My Top 10 Toughest Moments in Bay Area Sports History

Despite all of the championships we’ve been fortunate to experience here in the Bay Area, there have been several gut wrenching moments as well. Below are a just a few that come to mind that were particularly painful. You’ll notice that most involve playoff losses or player departures.

1.   1988 World Series

This one still smarts. The dominant Oakland A’s against the dreaded and hated (at least by me at the time) Los Angeles Dodgers. The A’s were coming off a 104 win season, 15 more than any other team in the AL, while the 94 win Dodger team, with fortune on their side, knocked off the favorite NY Mets in the NL Championship. This series is solid proof on how momentum, and fortune, can play a big part in professional sports. Although the inferior team, the Dodgers had more of both, won game 1 of the World Series because of it, and rolled to a fairly easy World Series title as a result.

Although it’s been almost 30 years, the memories of game 1 are still a little painful. Bottom of the 9th, the A’s ahead with Dennis Eckersley, the best closer in baseball, in the game to close things out like he did a league leading 45 times in the regular season. After getting the first two batters out, Eckersley inexplicably walked Mike Davis, a week hitting former A’s player. That should have been a clue, as Eckersley rarely walked anyone. What happened next goes down both as baseball history, and as one of the most horrible things to ever happen in Bay Area sports. A crippled Kirk Gibson hobbled up to the plate (although hurt, I still think he was exaggerating his condition to get Eckersley to ease up), and smacked a two run homer to win the game. I remember being so upset that I stormed out of my friend’s house without saying anything to anyone and driving somewhere to let some steam off before returning. It was by far the most upset I’ve ever been as a result of a sporting event. As far as the series, the A’s never stood a chance after that and lost in five games. On a high note, I attended the only game they won, game 3 in Oakland, thanks to a Mark McGwire 9th inning home run that broke a 2-2 tie.

2.  49ers 1983 NFC Championship

After winning the Super Bowl in 1981 and finishing with a lackluster 3-6 record in the strike-shortened 1982 season, the 1983 49ers were back to their winning ways and one game away from going to the Super Bowl again. And this time, there was a possibility it would be against the Raiders (Los Angeles, not Oakland), as the silver and black were playing in the AFC Championship game after the NFC Championship. So it was up to the 49ers to lead the way. After three quarters, however, the niners were down 21-0 and things weren’t looking good. But two Montana touchdown passes to Mike Wilson and one to Freddie Solomon tied the score midway through the final quarter. Then with 6:12 left to play, the Redskins started on what would be a 13 play, 78 yard drive to the game winning 40 yard field goal. But not without controversy.

Two bogus (proved by replay) pass interference calls on Eric Wright and Ronnie Lott aided the drive. More than aided it, actually. More like sustained it as I remember the Wright penalty being on 3rd down. I also remember watching the game with my dad and being irate! It was the most upset I’ve been during a game up to that point, only to be eclipsed by game 1 of the A’s/Dodgers 1988 World Series (see Toughest Moments,  #1). Redskins kicker Mark Mosely missed three short field goal attempts earlier in the game, so the 49ers were actually fortunate to even be in the game in the fourth quarter. But that didn’t matter at the time!

To make matters worse, the Raiders went on to wallop the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game. So close to a 49er/Raider Super Bowl, but yet so far. The Raiders did pummel the Redskins 38-9 two weeks later, which was very sweet.

3.  49ers 1990 NFC Championship

The 49ers were coming off of back-to-back Super Bowl victories, including the one I enjoyed the most, the 1989 55-10 smashing of the Denver Broncos. Being a Raiders fan as well, I was not a big Bronco’s fan, so I took particular pleasure in watching that thumping. A few months ago I watched the game again, and the Niners played about as perfect a football game as can be played. So going into the 1990 season, the men in red and gold were looking to be the first NFL Super Bowl “three-peaters” in NFL history. And things were looking pretty good. After a dominant 14-2 regular season and a 28-10 dumping of the Washington Redskins in the first round of the playoffs, the 49ers only had to get by the New York Giants, no slouches at 13-3, to take on the Buffalo Bills in their third straight Super Bowl.

A predictably tough game held at Candlestick Park, the 49ers scored the only touchdown in the contest early in the 3rd quarter to take a 13-6 lead. Midway through the 4th quarter the niners still held a 13-12 lead and were moving into field goal position to try and pad it while simultaneously running down the clock. Could almost taste the celebratory champagne. Three Super Bowls in a row! Then something inexplicable happened. With 2:36 left in the game, sure handed Roger Craig fumbled after a short run and the Giants recovered. That was bad enough, but then watching a shell-shocked 49er defense being unable to stop the Giants from driving into 49er territory was salt poured into the wound. You could sense the entire time something bad was going to happen. And it did, as Giants kicker Matt Bahr booted a 42 yard field goal as time ran out to end the 49er dreams. This game did provide me a lesson though:  a game isn’t over until there is 0:00 left on the clock. I’ve never forgotten that.

