On a cool May night, as the sun set over San Francisco in the distance, drummers and flag-waving fans led cheers of “Ohhhh-O-O-O Oakland” (to the tune of “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes) and “Let’s go, Oakland!” (clap clap, clap clap clap) as one of the city’s biggest sports teams pulled out a nail-biting victory.
But the nearly 4,000 fans were not in Oakland, and they were not cheering for a team from one of the major American professional sports leagues.
The setting was a rented college stadium in nearby Hayward, and the game was a home match for the Oakland Roots, a soccer team that plays in the U.S.L.
At the same time, 20 miles north, construction workers were racing to put the final touches on a $1.6 million renovation of Raimondi Park, a city park in West Oakland.
The park’s previously run-down baseball field was being transformed into the home of the Oakland Ballers, an independent league team that began competing this summer.
Persons:
“, “ Let’s
Organizations:
San, Oakland, Seven Nation Army, Stripes, Roots, Orange County
Locations:
San Francisco, Oakland, American, Hayward, West Oakland