Enjoyed reading all the posts. My two cents of identification:

I too got my W. Mays autograph at a supermarket opening. A Raley's in Sacramento I think 1962.

My mother, Cal 1939, born and raised in the city and commuted to classes daily on the ferry. She would occasionally speak out about, "the stinking east bay". Much to her chagrin, married my Dad (Cal 1938) who was from Dunsmuir then Sacramento....poof, no more city.

I started out as a Giant's fan but when the A's showed up, I found the AL decidedly more interesting than the NL, so I switched almost overnight.

MoragaBear said:

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Loved Willie's basket catch. I used to do it all the time and never dropped one that I can remember even though it always made my dad nervous.

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Nice video, Moraga.

...so now that this is a dedicated Giants and baseball card thread:

I remember having this card as a boy:



" He is notable for being the first Japanese player to play for a Major League Baseball team. Sent over to the United States by the Nankai Hawks, Murakami saw success as a reliever for the San Francisco Giants, debuting at the age of 20 in 1964. In 1965, he struck out over one batter per inning pitched, posted an ERA under 4 and earned eight saves. Following this season, however, Murakami headed back to his original Japanese club due to contractual obligations, where his success continued for another 17 years." Wikipedia

Big C said:

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East Bay kids of that era didn't have the A's yet, so we were all Giants fans. Kind of a dividing line between Boomers and Gen X. I couldn't enjoy the A's World Series run, unfortunately, because I was an ingrained Giants fan.

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Ditto. As one of those East Bay kids born and raised in Oakland went to the Giants game first and always been a Giants fan though as a youth probably went to lots more Oakland games due to the conveniences of getting to the Coliseum than the 'stick. Still brings back memories of me sitting in the right field bleachers and almost catching a Tom Haller's homerun ball.

As a boy I had this SI cover tacked to my bedroom wall:



....and I have an autographed one of these:

82gradDLSdad said:

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Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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bearister said:

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Thank you. Very interesting story. I hope for some reason Sandy was unaware of that. If he was, he failed as a human being that day, which is inconsistent with what I have about his character.....but you were an eyewitness, so I am throwing in with you if you opined that he had to have known that the girl was knocked down.

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i meant to respond sooner, but I've been busy. I was perhaps too definitive in my narration. The girl was hit with a very glancing blow and though she was knocked down, she didn't have any cuts or scrapes and she never limped or complained of pain on the way home. Perhaps she did develop an arthritic hip later on, but it would be hard to tell if it was from that trauma or some other trauma or just nature taking it's course. I've always suspected it was mainly an attempt to get money from someone with deep pockets.

The driver probably knew he bumped her but figured it was no big deal. As for Sandy Koufax, I think it's very possible he didn't know it happened. He was on the passenger side and Nancy (not her real name by the way) was bumped on the driver side, The way it all played out, I suspect he (and probably all the Dodger players) were in a hurry to get moving before some drunken Giants fan noticed him and started something. So, I've always given him the benefit of the doubt on this incident. I have never heard anything bad about Sandy Koufax as a person. You could do a lot worse than emulating him.

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The story I heard was that Sandy blurted out, "**** her, keep driving!!!". And then let out a sadistic laugh.

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OK, that made me laugh. Good one!

Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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82gradDLSdad said:

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Eastern Oregon Bear said:

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bearister said:

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Thank you. Very interesting story. I hope for some reason Sandy was unaware of that. If he was, he failed as a human being that day, which is inconsistent with what I have about his character.....but you were an eyewitness, so I am throwing in with you if you opined that he had to have known that the girl was knocked down.

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i meant to respond sooner, but I've been busy. I was perhaps too definitive in my narration. The girl was hit with a very glancing blow and though she was knocked down, she didn't have any cuts or scrapes and she never limped or complained of pain on the way home. Perhaps she did develop an arthritic hip later on, but it would be hard to tell if it was from that trauma or some other trauma or just nature taking it's course. I've always suspected it was mainly an attempt to get money from someone with deep pockets.

The driver probably knew he bumped her but figured it was no big deal. As for Sandy Koufax, I think it's very possible he didn't know it happened. He was on the passenger side and Nancy (not her real name by the way) was bumped on the driver side, The way it all played out, I suspect he (and probably all the Dodger players) were in a hurry to get moving before some drunken Giants fan noticed him and started something. So, I've always given him the benefit of the doubt on this incident. I have never heard anything bad about Sandy Koufax as a person. You could do a lot worse than emulating him.

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The story I heard was that Sandy blurted out, "**** her, keep driving!!!". And then let out a sadistic laugh.

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OK, that made me laugh. Good one!

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Thank God you got the joke. Now I just have to brace for aunbear telling me I have no comedic ability.

COULD THEY BE LEAVING? MLB tells Oakland A's to start exploring other cities https://t.co/AdpUZHcYsJ pic.twitter.com/xgxBck8DjM

— KTVU (@KTVU) May 11, 2021

Well, I guess I am going to have to swallow my pride and return to my childhood Giants fandom.

Let the A's take their poor man business model somewhere else to break hearts. Gee, the Oakland City Council is rapidly running out of businesses to extort.

