A Not-So-Bad Day at the Park

by 67MARQUEZ on May 9, 2009 7:29 PM PDT

Aside from the very real possibility that I may never see the A's win in person again (in whiteshoes40's language, that's L-L-L-L this season for 67M), the day wasn't a total loss for yours truly.

And here's why:

The ninth-inning almost comeback
Two no-doubt-about-it bombs by Jason Giambi
Bobblehead giveaway
Great weather, no sunburn
Sofia's first game (she is my business partner's 20-month old daughter)

***

My associate Vince had me convinced that the A's were going to make a game of it before the bottom of the ninth started, and part of me wished for one of those quiet 1-2-3 innings that removes even the smallest hint of hope. Of course I was completely sucked in by the time Landon Powell stepped to the plate, dreaming of the kind of win you rush home to write about.

But it was not to be.

And yet I am not down in the dumps over this latest defeat; I guess there are worse ways to spend a Saturday afternoon than to hang out with family and friends while watching your favorite baseball team under a picture-perfect sky.

My niece Christina was there with her husband Greg and their two sons, Ethan (4) and Charles Ellis (closing in on eight months). Christina was well aware of my 0-for-‘09, and threatened that she was going to have to ask me to leave if Sean Gallagher continued along his run-per-inning pace. Her boys were wonderfully behaved, as was Sofia, who knew exactly when to clap, and did so with enthusiasm.

***

Today's giveaway was a Justin Duchscherer bobble-head, and it made me yearn for the days when the souvenirs were not corporate-sponsored. And back then, every fan walked away with something, not just the first 10,000 to enter the stadium.

It made me think of Charlie Finley.

The man who orchestrated the A's move to Oakland in 1968 may have been an ass to anyone who worked for him, but he seemed to go to Barnum-esque lengths with his promotions. It wasn't so much the free stuff, either.

Yeah, there was Bat Day and Cap Day, but there was also Hot Pants Day and Farmers Day. There were animated scoreboards and fireworks after every win, and a mechanical rabbit named Harvey, who would "pop up" from under home plate to provide fresh baseballs for the umpire.

Hot Pants Day and Farmers Day were just two of Charlie Finley's promotions.

Never mind the fact that some of his ideas dramatically changed the game, such as the designated hitter and World Series night games; Finley made it fun to go to the ball park while assembling a team that won three consecutive World Series in the early ‘70's.

Of course Finley destroyed what he once built, but that's a story for another day.

Speaking of stories, there is the one about Debbie Sivyer, better known to the world as Debbi Fields, who created a cookie monster of sorts. What few people realize is that she was born in Oakland, and was one of Charlie Finley's very first ball girls. So yeah, before she became Mrs. Fields, she fielded foul balls for the Oakland A's.

Debbi Fields, before she turned in her baseball glove for an oven mitt.

***

Alas, the team has long since done away with ball girls, which means Sofia will just have to settle for watching the A's from the stands. All things considered, that's not such a bad gig.

Green and Golden Slumbers: Sofia, holding Duke, dreams of her next game.

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Comments

A few comments

1. Keep going to the games. It’s awesome to introduce the game to a new generation. But maybe try a disguise to stop the streak.
2. Notice the guys in the dugout seem far more interested in Debbie on the sidelines than the game on the field. Imagine if she brought cookies.
3. Charlie O. also proposed orange baseballs for better visibility, which is probably a good idea but a little too radical for the powers above.

JJ Martin
The best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until the ball stops rolling and then pick it up. ~Bob Uecker

by JJ Martin on May 9, 2009 7:44 PM PDT reply actions

When 76 gas station use to have the orange a's baseballs you could get with gas.

Those were perfect to take when going camping in the woods.
White baseball would always get lost in the background of the trees when playing catch. But me and my brother took the orange baseballs and those were perfect when playing catch in the woods, never lost sight of it.

Off topic from that. Of who went to the game today, who will match me and also attend next Saturdays game. Some how I think I will be the only person besides the A’s that goes to both today and next Saturdays game.

by The Golden One on May 9, 2009 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Aw, that’s cute.

The Ultimate Opportunist

by Rated-R Superstar on May 9, 2009 7:45 PM PDT reply actions

You know what would have been über-cool?

