Best Memory as a Giant Fan

[SF11704]

Been a Giant fan since the early 50s (Yes I'm that old). I actually attended the 1954 WS where May's made the 'catch'. Don't remember anything about that game at all. I was 8 at the time.

My best memory was the following year around 1956 or 1957. You were allowed to walk around baseball parks at that time. You coud stand by the dogouts and try and get an autograph from the players during batting practice. As a kid it was electric!

I remember standing with a bunch of kids yelling at whoever would come by. That was when Whitey Lockman came out of the dugout and actually talked with us. He also gave everyone who wanted one an autograph. Really a cool memory. That was one of the last times I can remember having the ability to meet players and get autographs.

After that the ballparks became much stricter controlling where you could and could not go. They seemed to go out of their way to keep kids away from the players. They had ushers posted all over the park for that purpose.

As a kid .... going to the ballpark was a magical experience ...

 

[tzill]

Easy peasy:

10.2.71 -- I was very young but I saw Gaylord Perry beat the eventual world champion Pirates in Game 1 of the playoffs. IIRC (and I'm pretty sure I do) Fuentes and McCovey went deep.
Opposing pitcher was Steve Blass, and Dave Cash and Al Oliver were terrifying. I pooped a few LITERAL diapers that day.

 

[SF11704]

Easy peasy:

10.2.71 -- I was very young but I saw Gaylord Perry beat the eventual world champion Pirates in Game 1 of the playoffs. IIRC (and I'm pretty sure I do) Fuentes and McCovey went deep.
Opposing pitcher was Steve Blass, and Dave Cash and Al Oliver were terrifying. I pooped a few LITERAL diapers that day.

Wasn't it Steve Blass that couldn't find the plate at all the next year? I'm ptetty sure it was a real good Pirate pitcher that just lost all control of his pitches . .

 

[calsnowskier]

1st and easiest was Nov 1, 2010. That was just amazing.

But on a more personal level…

Spring training, probably 1988? 1989? Back then, ST was much like SF11704 described above. The players would often walk through the stands once they left the game. I think they needed to to get the clubhouse.

Anyway, we are at a Giants / Mariners game, and the Mariners had some hotshot rookie coming up. Forget his name, but I think he was a second generation player, and his dad even played on the team as well. He left the game and was walking through the stands to get to... well, where ever he was going. He got swarmed by a dozens of kids asking for autographs. He couldn’t move. He was mAbe 19 or 20 at the time. He leterally started yelling “MOMMY!” It was clearly good natured, but he also was in a situation he wasn’t sure how to get out of.

My dad, until the day he died loved telling that story. It always made him laugh.

 

[msgkings322]

I don't know if I can pick a 'best' one but one that has stayed with me strongly is when Brian Wilson got Ryan Howard looking to end the NLCS and go to the Series. We were out with a few other couples at a SF restaurant and everyone was following the game on their phone and when that happened the whole restaurant erupted. That was fun.

I also remember in 2002 when the Giants beat the Cardinals to advance to the series, I remember celebrating by coming out of the bar with my friends to see all the bars emptying and people going into the streets celebrating (this was downtown).

 

[Stokes1931]

I don't know if I can pick a 'best' one but one that has stayed with me strongly is when Brian Wilson got Ryan Howard looking to end the NLCS and go to the Series. We were out with a few other couples at a SF restaurant and everyone was following the game on their phone and when that happened the whole restaurant erupted. That was fun.

I also remember in 2002 when the Giants beat the Cardinals to advance to the series, I remember celebrating by coming out of the bar with my friends to see all the bars emptying and people going into the streets celebrating (this was downtown).

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/669580/howard1.gif

 

[Stokes1931]

 

[LHG]

Hard to pinpoint a favorite but one memory that sticks out is my first game at Candlestick. I got into baseball in 1990 but it took a couple years before my family made the trek from Fresno to San Francisco to catch a game. My dad's mom was from SF, so my dad was well versed on how to dress for an early season game at the Stick. I was a big autograph collector at that time and there was a signing booth set up for fans to get Jeff Brantley's signature. We waited in that line for what felt like eternity and I don't really remember the interaction with Brantley (I think that they were moving people quickly through) but I really enjoyed the chance to get any Giants' signatures and be able to watch a game live and in person.

 

[stanford the manford]

I've been lucky....

In attendance for both Cain's perfecto and Timmy's NoNo against the Pads in '13.

Best stadium memory was my boss dropping by my desk 10/9/89 saying he had to travel and could I use his LF bleacher tix for game 5 of the MLDS against the Cubs.. I was in Palo Alto at the time and called my bud in Middletown (N. of Napa). We both hightailed it to the 'Stick and got our 1st beers just in time for Tower of Power's National Anthem. Beautiful day and a total party in the bleachers. Will Clark's crowning moment IMO. Epic game and the 'stick at it's finest. Never forget that day

Best childhood memor(ies) was playing wiffle ball with my neighbor in the 60s everytime a Giants-Dodgers game was on radio. It was a modified 2 person over the line thingie. The radio was brought out to the front yard with an un-UL approved assortment of extension cords and we play the game along to Vin Scully (lived in SoCal at the time). We batted and pitched, complete with mannerisms, as the team we represented. Pat was the Dodgers, and I was the Giants. Lefties and righties were as appropriated mimicked as best a coupla of pre-teens could do. Very good memories

 

[pachyderm]

While living in San Mateo aged 8.. I guess... I was in second grade I'd go in the back yard by myself, no neighbor kids my age and play Giants games. I used my bat and I'd steal either a plastic apple or peach from our dining room table for a ball.

Same era my dad and I going to the stick to see them play the Braves. The players on the field that day....wow.
Aaron, Mays, McCovey.

 

[SF11704]

On the other side of the coin .... a not so wonderful memory ... not exactly sure when .. all I remember is that one of the major NYC shopping centers was holding a special meet and great with Willie, Mickey and the Duke! They presented it 'come and meet New York's biggest legends. Get their autographs free.' They were all retired at this point. So this was all about childhood memories. Yep ... the autographs were free ... but you had to pay a $125 admission fee just to get into the center itself. Sort of lost all the childhood wonderment at that moment ... this is when I clearly realized that it was all a business now ....