The walkway from the BART station to the Coliseum was jam packed with people in green, moving along past hot dog stands, ice cream carts, merch tables, and coolers full of beer.
At first glance, it felt like any other baseball game, but there was distinct melancholy in the air. I checked in with fans as they poured into the stadium.
“My name is Nicki Garcia. I've been a lifelong fan and I moved to the Virgin Islands 20 years ago, but I came to say goodbye, give my respects and um, yeah, it's going to be a very emotional day for me, but I had to come.”
One man, pushing a stroller, told me he wanted to bring his two month old daughter to the same stadium where he saw his first baseball game in 2001. Another fan, Mary LaFranco, shared her mixed emotions.
“I'm feeling nostalgic, bittersweet. I'm sensitive so I could cry at any moment, but the energy is really playful and fun and uplifting.”
Derek Smith, a service worker for the team, described his experience.
“It's almost like a funeral. It's like a funeral and they're making us pay for our own funeral and paying for all the costs. It's unbelievable.”
