Talking with the Team we Love

WRITERS: Alina Rainsford, Parker Bizjack, Brooke Clark, Arjun Aujila, Nadia Forland, Kylie Sebastian
INTERVIEW/PHOTOGRAPHY: Ethan Herron, Isabella Hochschild, Alyssa Mulligan, Bella Miccucci, Regan Widergren, Owen Wright 

Walking down the historic halls of AT&T Park, realizing that legends, such as Barry Bonds and Willie Mays walked the same halls, onto the same warning track, and in the same dugout, and that post World Series champagne celebrations had occurred in this very space, one is overwhelmed by the extraordinary San Francisco Giants organization. AT&T Park is steeped in baseball history, with McCovey Cove and Willie Mays Plaza, and the many historical artifacts that line the halls. The Giants have done a remarkable job of seamlessly interweaving the rich history of the franchise with the greatest hope for the future. This is the organization that transformed from a sluggish, frustrating, playoff drought team, to a dynasty, winning three World Series Championships in five years. When speaking to the players, it is clear that the Giants are special. According to newbie relief pitcher Will Smith, who just joined the team on a trade, the Giants are a “very close knit group of guys.”

Interview with Oakland A’s Pitcher John Axford

By Arjun Ajula, Parker Bizjack, Becky Booth, Ryan Copeland, Ben Horsey, Liza Lachter, Logan MacKinney, Jonathan Palfy, Julian Reiss, Giselle Turchon, Wesley Slavin

The warm sun beats down on the huge green field. The A’s flag ripples high in the sky in the slight breezy air. The sweet smell of fresh cut grass drifted through the air, with bright neon signs everywhere—“HOT DOGS, CANDY, POPCORN! The sound of balls being hit by bats rings in our ears. The smell of hamburgers and pretzels fills the air. Excitement for the game to start spreads across the crowd. This is the Oakland Athletics stadium.

The A’s stadium has many people working, all contributing to pull off the games flawlessly. There are over 100 people working in the Press Box, all handling different responsibilities relating from equipment to the multitude of written and electronic presses. The people in the media press box make sure all the information is accurate on the scores and the end result of the game. “This stadium is actually one of the oldest still being used for games,” said Adam Loberstein, head of PR for the A’s.

The Oakland A’s — An Interview with Sean Doolittle

ON SPORTS - October 2014

Story and interview by Luca Evans, Zack Bjursten, Gemma Calandra, Bennett Carbone, Taylor Charles, Matt Geffen, Lauren Hopper, Nick Kostanecki, Collin Prell, Rachel Richman, Eddie Rohosy and Christine Watridge; From Brandeis Hillel Day, Branson, Charlotte Wood, Del Mar Midddle, Marin Academy, Marin Catholic, Mill Valley Middle, Redwood High, San Domenico and The Bay School

Boy, a 400-foot long field sure looks a lot bigger when you’re standing on top of it. Lesson learned: TV doesn’t always give the right impression. That’s what we found out as reporters when we arrived at the Oakland Athletics’ Coliseum to cover the A’s vs. Rangers game on a sunny warm day in Oakland.