I was too young to go??

My oldest sister sure picked a good year to get into Giants baseball (Tim 'The Freak' Lincecum sparked a little bit of interest last year and Buster Posey sealed it this year) - I've had to tell her it's not always this fun rooting for them. I mean, it's awesome that they've won the World Series and all but there have been a lot of heartaches too. Still, in answer to the question: "How 'bout them Giants?" we can now say, "They're the 'Freak'en World Champions!!!"

She also made the observation that until this year, the last time they won was the year she was born. How serendipitous! I have to wonder why she didn't start following them earlier?

And now I think she has finally begun to appreciate how special it was when she once had her photo taken standing next to Willie Mays...

Here are more details: many years ago, our late father was quite involved with our city's civic activities, and would take part in its 'days at' Candlestick Park. One year (this would be in the mid- to late '60s), he took my two oldest sisters with him to enjoy some time on the field and meeting the players. My oldest sister had no interest in baseball and my other sister had yet to really take an interest, but there they were, each under one of the great Willie Mays' arms, in a picture with him. I had to grow old enough to ask "Hey, why wasn't I there?" which actually answers my own question.

My second to oldest sister remembers seeing my eventual favorite ballplayer, Bobby Bonds, sitting in the dugout. There are certainly those times when it's not fun being the youngest and thinking to himself "Hey - I'm the one who's into baseball!"

I can still picture in my mind the photograph, but I have to find where it is. Wow - Willie Mays, and my oldest sister probably wondering at the time "what am I doing here, and who is this guy?"