8/18/12 at the Oakland Coliseum

August 20, 2012

This was probably going to be one of my favorite baseball games ever.

There was a Scott Hatteberg bobblehead giveaway. And after the game, for extra $10 or something like that, we got to go on the field after the game and watch Moneyball. Awesome!

I invited my friend Sal to this game, because I knew he would want to come and I hadn’t been to a game with him in a few years. I went to 1 with him in ’09 and 2 in 2010.

I expected the lines to be very, very long.

My plan was to pick him up at 1:15 and catch the 1:40 BART train with him and my mom to the Coliseum, getting there a little after 2.

We picked up Sal at 1:15 and after being stuck in traffic, we got to BART at 1:35. My dad dropped the 3 of us off and we caught the 1:40 BART train, getting to the Coliseum a little after 2.

The line at Gate LL was long, so I headed to Gate C, because I assumed B would be closed. They were expected long lines, because they had caution tape set up for the line to double back 3-4 times. When we got to Gate C, there were maybe 20 people in line, so I jumped in there.

At this point, it was 2:30ish. Sal and I played Monopoly on our phones for a bit, before I decided that I wanted to get up and walk around.

Sal had talked about wanting a new A’s hat, so after seeing that the C Gate team store was closed, we kept walking. The season ticket holder line was getting long, and when we got to D Gate, the line had already doubled back once and was getting very long quickly. We headed into the team store there, which happened to be open, where Sal got a new A’s hat.

Line MM was long too, and when we got back C Gate, the line hadn’t changed much. We took some pictures and just talked and waited until about 45 minutes before the gates opened, before I declared that I wanted to walk around 1 more time. Keep in mind that there were only 50 or so people in line. We first stopped in at the C Gate Team store, where I got this picture of the boxes of bobbleheads beyond the ticket scanners.

After spending 5 or so minutes in there, we kept walking, and outside D Gate, which had tripled since were were last there, saw the 95.7 The GAME booth set up, where they were broadcasting live.

As we walked along the line that was very, very long, I noticed the daily RF Bleacher Section 149 tailgate

Once we had walked to the end of the line, where it started to double back, at Gate A, which along with Gate B wasn’t being used, I notice that the stairs up to gate AA, which are usually closed were opened. Sal and I headed up to see what we could see.

I looked inside and the cages were all set up, which was a very good thing. I also saw some Indians pitchers warming up.

By this time, after spending a few minutes here, I realized we had already been gone for 20 minutes, so after 4 failed attempts to call my mother, we headed to get back in line. Gate LL and MM had tripled as well since we had last been there, and at this point, I guessed there were at least 5,000 people already in line.

When we got to the end of the LL line, I saw the line at Gate C and it had gotten larger by at least 5x. It was crazy. And like 30 new people were in front of us. Whatever. I got this picture of a lady holding a sign to show where the end of the line was.

And then my mom snapped a quick photo of Sal and I that neither of us wanted.

My sister joined us a few minutes before the Gates opened, and my dad decided it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to join us, so he got in the end of the line.

I was pumped and ready to go, so at 4:05, I ran to get in the shortest bag check line, and after getting my ticket scanned and grabbing my bobblehead, I sprinted for the bleachers. I was hoping for a particular 1st row seat, but it was occupied. I adjusted by setting my stuff down in aisle seats of rows 2 and 3 to reserve them for my group.

Indians BP was in full swing and I figured I should start looking for easter eggs.

I saw a ball a few rows back, and picked it up for ball #1 on the day.

Some guy started heckling the Indians closer Chris Perez to the point where he got security to kick the guy out of the Coliseum. No joke. The guy was cussing Perez out and using words that I will refrain from repeating, but I think you get the point.

Chris had told the guy to meet him over by the bullpen, and that is exactly what happened, I found this video on YouTube of the confirmation. CAUTION- CONTINUAL USE OF FOUL LANGUAGE

BP was very frustrating. The Indians were not hitting the ball out and players were tossing a lot up. But they ignored me. There was an unknown player who threw a ball over everyone’s heads, so I ran after it, but someone pushed me into the side of the wall and ended up with the ball. Nice going.

That was the closest I came to a ball in the bleachers after my 1st ball.

After that, I decided that it was time to move somewhere else, as the bleachers were getting overcrowded and I was getting agitated.

My dad caught some good shots during BP like these

Sal and I headed down to the RF line, where I had been for this game in hopes of me getting a ball. A screaming line drive was hit in my direction, but 10 rows behind me, and knowing nobody would catch it, I ran to try to get the ball trickling down. I was pushed OVER A ROW OF SEATS trying to get the ball and had to do some fancy parkour to stay on my feat. I got a glove on the ball, but someone pushed it off and ended up throwing the ball onto the field and getting kicked out.

So that makes 2 people kicked out and 2 rag doll Nicks on the day.

I expected only a few more minutes of BP, and there were a several balls hit near me during that period. The first few were grounders down the line that I asked Indians players for and ended up being ignored. There were also 2 that ended up under the Indians’ bullpen bench.

The one other ball caused quite a commotion. A line drive was hit, just like the previous one, and as the ball trickled down the steps, I grabbed it with my glove, and a 300+ pound man pushed me over, rolled on TOP of me, and grabbed the ball. At this point, I was laying on the stairs on my side with a 30 year old man that weighed over 300 pounds on top of me. His knee was bleeding and my entire left hand was hurting (he had sharp elbows and knees) and people were trying to help him off.

