Why it is I relate to baseball....

I love my Giants. there is no question about that. I have been a fan since our family moved to the Bay Area from LA... well there may have been a time that I favored Sandy Cofax.... (probably spelled that wrong being the Giant fan that I am.)

The Giants have been through the mill. Up and down and out more times than you could count. Still the faithful always believed there would be a day when we would see what we saw today. The flag of a Champion flying high over our stadium.

Today didn't start with the idea I would see this game. Very like the world series I didn't think it possible I could actually snag a ticket I could afford. So on the day of the first game I walked to see the action... Today, I took the Ferry with every intention of seeing the pre-game action and walking back to Sausalito. But as it was, I took the ferry and leisurely walked toward the park.

Along the way I saw like-minded fans. Most of whom, I assumed had tickets. The businesses had their signs out in support.

And fans from way way back...had pins and fan gear galore. This fellow had a breast cancer pin on his back back along with dozens of other pins. When I got to the park, I decided I would just check to see if there were any tickets available for this sold out game. I stood in line behind a women who was told to speak with a woman at one window. The Giants ticket gal said " I have two tickets in section 226 row L seats 1-2. The person in front of me was calling her husband I suppose. "They are section 226 row L . " 'Ok ok" she said as she stepped away from the window. Then it was my turn. "Can I help you" the Giants ticket lady said. "I need just one ticket," feeling quite certainly they wouldn't want to sell only one of these club level seats. But I was wrong... "Here you go" she said... Immediately afterward the woman who I was behind came back to the window. "I'll take those tickets!" she said. "Sorry this lady already bought them....." HA! meant to be. It was around 9:30 and here I was... with tickets for a 1:35 game. So I decided to check out the immediate vicinity until the gates opened at 10:45. I walked down China Basin and saw people already tailgating... Maybe Mimosas? Then I walked further until I came to Mission Bay. San Francisco has a whole lot of new businesses coming to town lately. Here at Mission Bay you'll find bio-tech and pharmaceutical companies. And where there is new businesses there are CONDOS! Winding my way back toward the park, I walked past some of the older establishments and clubs along the water front. Then back through more tail gating... and partyers.

Some of whom seemed like they were already celebrating.

The cove outside the park is called McCovey Cove after Willie McCovey #44. Here there is also a "Barry Bonds" junior Giant's field. There were a dozen or more kids playing ball here this morning. It made me remember being the score keeper for my brother's little league team.

McCovey.

The early birds are the crazy fans. Do I count?

Bordering McCovey cove are tiles that people donated, including Glenn, the girls and me. In return you received a signed McCovey baseball and the challenge of finding your tile among the hundreds.

Back at the park folks began to line up eager for the start of baseball at AT&T park.

There are some new exhibits at the park commemorating the WS win!

Looks like Barry has donated his bat ... I am guessing from the Home Run record with or without asterisk.

The uniforms they wore when they won...

Signed baseballs.

Shirt to commemorate today.

Once inside... it was a long wait. But it was interesting. we watched the batting practice.

Broadcasters getting ready.

And the workers getting ready...

Pitchers warming up...

My seat.

Flags...

Bobbleheads

Words of wisdom.

ME

The big board.

Raynelle

Train singing "Save me San Francisco"

And so they arrive, the Victors, with pyrotechnics.

Getting ready for the anthem.

Color guard.

Rolling out the flag.

VIDEO

National Anthem

VIDEO

Huff Daddy

There were some definate highs. A little girl called out the names of the first 3 players in the 3rd ... MICHAEL TA HOTTA!

Promptly on the first pitch Miguel Tejada launched a homerun! Pat Burrell hits one long in the 7th. Double plays. Pitching that left you sitting on the edge of your seat. Dropped pop flies. Miraculous cathces.

WILSON warming up for the 9th

The game was one of those classic tortureous Giants games. Although it was close as we reached the 9th, I was pretty confident as Brian Wilson came in, we would have a win. It wouldn't be the perfect opener without a win!

It looked oh so close with 2 outs , 2 strikes... but honestly I think/know the ump missed a couple of calls for Brian...and then bases loaded... who knew.

But sure enough... drama, trauma and torture followed. After our 3-2 lead evaporated and turned inot a 3-4 deficit, I had to leave. Not because I didn't believe, but I because I had to catch a ferry. So I took my Iphone and turned on the MLB app to follow the torture on the way home. Problem being, my phone must have more GIANTS use because the battery went dead. I had to wait until I found another Giant fan on the ferry to find out we were tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 12th. By the time I reached my car, Aaron Rowand had hit a man home and we had won the game after all.

WHY is Giant baseball so familiar to me????

As a Cancer survivor we know what it means to never give up. We know what it means to come from behind in the bottom of the 12th. When other people say, the odds are stacked against us, we know what determination and belief can do. It can make you a champion. It can make you a survivor.

There is something special about being someone who has beaten the odds.

YUP the Giants and me.... we know something about that.

BATGIRL would be nice...but there are 6 pages of people who would be just as worthy a representative for the GIANTS as I might be. I am sure whoever they (the Susan G Komen committee) picks knows just what I am talking about. NEVER give up.

ALWAYS believe that magic can happen.

TRAIN's song that kicked off the celebration.

Bet all X-SF folks can relate.