Two things are (nearly) a lock when my niece Stephanie and I attend a game together: some strange, random things take place, and the A’s win.

Today was no exception as the Green and Gold gave its fans one last thrill for 2008.

I parked my car at South Hayward BART and headed to Castro Valley, where Steph picked me up.  While I waited for her, I people-watched.  Everywhere I looked, everyone was in good spirits.  I saw Steph at the light, ready to turn left to where I was standing, just one car in front of her.  That car pulled directly in front of me, and inside were two attractive women in their mid-to-late-20’s.  For a moment, I forgot Steph was there.  Then I collected myself and got into my niece’s car.  She teased me, saying something like, "Oh I’m sorry; did you want to go with them?"  As we drove past, we could see the woman that was being dropped off rather close to the woman in the driver’s seat.  This was no goodbye smooch between friends; these young women appeared to be auditioning for a Dentyne commercial.  Steph said, "There’s something you don’t see every day."  To which I replied, "Not without entering my password." 

(I’m kidding, geez)

We ate Burger King in the parking lot and made our way into the stadium at about 11:45, way earlier than I usually go in.  But I didn’t want to miss the All-Time A’s being announced.  We received souvenir t-shirts at the gate.  The lady handing out the shirts politely advised that all she had left for me was XL.  Somehow I heard that as "Here fatty, you can use this as a bib while you eat your garlic fries."

We reached our seats, beers in hand, and I immediately felt the unfamiliar sensation of the sun on my neck.  Our seats are usually under the overhang, but today we were in Row 19. Steph worried about foul balls, saying "If I get hit by a ball, I’m suing God for fate".  It was getting dangerously close to game time, and still no All-Time A’s.  I pretended not to worry.  Finally they appeared from the dugout, and I could not believe my eyes.  Where was Reggie and Vida?  Where was Dave Kingman?  Where was La Russa, Mac, Carney and Eck?  Where was Mark Ellis??  (OK, I knew about Ellis, but still).  Nine no-shows?  Really?  No wonder the A’s don’t celebrate their past.  It was embarrassing, and nearly overshadowed the few guys that did make the trip.  

Your right-fielder for the All-Time No Shows, Reg...

The fans were treated to the likes of Rickey and Stew tossing baseballs into the stands, which I noticed coming back down the stairs with Beer Number Two.  As one of the thrown balls sailed far over my head, a woman- who somehow thought she had a chance at the ball- barreled into me, knocking some of my beer onto the concrete.  She apologized while I looked at her with my best WTF face.

We were joined by niece Christina, her husband Greg, and their son Ethan.  Chris is due with their second next month.  It is because of this- and Ethan’s age (3)- that my game partners for the last five seasons have decided not to renew next year, preferring to wait until the kids have grown up.  I can’t say I’m not saddened by this.  Little Ethan charmed us with his imaginary candies, which ranged from chocolate to French toast flavored.  The treats were not real, but the money he collected was; in all he walked out with $8.50.

I'm going to miss this guy at the ball yard next season.

On the field, all seemed lost, with zeroes under the scoreboard letters "R" and "H" into the sixth, and the Mariners taking a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh.  By this time, the lady at the concession stands (Grace) knew which beers to get just by seeing our faces. 

Bobby Crosby, much-maligned, drove in Oakland’s first run with a double to left, and he- and Daric Barton- came around to score on Aaron Cunningham’s game-tying two-bagger, as I yelled into Stephanie’s ear.  Came the 8th and Ryan Sweeney worked a walk in front of Jack Cust. 

It was way back on April 1 that Cust got the A’s on the scoreboard in the Oakland home opener with an opposite-field home run off Daisuke Matsuzaka, and it was another opposite-field blast that closed out the scoring at the Coliseum, and gave the A’s a 5-3 lead.

Jack's jack gave the home crowd one last thrill for 2008.

Fittingly, it was Brad Ziegler and Joey Devine shutting down the Mariner’s in the eighth and ninth innings, and the Home Nine bid farewell to the Home Crowd with a win.  What else can a guy ask for? 

Well…nah, let’s just leave it at that.