As the Oakland Athletics play their final home games at the Coliseum, employees still working in the stands are in their 70s, 80s and even 90s prepare for what is to come.
Sometimes Leland Anderson takes a quick look up into the stands above left field and finds his wife Sandy in Section 237, and he waves and smiles at her.
It’s their way of reporting for duty as receptionists at the Oakland Coliseum.
Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP
“She’s the prettiest,” the 79-year-old Leland said with a grin as he trained his usual 122- and 123-sections for an Athletics meet.
The Andersons have always loved baseball, so as their four sons grew up and retirement approached, the Central Valley, California, couple started thinking about what to do next. And as luck would have it, the A’s were recruiting in 2013, the perfect time for them.
Like the Andersons, many longtime Coliseum employees have built lasting memories at the stadium, which will host a sellout crowd Thursday for the A’s final scheduled game. Thousands of fans the stadium was packed to see the team play against the New York Yankees for the final round of weekend competitions before the move.
The club has played in Oakland since 1968 and plans to call Sacramento home for at least the next three years before a planned move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season. The NFL’s Raiders left the Coliseum and moved to Las Vegas in 2020.
A’s fans mourn and protest move to Vegas which was approved by MLB owners last November since last season, filling the stands with signs mocking team owner John Fisher in Oakland and San Francisco and hold “reverse boycotts” during home games.
In the third-base field box, 95-year-old Sam Moriana is one of those familiar faces fans recognize. He charms them with his quick wit and warm welcome, then ushers people to their seats.
He may even share what he calls “the keys to longevity” with a complete stranger.
“Olive oil, garlic, red wine, humor and classical music,” jokes Moriana, who is considered the oldest employee at A’s. He even checked with HR.
“I am the oldest goat,” he said.
Visiting teams have also built relationships with these doormen, security personnel, concession stand staff and clubhouse employees.
“You come here and you see the same people and it feels like family,” said Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who made his major league debut for the Mariners at the Coliseum on April 3, 1989, and scored his first career hit. “They’ve seen me grow up, they’ve seen my kids grow up, so it’s tough. Next year, there’s going to be all new faces and it won’t be the same. And it won’t be the same for the people of Oakland.”
Many employees continue to work well into their old age because they love being a part of the games and cherish working in a place with such a history, not only for the city of Oakland, but for baseball. Many are now retiring.
Others are starting to look elsewhere for work, like 35-year-old Derrick Smith. He’s been with the A’s for the past four years and will soon be moving overseas to join the Heat and Marlins franchises in Miami for a bittersweet “fresh start.”
“It’s quite sad to leave my friends and family behind, but I’m also very excited about a fresh start,” he said.
Some employees still have doubts about whether they can play games in Sacramento — if they are even asked and considered. Employees say communication has been minimal.
AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez
The Andersons, who celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on July 3, raised their sons in nearby Hayward and attended games regularly.
Leland and Sandy are from Modesto, a few hours’ drive away, and are staying with a colleague from the A’s who welcomes them into her home while they work games.
“We’ve always loved baseball,” Sandy explained. “When we were dating, it was either a movie or baseball, and baseball usually won. The night we got engaged, we went to a Giants game because the A’s were out of town. It’s just always been a part of our makeup. He was always playing baseball, I was always watching, and we’ve had four sons who all played baseball.
“So we were Little League parents forever. It’s in our DNA.”
People like the Andersons are the face of the Colosseum.
“Some of it is a little sad for the people who aren’t going, but a little happy for the people who are going,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said during Tampa Bay’s last visit in August. “It’s a unique group of employees here. It seems like they’ve been pretty consistent as an organization with who they’ve hired. Hopefully, there’s a lot of thought going into opportunities for them to move on. I hope some of them get a chance to play some games in Sacramento.”
Clyde and Derek Williams, a father-son security team at the Coliseum, also work Golden State Warriors games at San Francisco’s Chase Center, but the A’s loss will hurt.
Clyde Williams lives 44 miles north in Fairfield, practically halfway to Sacramento, so he could commute to the California capital if asked. He worked Bill Graham Presents “Day on the Green” concerts at the Coliseum more than 25 years ago.
“Well, it’s been everything to me. I’ve been here on the site for 25-27 years,” he said. “So my heart is sad that they’re leaving, but that’s part of the business, so that’s why we have to go where the big guys say we have to go.”
He knows that they will all deeply feel the loss of the glory days of the Colosseum.
A’s catcher Shea Langeliers has always enjoyed interacting with all the famous players in the stadium.
“The people that work here feel like family, we’re all close, we’re all nice,” he said. “They take care of each other, they take care of us. It’s really nice to be here with these people. They do such a good job and it’s really nice to talk to them and they’re just good.”
Clyde Williams describes his most memorable moments as those “when the fans come in and give them a great experience.”
“It was a pleasure,” he said. “I love this job. I love this place.”
