Oakland Coliseum workers return to stadium for final farewell as A's head to Sacramento
While the A's have played their last game in Oakland, the Coliseum was open Wednesday for stadium employees to say goodbye to each other.
The team threw a party for workers to thank them for their service over the years. A's mascot Stomper greeted the workers for their final farewell, although there wasn't a lot to celebrate. Many of the employees know this will probably be the last time seeing each other at the stadium.
"People hugging, crying, you know," said employee Nick Ramirez. "Walking around, taking pictures and just saying, 'Wow.' It's amazing."
Nick Ramirez worked security at the Coliseum for the last seven years. He walked in one day as a fan, asked how to get a job there and a month later was getting paid to come to the ballpark.
Ramirez said he will always cherish the relationship he's built with his co-workers.
"Great people," Ramirez said. "You know, I love it here. Just like everybody else as you guys hear, people love it here. It's kind of devastating for us."
One of his favorite coworkers is his boss, Larry Williams, who said he's not so sure this is the last hurrah for all the A's employees.
"We'll see them again," said Williams. "We'll see them again."
Williams has doubts that the A's plan to play in West Sacramento until their new permanent stadium is built will work out.
"That's how I feel," he said. "Like they're not really going. Not this year. Maybe a couple years from now until they build the one in Las Vegas. Because I don't think they're really going to Sacramento."
But for now, the void of losing three professional sports teams hits hard - not just as employees but as of Oakland sports.
"You sit and you say, 'What happened?'" said Ramirez. "What happened? I was born here in Oakland in 1960. Raised in Alameda. What happened?"
Major League Baseball released a statement last month saying that it is a certainty the A's will play their 2025 season in Sacramento. The league is working with the player's association to work out the details of the transition.
