By Alina Rainsford, Luca Evans, Sophia Barron, Olivia Malek, Jack Rousseau, Zoe Schulman, Adley Weschler, KC Badala, Lindsay Bell, Joe Blair, Will O’Hara and Gabby Ural. Photography and Videography by Arthur Weschler and John Hassen
Holding tightly to our press passes, we walked through the player’s entrance at AT&T Park, winding through hallways baseball legends have walked. The sun shone brightly through the small stadium opening we could see ahead. Upon entering the dugout, the towering walls of the park glistened, seeming brighter and more magnificent than ever as if calling for fans. Tunes of the Grateful Dead drifted in and out of our ears—it was Jerry Garcia Night.
By KC Badala, Parker Bizjack, Gemma Calandra, Matt Copeland, Lizzy Chadbourne, Luca Evans, John Hassen, Sara Kashani, Bella McWhorter, Sam Newsome, Gloria Robinson, Christine Watridge and Ellie Wynne; from Del Mar Middle, Katherine Delmar Burke, Lycee Francais International, Marin Academy, Marin Montessori, Marin Catholic, Miller Creek Middle, Redwood High, Sir Francis Drake High, Saint Hilary and Tam High Schools
What is it like to live the dream of playing baseball for major league team? What is it like to hear 40,000+ fans cheer when you make the play? What is it like to win the World Series? We were about to find out as we put on our press passes, walked through the side VIP entrance at AT&T Park past the training rooms, and straight to the dugout. With every step towards the field, our excitement grew, until we found ourselves face-to-face with people we had only seen on TV. Pablo Sandoval. Gregor Blanco. Sergio Romo. Hunter Pence. Matt Cain. All of them and more, who agree, what separates them from others in the league is their incredible chemistry as a team. We were able to ask the players what it’s like to live their dream of playing baseball for a living.
Story by Sari Wisoff and Ashley Salinas; Videography by John Hassen; Interview by Miles Andersen, KC Badala, Miguel Friedman, Taylor Galla, Sean Gannon, Scot Hogan, John Hassen, Zak Kopstein, Marcus Narodny, Alina Rainsford, Ashley Salinas and Sari Wisoff
From Branson, Marin Academy, Marin Country Day, Marin Horizon, Marin Catholic, Marin Waldorf, Redwood High, San Domenico, Tam High and Terra Linda High Schools
WWe drove up to the AT&T Park, minds filled with nothing but the Giants logo, staring out the window of the car at the building in which our heroes spend their days. We were given our emerald green press passes and led down hallway after hallway, through the paths so familiar to the players of our favorite team, and then up a small flight of stairs into the Giants dugout. Our eyes widened as we saw the players warming up on the field, the empty green stands, the colorful advertisements, and the AT&T Park sign standing bold and beautiful against the crystal blue sky. Our nostrils flared as we took in the smell of churros, hotdogs, and all that other ballpark food that you just can’t get to taste the same anywhere else. Our ears sharpened to the sound of the Michael Jackson music in the background, the crack of the bat, even the hum of the plane flying low over us dragging a Geico banner behind it. Our fingers itched to touch the bat lying on the bench of the dugout, to catch one of the baseballs being thrown by the Giants players as they warmed up, to feel the blazing San Francisco sun on our faces.
Holding tightly to our press passes, we walked through the player’s entrance at AT&T Park, winding through hallways baseball legends have walked. The sun shone brightly through the small stadium opening we could see ahead. Upon entering the dugout, the towering walls of the park glistened, seeming brighter and more magnificent than ever as if calling for fans. Tunes of the Grateful Dead drifted in and out of our ears—it was Jerry Garcia Night.