Losing and how they lost was extremely painful at the time. On top of that, going into that NFL Championship weekend, there was another chance of a 49ers/Raiders Super Bowl, as Oakland was taking on Buffalo for the AFC Championship. That dream was short lived as Buffalo pummeled the Raiders 51-3 earlier that day. What would have really been ironic, had that happened, was the the year before the GIants and A’s faced each other in the 1989 World Series. So that not happening really made it a doubly disappointing weekend.

4.  Giants 2002 World Series

The Giants were making their first World Series appearance since losing to the Oakland A’s in their 1989 Bay Bridge earthquake-influenced clash. With the A’s also making the playoffs in 2002, the possibility existed for a Bay Bridges Series II. The wild card Giants in particular were on a roll after knocking off the favorite St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship series (see My Favorite Moments, #6). The A’s on the other hand were coming off a 103 win season and, as mentioned in my earlier article, were bumped off by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the playoffs. So much for that dream. But the Giants were still alive and were about to face the American League wild card team Anaheim Angels in the first ever World Series battle featuring the two wild card teams.

After taking three of the first five games, the Giants were one win away from winning their first World Series since 1962. In game 6, San Francisco took a seemingly insurmountable 5-0 lead going into the 7th inning at Anaheim. Insurmountable because the Giants had one of the best bullpens in the National League in 2002, and a five run lead with only nine outs to go seemed pretty safe. But because this series made my list, it obviously wasn’t. The Angels scored three runs in both the 7th and 8th innings to steal game 6, 6-5 and even the series at three games apiece. The loss seemed to take the wind out of the Giants, as they lost game 7 4-1 in a lackluster performance. The loss was tough enough, but the uninspired effort in game 7 was really disappointing. They never recovered from the tough loss the night before. So close, yet so far. We would have to wait another eight years before experiencing another World Series trip for the Giants. That story, as we all know, had a different ending.

5.  Giants 1987 NL Championship, Game 6

Two years before the “Bay Bridge” series against the A’s, the Giants came oh-so-close to making their first World Series since 1962.  Their 90-72 record in 1987 was only the third time since 1973 that they finished with a better than .500 record. Two years before, they lost an even 100.  So 1987 was one of those out-of-nowhere exciting seasons. The only thing standing in their way of making one of the most unlikely World Series trips ever were the 95-67 St. Louis Cardinals. The NL Championship series saw the Giants take a 3-2 series lead before heading to St. Louis for games 6 and 7. Unfortunately, their bats decided to take an ill-timed snooze and the orange and black were shutout in the last two games of the series, including a 6-0 dud in game 7. But the 1-0 game 6 nail biter was the real killer. Ouch. Very frustrating loss. And series.

I have to mention game 3, which I was able to attend (thanks again dad), sitting 12 rows behind the plate next to former MLB player Hank Sauer, who was a scout for the Giants. The series was tied 1-1 at the time, and the Giants led 4-2 going into the 7th inning. But a four run 7th gave the Cards a 6-4 lead and one the Giants couldn’t overcome. The Giants went on to win the next two games to force the aforementioned games 6 and 7 in St. Louis. Could have been a different story had they won that game. Who knows. But overall it was a great season, and in hindsight, the beginning of quite a few years of winning.

6.  Raiders 1977 AFC Championship Game

The Raiders were coming off of their first Super Bowl victory the year before, a 33-14 thrashing of the Minnesota Vikings and were facing the upstart and surprising Denver Broncos in Denver in the AFC Championship game to earn the right to face the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII. The Broncos came out of nowhere to win a league leading 12 games.

In the AFC Championship, the Broncos held on to a 20-17 victory that was mainly the Raiders fault because of turnovers, but partly because of a blown call by the officials. In the 3rd quarter the Broncos were on the Raiders two when Bronco running back Rob Lytle tried to leap into the end zone, only to fumble the ball that the Raiders recovered. Which replays proved. But the officials ruled that forward progress was stopped prior to the fumble and Denver kept the ball. Denver subsequently scored a touchdown to give them a 14-3 lead that the Raiders couldn’t quite over come. Yes, after that blown call, a few of us were yelling at our poor TV. We were not happy campers. We did get a little vengeance two weeks later when the Cowboys beat the Broncos 27-10 in the Super Bowl.

7.  Player Departures

Players come and go from all of our local sports teams every year, but the following four were particularly painful to me at the time they happened.

Joe Montana to Kansas City Chiefs (1993) -  Only the second four time Super Bowl winning QB, Montana was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of the 1979 draft by new head coach Bill Walsh.

