As reported by John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Giants made their final payment on AT&T Park on December 15 of last year, 17 years after opening the gates in the Spring of 2000.
The news means two things. One, that the Giants have now officially kept good on their promise of having one of the only privately-financed parks in all of baseball, and two that the Giants will no longer have the $20 million annual fee on the books that at times accounted for nearly a third of their payroll.
In honor of their last payment being made, and with the Giants taking the field for their first spring training game of 2017, lets remember some of the greatest moments in the park’s 17-year history.
2014: Travis Ishikawa wins pennant with walk-off home run
Forced into the playoff starting lineup due to injury, Travis Ishikawa delivered perhaps the most memorable moment in the history of AT&T Park, belting the first World Series clinching walk-off home run since Bobby Thompson in 1951. Michael Morse’s pinch-hit home run gave the Giants a charge in the 8th, but it was Ishikawa, who had spent the better part of 11 years in the minors, who became the unlikely hero Giants fans will never forget.
2012: Matt Cain tosses first perfect game in Giants history
In the 129 year history of the club, no Giants pitcher had every thrown a perfect game until Matt Cain did just that on a magical night in June. Cain was masterful, tying Sandy Koufax’s perfect game record by striking out 14 batters. The incredible feat was a team effort as well, with Gregor Blanco robbing Chis Snyder of a double in the sixth inning.
2007: Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record
In what would go down as the final great moment of his career, Bonds capped off maybe the greatest career in baseball history by breaking a record few thought would ever be touched, belting one to the deepest part of the park. Note the classic call from Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper.
2012: Pablo Sandoval hits three home runs in Game 1 of World Series
After facing elimination in both the NLDS and NLCS, the juggernaut Detroit Tigers were expected to have their way with the Giants in the 2014 World Series. Pablo Sandoval buried that narrative almost immediately, blasting three home runs in consecutive at-bats, including two off Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. San Francisco would go onto sweep the series for their third title in five years.
2012: Giants win pennant during downpour
Sandoval would’ve never had his iconic moment if not for the Giants improbable comeback in the Division Series after trailing 2-0 to the Cincinnati Reds. San Francisco capped off the three game winning streak amidst a downpour in the ninth inning of Game 5, leading to some of the most memorable images in Giants history.
2014: Madison Bumgarner shuts out Royals in Game 5 of World Series
A list of AT&T Park moments wouldn’t be complete without the unflappable, and incomparable Madison Bumgarner, whose performances in the 2014 World Series will go down as the stuff of legend. Bumgarner’s classic showing came in Game 7 in Kansas City, but his shutout in Game 5 was nearly as impressive. Bumgarner allowed just four hits and struck out eight while not walking a single batter to give the Giants a 3-2 series lead.
2002: JT Snow saves Darren Baker at home plate
There may be a handful of more important moments than this one, but JT Snow’s scooping of unsuspecting bat boy Darren Baker during Game 5 of the 2002 World Series remains one of the most memorable, and most bizarre moments we are ever likely to see during a baseball game.