Oracle Park, located in the SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco, California, is the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. The stadium has been the Giants’ home since 2000 and stands along the San Francisco Bay. The section of the bay beyond Oracle Park’s right field wall is unofficially known as McCovey Cove, in honor of former Giants player Willie McCovey.
Oracle Park is not only used for baseball games but has also hosted professional and collegiate American football games. It was the home of the annual college postseason bowl game now known as the Redbox Bowl from 2002 until 2013 and also served as the temporary home for the University of California’s football team in 2011.
Public transit access to the stadium is provided by Muni Metro or Muni Bus, Caltrain and ferries of San Francisco Bay. The stadium has a capacity of 41,915 and contains 68 luxury suites, 5,200 club seats on the club level, and an additional 1,500 club seats at the field level behind home plate.
On the facing of the upper deck along the left-field line are the retired numbers of Giants players and the retired uniforms of Christy Mathewson and John McGraw who played or managed in the pre-number era. The most prominent feature of the ballpark is the right-field wall, which is 24 feet (7.3 m) high in honor of former Giants Willie Mays, who wore number 24.
Oracle Park has a reputation of being a pitcher’s park and the most pitcher-friendly ballpark in the National League. The depth of the outfield limits home runs. The proximity to the San Francisco Bay, the right-field foul pole is only 309 feet (94.2 m) from home plate, the shortest in the NL. The right field area was designed to resemble the Polo Grounds. This deep corner of the ballpark has been dubbed “Death Valley” and “Triples Alley.” The right field area is 415 feet (126.49 m) and is infamous for bad bounces, making it difficult to hit a home run to this area.
In conclusion, Oracle Park is a historic and iconic stadium that has been the home of the San Francisco Giants for over two decades. It has a rich history and offers many unique features that make it a special place to watch a baseball game. The stadium’s proximity to the San Francisco Bay and its reputation as a pitcher’s park make it a one-of-a-kind baseball experience.
