Thursday, July 11, 2024.

I didn’t go out of my comfort zone. I went out of character.

On Thursday, July 11, 2024, I was the official Sell Flag Tour flagbearer, the purpose of which is to raise awareness of the Oakland A’s relocation and to pressure John Fisher, A’s owner, to sell the team, in hopes that the team stays in Oakland.

Why was this significant for me? Because I never do this kind of activity. I never get political for anything. I am always the quiet observer.

For most of my life, being an A’s fan (almost 40 years), I kept to myself. I would watch or listen to the games, but that would be the extent of it. Being the only real fan of the team and of baseball in my circle of family, coworkers, and friends in San Jose, it was always difficult for me to engage in any activity beyond just watching the game. I haven’t even experienced tailgating at a game.

I was happy after my son was born. At least I had someone who I could influence and bring with me to watch games. Yet, that’s all we did; just watch games when able.

When life got even more busy with work, raising my son by myself, traveling the world, and battling different health ailments, watching the games became less frequent, but I was always updated about the team. I wasn’t too active on social media, but I still watched games on TV and read articles.

When I heard about the relocation last year, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought it would never go through, considering this has been ongoing for many years. I didn’t even participate in the 2023 reverse boycott. (I was traveling.)

When the news of the A’s moving became a reality, it hit me hard, and I went on panic mode. My heart hurt, and it still does. And in my private moments, tears flow. I follow a lot of sports and athletes, but the A’s will always have the biggest part of my heart. And I definitely did not want them to move.

When I saw a story that the Last Dive Bar posted about needing a SELL flag bearer for Boston, I volunteered right away. I didn’t know exactly what the responsibilities entailed, but all I knew was that I wanted to be a part of the fan-lead movement. 

And my time in Boston ended up being a blast! I went by myself, but I had so much fun! I wasn’t shy or afraid to approach strangers because I was confident I would be welcomed, and I was. Both Oakland and Boston fans alike expressed their support for the A’s fans verbally and/or by taking pictures with the flag. The operation Boston was a success. 

In my many years of being a quiet and observing A’s fan, I still felt proud that that the team had a group of passionate die-hard fans who displayed their love through drumming, waving flags, chants, and other fan engaging activities. It was a unique fan culture to behold that even the mighty late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner wanted to silence.

The A’s may have lost the game, but I personally won. I do regret staying in my own little corner all these years, but I was glad I was able to be a part of the Sell movement, even in the smallest of ways.

Final Score: Oak – 0.          BOS – 7

A’s Record: 35 -60               My record: 3 – 9

Read all the Diaries here…