Within two years, “Joe Cool” took over the starting reigns in San Francisco and amazingly led them to a 1981 Super Bowl victory. He did so again in 1984, 1988 and 1989.

By 1992, a 36 year old Montana was starting to lose a step but, when healthy, was still an effective quarterback. However, a younger, eager, more resilient Steve Young was nipping at his heels. After suffering injury-filled 1991 and 1992 seasons in which Young stepped in and played well, a healthy Montana was ready to retake the reins in 1983. Young made it clear that he no longer wanted to play second fiddle, but Montana was now healthy and undoubtedly the face of the 49er franchise. Talk about a conundrum!  Disagreements arose and Montana eventually requested a trade and was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs before the 1993 season.

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch and ouch.

I was so disappointed in the 49ers and angry at Young, although I can understand both positions, that I actually rooted against them in 2003. Well, at least part of me did. I certainly didn’t get upset when Young bombed. My attention, however, was more on Kansas City, where Montana actually did very well. In his first year with the Chiefs, Montana led them to the AFC Championship game and made the AFC Pro Bowl team. In 1994, “Cool Joe” again led the Chiefs into the playoffs, and actually came a game away from facing the 49ers in the Super Bowl. During the regular season, Montana and the Chiefs faced the 49ers, and Montana got his revenge over Young with a 24-17 win. I have to admit that I routed for the Chiefs that day.

To this day, I’ve always thought Steve Young was overrated. He had a handful of very good seasons for the 49ers for sure, but he inherited a great team and only won one Super Bowl with them. Yes, he was voted into the NFL Hall-of-Fame, but I would argue that he’s not even the best left-handed quarterback to have played. That honor, to me, would go to Ken Stabler, who should have been voted in before Young. But that’s a tale for another day.

Will Clark to Texas Rangers (1994) - Who in San Francisco didn’t love Will Clark? Competitive, clutch, tough, quirky. A great player for the Giants who, as a rookie in 1986, helped turn the Giants around after 13 years of mostly terrible baseball. As a rookie, Clark bashed a home run in his first at bat in the major leagues against future hall-of-famer Nolan Ryan. In 1989, he had a clutch single late the NL Championship series to defeat the Chicago Cubs and advance the Giants to the World Series. But after a couple of sub-par, injury-riddled seasons, Clark’s contract was up after the 1993 season and negotiations ensued. After weeks of reading how far apart the Giants and Clark were, it was apparent that the writing was on the wall. The Giants had just signed Barry Bonds to a long term, very lucrative contract, so that could have very well affected how much more money the Giants were willing to pay another player. Bad timing on Clark’s part. So prior to the 1994 season Clark signed with the Texas Rangers. Another gut punch. And only a year after Montana left!  Tough.

Ken Stabler to Houston Oilers (1980) - I was actually a Raider fan before a 49er fan, and a big reason was Raiders quarterback Kenny “the Snake” Stabler. While drafted by the Raiders in the second round of the 1968 draft out of the University of Alabama, Major League Baseball also had an interest in the left handed throwing Stabler, as the NY Yankees drafted him in 1966, the NY Mets in 1967 and the Houston Astros in 1968. Stabler decided to stick with football and signed a two year contract with the Raiders.

After backing up Daryle Lamonica for four years, Stabler finally took over the reigns as starting QB of the Oakland Raiders in 1973. Stabler was just fun to watch. Quick feet, quick release, and a lot of smarts quickly made him an All-Pro quarterback in the AFC. Stabler led the Raiders to the playoffs the next five seasons, and in 1976 help the silver and black win their first Super Bowl. After a good 1977 season in which the Raiders lost to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship, things started to go down hill for lefty. Bad knees were kicking in and the interceptions were starting to mount. The Snake was slowing down. And as a result, Al Davis and the Raiders thought it was time for a change. In 1979, the Raiders and Houston Oilers swapped starting quarterbacks, with equally struggling Dan Pastorini heading to the west coast. It was actually not a bad trade for the Raiders, as Pastorini was younger and had a gun for an arm. But it was still difficult watching a personal favorite player like Stabler leave, and particularly disappointing that his great days in Oakland had to end that way. As side note, the Raiders also obtained Jim Plunkett from the 49ers that same year, and after Pastorini went down to injury in 1980, Plunkett took over for good.

For Stabler, he became a member of a talented Oilers team and led them into the 1980 playoffs. And as luck would have it, the Oilers had to travel to Oakland to face the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs in the Wild Card game. I had to go. Fortunately, my dad was able to snag a couple of tickets from a vendor and a friend of mine and I camped out in the north end zone where we watched the Raiders score 17 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to knock off Stabler and the Oilers 27-7. The surging Raiders, led by Plunkett, went on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl that year.

