A DAY & NIGHT TO REMEMBER IN SF-JUNE 26


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     June 26, 2012, was New York Giants Night at ATT Park in San Francisco with the foe being none other than the LA Dodgers. Things got underway at 2PM at the Larkspur Hotel on Sutter near Union Square. Assembling were Bat Boys Robert (Bobby) Weinstein (1954-56), Ed Logan (1957) and the SF Giants first one, Roy McKercher who won the job on a coin flip by long time Clubhouse Manager Eddie Logan. The loser of the coin flip was current Clubhouse Manager Mike Murphy who has been with the SF Giants since Day 1-April 15, 1958.
     Former SF Giants CEO Peter Magowan also stopped by our pre-game schmooze. There was lots of NY Giants Memorabilia all around the room for the crowd to check out. Co-Presidents of the New York Giants Preservation Society Gary Mintz and Steve Rothschild hosted the event. Writer John McLaughlin also attended as did long time Giants Fan George Schiffner. Frank Daniel who has been a Giant Fan since 1948 and who has visited nearly 70 ballparks was also in attendance. Moe Resner whose End of an Era (a DVD of the last game at the Polo Grounds on 9/29/57) along with Female Baseball Umpire and Baseball Historian Perry Barber also attended .Dignitaries received T-Shirts from the New York Giants Preservation Society.
     After about an hour of schmoozing and a phone call to Chris Durocher (son of the famous manager Leo Durocher) by the batboys, as well as a phone call to the New York Giants Visiting Team Batboy from 1953-55 Rich McCabe, the pre-game festivities came to an end at the hotel.


     Everyone made their way to the ball park. Dignitaries along with wives, kids and significant others entered the park at 4:45PM and made their way to the tier reserve Section 333 where a table was set up with New York Giants Memorabilia. Fliers, as well as business cards, were handed out to hundreds of fans by the New York Giants Preservation Society. In addition the Giants gave out about 2,000 replica Polo Grounds to anyone who purchased a ticket from the Special Events Page and had a voucher. Mintz and Rothschild fielded questions about the New York Giants and the Batboys created many photo opportunities. It was an interesting time for there are still many people who do not realize that the SF Giants began in NY in 1883. Many people were enlightened for sure.
     At 6:30PM, all the dignitaries made their way down to the field level to be honored by the Giants. Mintz and Rothschild represented the NY Giants Preservation Society, Weinstein, Logan and McKercher the batboys, Peter Magowan represented not only former ownership but all of the fans both in NY and SF. Then there was the current Clubhouse Manager Mike Murphy along with Moe Resner whose 1957 DVD, End of an Era had parts of it being shown on the message board throughout the ceremony. All the dignitaries were introduced over the PA System. Resner made a short speech and then Magowan spoke on preserving the memory of the NY Giants with the New York Giants Preservation Society being a way to do it. He called for the memory to live on and highlighted that there are more GIANTS in the Hall of Fame than any team and that includes the NY Yankees…
     After the brief ceremony a surprise happened. Mr. Magowan took the dignitaries into the Giants Dugout and finally the clubhouse where Number 24, Willie Mays was waiting. Mike Murphy gave each of the people a ball for Mays to sign.
     A wonderful event for sure…and oh I almost forgot the Giants defeated the Dodgers. The entire event was video taped and we expect to get it in the near future.-Steve Rothschild