Battle of the Bay : bashing A's, thrilling Giants, and the earthquake World Series

1989 was a season of both triumph and tragedy for the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics, still marking baseball’s only cross-Bay series. But 1989 is remembered as much for the devastating earthquake that struck moments before Game 3 of the World Series as it is for the exploits of Mark McGwire, Will Clark, and other stars. In this history, Gary Peterson combines his firsthand observations with meticulous research and new interviews with players, coaches, and broadcasters to offer a fresh perspective of that unforgettable year. From Dave Dravecky’s emotional return to the mound after cancer surgery and his gruesome injury in his next start to highlight-reel performances by Clark, McGwire, Jose Canseco, and Rickey Henderson to Dave Stewart reaching out to rescue workers after the earthquake, Battle of the Bay captures the agony and excitement that surrounded the Bay Area in the summer and fall of 1989.

Gary Peterson is a staff writer for the Bay Area News Group. He was previously the sports columnist at the Contra Costa Times for 25 years, during which he covered the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants throughout the 1989 season. During his career, he has covered 13 Super Bowls, five World Series, four Olympic Games, and one Final Four, winning multiple Associated Press Sports Editors awards as a top-10 sports columnist. He lives in Concord, California. A former manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A's, and St. Louis Cardinals, La Russa led teams to three World Series titles. He resides in Alamo, California.