By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–If the occasion of the final Bay Bridge series game in San Francisco has you feeling nostalgic, know that a more appropriate mood would be feeling mournful.

On December 2, 2016, in Oakland, 36 people lost their lives in the Ghost Ship fire. And while many point to the wanderlust exhibited by Oakland’s sports teams, others point to the fire, and the microscope it put a troubled, overwhelmed city under, as the reason for Oakland’s sports exodus.

On that night, hundreds attended an illegal warehouse party in the Fruitvale district that was perceived to be an opportunity to highlight the underground Oakland art scene. At 11:20 p.m., a fire broke out on the building’s first floor, trapping dozens who had no obvious way of escape. The fire, attributed later to the overload of the haphazard electrical wiring within the building, was lethal as one escape route was obscured by the smoke.

In the aftermath of the fire and the resulting trial of master tenants, Derick Almena and Max Harris, the tale of illegal subleting within the Ghost Ship was exposed. While average rents in Oakland hovered around $2,000 a month, warehouse tenants were paying Almena and Harris $300 to $600 to live on the building’s first floor, a junky space separated into units by wooden studs, steel beams, pianos and window frames.

The rents collected by the pair and supplemented by illegal parties sustained the space as tenuous but workable home for as many as 20 people. But the element of danger and cloak of secrecy were always present as Almena and Harris maintained there were no permanent residents, and the space was actually a 24-hour art studio. Building inspectors had knowledge of the scheme, as did building owner Chor Ng. But nothing was done to fix the makeshift, electrical wiring that showed constant signs of wear and overloading.

Just two weeks before the fire, building inspectors descended upon the Ghost Ship, only to leave empty-handed and ignorant when no one within responded to their persistent knocking at the front door.

The fire and resulting lawsuits exposed Oakland as a place unable or unwilling to police itself. First, the Warriors executed their plan to leave for San Francisco in 2019, and the Raiders went to Las Vegas in 2020. Meanwhile, the city, hamstrung not only by the devastating fire but blatant crime and chronic homelessness, stood ineffective and powerless as the events leading to the teams’ departures unfolded.

Not being capable of explaining to the public at large what happened leading up to the events of the tragic fire didn’t help.

“I can’t answer how that warehouse slipped through the cracks and that it bypassed our system – or how it bypassed the city’s system,” Oakland fire chief Teresa Deloach Reed said one week after the tragedy. “But everybody is at the table right now trying to figure out what happened.”

Oakland also found itself fumbling to articulate a plan to keep its teams. Now, in 2024, they aren’t any teams left to keep. The A’s are in their final season in Oakland with tentative plans to move to Las Vegas with a curious detour through Sacramento in the works as well. Throughout, Mayors Libby Schaff and Sheng Thao haven’t made Oakland attractive enough or deal savvy. In fact, neither mayor has come close to making Oakland attractive.

The deadliest fire in California’s history since the 1906 Earthquake resulted in Oakland paying $32.7 million to settle a lawsuit brought forth by the families of the victims. Could Oakland consummate a deal to save its teams given that toll?

Financially–and emotionally–the answer has been found to be no.

BAY BRIDGE SERIES NOTES:

After winning 1-0 over the A’s on Wednesday, the Giants are 52-52 in their last 104 games.

Logan Webb pitched up his third complete game, and second, complete game shutout. Webb’s 6.65 ERA in July prior to Wednesday was the second worst of his career with his 6.94 ERA in September/October 2020 his worst.

The A’s are 15-14 in Interleague Play, but just 30-51 against American League opponents.

A’s starting pitchers are 8-3 since the All-Star Break, and finished July 14-8.

Manager Bob Melvin was quick to sense that Webb was settled in the first inning, despite his previous struggles, saying, “As the game went along, he got better and better.”

Melvin also expressed frustration with his team’s offense which managed just four hits along with a game-winning sacrifice fly from Brett Wisely. Melvin said, “It’s a little bit frustrating that we couldn’t do more for Logan.”