done well. Many do a lot of community service, especially "The Beard," closer Brian Wilson. He bought 1000 gloves personally and handed them out at an event for kids that are in little league this year that just don't have $ to buy a new glove. he chatted them up and played catch.

Yes, some of these guys make a lot of money, but a lot of them do get very involved in community organizations and activities and things like AIDS/HIV benefit drives and for the American Heart Association and cancer research.

This is a cool story, Yellowband!

Oh, and Kobe... I think the BoSox are getting that birth- very soon!