Stabler played another three years, ending his career with the New Orleans Saints prior to the 1984 season. For his accomplishments, Stabler was named to the 1970’s All Century team, and was finally voted into the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame in 2016, the year after he died. Very sad. He should have been voted in years before that.

Rick Barry to Houston Rockets (1978) - You’ve dedicated your entire NBA career to the same team (not including a short detour in the ABA) and are a sure bet future hall-of-famer. Just four years before you brought them their first NBA Championship.  But now you are entering your 14th year and not the player you used to be. Minutes per game are down, scoring is down and, although still a team leader, you’re simply not carrying the team like you used to. Despite that, you still think you deserve big bucks for all that you’ve done for the franchise….plus you can see the finish line not too far away.

That was the end story of Rick Barry.

Undoubtedly the greatest San Francisco/Golden State Warrior in history, Rick Barry was also voted as one of the top 50 players of all-time. The ultimate team leader, Barry was clutch and smart as a whip. Not only could he score (averaged 24.8 points per game in his career), but he would make some of the most amazing passes you’d ever see. You really had to be on your toes when on the court with him. A trait of a great player is someone who makes the other players around him better. And Barry was one of the few who could lay claim to that. Plus he was highly regarded as one of the best defense players in the game. The ultimate all-around player. And that’s why he’s still my all-time favorite basketball hoopster.

In 1978, at the age of 34, Barry was still playing well (23.1 pts per game), but his minutes were dropping and he wasn’t getting any younger. His contract expired after that season and he was looking for one more large payday before calling it a career. The Warriors at that time were in the middle of a youth movement and didn’t want to fork out big bucks to one player. And so, in 1979, they reluctantly let him go and Barry signed as a free agent with the Houston Rockets where he played two seasons, averaging 13.5 and 12.0 points per season. I guess the Warriors were right, but it was still difficult to watch your basketball idol leave town. I have to say though, that the Warriors made out pretty well, as the NBA awarded them a 24 year old playmaking guard named John Lucas from the Rockets as compensation for losing Barry. In his first year with the Warriors, Lucas averaged 14 points and 10 assists per game and fit right in with the young players they had. So that took a little sting out of Barry’s departure. But it was still tough.

8.  Nate Thurmond & George Blanda - The Lost Championships

I know what you’re thinking: “what in the world do Nate Thurmond of the Warriors and George Blanda of the Raiders have in common, and why are they on this list?”  Well, these two share what I call my two biggest “dang it” moments in my Bay Area sports history. In a nutshell, both players, veterans of their respective teams with careers winding down, just missed out participating in and winning, their only NBA title and Super Bowl championship. And both within a year of each other!

Thurmond was drafted by the San Francisco/Golden State Warriors in 1963 and spent 10 years there during a time when the Warriors were pretty good for the most part, but not good enough to challenge for an NBA title. In 1974, a 30-year old Thurmond was traded to the Chicago Bulls for a couple of younger, quicker players. And, as luck would have it, the very first season after he left the Warriors made it to the NBA Championship and defeated the Washington Bullets to take home their first ever Bay Area title. Thurmond was known as being a tough, hard working, very quiet, very friendly player, and one I really enjoyed watching. So it was particularly disappointing that he couldn’t have been around for one more year to enjoy the championship.

Blanda was pure and simple a fluke of nature. Beginning his career with the Chicago Bears in 1949, yes, 1949, Blanda retired from the Oakland Raiders after the 1975 season at the ripe old age of 48. Yes, 48.  During his nine years with the Raiders, Blanda was primarily the placekicker for the team, but was also occasionally the 2nd or 3rd string quarterback. He actually took a few snaps during his final season. As a kicker, Blands nailed a 52 yarder at age 43, and a 49 yarder at age 47. Pretty amazing. Although Blanda was able to play in the Raiders losing effort in the 1967 Super Bowl, he never won one. And, unfortunately for him, he retired one year too early, as the Raiders made it to and won the 1976 Super Bowl, beating the Minnesota Vikings 33-14.

So close, yet so far for both Thurmond and Blanda. I’ve always felt bad for both of them, because they both deserved the championship experience they missed out on.

9.  Raiders Leave for L.A.

As I mentioned earlier, I was a Raider fan before a 49er fan, mainly because the Raiders were good in the 1970’s when I was growing up and the 49ers weren’t. So I definitely had a fondness for the Raiders, even though the Niners were in the midst of turning things around in the early 1980’s, although the silver-and-black knocked off the powerful Philadelphia Eagles in the 1981 Super Bowl.

