The A’s saga is over, however the sadness will always remain

And so, Major League Baseball in Oakland has come to an end. The final moment was recorded at 3:06 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday. The deceased was surrounded by a gathering of 46,889 at his former residence, the Coliseum. Death was attributed to a combination of financial stubbornness and political incompetence, a pattern too familiar when it comes to sports teams in Oakland.

Mourners are required to travel to Sacramento for viewing. There may be some satisfaction that the Athletics won the last game at what now is their former home, defeating the Texas Rangers, 3-2.

We have gone through the painful reasons for the disappointment. Does it make any of us feel better to despise the apparent chief villain in all of this, who forced the move, John Fisher?  Perhaps that caustic farewell speech he sent to A’s season ticket holders, very unsympathetic about the team’s move, probably is enough to not offer forgiveness.

You have read about the exploits of the players and managers who were so much a part of the A’s since they arrived from Kansas City in 1968. People such as Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rolly Fingers, and Ricky Henderson.

Not to be forgotten, however, are those who never wore a uniform and to me are so much a part of this franchise. Steve Vucinich was the Oakland kid who became a batboy and then for decades, until retirement, was the clubhouse and equipment manager.

As the story goes, Vuchinich was trying to hook up with the A’s. Joe DiMaggio was a coach and vice president of the team. And when told that Vuchinich went to St. Joseph’s High in Alameda, “He’s Catholic?” said DiMaggio. “Hire him.”  

It turned out to be a great hire. 

Wednesday night he was interviewed on the A’s radio network about his historical 50-year career. Bay Area newspapers were known for saving money. They covered road games only because the team picked up the travel bill. But when the A’s arrived in Oakland, owner Charlie Finley wouldn’t go along with that idea. That meant only one person, the late Ron Bergman, of the then Oakland Tribune went on the road with the A’s. He was an intense, talented guy, not afraid to report the facts, and those facts included the fights inside the A’s clubhouse. He was the epitome of an honest journalist and admired by the rest of us who weren’t on the scene and jealous of Bergman’s items.

The A’s are fleeing, the Coliseum never again will be used for baseball, and we just have to accept the consequences. Life and baseball are both unfair. The line drives are caught and the bloopers drop in for hits. We learn to accept it. 

Still, to me, having no Major League Baseball in Oakland is unacceptable.