Elephant Rumblings: Athletics honour Ray Fosse at home opener, on uniforms

Happy Tuesday, Athletics Nation!

Yesterday the A’s played their first home game of the season, returning to the Coliseum and winning against the Orioles 5-1. As part of the home opener there were a number of ceremonies including the usual presentation of the staff, team, and starting lineup, but there were a few extra special touches for the late Ray Fosse.

First, and most notably, the A’s showed off and wore their memorial patches for the first time this year. It was announced previously that the Athletics would be (somewhat oddly) only wearing the Ray patch on the right arm of their home white jerseys. As this was the first chance for the Athletics to wear the home jerseys, it was our first chance to see the patch.

It’s a great design that perfectly encapsulates Fosse’s roles with the Athletics as a two-time World Series winning catcher as well as one of the voices of the A’s on radio and TV for thirty-five years. My only critique is that I wish the A’s wore them every game!

In addition to the jersey patch, fans who attended the home opener got the same design on a double-sided cardboard K-card. On the field there was an additional tribute, painted onto the pitcher’s mound.

It’s unclear whether the mound will stay like this past the home opener, but it was a great reminder that the spirit of Ray’s love of the game was there for every pitch of the game.

Finally, along with the usual welcome to the fans, the A’s presented a great video tribute to Foss.

While it was great seeing the A’s back at the Coli, there were definitely a few “Wow”s missing from the broadcast. Especially with the amount of plays involving a catcher that happened last night.

We miss you Ray, rest easy.

A’s Coverage

• Wally: Poll funded by group against A’s Howard Terminal Ballpark gets its desired result
• Hall: Roster moves: 6 players to COVID IL; prospect Nick Allen called up to majors
• Kawahara: A’s unveil jersey patch honoring Ray Fosse ($)
• The Athletic Staff: Oakland A’s have seven players on COVID-19 IL, MLB’s largest outbreak of season
• Kawahara: A’s place six players on COVID-19 injured list before home opener ($)
• Wirth: What we learned from A’s win over Orioles in home opener
• Kawahara: Defense, pitching lift A’s to win in home opener ($)
• Wirth: ‘The A’s Way’: Kotsay’s motto encapsulates early-season success
• Gallegos: No. 5 prospect Nick Allen added to A’s roster
• Brazil: Can the A’s flirt with .500 record in 2022? (video)
• Cabanatuan: Oakland Coliseum kitties will stay, unlike the Raiders and Warriors ($)

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• ESPN: Jake Arrieta announces retirement from baseball after 12 seasons, says ‘It’s just my time’
• Miller: When the Uniforms Seem Not Quite Right ($)
• Botte: Mets use heads-up loophole to end appeal play against Diamondbacks
• Blum: The Angels’ embarrassing telecasts show why in-person broadcasting is necessary ($)
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