It wasn’t glamorous work – one look at our uniforms of gray polyester slacks and scratchy orange wool sweaters could tell you that. Yet to this day, it's the one job I still pinch myself for landing. I mean, how often do you have a job where you're required to watch your favorite baseball team play?
I distinctly remember the Monday night home opener against the Dodgers, my first night game. I got the unfortunate assignment of Upper Reserve, sections 18-20. Those sections back up to where the fog would pour over the hill next to the stadium. Cold air blows off the bay and through the upper deck tunnels, whipping you with bone chilling misery. Ironically, the wind never stopped me from holding the record of tallest hair out at the 'Stick. Wind be damned…meet my friend, Aqua Net.
1991 employee ID badge and big hair victim:
1991 was an interesting year for the Giants. Will “The Thrill” Clark was first baseman and Dusty Baker was still the coach. Back then the stadium would chant URIBE (OOH – RRRRRIBBE!) as they do at AT & T Park today, but it was for Jose Uribe, second cousin to current Giant Juan Uribe.
The Giants placed in the middle of the pack that year. As a new usher, I was middle of the pack too. I was routinely stationed in different sections of the stadium as management determined what sort of usher I was. I also got the dreaded giveaway detail, where we’d have to hand out free promotional items to the guests of the game. It was here I learned that people will do and say pretty much anything for free crap. The uncertainty of what section I worked in always kept me on my toes as the clientele would inevitably vary accordingly to the price of the ticket.
Speaking of free crap, I wonder if this Giants Buck currency is still valid for use at the employee cafe?
When I returned for the 1992 season, I ended up in the usherette starting line-up, and given Lower Box, 1-2. This was particularly fun as my section was directly behind home plate and the wives and girlfriends of all the players sat here. Some of the baseball wives were incredibly nice, others managed to look through me as if I were invisible and hit me with their giant Gucci purses as they walked by.
I continued to work at the ‘Stick for four baseball seasons. Over those years I earned a significant amount of Croix De Candlestick* pins, took a pay cut when Barry Bonds joined the team in 1993, and even ran a successful scientific experiment proving our uniform of polyester pants were incapable of wrinkling. Unfortunately, I couldn’t survive the baseball strike in 1994. By the time the strike ended in April 1995, I was a month away from graduating from college and starting my new career as a journalist. My time as a San Francisco Giants employee was officially over.
While I’m no longer an usher, I still jump at the chance to find seats in a stadium, proclaiming myself as “Professional Usher, RET.” My love for the team and the time spent as an employee of the Giants has never wavered and it has been an utter blast watching this 2010 season. Can’t wait to see what the 2011 season brings us.
*The Croix De Candlestick pin was given to diehard Giants fans who endured extra inning games at Candlestick Park and stayed till the end.
