SAN FRANCISCO – Brian Sabean's right hand wore one among his three championship rings from his tenure as general manager of the San Francisco Giants. On Monday evening, he marveled on the lineup in front of him.
Nearly 30 years after his arrival here, Sabean was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame alongside Patrick Marleau, John Taylor, Jenny Thompson and Chris Wondolowski.
“I had no idea such an honor would be waiting in the wings,” said Sabean, 67. “I'm very honored and flattered by my induction because Hall of Fames are basically for great players and I don't belong into this category.
“But I appreciate the recognition because we had a special group and a special operation in terms of the way our organization has done things over time,” Sabean added. “That led to three World Series in five years, and we were fortunate to go to four and win three.”
Sabean and the opposite inductees on Monday expressed their gratitude for the Bay Area as a welcoming host along the solution to their impressive careers.
Sabean now works as a consultant for the New York Yankees and lives in Bradenton, Florida. It was hard for him to assume how three many years have passed since he first joined the Giants, who promoted him to general manager in 1996. He said the next 1997 season was one among his two favorites; The other got here in 2010, when the Giants won their first of three World Series titles, the others got here in 2012 and 2014.
“We were able to get it done here with pitching first — (Matt) Cain first, then (Tim) Lincecum, (Madison) Bumgarner, some backups like (Sergio) Romo, (Brian) Wilson, etc.,” Sabean recalled. “Then we had the position player run with (Buster) Posey, (Brandon) Belt, (Joe) Panik, (Brandon) Crawford and (Pablo) Sandoval. That’s a mouthful.”
Earlier on Monday, the Giants were defeated in a four-game series in Philadelphia. What's it like being a general manager firstly of a season?
“You do not sleep. It’s not fun,” Sabean said. “You have to be good at crisis management. Every day you deal with something unexpected or pulled to the left when you need to go straight. You really have to know your way around.
“Our front office team was very, very good at that.”
As he prepared to enter a hotel ballroom for Monday night's induction, he praised the “great company” he joined. Here's what his fellow candidates said:
PATRICK MARLEAU
Six months after entering the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame – alongside Wondolowski – Marleau joined Owen Nolan (2014) as the only Sharks in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Drafted No. 2 overall in 1997, Marleau's No. 12 jersey was retired last year by the Sharks, for whom he served three stints.
“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself,” Marleau said. “At the jersey (retirement) ceremony, after I watched the jersey being raised, I believed, 'Is this really happening?' Tonight isn’t any different here.”
Marleau's first Sharks tour took place from 1997 to 2017. He returned from Toronto in 2019 and finished his profession with San Jose in 2021 surpassing Gordie Howe in most regular-season NHL games played (1,779). Marleau is the Sharks' all-time leader in games, goals, points, power play goals and game-winning goals.
After Monday night's festivities, his attention turns to Tuesday's NHL draft lottery and the Sharks' potential to get the No. 1 overall pick for the primary time.
“It’s going to be a big draft for our club,” Marleau said. “Last year’s draft was also good. It’s going to be a great time to bring these young guys in, introduce them to the NHL game and help them develop and build this team around these young guys and hopefully bring the championship to San Jose.”
His advice to the highest pick and others: “Keep your eyes and ears open when you come into the locker room and just take it all in. That work ethic is the most important thing, and compete. “If you have those things and are willing to learn, you can stay in the locker room for a long time.”
CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI
Wondolowski, 41, is the primary San Jose Earthquakes player within the Hall of Fame. He can also be the one member of this yr's class to hail from and proceed to reside within the Bay Area (Danville).
“I remember my dad (John) telling me he should be there for Steve Young's recording (of BASHOF),” Wondolowski said. “That was always a really cool thing. Now he can come back, but for myself, which closes the circle.”
He retired from the Earthquakes two and a half years ago as MLS' all-time leading scorer (171 goals, 17 seasons) and stays loyal to the club, where he coordinates player development.
“I was kind of a late bloomer, so just being mentioned by some of these names is crazy to me,” Wondolowski added. “The heroes I had as a child are also here. It’s pretty amazing and I think it’s really special.”
JOHN TAYLOR
Taylor could also be best known for his last-minute touchdown catch on the Super Bowl-winning 49ers, but he won the Super Bowl thrice and made the Pro Bowl twice.
“I remember coming here my first year in 1986, walking through the airport and seeing this exhibit,” Taylor said of the BASHOF plaques at San Francisco International Airport. “I guess coming through the airport now I'll have to look for it myself. It's a great honor to join forces with the guys who are already here. It’s a beautiful honor.”
He was inducted into the 49ers' Edward J DeBartolo Hall of Fame in 2021 and still ranks atop the franchise record list: first in punt returns (149), eighth in receiving yards (5,598), ninth in touchdown catches (43; tied). with Freddie). Solomon) and tenth in receptions (347; tied with Michael Crabtree). One play without end secured Taylor's place in 49ers history: his 10-yard catch in the ultimate minute against the Bengals that secured the 49ers' third Lombardi Trophy.
“Remember I had one catch all day. That was the most important thing,” Taylor said. “It was something you dreamed about as a child. We all play on the road and say, ‘If you make the catch, if you make the throw, you’ll win the Super Bowl.’ I can honestly say I lived that, and it lasted me a while.”
Taylor, 62, grew up in Pennsauken, New Jersey, in a neighborhood that was home to 4 other players who played within the NFL concurrently him. “That’s what really stuck with me (in San Francisco): the Golden Gate Bridge — until I got here,” Taylor said. “Growing up you always hear 'Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge,' so you imagine it has some kind of golden look to it. Then I came here and it was red. That was pretty much the biggest disappointment of all.”
JENNY THOMPSON
On the morning of her BASHOF orientation, Thompson returned to Stanford at 5:30 a.m. to swim. “It really felt like working your butt off and then seeing the sunrise and the beauty in it,” said Thompson, who won 19 individual and relay titles during her Stanford profession from 1991 to 1995 and went on to win 12 Olympic medals (eight gold).
“Being a part of the Stanford swimming team was probably the most special part of my swimming career,” Thompson added. “Being part of such a close-knit group of women, sisters really, we accept each other. We all have flaws and we all accept them. It's a great experience to be part of such a team. People say swimming is an individual sport, but in college it’s really a team sport and I love that aspect.”
She also loves the Bay Area a lot that she wishes she could live here again, regardless that she is happily raising her family in Charleston, South Carolina. They will accompany her to this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, with tickets for 4 evenings of swimming. “I kind of made it my goal back then to always go to the Olympics,” Thompson said. “I missed Rio and then COVID happened, so I’m excited to get back.”
Thompson reflected on her profession and shared what she thought was the very best advice she received:
“Have fun,” Thompson said. “Swim from your heart. Because if you think too much about being professional or being too serious, you will lose the joy you feel from your passion. When I competed in my fourth Olympics, I was studying medicine, my mother had cancer, and I was able to gain insight into what swimming meant to me. I lost all seriousness and remembered the true joy it brings me. Have fun; It is truly the most important thing in achieving your dreams.”
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