SF Giants need to take a page out of San Jose Sharks playbook

On Friday, the San Jose Sharks brought back a number of franchise icons in their second-ever Legends Game. Seeing the highlights of this reminded of being a huge Sharks fan during my childhood and turning that game around to be an idea that the SF Giants should pursue.

SF Giants need to take a page out of San Jose Sharks playbook

You can find the Sharks roster here. However, I want to highlight some players such as Dan Boyle, Dany Heatley, Owen Nolan, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, and Evgeni Nabokov. Folks, there is nothing like a hard-nosed player on defense such as Douglas Murray or Kyle McLaren.

I was a huge Sharks fan growing up. They were always in the playoffs unlike the Golden State Warriors at the time as they struggled to achieve any level of relevancy during my childhood. It is hilarious what 15 short years and having Steph Curry can do to flip that narrative entirely for a team like the Warriors.

My fandom for the Sharks has waned in recent years due in part to not just having any time to watch them anymore. However, seeing some of those players play again would be well worth the price of admission as it was for the sellout crowd on Friday night.

This was done as a precursor to the Sharks retiring Joe Thornton's No. 19 on Saturday night. The players who appeared in the Legends game did so because they were already in town for the retirement ceremony.

On the other hand, it was also a nice opportunity for the fans to welcome back someone like Pavelski. The former Sharks captain left the organization somewhat unceremoniously after the 2018 - 2019 season.

This got me thinking about what a cool opportunity this could be for a team like the Giants. The Giants have not held an old timer's game in decades. Does anyone remember the incredible catch the late Willie Mays made during a New York Mets old timer's game in 1981? Here is the video in case you have not:

Baseball is a funny game. Fans rarely know when they are watching a player's final at-bat in the moment. Players often do not know when their final appearance on the field is coming either.

This would be an opportunity to give popular Giants players a chance to take the field one more time in what would be to a thunderous ovation. Do you know how excited fans would be to see Madison Bumgarner take the hill one more time? Or, to see Barry Bonds stand in the batter's box and challenge McCovey Cove yet again.

If the Giants are in the memory-making business, maybe a legends game is exactly what they need. I know they like making money and this is one more opportunity to do so.