After the 1981 Super Bowl, owner Al Davis tried unsuccessfully to lobby for improvements for the Oakland Coliseum, including the addition of luxury seats. After the failure, Davis signed an agreement with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to move them there prior to the following season. Unfortunately, he did so before getting the required approval of the NFL owners, who later voted against it 22-0. The LA Coliseum then filed an antitrust lawsuit against Davis, who in turn filed one of his own. After a mistrial in 1982, a second jury found in favor of Davis which opened the way for the move. And after the 1982 season, in which the Raiders slumped to 7-9 and missed the playoffs, they move to southern California. Two Super Bowls later they knocked off the Washington Redskins to win their third Super Bowl in eight years, and second in four. Unfortunately for the Raider nation, it would be 20 years before they appeared in another one.

The Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995 after the Oakland Coliseum agreed to pay $220 million on stadium renovations. In 2002, they appeared in their first Super Bowl since 1983 (and last to date), subsequently losing to the Tampa Bay Bucs 48-21.

When the Raiders left in 1982, I remember partly feeling sad about seeing a great team from my childhood leave, but mainly angry at the greedy Davis for doing something unheard of in that day: moving a successful sports franchise. The Oakland Raiders were one of the most popular and profitable teams in all of professional sports, and one of the original AFL teams from 1960. A part of the Raiders left me the day they moved, and although I still root for them, I never regained the passion I once had. Plus it didn’t hurt that the 49ers were rolling during that time! I was happy when the Raiders returned in 1995, but, as I mentioned, a lot of the passion was lost. The 49ers were my primary team now.

10.  San Jose Sharks - 27 Years, 1 Stanley Cup Appearance, 0 Championships

After debuting in 1991, the south bay had high hopes for their first franchise from one the four major professional sports leagues, the San Jose Sharks of the NHL. Just three years later, the Sharks made the playoffs for the first time, and as the #8 seed knocked off the #1 seed Detroit Red Wings in the first round. Although they didn’t make it to the Stanley Cup that year, expectations were high that it would happen soon. Little did we know then that it take another 22 years before that would happen. In 2016, the Sharks faced the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Stanley Cup and lost 4 games to 2.

In between, the Sharks made the playoffs 17 times, but only advanced to the conference finals three times (2003, 2009, 2010). They were the top ranked team in the Pacific division six times, including those three years. But year-after-year they would come up short. And after 27 years, it’s really become a disappointment. They are the only Bay Area team to not win a championship, so when they finally do, it will be a very special celebration.

Favorite and Tough

There was one Bay Area sports moment that I can’t omit that was both a favorite memory and a tough moment: the 1989 “Bay Bridge” World Series.

As I developed an interest in professional sports in the early 70’s, it didn’t take me long to become a fan of all the Bay Area teams. Yes all: SF Giants AND Oakland A’s, SF 49ers AND Oakland Raiders, and of course the Golden State Warriors. I emphasize the first two, because nowadays it’s taboo to root for them both baseball or football teams. In never understood that, because they are in different leagues and very rarely face other. Back then it wasn’t as big a deal.

Anyhow, during that time I would always dream of a Giants/A’s World Series or 49ers/Raiders Super Bowl. How great would that be? I would obviously have to choose a team, but it would still be exciting for the Bay Area to be the center of attention for a short period of time in the world of baseball or football.

In baseball, the first legitimate chance came during the 1971 baseball season, where the Giants and A’s both won their respective Western division championships. Wow, I’m only 11 years old and it was going to happen already! Well, not quite. The Giants lost three games to one to the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Baltimore Orioles swept the A’s 4-0. So much for that.

Unfortunately, the Giants took a nosedive for the next few years and didn’t captured another division title until 1987. But it wasn’t until 1989 when the unthinkable finally happened: a Giants and A’s World Series. I remember watching both pennant clinching games that year. First, the A’s knocked off the Toronto in five games, and shortly after the Giants did the same to the Cubs. I remember when the last out in the Giants game was made and realizing a Bay Bridge series was actually going to happen. Very exciting! But who was I going to root for. That was actually pretty easy decision seeing the Giants hadn’t been to the series yet since moving to San Francisco in 1958, let alone win one, while the A’s had one three in a row some 15 years earlier. The Giants all the way.

The A’s had superior starting pitching, with four pitchers winning 17 or more games, including Dave Stewart’s 21 wins, while 40 year old Rick Reuschel topped the Giants starters with 17 wins. After Reuschel, the Giants had three other pitchers 14 wins or less. The Giants had the pesky bats of Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, Brett Butler and Robby Thompson, but the A’s were loaded with the Bash Brothers (Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire), Dave Parker, and Rickey Henderson. So it was looking very good for the A’s. And the World Series started that way as the A’s took the first two games rather easily in Oakland, 5-0 and 5-1. But the Giants were coming home to face the A’s third and fourth starters, so they still had a chance.

