’89 World Series, Game 3, 5:04 PM – I Was There

By Richard Paloma |

My tickets from the 1989 World Series from Games 2 and 3. An earthquake interrupted Game 3 causing it to be played 10 days later

October 17, 1989
It was supposed to be Game 3 of the World Series and late that afternoon I arrived at Candlestick Park to cheer on the A’s.

Two nights earlier, I was at the Oakland Coliseum to see the A’s trounce the San Francisco Giants 5-1 in Game 2 where Dave Parker and Terry Steinbach destroyed Giants pitching to take a two game to zero lead on the cross-bay NL Champs.

This day however the “Bash Brothers” of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire and the rest of the boys in green and gold were on foreign turf, and since this was the pre-interleague play era, had only faced the “Pacific Sock Exchange” of Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell and the rest of the black and orange during the preseason where the A’s had an edge from spring training competition.

The game was slated to start at 5:35 p.m. with Bob Welch as Oakland’s starting pitcher. I remember being able to see Welch warming up throwing to catcher Ron Hassey after I arrived. Hassey always caught for Welch at that time.

My seat was in the upper deck, section 49, a lower box. I’m not usually an upper deck guy, but hey, for the World Series, and for free since my brother-in-law Jeff got the tickets, I wasn’t going to complain.

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5:04 p.m.
I had been at the park for about a half-hour already settled in for the game to start. This was my pre-jersey days, but most likely I still had A’s garb on of some sort along with my A’s authentic “Dugout Collection” Starter jacket and cap.

Initially there was a rumble with some minor shuddering.

My first thought was that a large heavy cart was being wheeled on the concrete concourse below and we were feeling the vibrations.

Then it hit. A massive shaking and jarring that had the deck truly bouncing. I viewed the sections across the field in the second deck actually going up-and-down. My first thought was that the upper level was going to snap from its support and go falling to the area below.

I remember grabbing the arms to my seat, holding myself down, securing myself for the inevitable crash below. I figured if I could keep myself in place, I would survive the drop. This is only one of two times in my life I thought death was inevitable.

Seconds later, it was over and the crowd let out a resonating cheer as if to say, “Welcome to San Francisco.” We survived, it was your typical California Earthquake and the nation was able to see it.

Afterward news reports started coming in. We gathered around fans with battery-powered televisions (pre-cell phone era) and saw the damaged section of the Bay Bridge – the symbol of that year’s World Series.

Then aerial shots of the collapsed Cypress Structure of the Nimitz Freeway were shown and we could see smoke spewing over the stadium edge from the north-western part of the city that later turned out to be the fires in the Marina District.

It took awhile for us to know that the game had been cancelled. My first clue was when I saw the array of players getting family members from the stands as SFPD units came on the field.

It took over four hours to drive an extended 30 miles home to San Leandro that night due to bridge closures and having to go the Dumbarton Bridge in Menlo Park.

The Aftermath
There was so much uncertainty the following days with not knowing when, and even if, the World Series would resume. One day had it taking place in San Diego and L.A or not at all, another had it being held at Wrigley Field.

Finally, 10 days later, Game 3 was held back at Candlestick with Dave Stewart back on the mound for the A’s and I was back in Section 49.

The A’s wasted no time scoring with Dave Henderson narrowly missing a HR for a double scoring two runs.

The A’s continued their barrage with home runs from Jose Canseco, Tony Phillips, Carney Lansford and two by Dave Henderson in route to a 13-7 victory that I spent the last three innings watching from about 7 rows from behind the A”s dugout where we snuck down to since the A”s had a 10 run lead until the last inning.

The next night the A’s would go on to becoming World Champions and I would watch the game from home. Unfortunately, due to the damage, and lives lost, there would be no World Series parade, only a moderate gathering at Jack London Square that I couldn’t make due to work commitments.

Twenty-five years later the memories are still fresh but I’m glad to say, “I was there.”