SF Giants Fans Celebrate Opening Day 2010 in Style!

The SF Giants fans know how to celebrate their Opening Day in style. And with a breathtaking win over the Atlanta Braves, giving them an unbroken run so far, there was plenty to celebrate.....see previous blogs

Six-month-old Arielly, though, in baby-pink Giants' outfit, was not concerned with numbers as she

dangled happily in front of her father, Julio. She was making her debut appearance.

'She's happy to be here for her first game. She has five more games to go this year,' said Julio. Julio, there also with his brother-in-law, Marcos, has been a fan 'since I was her age.'

His favourite memory?

Will Clark's base hit in the play-offs against the Chicago Cubs in 1989.

In more exuberant manner, Bob, Jim and Billy from the Bay Area were having a blast! 'I just bought this shirt today,' said Jim. All three are confident that the Giants' will get to the play-offs.

And Stephen brightened up the Arcade area with his Pablo 'Panda' Sandoval costume. Does he often go out dressed like that?

'Yeah!' he said. With the Giants trailing 4-2 at the time and the end of the ninth inning approaching, he shrugged off the game as 'been okay!' Just before Benjie Molina gave a good hit and made a run to first base that put the fans hearts in mouths and raised the tension.


 Behind the Arcade was McCovey Cove where boaters celebrated in their own style on the water.

But it wasn't just fireworks, streamers, fighter jets and excitement in the air at the ballpark that afternoon. It was good old-fashioned love! Three guys proposed to their girlfriends via jumbotron messages.

As 42,940 fans poured exultantly out of the ballpark,
they savoured a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves in a record-breaking near four-and-a-quarter-hour Opening Day game.

It is the longest home opener in San Francisco history, the Giants later announced on their website.

'The thing we like,' said Ted, speaking on behalf of his friend and himself, 'is that there's no clock in baseball.'

Unless, of course, he added, it got to midnight and then someone might call it a night!

'Everything in America is fast, fast, fast. But this game is 160 years old,' he said, and so not designed around clocks.

His tee-shirt summed up the feelings of the fans.

Had he played hooky to watch the game, and how many people did he think had?

'I'm self-employed,' he replied, 'and many around here are.' But out of the crowd in the ballpark, 'probably a third to a half,' he reckoned.

Tonight pitcher Tim Lincecum will be presented with the Cy Young Award trophy, his second consecutive year of winning it. The presentation takes place at 6.30 pm followed by the second game against the Atlantia Braves. At the end of which, there will be fireworks at McCovey Cove featuring a musical tribute to Lincecum

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.

SF Giants Opening Game of 2010 Season Celebrated at AT & T Park

The San Francisco Giants might have been thousands of miles away in Houston for their opening game of the 2010 season today, but the hearts of their fans were with them, hundreds cheering them on in their baseball park in the city.

A free event given by the Giants and Comcast SportsNet had fans celebrating at home...see previous blog.

Inside the ballpark, former players Vida Blue and Jeffrey 'HacMan' Leonard were thrilling fans by signing autographs.

'I'm just glad to meet them because I've seen them play a couple of years ago on television,' said 18-year-old Nicholas from the Bay Area...pic with Jeffrey Leonard.

And seven-year-old Nathan now has a bat with a difference! Both players signed it for him...pic withVida Blue

'I don't know all the players but I know a lot of them from TV,' he said, giving a demonstration swing.

Does he play?

'I probably will next season because I signed up too late this year,' he said.












In the stands, as the game was progessing, was someone who must be a contender for one of the youngest-ever Giants fans.

Eight-month-old Isabella was there with mum, Jovan, and dad, Kenneth. And beautifully dressed for the occasion. Her headband

was handmade from a website Jovan had found online, and her jersey was from the Giants' store.

Is she going to be a Giants' fan was somewhat of a superfluous question.

'Yes she will be!' said Jovan and Kenneth in synch! 'Yes, she already is!' clarified Jovan. 'Last year I was pregnant with her and she came to a lot of games.'

Jovan has only been a Giants fan herself for about three years, through her husband, but Kenneth has followed the team for about 12 or 13 years.

His predictions for this season?

'I think Tim Lincecum is going to win a third Cy Young Award. If he wins a third one, I don't think the Giants can afford it. I hate to say it,' he said.

With just under an hour into the game, the Giants were winning 3-0.

'Can they hold it?'

'Yes, they will!' said Jovan and Kenneth.

And they were right....the game closed with a satisfying 5-2 victory to the Giants over the Astros. The next game is tomorrow afternoon.