Take a look at the picture on the right. That is a five-year-old at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. It was 1992 when the Giants were threatening to move, and The San Francisco Chronicle posted this exact picture of a little, disappointed boy at the railings of the field. That same boy is currently the starting shortstop for the San Francisco Giants. His name? Brandon Crawford.
“When he was five and the Giants announced they were fleeing Candlestick and moving to Florida, he was devastated; a Chronicle photographer caught his forlorn face in what was considered the final series at the Stick.”
The San Francisco Chronicle gives the full detail of this amazing story.
Thankfully, for little Crawford, the Giants never moved to Florida. It wasn’t until Crawford’s middle-school years that the Giants relocated to another part of San Francisco and AT&T Park. Crawford’s family had done some moving of their own, as they moved from beautiful Menlo Park to Pleasanton Valley, all while keeping their Orange Giant pride.
If the picture is not enough proof that Crawford was a Giants fan ever since he could speak, then the next thing I’m going to tell you will prove his loyalty. Crawford and his family purchased a brick outside of Willie Mays Plaza, and according to reports, he remains the only player in Giants history to have purchased one before being affiliated with the team in any way.
Crawford’s dream of playing shortstop with his favorite team has now become reality. He’s not just living the dream, he’s taking advantage of it. Being one the best shortstops this season, he is a contender for a Gold Glove.
It’s amazing, considering he was just a little boy who had chubby cheeks and watched the rawhide ball connect with a wooden bat at Candlestick Park only 20 years ago.
Congrats, Brandon Crawford, you’re a World Series champion on the team you’ve loved since you were a kid. It’s an inspirational story that goes beyond the game of baseball. Dream big and stay humble.