Two outs, bottom of the ninth, down by three runs…grand slam by Adam Kennedy in his A’s debut. AND IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED!

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on May 9, 2009 9:56 PM PDT reply actions

Not with his power.

It would have been nice for Powell to drive in the winning runs though.

by OldhamA on May 10, 2009 2:51 AM PDT up reply actions

I was in the park today sitting in 114.

I couldn’t believe how easily the bobbleheads were obtained …and how did you not get sunburned? We forgot ours and we are all burned to crisps…but I do so agree with you about sitting with family and watching the A’s. It was such a fun day for us even if the A’s didn’t pull-off the comeback. Powell sure sucked at the plate. Even old Bobby came through in the crunch…he even seemed patient when compared to the likes of Powell.

by IM4Oakgal on May 9, 2009 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

*forgot our sunscreen

by IM4Oakgal on May 9, 2009 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Avoiding the sun

Our seats are under the overhang. ;-)

I think the A’s might have been concerned about having too many bobbleheads; both Charles and Sofia (who did not need a ticket to enter) received souvenirs.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on May 10, 2009 5:50 AM PDT up reply actions

I can't believe they wre still giving out bobbleheads until 2 pm.

I guess the fascinaiton with them is over. However , Duke is one of the few pitchers to be an All Star as both a starting paitcher and reliever. That in itself is worth getting his bobblehead.

"We get two outs, and I was sure, and I had a plan, and I shook Tek off," Schilling said. "And I get a big 'What if?' for the rest of my life."

by Imaseasonticketholder on May 9, 2009 10:44 PM PDT reply actions

The bobblehead surplus was a mystery, that's for sure.

by IM4Oakgal on May 9, 2009 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Well it is pretty easy to figure out.....they gave away Bobbleheads to the first 15,000 and the attendance was only 15,817.

There is no A in OFFENSE!!

by wacchampions on May 11, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions

PS

Sofia is a little doll.

by IM4Oakgal on May 9, 2009 11:33 PM PDT reply actions

Harvey

Wow, awesome post. Thanks. I didn’t know about the Harvey baseball bunny at home plate before. It had me laughing and a bit surprised!

I assume that the inspiration for Harvey comes from the 1950s film with Jimmy Stewart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_(film)

But it made me think of the alternative writer from Santa Cruz, Robert Anton Wilson, who wrote about all kinds of left field meta-reality themes. RAW often told the story of a mystical rabbit from Kerry County, Ireland, named Harvey:

In the early ‘70s, experimenting heavily with psychedelics and other forms of “deliberately induced brain change,” Wilson underwent a series of unusual…experiences. “Around 1973 I became convinced for a while that I was receiving messages from outer space,” he informs us in Maybe Logic. “But then a psychic reader told me that I was actually channeling an ancient Chinese philosopher. And another psychic reader told me I was channeling a medieval Irish bard. And at that time I started reading neurology and I decided it was just my right brain talking to my left brain. And then I went to Ireland and discovered it was actually a six-foot-tall white rabbit — they call it the pooka.”
     A little later he comments, "I like the giant rabbit from County Kerry because there’s no chance anyone will take that literally."
     Including yourself? asks the interviewer.
     Wilson agrees. Then he adds, “Well, not too literally.” He glances over his shoulder. “Sorry about that, Harvey.”

http://www.reason.com/news/show/28961.html

Rabbits have also been linked to numerous UFO sighting. Jimmy Carter himself claims he saw UFOs while fishing and at the same time was attacked by rabbits. No joke.

http://thebravenewworldorder.blogspot.com/2006/06/movie-synchronicity-6-robert-anton.html

If they still had Harvey today in the Coliseum they could’ve tied him in as a promotional gimmick for this film:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Darko

I wonder if Charlie Finley ever read any new age UFO writers from Santa Cruz or was ever visited by rabbits? Any UFO sightings near the Coliseum at that time? :-P

I was going to buy a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking, and then I thought: "What the hell good would that do?"

by Jackson23 on May 10, 2009 1:02 AM PDT reply actions

Not sure

if Finley was ever visited by rabbits, but one of his more radical, though short-lived, ideas was the designated runner. Herb Washington appeared in 105 games, and he did not make one plate appearance (nor play the field!), which has to be some sort of record for non-pitchers.

As for Harvey, here’s a shot of him: