#FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History #35

#36 is here.

#35 September 24, 1993 The Last Real Race

Down 4 a week before in baseball's last ever pennant race, the Giants closed their deficit to 1.5 by beating the Padres with an extra inning Will Clark walk off home run.

In the 8th, the Giants tied the score after Robby Thompson was in the head by Trevor Hoffman (ending his season) and a pinch running Mike Benjamin scored on a Matt Williams sac fly.  The Padres put two on with no one out on the 10th, but Rod Beck got out of the inning - leading to Clark's 2 out walk off homer in the bottom, in what turned out to be his last great Candlestick moment.

#34 is tomorrow

I See 4 Star Matches

Ishimori v. Harada (Nov NOAH) 4 1/4
Sugiura v. Nagata (Oct NOAH) 4 1/2
Richards v. ACH (ROH Nov) 4
Marufuji v. Sugiura (Oct NOAH) 4
Kenta v. Sekimoto (Oct NOAH) 4 1/4

#FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History #36

#37 is here.

#36 December 15, 1997 Simply the Best



Joe Montana returned to Candlestick for the first time since being traded to the Chiefs; his number retired at halftime of a Monday night game against the Broncos.

The Niners were 12-2, with the top ranked defense in the NFL. Denver was 11-3, on their way to a Super Bowl Championship.

Jerry Rice returned from a torn ACL after only three and a half months to play in this game - scoring in the second quarter with the Niners down 10-0, injuring himself on the play which caused him to miss the rest of the season.

John Elway, as was his legacy for much of his career, completely collapsed in the moment, 16-41, 150 yards, 2 interceptions with one returned for a score (Merton Hanks, Kevin Greene also returned a fumble for a touchdown).

The Niners won 34-17, finishing the season with a perfect record for the first time in Candlestick history.

#35 is tomorrow

#FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History #37

#38 is here.

#37 April 12, 1993 Candlestick Lives

For about two decades the Giants had threatened to move - but after the '92 season, they were gone; sold to a group in Tampa that somehow would involve Tommy Lasorda.

And then they weren't - not only were the Giants rescued, but opened up their 1993 season with baseball's best player, a Giant legacy no less, in left field.

What did Barry Bonds do in his first Candlestick At Bat as a Giant?  Homered, of course, and the Giants went on to beat the Marlins 4-3 on an 11th inning Darren Lewis single.

#36 is tomorrow

#FarewellCandlestick: The 100 Greatest Moments in Candlestick Park History #38

#39 is here.

#38 January 6, 1990 41-13

A year prior, Minnesota came to San Francisco for the divisional round of the playoffs and got whipped.

In 1989 though, the Vikings had the NFL's number one ranked defense  - so when they faced San Francisco in that same playoff round, their optimism would have been understood.

Joe Montana threw 4 first half touchdown passes (two to Jerry Rice) and the Niners won 41-13.

In addition, Montana had 210 passing yards and Roger Criag 95 rushing yards - all in that first half.

The Niners had four sacks (none for Minnesota) two picks (one was returned for a score by Ronnie Lott)

The '89 Niners had arguably the greatest postseason performance in the history of professional sports.

It started here at Candlestick.

#37 is tomorrow.