Oakland A’s – San Francisco Giants Trip in 2024
In late September, I went to the Bay Area to see some baseball and visit with best friends Vince and SharryLauter and Super Giants fan Regina Riguero. I was able to see the following A’s and Giants games:
Sept 24th, 25th, & 26th – Texas Rangers vs. Oakland A’s
Sept 27th, 28th, & 29th – St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants
During my stay, the weather was clear with lows in the high 50’s and highs in the low 80’s with one night game at San Francisco unusually warm at 82. Temps for Oakland games were usually about 5 degrees higher. Vince and Sharry came up from Monterey for the Giants games. I went with local Regina to the last Giants game. My inbound travel by way of Southwest into Oakland Airport was uneventful. I reloaded my Clipper card (Bay Area’s all-in-one transit smart app) and made my way to the hotel by way of BART.
I stayed for the first time at the Galleria Park Hotel in the Financial District on Sutter Street with Sharry and Vince joining me later at the hotel. This boutique hotel was constructed in 1911 and recently renovated. The accommodations and service were very good. The hotel is conveniently located near Union Square and Chinatown with a BART stop just a block away making the travel from the airport a 30-minute trip. The hotel was on the same block as the Hunter-Dulin building, the fictional location of Spade & Archer detective agency in the Maltese Falcon. Going by that building everyday was time travel back to the 40’s.
Below I have included game commentaries with some non-baseball activities.
Texas Rangers vs Oakland A’s at Oakland Coliseum on Sept 24th
Before the game, I went to nearby Murphy’s Pub for a hamburger and local beer. After a short rest I hopped onto BART and was on my way to the ballpark. The Coliseum is a much-maligned park due to its age of 57years plus limited amenities and minimal maintenance. The park is notoriously known for its plumbing problems that have affected both the fans and players.
The baseball atmosphere of the park was severely compromised when 10,000 seats were added to the upper deck that now spans the outfield in the baseball configuration. The 1996 addition provided the Raiders with premium 50-yard- line seats that have been seldom used by the A’s. In 2020, the Raiders left for Las Vegas leaving a useless seating section for baseball. In 2006, the Athletics covered the entire section with a tarp. Eventually the A’s made use of the concourse under the upper deck for a new fan destination with bars and games called The Treehouse.
The A’s staged a comeback walk-off win and edged the Rangers 5-4. A’s All-Star closer Mason Miller used his 101-102 mph velocity in the 9th to secure the victory. The sounds of the 30,402 fans banging drums, tooting horns and chanting “Let’s Go Oakland” reverberated throughout the stadium during the game. The first day of travel and baseball left me ready for an early night in preparation for the next game.
Texas Rangers vs Oakland A’s at Oakland Coliseum on Sept 25th
The next morning, I had breakfast at the nearby Pinecrest Diner, a 24-hour restaurant that first opened its doors back in 1969. I sat at the counter and had a brief conversation with a young couple from Germany. I worked off my meal with a jaunt through Union Square to Chinatown where I bought some postcards.
Since the ball game was at night, I had the afternoon available to get on the Muni light rail and head to my favorite beer bar, Toronado, in Haight-Ashbury. The Toronado has been described as the best combination dive and beer bar in SF. Old beer ephemera is plastered all over the walls, and gruff bartenders serve the patrons which enhances this reputation. I ordered my favorite West Coast beer, Blind Pig IPA, made by Russian River Brewing Company.
To my amazement, I found myself sitting beside the same German couple I met at Pinecrest that morning. Small world, San Francisco. They are flight attendants on Lufthansa Airlines and had a long layover in San Francisco. I enjoyed an interesting conversation with them while sipping my beer.
Before the ball game, I had early dinner at popular Trisara, an Indo-Nepalese restaurant near the hotel. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala which provided enough in leftovers to snack on the next two nights.
In the baseball nightcap, the Rangers evened up the series with a 5-1 win. Wyatt Langford and Adolis Garcia hit 2-run HR’s for most of the offense. In a bullpen game, the Rangers used 4 relievers to limit the A’s to 9 hits and 1 run. Bay Area native and University of California Berkeley alum, Marcus Semien got the game started for the Rangers with his 1,500th career hit.
Texas Rangers vs Oakland A’s at Oakland Coliseum on Sept 26th
The next morning, I did a breakfast replay at the Pinecrest. By 10:00AM, I was on my way to the ballpark for the afternoon game. Arrival to the game very early was warranted as the A’s would be playing their last game in Oakland. The 46,000 fans tightly packed the stadium and created an electric atmosphere of energy and emotion. Barry Zito, A’s legend and professional musician, hit it out of the park with a sweet but powerful rendition of the National Anthem. At the conclusion of the National Anthem, a U2 Dragon Lady jet did a very low flyover that left the fans in a frenzy. Former A’s pitcher Dave Stewart and left fielder Rickey Henderson joined together to throw out the first pitch.
The A’s manufactured 3 runs with sac flies and singles to win 3-2. Closer Mason Miller shut the door on the game, season and 57 storied years at the Coliseum with his 28th save.
