Excitement this time of year centers on many sports, the NFL, the NHL, the start of the NBA season and of course, the fall classic, the World Series. It is the one time of the year that I might watch a game from start to finish. It is a showcase of the best in baseball for the season.
Though my Giants are not in the World Series, I am rooting for the first timers, the Washington Nationals, originally a team that moved from Montreal. When my guys are not playing I root for the underdog, or the first timers. Or anyone not named the Dodgers!
My first World Series experiences were the Oakland Athletics, who won three straight in 1972 to 1974. Why? Many of the players lived in Alameda, where I was working in my first job out of school. They often dropped tickets by and begged us to attend. Not to mention, those were great teams with a rather eccentric owner. Then, later in 1988, my son and I went to the World Series when the A’s lost to the Dodgers. We had tickets for the 1989 Series with the Giants, but the sweep was on.
Fast forward to 2010, when the Giants won their first World Series in San Francisco. I recall it was Game 2, against the Texas Rangers, a blowout win for the home town boys. Matt Cain was the winner that night. I bought the tickets from a scalper across the street from the stadium. Little did he realize the seats were in the 3rd row behind Third Base. Hey, I got to third base!!!! And we had a great time!!!!
But attending a major sporting event like this is special. It creates the memory of a lifetime. Watching on TV does not compare. But it is certainly cheaper than going.