San Francisco’s No. 1 sports fan
All politicians love a parade. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee loved championship parades.
In his nearly seven years in office, Lee rode through the confetti after two World Series championships and two NBA championships, smiling throughout, waving to the throngs and delivering his unique brand of awkward and funny speeches at the end of each route.
Whether it was down San Francisco’s Market Street, or circling Lake Merritt in Oakland, Lee was on hand to celebrate the good times in Bay Area sports. That also went for major golf tournaments, the America’s Cup sailing events, fanfest luncheons, chamber functions and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Mayor Lee was the city’s No. 1 sports fan, and the community mourned his unexpected passing at 65 onTuesday, releasing a series of statements and condolences
that reminded us all of his quirky and heartfelt contributions to the Bay Area’s golden era of sports.
In terms of his political sports legacy, Mayor Lee will be remembered for presiding over the 49ers’ departure and paving the way for the Warriors’ future return to San Francisco.
I would give him credit for working tirelessly to get Golden State’s Chase Center in San Francisco approved. It was a tough sell, marred by fits and starts and legal opposition. But Lee stood by the Warriors and saw it through. Sadly, he won’t be here to see the arena open, projected to happen in 2019.
The 49ers’ situation is different. The blame for that fiasco goes to Lee’s predecessor, Gavin Newsom, who allowed a personality dispute with 49ers owner John York to escalate past the point of no return. By the time Lee assumed control at City Hall, the dialogue was over. The 49ers had their hearts set on Santa Clara. And now they’re living with that decision.
Mayor Lee’s inability to stop the 49ers’ move and his triumph to attract the Warriors speaks to the role stadium politics play in the tenures of modern-day, big-city mayors. Ask Oakland’s Libby Schaaf how things are going with the Raiders and A’s. Ask former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown what it was like to try to keep the 49ers at Candlestick Point. Ask Newsom how it all went wrong. It’s a difficult world to navigate, especially here in the Bay Area, where voters are reluctant to put public monies behind sports venues.
Mayor Lee played the game as well as can be expected. Chase Center will be one of his lasting legacies as a politician. And so will the Santa Clara 49ers, whether it was really his fault or not. The buses left town on his watch.
Even still, Lee remained a supporter of the 49ers, attending games and functions throughout his tenure. He was a prominent booster during the 49ers’ Super Bowl season in 2012-13, which ended 5 yards short of another parade down Market Street. And the mayor was everywhere when Santa Clara hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016, rolling out the red carpet for NFL honchos and stealing the national spotlight and TV glory for his city.
Lee’s love of sports also was on display during other major events, like the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in 2012 and the America’s Cup sailing championships in 2013. Once again, the smiling mayor could be seen at galas and luncheons and competitions. He understood that sports could provide a tremendous platform for promotion of this great city, and he made the most of it.
But it was those Giants championship teams that seemed to resonate most with Mayor Lee. The team played downtown and many of the players lived within the city limits. You could find Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson hanging out in the Marina. Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey became real-life folk heroes. It all sparked a unique love affair between San Francisco residents and a sports franchise unseen since the days of Joe Montana and Bill Walsh. Mayor Lee was along for that ride with the Giants, in more ways than one.
I made it a point to stop and chat with the mayor as he rode through those championship parades. He’d be in his ceremonial car, with me hoofing alongside, and the sentiment was always the same: “Can you believe this?” he’d be shouting, gesturing to the crowds. “I can’t believe this!”
It felt real coming from Mayor Lee. A lifetime in journalism trains the eye to spot a phony from a mile off, but the mayor actually couldn’t believe his city’s great fortune when the Giants won, over and over again. He wore the hat with pride and came across as a true believer.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes, we did it!” Lee yelled after the 2014 parade, standing on the podium in front of City Hall. “Folks, we’re here today to celebrate our San Francisco Giants. And we all feel a little taller today. Our Giants more than shocked the world this last Wednesday with a dramatic Game 7 win. They secured a place forever in our hearts and our history books.
“I have a few question today to ask: Is MadBum a man or a machine? Second question: When is Bochy going to be eligible for the Hall of Fame? Final question, as mayor: Is there anything I can do to keep Panda in San Francisco?”
The crowd roared and groaned in unison, celebrating his awkward love of its team. And then Mayor Lee got to the heart of the matter, summing up what made those Giants champions.
“Everyone contributed. Everyone stepped up. Everyone came together to will this team to victory,” he said. “It’s a great story. It’s a team that succeeds not because of any single superstar. But because of dedication, to each other and to a larger purpose. It’s a team like this that’s really, really San Francisco!”
“You thrill us. You torture us. Together, we are Giants. And, today, once again, we are champions.”
Mayor Lee then delivered the key to the cityand proclaimed Oct. 31, 2014 to be San Francisco Giants Day. He closed out with a lusty “Let’s Go, Giants!”
And you could tell he meant it.