Then October 17 came, and at 5:04 pm the most ill-timed event is sports history occurred, the Loma Prieta earthquake. In an instant, everything changed and the moment of excitement was gone of a Bay Bridge series was gone forever. I actually had tickets for that game, and was at the stadium buying a program on ground level just minutes from heading to the escalator that would take us to our upper deck seats just to the right of home plate. I remember feeling the ground shake, and actually taking hold of the table I was buying the program from, but didn’t think much of it. Everyone, including us, continued on up the escalators to our seats, even though they had stopped working. “Just a temporary issue, no problem” we and hundreds of others thought.

After making it to the 2nd deck, we got to our seats and dug ourselves in.  Out came the battery operated TV and transistor radio. Time for the pre-game show. Not too long after an aftershock hit that was a definite attention-getter. After watching the light poles sway for a second time, people who were in their seats after the first quake hit had enough and began to leave. And there was quite a few of them. We held our ground though, still not even considering the game would be cancelled. Then we noticed two more things: one, there were no lights on in Candlestick Park (the sun was still out, so it was hard to tell initially), and two, we started seeing smoke appearing outside of the stadium over the centerfield area. Ok, time to turn on the radio and TV to find out what’s happening. When we did, however, there was nothing on either one. Some 10 minutes later, KCBS finally came on the air and started to get updates on how severe things were.  Not too long after, police on the field began using their bull horns telling people the game was cancelled and to leave. But we held our ground, still unconvinced that  a game wouldn’t be played that night. Just kidding. We packed up and headed back to our car and made the drive back south.

Ten days later, the World Series resumed with game 3. By that time, however, I had lost interest in the whole thing, as it was now tainted. I still wanted the Giants to win, but I didn’t care all that much anymore, so I ended up selling the tickets.  From a baseball perspective, the Giants never stood a chance after that, as the A’s were able to bring back their best two pitchers for games 3 and 4 because of the delay. Which I never thought was fair. I believe the teams should have been required to keep the starting rotation they had set before the World Series had begun. Anyhow, as a result, the A’s easily beat the Giants in the next two games, 13-7 and 9-6 to sweep to a World Series win.

By the way, I’m still a little upset with the A’s of that era, as for the second time in 15 years, they appeared in three straight World Series. The 1989 series against the Giants was the only one I had rooted against them. The other two, 1988 v.s Cincinnati and 1990 vs. the Dodgers, I was rooting for them and they lost! Bums…..

The Bay Bridge Series II almost took place in 2002 when the Giants made it to the World Series but the A’s were upset by the Minnesota Twins in the AL Playoffs. In 2012, the Giants again made it to the World Series and the A’s won the Western Division title, but lost 3-2 in round two of the AL Playoffs to the team the Giants ultimately would play and defeat in the World Series, the Detroit Tigers.

In football, despite how dominant both were at times, only twice, the 1982 and 1990 seasons, did the possibility of a 49er/Raider Super Bowl exist. In 1982, the Raiders made it to the 1983 Super Bowl while the 49ers came close before losing to the Washington Redskins in the NFC Championship game. In 1990, both teams again were playing in their respective league championship games, but this time both lost. Other than that, both teams were surprisingly never dominant at the same time.

My Top 10 Favorite Moments in Bay Area Sports History

In the world of sports, we in the Bay Area have been spoiled. Plain and simple. In the past 45 years, our professional Bay Area sports teams have captured 19 championships (5 = 49ers, 4 = Warriors, A’s, 3 = Giants, 2 = Raiders, 1 = Earthquakes)...or one in every 2.5 years! So any of those could have easily made my list of favorite moments that I’ve personally experienced. In fact, I could have probably written a book discussing all of them. But to save time and space, I’ve narrowed the list to a couple handful. Enjoy:

1.   My First Games - 1966 & 1971

My number one favorite moment has to be the first two games I attended that my dad took me to as a kid. And, believe it or not, I remember a little bit of both. The first one came in 1966 when we went to a San Francisco Warriors game vs the St. Louis Hawks. This six year old got to watch a hotshot youngster named Rick Barry play, who, unbeknownst to me at the time, would eventually become my all-time favorite basketball player. Although I don’t remember who won, I actually still have the program for the game.

The second game was in the fall of 1971 when my dad took me to a San Francisco Giants game against the. Cincinnati Reds. I can clearly remember walking out through the tunnel and taking in Candlestick Park for the first time. It was so much bigger than on TV! Although I didn’t know it, I had the fortune that day to watch five of the greatest baseball players in Major League Baseball history:  Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Johnny Bench and Pete Rose. I still have the program for that game as well.