I'm still not sure where the A's are going to go. There aren't a lot of markets ripe for an MLB team. Baseball is harder to support than NFL/NBA/NHL: bigger stadium and way more home dates.

Sin City. A low team payroll that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

bearister said:

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Sin City. A low team payroll that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

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Hmm, if someone there is willing to build a stadium for them, maybe. It would instantly be the smallest media market in MLB.

bearister said:

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Sin City. A low team payroll that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

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What a great coat.

bearister said:

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As a boy I had this SI cover tacked to my bedroom wall:



....and I have an autographed one of these:

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The Giants were pioneers in bringing in Latin American players to major league baseball. As in all changes in culture it was not a smooth transition as Alvin Dark did not know what to do with these Spanish-speaking players and either Lon Simmons or Russ Hodges or maybe both called Jesus Alou "Jay Alou", perhaps not knowing or not caring that it is "Hey-soose" and not "Jee-zuz". Still, the way was open for Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda, not to mention Roberto Clemente, and the wave of talented Latin players has only increased over the years.

When I saw the thread title, I thought it was about Kamala's ex-boyfriend Willie Brown

Larno said:

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bearister said:

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As a boy I had this SI cover tacked to my bedroom wall:



....and I have an autographed one of these:

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The Giants were pioneers in bringing in Latin American players to major league baseball. As in all changes in culture it was not a smooth transition as Alvin Dark did not know what to do with these Spanish-speaking players and either Lon Simmons or Russ Hodges or maybe both called Jesus Alou "Jay Alou", perhaps not knowing or not caring that it is "Hey-soose" and not "Jee-zuz". Still, the way was open for Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda, not to mention Roberto Clemente, and the wave of talented Latin players has only increased over the years.

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My dad grew up in the city and told me stories of being a kid and meeting Orlando Cepeda on the bus when he was a rookie who barely spoke English and wasn't sure where to go (yes, in those days MLB players sometimes had to ride the bus). My dad and his friends tried to direct Orlando home.

I saw Willie Mays play at Seals Stadium in 1958 and 59. My Grand Mother lived on Potreo Hill. My mother would drop my Father and me off at Seals Stadium and drive up to my Grand Mother's. After the game my father and I would walk to my Grand Mothers. We'd have dinner there. I would also explore the attic which had a lot of interesting stuff.
I also saw a game where Mays hit 3 Home Runs off the Braves.

Larno said:

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bearister said:

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As a boy I had this SI cover tacked to my bedroom wall:



....and I have an autographed one of these:

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The Giants were pioneers in bringing in Latin American players to major league baseball. As in all changes in culture it was not a smooth transition as Alvin Dark did not know what to do with these Spanish-speaking players and either Lon Simmons or Russ Hodges or maybe both called Jesus Alou "Jay Alou", perhaps not knowing or not caring that it is "Hey-soose" and not "Jee-zuz". Still, the way was open for Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda, not to mention Roberto Clemente, and the wave of talented Latin players has only increased over the years.

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Clemente was the true pioneer. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and drafted by the Pirates off the Dodgers minor league roster when the Dodgers failed to "protect him" after the '54 season.

He was an amazing talent.....

bearister said:

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COULD THEY BE LEAVING? MLB tells Oakland A's to start exploring other cities https://t.co/AdpUZHcYsJ pic.twitter.com/xgxBck8DjM

— KTVU (@KTVU) May 11, 2021

Well, I guess I am going to have to swallow my pride and return to my childhood Giants fandom.

Let the A's take their poor man business model somewhere else to break hearts. Gee, the Oakland City Council is rapidly running out of businesses to extort.

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Seems to me it's the city of Oakland (along with Alameda County) that has been extorted over the years by pro sports franchises. Spend your tax dollars on your citizens!

Yes, John Oliver's rant about sports team owners f'ing cities is A+.

bearister said:

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Yes, John Oliver's rant about sports team owners f'ing cities is A+.

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That's hilarious!

59bear said:

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bearister said:

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COULD THEY BE LEAVING? MLB tells Oakland A's to start exploring other cities https://t.co/AdpUZHcYsJ pic.twitter.com/xgxBck8DjM

— KTVU (@KTVU) May 11, 2021

Well, I guess I am going to have to swallow my pride and return to my childhood Giants fandom.

Let the A's take their poor man business model somewhere else to break hearts. Gee, the Oakland City Council is rapidly running out of businesses to extort.

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Seems to me it's the city of Oakland (along with Alameda County) that has been extorted over the years by pro sports franchises. Spend your tax dollars on your citizens!

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Yes, after reading recent editorials and remembering the John Oliver bit (his argument is wholly applicable to the A's), I have reconsidered. A's ownership are cheap b@astards trying to rip off Oakland. Let'em go.

bearister said:

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59bear said:

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bearister said:

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COULD THEY BE LEAVING? MLB tells Oakland A's to start exploring other cities https://t.co/AdpUZHcYsJ pic.twitter.com/xgxBck8DjM

— KTVU (@KTVU) May 11, 2021

Well, I guess I am going to have to swallow my pride and return to my childhood Giants fandom.

