Good morning Formerly’s Fans!
I had a great night the couch, Junior at my side. I slapped on my orange SF-less Giants jersey for probably the last time for some time (less I look front-runnery), Mrs. MP fell asleep allowing Junior to cheat his bedtime, so father and son watched the World Series.
I thought of my own father. In ’54 did he think the Giants would never win again in his lifetime? To think there were only three seasons left of Giants baseball? The team had been to the WS twice in four seasons and yet would soon leave. The “golden age.” Unreal.
The Giants were never mentioned around the house when I was a kid, so it’s not like we were SFG fans then nor am I one now.
Someone had to win the series, and if not the Mets why not the team of my ancestors? I am happy for them, as the franchise picks up a 6th championship and gets people to talk about the first five instead of whining about the stupid team from Brooklyn.
56 years is a long time. In Mets years that would be the equivalent of 2044. I will be an old man watching that World Series with my grandson and many if not most of the 1986 Mets will be dead. Lets hope Sandy can get us one (or ten) between now and then.
Congratulations to the Giants, though actually consider this to be the San Francisco Giants first World Series title win, much as the Twins first World Series win was 1987 not 1924 (in their former incarnation as the Washington Senators).
The New York Giants (and their history as the Giants) ceased to be when their ownership moved them westward for the 1958 season. Truly, they were no more than an expansion team (e.g. totally new fan base, totally new home park) with veteran players. Their New York history lives on with the Mets (original owner was previously a minority owner with the Giants, NY logo, played at the Polo Grounds, team colors, etc), as does the Brooklyn history of the Dodgers. Now they just need to retire Willie Mays #24 and, as has been suggested before (http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2010/04/13/say-hey-a-heart-in-new-york/), a “Say Hey Concourse” would be the perfect bookend to the “Jackie Robinson Rotunda”. I also think it would be good of them to acknowledge, while not actually retiring their numbers, the Giants and Dodgers HOF members who played in New York prior to those franchises moving west (perhaps by putting up pennants or signage with their name and a black and orange NY for Giants or blue and white B for Brooklyn). Mathewson, McGraw, Terry, Ott, Hubbell, Rube Marquard, Dazzy Vance and Zack Wheat are far more “New York” than either “San Francisco” or “Los Angeles”. FWIW.
Glad these Giants won though. Go NL!
Hey Michael, remind me to post about your comment when Tickets Mania calms down.