After the game, every A’s player, coach and trainer stood behind Manager Mark Kotsay as he gave a heartfelt speech expressing the team’s gratitude to the A’s fans. At the end of the speech, the team tipped their caps to the crowd and started a final chant of “Let’s go Oakland”.
I finished the day by meeting up with Giants fan Regina Riguero at my favorite sports dive bar, La Rocca’s Corner on the outskirts of Fisherman’s Wharf. This SF institution opened in 1934 and caters to a bar crowd of mostly neighborhood regulars with a bend towards sports. Bartender Syl joined us as we regaled about him introducing me to Regina back in 2012.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Sept 27th
Next morning, I had a light breakfast at the hotel. A Muni bus took me to my next destination Fisherman’s Wharf. Fisherman's Wharf is a neighborhood and popular tourist attraction located on the northern waterfront area. The Wharf is known for being the location of Pier 39 which extends out to San Francisco Bay. The area has plenty of shops and seafood restaurants.
After a long walk, I was ready to sample what the nearby San Francisco Brewing Company had to offer. The brewery is in the well-known Ghirardelli Square Building and caters to the tourist crowd in terms of atmosphere and beer selection. I had a good IPA and was able to watch the end of Cubs game on TV while having my beer.
As I left the building, I noticed the Galileo Academy of Science and Technology and its football field. The school’s Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style is stunning and is considered one of the most beautiful high school campuses in California. At one time Galileo had a bad reputation for low test scores and criminal activity, but in recent years it has become one of the most improved schools in San Francisco.
Notable alumni of the school include many baseball players, including Vince, Joe, and Dominic DiMaggio. More recently the best- known sport has been football based on its alumnus O.J. Simpson.
Late that afternoon I met up with Vince and Sharry at the hotel and made the 10-block walk to Oracle Park for the ball game. We had a light dinner of hot dogs, peanuts, and beer at the park.
The Cardinals overcame a 3-run deficit to beat the Giants 6-3. The Redbird hitting was provided by Nolan Arenado with 3 hits (2 singles & double) and an RBI and Luke Nootbaar (HR & double) and 3 RBI’s. Cards pitcher Miles Mikolas survived a shaky start to secure the W. Ryan Helsley finished the game with his franchise-record 49th save.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Sept 28th
The next morning, we had breakfast at Café Mason, a cozy spot with a friendly bustling atmosphere, located in Union Square. I had a stack of pancakes and a strong cup of coffee to fuel my walk to the ballpark for an afternoon game.
Giant starter Blake Snell opted out of his scheduled last start and likely his contract for next year. The questionable decision not to pitch put a bad ending on his season already clouded by a late contract signing and a month on the IL. Giants replacement pitcher righty Tristan Beck made his 1st start of the season after having March surgery to remove an aneurysm in his right shoulder. Tristan held the Cards to 4 hits and 1 run in his 4 innings of work. In a see-saw game, the Giants scored the decisive run on 2 infield hits in the 8th inning and won 6-5.
On our walk back to the hotel we decided to go to the Capital Restaurant in Chinatown. Capital is a small, no-nonsense restaurant with a friendly staff and a great selection of 'traditional' Chinese food delights. We ordered their famous salt and pepper fried chicken wings plus 3 dishes to partake. The restaurant has limited space; we shared large round table with a young couple and their 4-year-old daughter. Sure enough, another “small world” San Francisco experience happened. The couple had lived in Evanston while the husband went to the Northwestern University Business School for his master’s degree. That provided a conversation starter since Vince and I got our MBA’s at Northwestern.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Sept 29th
Before Vince and Sharry headed home to Monterey, we went to Café De La Presse for breakfast. This French Bistro restaurant across from the Dragon Gate entrance to Chinatown serves mostly traditional egg dishes and strong coffee in a casual atmosphere.
I went to the final game of my trip with Giants fan Regina. Regina had secured passes to the exclusive Club Level. Since the 49ers were at home, many of the baseball fans went to the football game. This left plenty of room for Regina and I to find a good seat.
In his 3rd ML start, Cardinals pitching prospect Michael McGreevy allowed 5 hits and 1 run over 8 innings in the 6-1 win. Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson were the hitting stars with 2 and 3 RBI’s respectively. The setting of Oracle Park on the bay is picturesque.
On my way back to the hotel, I decided to have a cigar in relaxing atmosphere to finish my 7-day stay in the Bay Area. I was astonished when a Google search came up with a Cigar Bar located only 2 blocks from the hotel and open on Sunday evening. The Occidental Cigar Club offers a wide array of premium cigars plus wine, beers, and spirits. The establishment has a neighborhood feel and even allows dogs. For the third time, I had a “small world experience”. I had a conversation with a couple visiting from LA. When discussing Chicago, they mentioned their favorite Chicago bartender is Lindsey at the Lodge. The Lodge is only a block from where I live, and I have known Lindsey for 5 years. What can I say? Only in San Francisco.
Great recap as usual Jon. I feel like i was there.
Depending on the situation, the Bro Show is one of my first listens on Saturday mornings..always entertaining