End of A's-Giants Bay Bridge Series, Fans Left Unrecognized

A’s head groundskeeper Clay Wood gathering his thoughts during batting practice with his dog Reba as the Bay Bridge Series ends this Sunday.Photo byPhoto by Jose Carlos Fajardo Twitter Page

The Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants are playing the last game of the Bay Bridge series on Sunday. Many sportswriters and fans have said how frustrating it is that the fans are not being recognized in any way. Next year, the A's will start playing in Sacramento for 3 years until they go to Las Vegas in 2028 at the new dome that has yet to be built. They are not even going to give out the annual Bay Bridge Trophy to the team that wins the season series.

The World Series:

Called the Battle of the Bay World Series, the Bay Bridge rivalry was never hotter than during the 1989 World Series. The two best teams in baseball were playing game 3 at Candlestick Park after the A's had one of the first 2 games in Oakland. The afternoon freeways had little to moderate traffic, with most people either being at the game, at a watering hole, or at home getting ready to enjoy the festivities. Then the Loma Prieda earthquake hit, and it made a moment in baseball history that no one will ever forget. The actual video of the live broadcast can still bring chills.

The A's became champs after sweeping the Giants, but the rivalry continued over the years. With interleague play starting in 1997, it took on a new meaning. Most of the fans took it very seriously, but it was more a fun rivalry than a Mets-Yankees thing. People were good-natured, and many friendships came from it.

On Saturday, Miguel Tejada and Jose Canseca were welcomed into the Oakland A's Hall of Fame. Canseco especially was very emotional, thanking the fans.

The fans in Oakland have been very emotional, with some seen with tears in their eyes at times knowing that the end of Oakland baseball is near. No team in history has lost all of their teams. The Raiders, Warriors, and now the A's look to go to more glamorous and money-making cities, leaving the loyal Oakland fans without a team.

Present Giant Matt Chapman played several years for the A's, and from the start he's been very outspoken about the A's leaving. He told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I feel really bad for the fans. They have a great fan base and people that care, and they’ve had their hearts ripped out a million times. It’s hard.”

The A's shut out the Giants Saturday 2-0 in front of a large and appreciative crowd. The sadness between both teams fans was evident.

Popular San Francisco Giants announcer and former pitcher Mike Krukow probably had the best quote on how people were feeling about the A's moving. On KNBR radio's Murph & Markus show in the morning, Krukow said, “And there’s history in it, and every year you play, you add to that history book. … The fact that they’re even messing with it ******me off.”