SF Giants 2010 Opening Day!

The Opening Day for the Giants in San Francisco is as much about fashion and food as baseball. In orange and black outfits, and panda costumes aka Pablo 'Panda' Sandoval, it's a day for fans to dress as sporting glitterati.

And while the city have just named every Monday 'Vegetarian Day,' they might just as well call this 'Giants' Sick Day!' Alongside the ballpark, with just under two hours to go to the Opening Pitch, fans crowded onto outside tables at the newly-opened Mejita restaurant. There, the first request for a pic set the scene, being met with concerned and hasty denial.

'No! 'I'm playing hooky and I don't want anyone to see me!' said a lady, as she tucked into a plate of Mexican food with three friends.

Around the corner, people were streaming onto the Willie Mays Plaza, and staff were doing a great job in ushering what would be almost 43,000 fans through the massive, dark-green gates, including carrying out bag searches. Free calendars were being handed out, too, at the entrances.

Inside the teeming ballpark, Sara, though, had no such qualms of 'sick day!' as she sported a panda hat and number 48 shirt of Pablo Sandoval.

'I'm partial to his number. We sit just past third base so we get to see him close up,' she said. But she's also a huge fan of him apart from his number. 'He's a great guy! We've spoken to him and he's signed autographs for us,' she said.

A born and bred San Franciscan, she's a third generation Giants' fan.

On John's head was a shiny history of the Giants encapsulated in the badges pinned to his cap. Covering the years from 1988, they are mostly of opening days, but two specials are Barry Bonds' 500th home run and the 2002 World Series.

'I love it, this is my 24th consecutive opening day,' he said. A fan since 1951, and living 70 miles south of the city, he has high hopes.

'I think we may see a play-off for this year,' he said.

Such was Michelle's enthusiasm to be there, she had    flown in overnight from Indiana, leaving at 3.30 am ET and half-an-hour past midnight, San Francisco time.

'I had heard about the 10th Anniversary and I'm going to all three games in the series,' she said.

Strings of orange beads matched her carefully-teamed outfit. 'I'm a huge fan, ever since this ballpark opened up,' she said.

Ken has been a fan for much longer, with memories going back to Candlestick Park from where the Giants moved ten years ago.

'I remember when I was younger and in school and summer school, and we would go on trips to the ballpark,' he said.

The difference between the AT & T Park and Candlestick?

'Less windy!' he said.

The official celebrations for the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the AT & T Park take place on Sunday with a reunion with some of the 2000 National League West Division Championship team, including Barry Bonds - pic of team displayed on jumbotron

Bobby, from San Francisco, was orange and black from head to toe.  On his seventh Opening Day extravaganza, he had brought his four-year-old son with him for his first!

Confident about the Giants making the play-offs, he was hopeful of a place in the World Series and his favourite player is Tim Lincecum.

Will he be buying a newly-designed Lincecum wig with its trademark long black hair?

He will. His orange and black wig is soon to be consigned to history.
'This one is three years old and I'm going to update it!' he said.