Buy Candlestick Stuff on eBay!

It may interest a lot of you to know that you can find some really cool stuff on eBay that is dedicated to our favorite former park. From replica models to posters honoring the Beatles’ last ever concert, eBay seems to have a great selection of cool collectibles. Check it out:

Candlestick Park on eBay

Quotes About The ‘Stick

Here are some great quotes about Candlestick Park during its reign of terror over the Major Leagues.

“I got prepared for Candlestick by putting down all the windows in my car, taking off my jacket and driving around San Francisco”

~Dusty Baker

“The trouble with this ballpark is that they built it alongside the bay. They should have built it under the bay.”

~Roger Maris

“It’s like trying to hit a cotton ball wearing an overcoat–no one from Candlestick will ever win a batting championship.”

~Ball Madlock

“If I had to play here, I’d think seriously about quitting the game.”

~Rocky Colavito

Check back in the next few weeks for more great Candlestick quotes

All quotes were taken from Nick Peters’ Tales from the Giants Dugout

The Bums Play in the LA Coliseum

Yesterday, the Dodgers played the Red Sox in the LA Coliseum in front of over 115,000 fans. Normally, I would never use the Dodgers as an excuse to push an agenda, but it seems the event was a success. I don’t know if any of you caught it, but the dimensions of the field were horrific (the left field foul pole was 205 ft. from home plate). To adjust for these problems, large nets were constructed over the outfield walls. Honestly, it looked horrible. Regardless, I think this is a good sign for the Giants getting one more game at the ‘Stick. If the Bums can pack 115,000 into a football stadium, why can’t we pack 63,000 back in the ‘Stick?

Great ‘Stick Era Read

For all of you out there looking for some good anecdotes from the Candlestick era, I highly recommend you check out Nick Peters’ Tales from the San Francisco Giants Dugout. The book is chucked full of great stories that have made the Giants such a unique (and often frustrating) team to watch. Regardless, the ups and downs that Los Gigantes have provided us with surely make this a worthwhile read (plus you could easily finish it in one night).

Check it out here (sorry for the long URL): http://www.amazon.com/Tales-San-Francisco-Giants-Dugout/dp/1582616868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203371511&sr=8-1

The Thrill at The ‘Stick!

I was checking out sayhey.wordpress.com when I saw this gem. In addition to this classic Will Clark footage, there is another video of him in the post-game interview on the site.

Great Candlestick Footage

This was taken from YouTube. It’s a great video of some action at the ‘Stick. Keep watching it until the end so you can start imagine that you’re sitting back there in 1992. If you recall, this was the year where everybody thought Los Gigantes were going to leave for Florida. Ironically, it was the Dodgers that saved us…. Regardless of their team’s impending adios, the ‘Stick faithful still give it a nice atmosphere.

Quick Update

Dear Loyal Visitors,

Sorry that there has not been an update in literally 4 months. The reasoning for this is that Yours Truly has been away in Italy for a study abroad trip. That and the fact that the season has been over for a few months has lead to this being a pretty dead site. Don’t worry, though, things will be up and running again real soon. Continue to keep coming by and tell your friends and family about our cause!

 Go Giants!

-Greg

‘Candlestick Guy’

The following is a classic article from The Betting Fool at the San Francisco Chronicle on August 14, 2007

Not everyone is frowning down at 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

The people who sell Giants tickets have had a terrific year.

Stadium operations probably got a slick little thumb’s up from MLB for their All-Star efforts, especially the parties.

Brian Sabean has a new contract and appears to have stolen Rajai Davis from the Pirates, so he is at least smirking.

Noah Lowry is putting together a lovely season (13-7, 3.28) and that Bonds guy had a fun night last Tuesday.

P.A. announcer Renel continues to introduce each batter as if they had just won the heavyweight championship. She has to be smiling to be that perky.

You know who’s ticked off? You know who cannot stomach another second of this wretched collection of awfulness? You know who walks away from the TV disgusted, hands thrown out in spastic bursts of anger after the last few weeks of dreadful losses?

This column is for “Candlestick Guy.” He is mad as hell, and he isn’t watching another second of Giants baseball this season.

Candlestick Guy remembers when you could buy an ice cold bottle of beer and a boiled hot dog with a squishy white bun. FROM A VENDOR.

He remembers when the polish sausages were hot (not tepid) and there was not so much as a thimble of tofu anywhere in that nasty old wind tunnel of a ballpark.

