The Rivalry

Giants and the Dodgers have one of the fieriest rivalries in baseball. Steve Scott beat me to posting about this big rivalry. Click here if you would like to view his thoughts. The Giants either have a great year where they are in contention to winning the division or they are at the bottom of the barrel and they kick the Dodgers out of winning the division. Even though the Giants have absolutely no chance of anything in October except for watching on the sofa, they are having fun being the spoilers of the National League West. Some of my earliest memories are going to bed as a kid with my transistor radio next to me listening to the Giants play the Dodgers. Back then my beloved Giants were terrible. It was absolutely delightful to listen to that little radio and hear the Giants beat the Dodgers and eliminate them from playoff hopes.

This past weekend, my Giants played the Dodgers and started the Spoilin' September compain. Love it. Friday night I went to the game with my friend Neil. Neil is a good friend but sadly, he is a Dodger fan. The Giants won in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the 9th inning. Dan Ortmeier hit a walk off home run. So, exciting. I think I jumped up and down for 10 minutes. Neil hung his head down but he was a good sport about his team losing. They played the radio call on the stadium's PA system. Here was the call, "IT IS OUTTTA HERE. WE'RE GOING HOME!!!". That was my favorite quote for the weekend.

Saturday, my dad and I went to the ball game. Before the game there was a tribute for the 40th anniversary of Mike McCormick winning the Cy Young Award. In his speech he said a few words that are true to my heart. He said, "I hate Dodger blue!". The Giants lost this outing with the Dodgers.

Sunday, in the bottom of the 8th inning, Ray Durham, known fondly by his fans as RayRay, pinch hit a 3 run homer that allowed the Giants to win. So, the Giants won the series. I always love when the Giants beat the Dodgers.

I read a great quick read this summer called 101 Reasons to Love the Giants. This is what reason number 56 titled The Rivalry says,

"Giants- Dodgers. It's a rivalry that has been around nearly as long as
baseball has. The Giants and Dodgers first met as major-league teams way back in
1884 in an exhibition game won by the Giants, 8-0. Through the years, the two
teams have faced off countless times- and crushed each other's dreams with
an amazing regularity. The "Shot Heard 'Round the World" is the most famous
example, and Juan Marichal's bat to John Roseboro's head in 1965 is the
ugliest, but the list goes on and on. The Yankees and Red Sox may have a
fiercer rivalry, but the Giants' and Dodgers' has been much more
consistently competitive over the years."

So, Giant fans wait to see how this year will play out in September. Maybe, from dead last place, the Giants will spoil a few of the other teams from going into October.