Following a final win in front of a sellout crowd, the Oakland A’s are finally moving to Las Vegas. A’s fans delayed long after their third out of their 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers. It makes soaking up every final minute inside the massive concrete Oakland Coliseum one last time.
Now, one of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) most storied franchises, the club, is set to abandon the city of Oakland and its colourful fanbase after 56 seasons. The club was founded in Philadelphia before a stint in Kansas City.
The Athletics are not leaving for greener pastures, but we still don’t know for sure, however, potentially a desert locale that didn’t ask for them.
Oakland-born Dave Stewart posed the question of the day on the A’s pre-game broadcast, Dave Stewart is an All-Star hurler on the city’s last World Series Champion in 1989.
Stewart asked, “What happened”? There is no true explanation for this. If you give any reason that doesn’t cover the impact and doesn’t cover all the details of why this incident took place.
He also asked why are the Oakland A’s leaving this city, playing minor league baseball in Sacramento for three years, and eventually ending up in Las Vegas.
Impact is the word that stands out, particularly when you consider the fan’s emotional investment in ball Clubs and what it means to lose a franchise to another city.
Kristin Young is the player who begged fans to not be sad it’s over and also asked the fans to be happy with what happens. She also requested the fans to celebrate and have a good time. She has decided to stay away for the final game and the season that preceded it.
Kotsay was the perfect figure to represent the A’s on an emotional day at the Colesium. Colesium has been his home away from home for 14 years as a player, coach, and now manager of the Club.
Kotsay was handed a microphone on the field and announced his final goodbye in front of a 46,889 crowd.
Like so many baseball fans in the East Bay, the Club, who have been at Colesium since 1968, supporters and children stepped away from obligations to see their beloved team for the one last time.
When the game concluded, the supporters chanted for the final time, “Let’s go, Oakland”.