OAKLAND, Calif. — In Mark Kotsay’s mind, this time, this scary day, was the World Series, which he has never had as a player or manager.
As the Oakland Athletics said goodbye to the Coliseum, which they’ve loved since 1968, Kotsay fought tears, along with many others. The Coliseum had its quirks, like plumbing issues and rally possums, but it also had stray cats that inspired Hall of Famer Tony La Russa’s former Animal Rescue Foundation.
The A’s beat the Texas Rangers 3-2, and Kotsay thanked the 46,889 fans who had come to the game from the heart before leading one last chant of “Let’s go Oakland!” Third baseman Max Schuemann grabbed a big A’s flag and waved it in front of different parts of the field as he ran around the field.
The player said, “I’ve never been to a World Series before.” “But I think today is one of those days when you can really feel how that makes you feel and how big it is.” When I drove through the gates today and saw how full the parking lot was, I will always remember how energetic and emotional it felt.
Kids and longtime fans alike skipped work or school to be here for the afternoon finish under a clear blue sky in September.
Kotsay asked for one souvenir: he wants to take home three bases. The bases were switched out every inning, so there were 27 available as keepsakes. The first-inning bags were given to him by Clay Wood, who was the groundskeeper for many years and is leaving.
From Kotsay’s time playing outfield to the 1989 World Series, when the A’s swept the Giants despite an earthquake, this building has been the site of many great moments involving stars from different generations and eras. Notable examples include the 20-game winning streak by the Bash Brothers (Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire) and the Big Three (Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito) before “I Believe in Stephen Vogt” became a battle cry.
There was a lot of cheering when Zito sang the national anthem, and Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart threw out the ceremonial first pitches.
Kelly Mattson of the grounds crew let people use his shovel to pick up dirt right next to the A’s dugout.
Dustin Hughes, an A’s bullpen catcher, and his Oakland scout father John played catch in left field hours before the game started. They then went on a hike up Mount Davis and looked around the inside of the scoreboard and other secret areas below the center-field stands.
In the last few days, hundreds of fans walked through the concourse and took pictures or movies of all the old photos and memories. People who came to watch the game again filled the parking lots before breakfast.
Marcus Semien, the second baseman for the Rangers who used to play for the A’s and is now a fan favorite, thought that 10 to 15 family and friends, including his parents and grandparents, would be in the stands to celebrate.
At the field, Semien thanked all the people who worked as security guards, concessionaires, and in other roles that made the stadium a big league stadium. “Thank you so much for letting me come to work with you as an East Bay kid.” Anyone who can’t stay with Oakland, I feel terrible about it. Keep working hard like you always have.
Longtime manager and former catcher Bruce Bochy got upset in the bench for the visiting team. He also cares a lot about the Coliseum.
For the next three years, the A’s will play in Sacramento. They hope to open a new ballpark in Las Vegas before the 2028 season.
Bochy, a former catcher who led the San Francisco Giants to three World Series wins in 2010, 2012, and 2014, said, “Big day.” “I think a lot of people will remember this day, but for me, it’s starting to sink in that baseball season is over.” It’s a shame. I love this place, the field, and everything about it.
He also said of his team, “I think they really like what this place is.”
The plan for Kotsay was to take it all in.
“That day will be over pretty quickly,” he said. “And you don’t want to miss any chance to thank the fans and the stadium workers, who are the most important people in the world. It was hard to share moments with them today. There are many people here who have given their whole lives to this group, this stadium, and the game of baseball. There is love for baseball, but there is also love for the people and the bonds that have been made here over the past 57 years.
