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SAN FRANCISCO – Emotions were heavy Friday at the Giants' home opener before the first regular season game, a 5-2 defeat against the Rays, at the all-new name of Oracle Park.
Director Bruce Bochy was touched to tears during the last home opener of his career. Giants fans greeted Bochy with a loud ovation before launching the first ceremonial pitch to home-field player Pablo Sandoval.
Peter Magowan, former owner of Giants, who died in January at the age of 76, was also honored. Broadcaster Mike Krukow read a letter from Magowan, expected to be heard during the Magowan Wall of Fame induction.
Friday would have marked his 77th birthday.
The heaviest of hearts, however, belonged to Estela McCovey, the widow of the great Giants Willie McCovey.
Before the first pitch, the Giants played a tribute video to the first-place Hall of Fame player illustrating the highlights of his 22-year MLB career, including 19 in San Francisco. "Willie's" Stretch "McCovey embodied what it means to be a giant," said Renel Brooks-Moon, the master of ceremonies.
At the end of the video, Estela, an emotional, wrapped her left arm around Brandon Belt and wiped her tears with her right. They were joined by their daughter Allison McCovey and grandchildren Raven Jackson, P.J. Patrick and Marissa Patrick at first base.
In the honor of McCovey, Belt offered the pedestal family a special number 44 covering the bag. As the family was holding the bag, Belt comforted a teary Estela while the two men shook hands.
Giants honor the late Willie McCovey pic.twitter.com/gZwyopevP1
– SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 5, 2019
"It was difficult," said Belt. "It's hard to see someone crying like that, it's hard to imagine what she's going through, I know it must be difficult for her." difficult for me to sit there and watch his family.
"I just tried to assure them that Willie was very important to us in this organization, he is very important to the Giants and he will live forever with the Giants."
Willie married Estela, then his long-time girlfriend, on August 2, 2018. The two men were tied to none other than the Giants' house, making it the biggest Splash hit that he's ever seen. .
A GIANT congratulations to the newlyweds: Estela & Willie McCovey! ???#SFGiants pic.twitter.com/grwo2lJvIk
– San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) August 2, 2018
The early years of his career at MLB, Belt moved away from the legend. Belt wanted to give Big Mac all the space he wanted, but when he finally spoke to Willie, he saw what he had been missing for years.
"I realized that he was the most humble and easy-to-talk guy I've ever seen," Belt said. "And I'd like to have spent more time talking to him – just a great guy and I think I can tell everyone – he'll definitely be missed."
Belt enters his ninth season as a first baseman. He still has some way to go to catch McCovey in this department. What he did for Estela, however, far exceeds his future statistics.
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