Lurie is now a Giant and the A's are shrinking

The continued dwindling of the Athletics was never more evident than the recent announcement that KNBR is adding Marty Lurie to its Giants pre- and post-game shows. KNBR states, " ... baseball aficionado, Marty Lurie, comes across the bay..." Meanwhile, the A's lose another inimitable baseball voice.

This recent head scratcher by the A's continues to broadcast the message of ownership apathy towards A's fans. Either they don't know what the hell they are doing or they just don't give a damn. All the while, the A's are continuing to lessen their significance in the region. I always enjoyed Marty's postgame show at Fenton's Creamery, Crogan's or the Warehouse. It was distinctly Oakland. Maybe that is why the A's cancelled it. Fans were able to file out of the Coliseum and head into the neighborhoods of Oakland in time to discuss baseball with Marty. It was special. It turned Fenton's into a postgame spot, which it still is. An Oakland Athletics flag would hang outside to indicate it was game day, and anyone in Oakland's green-and-gold colors would receive a discount. This was Oakland baseball and this is what Marty brought to us. It is hard to imagine him with the orange and black.

I first ran into Marty Lurie at a Pacific Coast League reunion at the Oakland Museum a few years. He had his microphone and tape recorder in hand while interviewing an old Oakland Oak ballplayer. I just stood back and watched in quiet admiration. You could see the child-like enthusiasm and the passion of the game in his face during the interview. You can tell he is doing something he loves. He does it very well. Before he started his radio career, Marty was an attorney. But I could have seen him working as a newspaper man. The questions he asks are insightful, poignant and intelligent. His A's show was a perfect baseball companion to Bill King's game calling. We were spoiled. We are going to miss you Marty. Thank you.

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