Boulder Creek native Pat Burrell and San Francisco Giants outfielder was not the only Boulder Creek resident celebrating in Arlington, Texas, after the Giants defeated the Texas Rangers, 3-1, in Game 5 to clinch the World Series title Nov. 1.
Andrew Hyatt, a 26-year-old fire inspector, made a spur-of-the moment trip of a lifetime to attend games 4 and 5 in Texas, where the Giants secured their first World Series victory in the San Francisco era.
After paddling a kayak in McCovey Cove during Game 1 in San Francisco, Hyatt, a lifelong Giants fan, could not get the team out of his mind.
“I decided on Friday,” Hyatt said, after he saw tickets online for $170 each. “I thought, I have a shot on Sunday for Game 4.”
He bought an airline ticket and jumped on a plane Saturday bound for Texas. When the plane landed, he learned the Giants had lost Game 3, guaranteeing that the series would go at least five games.
“If I’m going to Game 4,” Hyatt asked himself, “how can I not go to Game 5?”
So he extended his hotel stay an extra night and bought another $170 ticket for Game 5, the eventual clincher.
Hyatt arrived at the ballpark hours before Game 4, simply to take in all the sights and sounds of the World Series. Once the game started — a 4-0 Giants win behind rookie starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner — Hyatt focused on the plays from his seat in the upper deck along the first-base line. He was surrounded by fans wearing red, blue and white.
“Bumgarner made Giants fans really comfortable in Game 4,” Hyatt said. “The Texas fans around me were really frustrated.”
During the game, Hyatt sneaked down to the lower deck and had a great view of Aubrey Huff’s two-run home run that gave the Giants the lead. Postgame, Hyatt took pictures and gave several players high-fives.
The next day, Nov. 1, Hyatt arrived at the stadium six hours early to watch the players warm up. Outfielder and playoff hero Cody Ross autographed his baseball before he moved to his seat in the upper deck behind home plate with a cluster of Giants fans.
“I was really trying to take it all in,” Hyatt said. “I took as many pictures and collected as much memorabilia as I could. Really just take it all in.”
After cheering his heart out during the Game 5 clincher, Hyatt moved down to the field for the postgame celebration. He saw relief pitchers Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Wilson celebrate with the throng of 500 to 600 Giants fans, and Ross recognized him and gave him a smile before heading into the tunnel.
“It was really emotional,” Hyatt said. “Brian Wilson was roaring at the crowd, almost like a gorilla.”
On Tuesday, he returned home a happy man.
“We haven’t had this great of pitching since I’ve been alive and since I can remember,” Hyatt said. “Anything their offense put out was enough.”
Hyatt was caught up in the emotion of the moment, and the Giants’ first championship since 1954.
“Talk about spur of the moment,” Hyatt said. “It’s called love.”
