One day after seeing their team mathematically eliminated, Candlestick Park’s patrons show up in “record” numbers, the smallest crowd to see a game since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. The story of today’s 8 – 4 Giants win over Cincinnati, the latest installment in the two teams’ ongoing battle for second-best, will itself be second best (at least as judged by tomorrow’s sports page editors) as compared to the following unfortunate incident. UPI reports: “A gathering of only 2,361, the smallest in San Francisco’s major league history, was on hand and witnessed the rare sight of Willie Mays engaged in a shouting match with two spectators. Mays, in fact, had to be restrained from charging into the stands to confront the two hecklers, both Air Force sergeants dressed in civilian clothes. ‘Nice catch, Willie,’ they jeered from the front row after Mays made a spectacular catch in the 4th. ‘For a $100,000 bum you’re finally earning your money'”. “Mays was approaching the dugout in the middle of the 4th when he went after the two men,” adds AP. “He was intercepted by Bobby Bonds and manager Herman Franks and the sergeants were ejected from the park.”

On September 16, 1968 — One day after seeing their team mathematically eliminated, Candlestick Park’s patrons show up in “record” numbers, the smallest crowd to see a game since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. The story of today’s 8 – 4 Giants win over Cincinnati, the latest installment in the two teams’ ongoing battle for second-best, will itself be second best (at least as judged by tomorrow’s sports page editors) as compared to the following unfortunate incident. UPI reports: “A gathering of only 2,361, the smallest in San Francisco’s major league history, was on hand and witnessed the rare sight of Willie Mays engaged in a shouting match with two spectators. Mays, in fact, had to be restrained from charging into the stands to confront the two hecklers, both Air Force sergeants dressed in civilian clothes. ‘Nice catch, Willie,’ they jeered from the front row after Mays made a spectacular catch in the 4th. ‘For a $100,000 bum you’re finally earning your money'”. “Mays was approaching the dugout in the middle of the 4th when he went after the two men,” adds AP. “He was intercepted by Bobby Bonds and manager Herman Franks and the sergeants were ejected from the park.”

 

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Sources:
Baseball Reference September 16
National Pastime September 16
Retro Sheet
Hall of Fame
SABR Games Project
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