Giants Fever Strikes Union City

As Game 1 of the 2010 World Series kicked off last night, there was no question that Giants fever had hit Union City.

Orange and black peppered Union Landing, the city's go-to entertainment hub. While most of the restaurants with bars drew decent crowds, T.G.I. Friday's had what might have been the liveliest and busiest bunch in the city.

You'd be lucky just to find a parking spot, let alone a seat at the chain restaurant Wednesday night. By opening pitch, the bar area was already packed. Personal space got increasingly tighter as the game and the crowd roared on, with close to 100 people elbow-to-elbow at its peak.

When the Giants scored their first and second runs in the third inning, the whole restaurant went into a frenzy, including a bartender ringing a bell and people clapping, stomping and pounding on the counter while chanting: "Let's go Giants!"

Even non-diehards showed up to get in on the action.

Kevin Bagley, 39, a lifelong Dodgers fan, drove from Brentwood to meet with friends and give props to the Giants.

"I'm happy that they're there. They play as a team; it shows that one player can't take you to the World Series," said Bagley, who played minor league baseball and previously worked as an assistant baseball coach at Solano Community College.

Around the city, things were fairly calm. It was quiet in Old Alvarado, especially with Paddy's Coffee House, which usually airs games on its large TV, closed for the day due to a staff emergency.

Kingdom, however, welcomed any and all passers-by on their flat screen TV, extending their hours for the duration of the game.

To honor the occasion, local clothing brand PRVLGD unveiled a new, limited edition T-shirt for sale exclusively at the boutique and barbershop.

According to PRVLGD creative director David Delmundo, the shirt design plays off the 1989 World Series logo, using a similar Bay Bridge graphic with the words "West Series" written in cursive and "Orange and Black" in place of the "Battle of the Bay" ribbon.

Anthony Pabros, owner of Kingdom, sold several shirts the morning of Game 1. He said he might have sold more had he kept the store open all day. Instead, Pabros closed his store mid-day and drove to San Francisco to purchase a 2010 World Series baseball hat.

Pabros wasn't the only one going to great lengths to support his favorite team.

Aaron Kumar, a San Bruno resident who works in Hayward, said he was the first person from his office to make it to Friday's for the game, quickly changing his uniform and rushing to the bar by the third inning. Kumar, 25, was also one of the liveliest patrons, kneeling on a stool and waving two Giants bandannas.

"I bleed orange and black," said Kumar, who was born in San Francisco.

When the game ended with an 11-7 stomp by the Giants, the crowd celebrated like it was New Year's Eve. Strangers embraced one another, clinked their drinks, slapped high-fives. It became clear that Giants fever was about more than just baseball.

"It brings the whole Bay Area together. People who aren't baseball fans are involved in it emotionally," said Union City resident J.P. Pierre, 40. "This has really pulled our community together. That's the best part of it."

Game 2 of the 2010 World Series airs tonight beginning at 4:57 p.m. on FOX.