Excellent Virtue

Monday, October 04, 2004

Last Season Game

Wrote this entry on 10/03/04 @ 06:48PM

The Game result : Oakland 3, Anaheim 2

Today is A's Last Season Game. Usually their promotion for last season game is baseball card team set for first 15,000 fans and they usually give us 28 cards. However they put some excitement in these 28 cards. First 20 cards are different players.. So we don't need to be worried about first 20. However remaining 8 cards are all one player's card. So if we want to get a completed set, we have to trade w/ other people. It sounds fun.. We expected we will do it this year, too. As usual, the gate opened at 11am. So we went there at 10:20am and stood in line. oh yeah.. people were already waiting that time..

The gate opened a little late. they opened at 11:05am. Then of course we got our promo cards. Earlier while we were in line, my wife and I was talking to another couple in front of us and we agreed to exchange cards with each other. But when we opened the card case, "Surprise!!" The pack contained all different cards and this year there were 32 cards!! We don't need to do any trading with other fans.

Today is last season. The merchandise stores inside the stadium were having 35% or more discount on items in the store. I didn't plan on buying anything.. but one item caught my eyes...Eric Byrnes Toon Player Art. Original Price was $12.. So I got cheaper than that.. lucky!! Also today was chilly and my wife was feeling cold..so she bought a sweatshirt that is also 35%off...

After we bought goods, we are looking for food.. Of course we can't eat big dog anymore. So we ate fish and chips.. It's $7..but they gave us 4 big pieces of fish..So it's really worth it.. After we got food, we found our seats and started to eat.. We got really good seats this time. MVP Infield 3rd base side (A's side). So we can see the A's players very close..then suddenly there was a big line next to us.. Then I knew somebody was signing.. So I stopped eating and tried to stand in line, I couldn't see who was signing.. So I asked people who it was.. they said Justin Lehr.. I had 2 sets of baseball cards, right? My wife's and mine.. So when i was waiting in line, I was looking for the 2 Lehr's cards... and finally I got ours signed!!! Lucky!!

Then came back to my seat, I was taking pictures of their practice..

While scanning the field I also saw Mark Kotsay.. he was walking back towards their dugout and was walking along the fence...then I knew he will sign.. so I brought 2 card sets again and fell in line .. I got pretty lucky again since as soon as I got his signature, he said "2 more!!".. Good thing I made it..

Today's game was a really good game. I don't know what the media said.. But for me, today's true hero is Eric Byrnes. 8th inning, he walked.. whenever he is on the base, the pitcher is always careful since he can steal the next base..After a lot of sliding back to 1st base because the pitcher wanted to out him he was still able to get to 3rd base after stealing 2nd base. Almost home! then Nick Swisher did a single hit.. so A's got winning score.. If Eric hadn't stolen a base, I don't know what would have happened to today's game.. Byrnes's tenacity for victory led today's game.