2.   “The Catch” & 1981 Super Bowl

Wanted to combine these as they are directly related. “The Catch” of course, refers to the SF 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys NFC Championship game where Joe Montana connected with Dwight Clark to help edge the heavily favored Cowboys, allowing them to go to (and win) their first Super Bowl ever. This was particularly exciting on a couple of fronts. First, the 49ers Super Bowl season came of nowhere. The niners were 6-10 the season before and 2-14 the prior to two seasons before that. Bill Walsh took over during that time and optimism abounded that he would turn things around fast. But what happened was much faster than anyone anticipated! Unexpected success is always the most fulfilling. At least to me.

Another reason “The Catch” game is on my list is because I actually attended it!  Thanks to my dad again, I was able to watch history being made from the 45 yard line, 12 rows behind the Cowboys bench. The best part of it is that I was surrounded by longtime season ticket holders who had suffered watching poor 49er teams for most of the prior decade. And some who had season tickets going back to the Kezar Stadium days. So to say these folks were hysterical would be an understatement. Tears flowed everywhere.  Definitely something I’ll never forget.

I remember watching the Super Bowl at a friends house in Los Gatos, with all of us becoming euphoric when the 49ers jumped out to an early lead, and then simultaneously biting our nails as they held on to a 26-21 win, thanks in part to a late goal line stand. We went into downtown Los Gatos after the win where people were going nuts, screaming their heads off while driving up and down Santa Cruz Blvd.

3.   2010 World Series - Game 6

The entire World Series actually, but game 6 was the one that clinched the Giants first ever World Series title in San Francisco. They came close a couple of times, particularly in 1962 and 2002, but this time the title came home after the defeating of the Texas Rangers. Simultaneous relief and excitement after waiting for 52 years!  And who would have known that they would win two more in the next three years. Wow….

4.  Golden State Warriors - 1975 NBA Championship

Although the Warriors were pretty competitive the prior four seasons, finishing 2nd in the Western conference all four years, this NBA championship following the 1974-75 season came as almost as much of a surprise as the 1981 49ers Super Bowl title did. After coming back from a 3-2 deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls in the conference finals, the 48-34 Warriors took on the powerful and heavily favored 60-22 Washington Bullets for the NBA title. Not only did the Warriors win, but they swept the mighty Bullets 4-0, All, however, were hard fought, physical, tight, nail-biting games. Some the come-from-behind type. Still, it was quite a shocker. And like the 49ers unexpected Super Bowl victory in 1981, the win was particularly fulfilling. Not to mention that it was the franchise’s, and the area’s, first Bay Area NBA title.

5.  Oakland Raiders - 1976 Super Bowl

Unlike the aforementioned 49er and Warrior championship wins, the Raiders 1976 Super Bowl victory had more of an “it was about time” feeling. One of the top AFC teams during the entire 1970’s, the Raiders had the bad luck of playing at the same time as the powerhouse and multiple Super Bowl winning Miami Dolphin and Pittsburgh Steeler teams, frequently facing one or the other in the playoffs. And until 1976, often losing to them. But after an 11 point fourth quarter come-from-behind win in a round one AFC playoff  game against New England, you knew it was there year. That win catapulted them through the rest of the playoffs, as they easily beat the dreaded Steelers in the AFC Championship game 24-7, and thrashed the Minnesota Vikings 33-14 in Super Bowl X to win their first ever Super Bowl title.

The game was particularly memorable, as I remember watching it during a camping trip we were on, barely getting the game on our small, portable rabbit-eared black-and-white TV in our 25 foot Prowler trailer.

6.  2002 NL Championship - Game 5

For a while, it looked like 2002 might be the Bay Bridge Series II, as the Giants snuck into the playoffs as a wildcard, while the A’s won the AL West with a league tying 103 wins. Huge upsets in the AL took care of that though, as the Minnesota Twins and wildcard Anaheim Angels knocked off the heavily favored A’s and New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.

In the NL, the Giants continued the wildcard winning ways by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in five games to advance to their third San Francisco World Series in 40 years, and the first since the 1989 Bay Bridge Series I. The clinching game 5 was played in San Francisco, and I was fortunate to have attended it (thanks again dad). Upper deck, right behind first base. And what a game. Trailing 1-0 going into the 8th inning, the Giants scored a run in each of the final two innings to eek out a 2-1 win. In the ninth, the Giants put together three consecutive two-out singles to claim the NL championship. Talk about suspense! The Giants were in the World Series….finally!  In about a week, that thrill would be erased by a gut punch, as you’ll read in my “Toughest Moment in Sports” (#4).

7.  1974 World Series - Game 4

October 16, 1974…. my very first first World Series game. I was 14 years old and my dad and I were sitting in the lower deck between the Dodgers dugout and the Dodgers bullpen down the right field line. A’s pitcher Ken Holtzman not only pitched a great game, but became one of the few pitcher’s in World Series history to hit a home run. A shot over the left field fence. The 5-2 win gave the A’s a 3-1 series lead which they clinched the next day, giving them their third World Series championship in a row.

