With A's last game, Oakland says goodbye to major professional sports

The Oakland A's played their last game at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday. Their departure left the Bay Area city without a major professional sports team.

OAKLAND, Calif. — There is no more "there there" for major professional sports in this Bay Area city.

The Oakland Athletics ceased to be Oakland's Athletics after the team beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 on Thursday afternoon in front of a sell-out crowd. The matchup was the club’s final home game at the venerable Oakland Coliseum.

A’s fans, equally outraged and heartbroken, said goodbye with their typical grit and spirit. Some cried as they walked up to the ballpark for the final time; many hugged. Two women were spotted in funeral garb, black veils and all. Well-known stadium characters returned for a last hurrah, met by appreciative cheers from the stands as they paraded from section to section.

The A's, which had called Oakland home since 1968, announced plans last year to build a stadium in Las Vegas by spring 2028.

In the meantime, the franchise will move to a minor league park in West Sacramento for at least three seasons, because Oakland stadium operators and the club couldn’t agree to a lease extension beyond this season. During that interim stay, the team will be known simply as "The Athletics."

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/mlb/oakland-athletics-last-game-rcna171699

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