\nGiants pitcher has had a pretty good game after giving up two runs in the
\nfirst inning. Not 15 second later, the pitcher gives up a home run — to the
\nMarlins’ pitcher. <\/li>\n
\nsticks his glove up to catch the ball, and the ball hits it so hard that the
\nglove flies off the guy’s hands and lands about six rows behind him. Somebody
\nhas to toss the glove back down to its owner. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Getting ahead of myself. Here’s how the day went: <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/1ferry.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
We line up to board the ferry, docked at Jack London Square in Oakland. It’s
\n$21 for two roundtrip tickets. It makes another stop in Alameda, then goes straight
\nto the ballpark across the bay in San Francisco. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/2cranes.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
These giant cranes at the Oakland port reminded me of those gaint war machines
\nin the second Star Wars movie. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/3pier.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Here’s the ferry stopping at SBC Park in San Francisco. Overheard: "You
\nknow what SBC means? Some Big Corporation." The water over at left is McCovey
\nCove, where many a Bonds homer has splashed down.<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/4park.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
If you stood here long enough you’d see one of Barry Bonds’ home runs sail
\nright over your left shoulder. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/5cokebottle.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A couple of the whimsical adornments at the ballpark. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/6cottoncandy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
I have no idea who eats cotton candy these days, but somebody must like it.\n<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/7cops.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Are seats were not far from here, behind home plate in the upper deck, about
\nsix rows from the top. Nosebleed city, for sure, but a good place to see the
\naction far enough away that we could avoid seeing grown men scratch their private
\nparts. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/7tyingrun.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The Giants went down 2-0 early in the game. This is a Giants guy tying the
\nscore at 2-2. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/8fullhouse.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
It was a full house at 40,000-plus, with a nice view of the bay too boot. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/9singers.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The folks behind us are singing "Take me out to the ballgame," during
\nthe Seventh Inning Stretch. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/10fanserupt.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Everybody stood up when Bonds came home to score the go-ahead run. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/11scoreboard.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The scoreboard is immense. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/12fistinair.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A fan goes wild when the Giants score a few insurance runs late in the game<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/13walk.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Nice overview of our perspective in the stands. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/14flags.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Another patriotic visage to keep the Patriot Act defenders away. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/15oldbar.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
When we got back to Jack London Square after the game was over, we stopped
\nby this old bar to grab a beer. Prices are much kinder ($4 vs. $7.75 at the
\nballpark) and there’s the benefit of having actual writers like the guy at that
\ntable (he really was wearing a beret!) scribbling into their notebooks. The
\ninside is dark and quirky, with the added advantage of a sloping floor resulting
\nfrom too many earthquakes. Supposedly Jack London used to hang out at this bar,
\nbut even if he didn’t, he should’ve. It has room for about 15 people at maximum
\ncapacity. It’s an obvious tourist trap, but it’s one of my favorite places in
\nthe Bay Area. Always has cool bartenders on duty and good music in the CD player.
\nWith any luck it will never become popular. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/tommangan.net\/archives\/images\/5104giantsgame\/16wolf.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Here’s a sculpture of a wolf, because Jack London wrote about wolves. Had he
\nsuspected he would inspire an urban shopping zone named in his honor, he probably
\nwould’ve become a copy editor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yesterday was another of those perfect Bay Area days. Blue skies, warm sun, cool bay breezes. We made the most of it by taking the Alameda ferry over to SBC Park to see the Giants play the Florida Marlins. The…<\/p>\n