Mark Kotsay handled this second, this daunting day, just like the World Series he by no means skilled as a participant or coach.
Kotsay fought again tears, identical to so many others Thursday, because the A’s bid an emotional farewell to their beloved Coliseum they’ve referred to as house since 1968, full with all its oddities like plumbing issues and rally possums — and people stray cats which have helped encourage Hall of famed Tony La Russa’s former Animal Rescue Foundation.
A’s supervisor Mark Kotsay bids farewell to Oakland followers 57 years after final sport at Oakland Coliseum
“I’ve by no means been to a World Series earlier than,” Kotsay stated. “But I really feel like right this moment is a kind of days the place you possibly can expertise the emotion, the grandeur. Today strolling by the gates and seeing the fullness of a car parking zone, feeling the power and the emotion is one thing that I really feel I’ll treasure for the remainder of my life.”
With all the thrill of the day, the A’s managed to rock the Coliseum in type on Thursday with a 3-2 win over the Rangers with JJ Bleday hitting an RBI single and scoring a magnificent catch to center field. Shea Langeliers hit a sacrifice fly and Zack Gelof additionally hit a defensive gem to the delight of the sellout crowd.
Longtime supporters and youngsters alike rushed off from work or faculty to be there for the ultimate matinee in opposition to the Texas Rangers, a sellout crowd of 46,889 exhibiting up below a cloudless blue September sky for a final sport on the Oakland Coliseum.
Kotsay made a request for a souvenir: He’s taking house three bases, which have been modified each inning, so 27 have been obtainable as keepsakes — with longtime outgoing fielder Clay Wood freely giving the first-inning baggage.
From Kotsay’s outfield days to the earthquake-interrupted World Series of 1989, when the A’s swept the native rival San Francisco Giants, to the Bash Brothers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire and that particular 20-game hitting streak in 2002 and the Big Three of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito earlier than “I Believe in Stephen Vogt” later grew to become a rallying cry, this constructing was house to many moments of glory that transcended eras and spanned stars of a number of generations.
Zito sang the nationwide anthem to loud applause, whereas A’s legends Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart threw out the ceremonial first pitches.
Not removed from the A’s dugout, Kelly Mattson of the outfield crew let the fans scoop the earth from his shovel.
Hours earlier than first pitch, A’s bullpen catcher Dustin Hughes and his father John, an Oakland scout, performed catch in left area earlier than climbing Mount Davis after which exploring the within of the scoreboard and different spots hidden beneath the central stands of the sector.
Hundreds of followers have spent the previous few days strolling across the concourse taking images or making movies of all the pictures and recollections spanning the many years. The parking heaps have been crammed earlier than breakfast with tailgaters taking all of it in as soon as once more.
Former A’s fan favourite and present Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien waited for 10 to fifteen relations and pals – together with his mother and father and grandparents – within the stands for the big day.
“Thank you to all the safety guards, to the concession staff, to everybody who made this place a serious league stadium,” Semien stated on the sector. “I actually respect you welcoming me as an East Bay boy into your office. I’m so sorry to anybody who cannot proceed with Oakland however you retain grinding such as you at all times have.”
Longtime supervisor and former catcher Bruce Bochy grew to become emotional within the visiting dugout. The Colosseum issues so much to him too.
“Great day,” stated Bochy, a former catcher who led the San Francisco Giants to World Series titles in 2010, ’12 and ’14. “Memorable day for lots of people, however for me it is beginning to hit me now that baseball is over right here. It’s a bit of unhappy. Because I like this place, I like the sector and all the pieces.”
He added of his crew, “I feel they’re actually appreciating what this place is.”
Kotsay deliberate to soak all of it in.
“It’s a day that comes and goes fairly shortly,” he stated, “and you do not need to miss any alternative to specific your gratitude to the followers, to the individuals who imply all the pieces, the stadium staff. Sharing.” The moments with them right this moment have been powerful. There are many individuals right here who’ve invested their lives and souls on this group, on this stadium and within the sport of baseball, however most of all out of the love for the folks and the relationships which were constructed over 57 years on this stadium .”
As the sport progressed, followers took turns chanting “Sell the crew!” and “Let’s go to Oakland!” between contrasting feelings and nostalgia.
The ninth inning noticed two followers soar fences to run onto the grass, bottles thrown into heart area and smoke bombs exploded and thrown to proper area. Toilet paper and different particles additionally fell earlier than coach Mark Kotsay took the microphone after the sport with a heartfelt thanks to the followers and a remaining spherical of “Let’s go to Oakland!”
The A’s plan is to play the subsequent three years in Sacramento with the hope of opening a brand new ballpark in Las Vegas earlier than the 2028 season.