At this point, BP was coming to an end. I literally rolled out from under him, and sprinted off towards the dugout, leaving Sal behind.

I was yelled at my 5 ushers to slow down, and after slowing down, I got to the dugout, where I called out for a ball, to be met with odd stares.

I decided to head back, in hopes of asking Mark, the awesome security guard by the visitor bullpen for one of the balls that I hoped was under the bullpen bench still.

I was only my way over when Sal approached me and said Mark had a ball for me. I guess there had been a family that had seen the whole incident and asked him to give me a ball. I told him he didn’t need to give me a ball, but he insisted. In the hindsight, he raised my spirits and showed his awesomeness. I then chatted up the family and told them about my blog, ballhawking, and offered them the ball, which they refused.

After this, I dropped my stuff off in the bleachers with my dad and sister and headed with my mom and Sal to Deli 215, which is the Sandwich bar in the Westside Club, which I mentioned in my last entry.

When we got there, it was just after 5:00, so I was a little concerned about getting back to our seats in time for the pre-game ceremony. We purchased 4 sandwiches plus fruit cups for my sister and me. It was 5:20 when we headed back to our seats. When we got there, I snapped this picture of my sister’s bobblehead.

A few minutes prior to the ceremony, they adjusted the red carpet a little

And extended it to the infield

I then randomly noticed many birds flying over the field

This is what was on the horizontal scoreboards up until the ceremony got underway

When the ceremony got underway, they had people walk out boards with the number of each game of the win streak, first 3 at a time, then 2 and eventually 1. After every set of boards, members of the 2002 team would be introduced by the legendary former voice of the Athletics, Roy Steele, back at the Coliseum again. It was amazing to hear his voice. It gave me goosebumps.

I think one of the 3 loudest rounds of applause went to then-bench coach and former manager Ken Macha

The whole ceremony lasted about 20 minutes, and I got video of 18 of those minutes.

Chants of T-LONG! echoed throughout the Coliseum as Terrance Long walked down the red carpet

The 2nd loudest round-of-applause of the night went to manager Art Howe, who considered not participating because of the uncomplimentary portrayal of him in the movie Moneyball.

But the loudest the Coliseum got was when Scott Hatteberg walked onto the field.

Here are all of the boards lined up along the infield with all of the members of the ’02 squad that attended in the middle of the infield

There were many, many video tributes throughout the ceremony, including one for each game of the streak

In all, there were 10 members of the 2002 team that participated in the pre-game festivities

Sal and I watched it all from the first row, in the aisle.

One thing, that I think was great on the A’s part was to get videos of a few players from the team apologizing that they couldn’t make it; guys like Eric Chavez, Barry Zito, and David Justice.

There was also a fantastic tribute to the late, great Cory Lidle, a part of the 2002 team who tragically died in a plane crash in 2006. The A’s raised $10,000 for the Cory Lidle foundation over the course of the weekend.

All of the people with the number signs exited via the red carpet as the ceremony ended.

My dad, once again took some fantastic pictures throughout the game of guys like Brandon Moss

And Yoenis Cespedes

He also got photos of the 149 RF bleacher crew

And the RF Drummer

Here is Yoenis Cespedes scoring on his home run in the 3rd

Along with Josh Reddick

Coco Crisp is starting his handshake with Yoesnis

Overall, I think we all really enjoyed the game

Evan Scribner and Jerry Blevins combined to allow 4 runs in the 9th

After Blevins allowed another hit, Melvin came out and brought in Grant Balfour

Balfour into game means 3 words: Metalica and RAGEFEST!

Once Balfour nailed down the save, it was an A’s win!

Now it was time to watch Moneyball!

We left our seats, and went and got in line, and we were about in the middle of it. This is what was in front of us.

And behind us.

We walked down the steps and settled down on the field

I got out my A’s sluggie (A giveaway at an A’s game I went to with Sal in 2010)

I think my entire family was excited

They pulled down a screen in centerfield for the movie

And before it started, Hatteberg answered a few questions and introduced the movie

There were less people than I expected at the movie

Overall, the movie was a lot of fun

And when it was all over, the sprinklers turned on

Right before the movie ended, I took another 360 degree panoramic picture

It was pretty cool to see the entire Coliseum empty

It was a great day. 2 balls, 1 bobblehead, and an amazing experience!

BALLHAWKING STATS:
• 2 balls at this game
• 11 balls in 10 Major League games this season = 1.1 ball per game.
• 20 balls in 14 baseball games this season = 1.429 balls per game.
• 16 Lifetime Major League baseballs
• 25 total balls
• 4 consecutive games in Oakland with at least 1 ball
• 5 consecutive games with at least 1 ball

Nick Badders is a unofficial reporter for MLB.com. He writes the blog, 7000 Coliseum Way, and you can follow him on Twitter @nickbatters or his blog @7000ColiseumWay. You can also LIKE his blog on Facebook or follow him @nickbatters or his blog @7000ColiseumWay on Instagram. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Written by Nick Badders Posted in A's, aisle seat, Athletics, batting practice, Bobblehead, Brandon Moss, Cespedes, Colon, Indians, Injury, jemile weeks, Josh Reddick, Long Lines, Moneyball, Sal