Let the A's take their poor man business model somewhere else to break hearts. Gee, the Oakland City Council is rapidly running out of businesses to extort.

---

Seems to me it's the city of Oakland (along with Alameda County) that has been extorted over the years by pro sports franchises. Spend your tax dollars on your citizens!

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Yes, after reading recent editorials and remembering the John Oliver bit (his argument is wholly applicable to the A's), I have reconsidered. A's ownership are cheap b@astards trying to rip off Oakland. Let'em go.

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I'm still really skeptical they actually have anywhere to go right now. Major League Baseball is the hardest kind of pro franchise to support.

sycasey said:

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bearister said:

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59bear said:

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bearister said:

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COULD THEY BE LEAVING? MLB tells Oakland A's to start exploring other cities https://t.co/AdpUZHcYsJ pic.twitter.com/xgxBck8DjM

— KTVU (@KTVU) May 11, 2021

Well, I guess I am going to have to swallow my pride and return to my childhood Giants fandom.

Let the A's take their poor man business model somewhere else to break hearts. Gee, the Oakland City Council is rapidly running out of businesses to extort.

---

Seems to me it's the city of Oakland (along with Alameda County) that has been extorted over the years by pro sports franchises. Spend your tax dollars on your citizens!

---

Yes, after reading recent editorials and remembering the John Oliver bit (his argument is wholly applicable to the A's), I have reconsidered. A's ownership are cheap b@astards trying to rip off Oakland. Let'em go.

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I'm still really skeptical they actually have anywhere to go right now. Major League Baseball is the hardest kind of pro franchise to support.

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If some sucker City builds them a billion dollar+ stadium, the A's don't need much support. One of the lowest payrolls in baseball and always will be until John Fisher sells. He is basically running a con....and Billy Beane is a genius that is still able to field a competitive team. Billy picks players with great potential, he developes them, then Fisher trades them because he refuses to pay prevailing rates.

59bear said:

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bearister said:

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COULD THEY BE LEAVING? MLB tells Oakland A's to start exploring other cities https://t.co/AdpUZHcYsJ pic.twitter.com/xgxBck8DjM

— KTVU (@KTVU) May 11, 2021

Well, I guess I am going to have to swallow my pride and return to my childhood Giants fandom.

Let the A's take their poor man business model somewhere else to break hearts. Gee, the Oakland City Council is rapidly running out of businesses to extort.

---

Seems to me it's the city of Oakland (along with Alameda County) that has been extorted over the years by pro sports franchises. Spend your tax dollars on your citizens!

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The biggest hit would be if they actually gave them Howard Terminal at the Port that they are playing hardball for. It would be a disaster.

The Coliseum was a decent venue before Mt. Davis so just tear that down and renovate. The key for the A's is BART access which they have there (in addition to good freeway access). Keep prices low so families can go. The A's have development rights so build up the area into the mixed-use residential commercial entertainment transit-oriented village that was contemplated.

"The Giants aren't young like the Padres or hyped like the Dodgers, but they've got something neither of those division rivals has the best record in baseball, Jeff writes.

This misfit group of castoffs and veterans has coalesced into a winning machine, never losing more than two consecutive games and boasting four streaks of at least three straight wins.
After crushing the Reds 19-4 on Thursday the most runs by any team this season they've improved to 28-16 with a season-high five-game winning streak.
By the numbers: The Giants got here in exactly the way you'd expect given the state of baseball in 2021 elite pitching and a lot of home runs.

Their starters have the best ERA in baseball (2.57) while eating up more innings (252.2) than every rotation besides the Dodgers' (250.1).
Their 62 HR are second only to the Braves (65), bolstered by a lineup with eight different players who've gone yard at least four times.
Between the lines: MLB has been trending younger for years now, but the Giants (30.3 years old) trail only the Nationals (30.7) in average age, relying on a mix of wily veterans and successful reclamation projects.

The SF OGs: Buster Posey (Giant since 2009), who opted out last year and hasn't been above average at the plate since 2017, has the highest OPS (1.108) of any player with at least 100 PA; Brandon Crawford (2011) is already over halfway to his career high in HR and Brandon Belt (2011) has an .855 OPS.
Change of scenery: Anthony DeSclafani has a 2.03 ERA after a 4.19 through five years in Cincy; Kevin Gausman (1.66 ERA) is dominating after mostly disappointing in Baltimore, Atlanta and Cincy; Alex Wood (1.75 ERA) hasn't had a sub-5.00 ERA since 2018.
Then there's 35-year-old Johnny Cueto (3.34 ERA) and 30-year-old Mike Yastrzemski (on pace for ~5 WAR), who's looking to prove his 2020 breakout wasn't a fluke.
The bottom line: It's been a while since Posey led San Francisco to World Series wins in '10, '12 and '14. Perhaps '21 is the start of "odd year magic."

Shoutout to readers Mike F. and John C. for inspiring this piece after rightly dragging me for leaving Posey off my All-Star squad." Axios

prospeCt said:

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Thanks for the Bruce Lee video!