Just eight years earlier, a horrible A’s teamed moved from Kansas City to Oakland, and within three years began their playoff run thanks in part to some great drafting and smart free agent signings.

8.  Introducing the San Jose Sharks

In 1991, San Jose’s welcomed its first ever Professional team!  Ok, the San Jose Earthquakes technically were back in the 1970’s, but the Sharks were the first local team from the big four:  NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. Very exciting when it happened. However, the Sharks wouldn’t play in San Jose until 1993, as the SJ Arena was being built during their first two years of existence.  Seasons 1 and 2 were held at the Cow Palace in Daly City, but that didn’t discourage my friend Steve and I from becoming Shark Pak owners (10 game plan). We attended the third ever home game for the Sharks.

Although they were predictably bad during that time, including an 11-71-2 record in their second season in 1992, they turned it around big time in their inaugural season in San Jose by going 33-35-16 in 1993. Not only did that represent the biggest turnaround season in NHL history, the Sharks  shockingly made the NHL playoffs for the first time as well! And if that wasn’t enough, the #8 seeded Sharks beat the #1 seeded Detroit Red Wings in round 1 of the playoffs for one of the biggest upsets ever in the NHL. I remember going to one of the playoff games, and can safely say that it was, and still is, the loudest crowd experience I’ve ever had. Deafening. Could not hear the person next to you talk.

9.  San Jose Earthquakes - MLS Champs

I have to admit that I’m not much a soccer fan, and only watch the sport every four years when the World Cup is played. But I did have to catch the 2001 MLS Championship game (on TV, not in person) as it featured our own San Jose Earthquakes. Although not one of the big four professional sports, the MLS is nonetheless a professional sports league, and on October 21, 2001, the San Jose Earthquakes defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 to bring home San Jose’s first ever professional sports championship. I honestly thought the Sharks would be the first team to lay claim to that, but that wasn't the case.

10.  The SF Giants Booster Club Trip - 1979

Airfare, three Giants games at Dodger Stadium, hotel accommodations for two nights, and admission to Disneyland, all for $180. Who could pass that up?  I couldn’t, so I decided to join the San Francisco Giants booster club for one of their weekend trips to southern California to watch a 3-game series against the Dodgers in the fall of 1979. The good news:  we stayed at the same hotel as the Giants. The bad news:  the Dodgers were one of the best teams in baseball, the Giants not so good. As an added bonus however, the Oakland Raiders were in town to play the LA Rams in a preseason exhibition football game that Saturday and were also staying at the same hotel we were. I was in Bay Area sports fan heaven!

The Dodgers predictably dominated the baseball, taking 2 of 3 from the Giants. And Disneyland was fun. But the best part was at the hotel. Almost every time you used the elevator or walked in the lobby you would see a Giant or Raider. Willie McCovey, Ken Stabler, and announcer Bill King were just a few I saw roaming around. On Friday night we (my roommate and I) snuck into the lounge (we were only 19) for a few minutes and saw five or six Giant players huddled around a table in the far corner of the room playing poker. Sitting by himself at the bar, however, was Giants shortstop Johnnie LeMaster. We mosied on up and struck up a conversation with him. He was very gracious and soft-spoken, and we actually ended up talking for about 15 minutes before we left. Before going to bed around 1:30am, I snuck a peak in the lounge and saw the poker players still going at it. No team curfew then, evidently.

My top highlight, however,  was meeting the star of the Rockford Files, James Garner. As we returned from breakfast on Saturday morning, Garner, a huge Raiders fan, was sitting alone in the hotel lobby reading a newspaper. As a huge Rockford Files fan, I did a double take to make sure it was really him. After the initial shock wore off, I decided to walk up, say hi, tell him I’m a big fan, and hopefully get an autograph. Thankfully, he was very friendly and signed the paper I was able to find. My roommate, who was a little gutsier than me, asked if he could take a picture with him. Again, Garner was very accommodating and happily did it. I took a picture with my roomies camera, and regretted not having one taken of him and I as well. At the time, I didn’t want to push my luck, as he did allow me to interrupt him and signed an autograph. But soon after I wish I had. I still have a copy of the photo I took in some album somewhere. A couple of weeks later when my roomie sent me a copy of the picture, I immediately noticed that I cut half of him out of the picture. Got all of James Garner though. Bummer.

That night after the Raider/Ram game was over, I ran into Garner at the hotel elevator. While we were waiting for it, I asked him how Raider quarterback Kenny Stabler looked. He gave a short reply, but I don’t remember what it was. He obviously didn’t want to be bothered so I was silent during our elevator ride. It was still pretty thrilling for a 19 year old!