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Giants fans positive at home opener
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(Matt Elliser/The Examiner)
Brody McKenna, surrounded by parents Michelle and Robert McKenna of Pacifica, smiles after a kayaker fished a ball out of the water and tossed it up to him prior to the Giants’ home opener Monday. Danny Cash Peters heard a few options and paused for a moment when asked what his favorite part of coming to Giants games is. Finally, the 4-year-old Palo Alto native’s father, Dan Peters, mentioned licorice and the boy smiled and nodded his head. Such was the scene outside AT&T Park on Monday prior to San Francisco’s home opener against San Diego, where fans conceded the team may struggle this season but pointed to loyalty and the positive atmosphere surrounding the games as enough to keep them coming back for more. “I’ve been to 10 or 15 opening days and it’s great every time,” the elder Peters said. “And I’m trying to pass down the love of the game to my son.” Despite a slow start to the season by a Giants team not expected to challenge for a playoff berth this year, a sellout crowd of 42,861 attended Monday’s 8-4 loss to the Padres that dropped San Francisco’s record to 1-6. Many surrounded the stadium two hours before the first pitch, and near the Lefty O’Doul Bridge, a few Fresno fans said they made the trip to The City even after watching the Fresno Grizzlies — the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate — defeat the major-league club at the end of the exhibition season. “We just hope we don’t finish at the bottom again,” Chris Delgado said. “Every year, we make a bet with friends who are Dodger and Padre fans. The fans of the team with the worst record have to buy pizza and beer for everyone and we’re tired of buying.” Of course, many fans began their analysis of the current team by reflecting on the past. Barry Bonds — baseball’s all-time home run king who had a sometimes-controversial 15-year run as San Francisco’s star — is no longer with the club, leaving a void in left field. Robert McKenna compared the conclusion of the Bonds era to “the end of a good relationship that had gone bad” while standing on the walkway above McCovey Cove, and said three friends he usually attends opening day with had decided to stay home this year. That gave him a chance to take his family and the day turned magical when a kayaker dug a baseball from the water and tossed it up to his young son, Brody. Meanwhile, across the street at MoMo’s, some enthusiastic fans were still soaking up the atmosphere well after Matt Cain’s first pitch. “We’ll get over there soon,” Amber Gurney said. “And we’ll come often this year. The experience is what matters, not just how good the team is.” |