Candlestick Guy remembers the short sideways fist pump of Will Clark, the thickness of Jim Ray Hart’s neck and he knows exactly who Joe Pettini is and the fact that he was a light-hitting reserve infielder. And that the only infielder he didn’t back up in 1980 was first baseman Mike Ivie. He also knows how Roger Metzger lost four fingers, and how on that same 1980 team, he bravely attempted a comeback.

The chainsaw accident proved too much for Metzger, who hit .074 in 28 games and was released.

Candlestick Guy remembers Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and the late Vince Welnick singing the National Anthem on a warm April afternoon in 1993, before the home opener. He does not approve of some idiot from “American Idol” singing it at Mays Stadium.

When he watches the Giants go down 17 in a row to Pittsburgh’s Tom Gorzelanny to cap off a horrific string of games, he wants to smash his TV. Worse, none of the batted balls were hit hard enough to break through toilet paper. Why wasn’t he watching Tiger, he violently asks himself? Stupid Candlestick Guy.

Then he reads the story the next day and hears Barry Zito say this: “Obviously you don’t want to give up that homer in the sixth, because it puts the game out of reach.” It was 3-0 after that homer. That’s out of reach? As if it isn’t painfully clear, Zito is most definitely not a Candlestick Guy kind of pitcher.

Jim Barr, Rod Beck, Rick Reuschel, Don Robinson? That’s much more like it. Zito reminds him of the last days of Atlee Hammaker.

Candlestick Guy liked Crazy Crab and thinks Lou Seal looks like a transgender rat. He still hates Tom Lasorda, with a fuming sort of violence. And yes, for better or worse, he yells at anyone in a Dodger hat — at any game, in any stadium.

He was comfortable in shorts and a light sweatshirt on a frigid foggy Friday night as he watched the Giants and Phillies with 12,679 other Candlestick Guys and their guests. He loved watching the fog roll over the top of the Old Gray Lady and down into the stadium bowl.

He didn’t need to “bundle up” and didn’t wait in line to get his “Croix de Candlestick.” He ALWAYS stayed to the end of every game. He didn’t need some damn badge to remind him.

While he doesn’t care for the Croix, Candlestick Guy always thought the little ol’ ladies down in the box seats behind first base, the ones who covered their hats in various orange and black effluvia, were pretty cool. Especially the ones who liked to swear a lot.

He remembers the chain link outfield fence that swayed in the wind and the wild scrambles for home run balls to left field, where there was a sort of cement vacant lot between the fence and the first row of bleachers.

Candlestick Guy misses the men’s room troughs and the peanuts he bought from ancient Abe, who was covered almost completely by his shriveled yellow coat.

Candlestick Guy is done with this year’s gaggle of bozos. No more.

He wonders how the front office and the “investors” can look in the mirror with their obvious lust for money and need to keep up appearances winning out over decent baseball.

Oh he’s seen some bad Giants teams, this Candlestick Guy. But at least they looked like they were trying. Can’t say that about the current half-stepping losers who have no idea how to work the count, move a runner or execute a bunt. They are poor baserunners and, well, they just look bad on the field.

Will Clark never looked bad on the field. Six Fingers Metzger never looked this bad.

Candlestick Guy has seen the fake-to-third, throw-to-first pickoff move work about three times over the last 25 years. The victim on two of those occasions? Pedro Feliz.

Candlestick Guy wonders exactly how his favorite team is now the worst in baseball (Tampa Bay doesn’t count as a real franchise).

He is hereby turning his attention to the current tenants of Bill Walsh Field. He misses the name Candlestick. He wonders if Bill Walsh would have allowed this to happen.

Candlestick Guy wants a cold beer right now. FROM A DAMN VENDOR.

Article and Pictures Courtesy of SFGate.com

Sign the Petition!

Just a reminder that if you think this is a good idea, be sure to sign the petition located HERE.

Also, if you have any recommendations for what one more game at Candlestick should have, post it. If some ideas start to catch some steam, we’ll dedicate a page to it and see what can happen.

1987 Team Honored Today

Today, the Giants honored the 1987 team that went all the way to the NLCS in front of 43,000 at AT&T Park. I’ve got to say that it was nice seeing all those old timers squeeze into a jersey again and jog onto the field. If you recall, these Giants had the likes of Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, Mike Krukow and many more. Roger “Humm Baby” Craig was our manager that year and took our boys all the way to the NLCS where we would eventually tap out to the Cardinals. Regardless, this team was definitely the beginning of what has been 20 years of some solid Giants teams (if you forget the past few years).

The Thrill