It is Time....

Last week I attended my first Oakland game (actually two of them) in quite sometime as I have been living out of the Bay Area for a few years now.  I was able to take my 17-month old son to his first game ever.  Now, I live in Boston and could've taken him to the fabled den of Fenway, but why would I do that to my first born son?  or anybody's child?
Anyway, as my sense of nostalgia grew when I entered the Coliseum last week, I got to thinking about those games way back in the 70's and 80's and how many, many fans, usually Boosters and old-timers, used to bring cowbells and the like to the games and ring them when Rickey would steal a base, or Campy would put one into the hole, or Lansford would wiggle his bat at the plate, etc.  All that bell-ringing made for a great atmosphere, especially at a night game.  So much so, that upon my arrival back home, I put my recently purchased Oakland Athletics World Series DVD in and watched with pride as our fans rang those bells and made some historic runs at winning the Championship.  
I ended up talking to one of these old-time Boosters at one of the games last week and she was hilarious and quirky...a total A's novelty!  I asked her about bringing the cowbell tradition  back, and we both agreed it was time!!  I would think those of you who have been around for awhile know what I'm talking about.  It is a unique and quirky Oakland tradition.
Now I know some of you might be thinking "don't mess with the mojo now, for godssakes!!"...and I am down with that by all means.  And I certainly dont want to cause any rift with any drummers in the bleachers, either.  I just was wondering if anyone else out there felt the need to start bringing cowbells, handbells, etc out the the games and start ringing them to drum up some of that old Coliseum magic.  I know the place is old and everyone dismisses it and the A's are a stepchild, etc.  All the more reason to keep this team ours and ours alone by honoring our weird ways a la Finley, mules, mustaches, white shoes and Hot Pants.  
I suppose this is just basically a musing on the atmoshphere created by all the great fans at the Coliseum, bolstered largely by the need to see and hear that atmosphere from a long distance via TV and the internet.  I just thought that with the all the weird stuff that this season has brought (King passing, Steele missing, injuries, Larry Davis, abysmal play followed by win after win...again) it would perhaps be fitting to bring forth some additional quirks.  
This team looks pretty solid right now and is really just beginning to gel...it would be something to win it all this year of all years.  This is baseball after all, and stranger things have happened.
 I'll be listening and watching to see if bells begin showing up slowly but surely as this club becomes more solid , makes the playoffs and wins its 5th Oakland Championship.