Remembering Robin: Family, Crystal on hand
As part of a touching pregame tribute to the late Robin Williams, his family threw out the first pitch before his friend Billy Crystal (inset) helped rev up the crowd.
As in life, though, Williams managed to steal the show. Crystal addressed the crowd briefly before turning things over to the video board, which aired a classic clip of Williams exhorting fans before Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves in 2010. “Goooooood evening, San Francisco!” he began that night.
Williams, who died Aug. 11, was a longtime Giants fan. His children, Zak, Zelda and Cody, walked out to the mound for the ceremonial first pitch.
Crystal caught the ball and held it aloft for a cheering crowd.
“We are honored to be here in support of the tribute to our father, someone who loved his hometown and especially the Giants,” Williams’ children said in a statement released by the Giants. “For all of us, it is a tremendous delight and a little surreal to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of a World Series game for our team to our dad’s best friend.
“We could not think of a better way to celebrate his memory.”
Less than ‘gleaming’:
Tough go for Anthem singer
Aaron Lewis almost pulled a Tim Lincecum by being late to the national anthem. That would have been especially bad in Lewis’ case — he was singing it. The frontman for the nu metal band Staind, who also dabbles as a solo country music artist, had a hard time getting out of Kansas City, of all places, after his performance Saturday night. His flight was delayed 2 hours Sunday before his agent, David Licursi, managed to get him onto another flight by explaining the urgency of the situation. It didn’t get much better once Lewis got in front of the mic, stumbling early on during his rendition. Instead of singing “at the twilight’s last gleaming” he sang ” were so gallantly streaming,” words that appear later in the national anthem.
Hall pass: Museum officials swoop in for collectibles
Representatives from the Baseball Hall of Fame follow around this postseason like the coolest scavengers on earth. They’ve already scored the bat Travis Ishikawa used for his pennant-winning home run, as well as the cap Royals reliever Brandon Finnegan wore in becoming the first player to pitch in the College World Series and the major league World Series in the same year.
Their next big “get” depends largely on who wins. The World Series champ usually yields 8 to 12 items for display in Cooperstown.
“We’ll look to see what stories develop over the next few days,” said Brad Horn, the hall’s senior vice president of communications and education.
Ishikawa was cautious before handing over the bat that produced his winning three-run HR to finish off the NLCS. The Giants hero did so only after hearing that his bat would shack up in Cooperstown near two other famous bats: the one from Bobby Thomson’s pennant winning blast in 1951 and from Joe Carter’s World Series winner from ’93.
Mutual respect: Brett, Kuip put rivalry in past
Duane Kuiper hated George Brett during their playing days, albeit admiringly. “He played hard, came into second base hard and was really, really good,” Kuiper said.
But the two had a warm conversation during batting practice after the Hall of Famer stopped Kuiper to check in on his broadcast partner, Mike Krukow. Brett doesn’t know Mike Krukow but the third baseman was moved by the ESPN.com story detailing Krukow’s diagnosis of “inclusion-body myositis.”
The disease attacks muscle groups, and Krukow is having a harder time getting around. “He just stopped me and said, ‘Would you give him my best?’ ” Kuiper said.
Happy return: No need to rescue Darren this time
When the Giants last played a World Series Game 5 at home, in 2002 against the Angels, Darren Baker became part of the story. The 3-year-old bat boy and son of former Giants manager Dusty Baker sauntered to home plate to pick up Kenny Lofton’s bat during live action and would have gotten trampled by incoming runner David Bell had J.T. Snow not alertly scooped up young Darren.
Sunday, Baker, Snow and Amanda Blanco, a representing the Boys and Girls Club of North San Mateo County, delivered the game ball.
— Darren Sabedra, DAN BROWN
