Thirteen years into the pandemic, the San Francisco Giants became the first big league professional sports team to step up to the plate against AIDS recently when “Until There’s a Cure Day” joined “Cap Day” and “Fan Appreciation Day” on the club’s roster of special events at Candlestick Park. The New York Times reported that during the game each member of the Giants wore a red AIDS awareness ribbon stitched to his uniform and the organization donated $1 from each ticket sold for the game to San Francisco’s AIDS organizations. More than $50,000 was raised by the event, the first time the Giants have ever donated proceeds from the gate.

A pre-game ceremony featured a speech by Family AIDS Network founder Mary Fisher, who rocked the 1992 Republican National Convention when she spoke about being an HIV positive mother. Fisher saluted the team’s commitment saying, “Today, the San Francisco Giants demonstrate that AIDS is as all-American as Abner Doubleday’s sport.”

Watchers of San Francisco politics suggested that by hosting the event the Giants might curry favor with the city’s large lesbian and gay population. Management is trying to persuade San Francisco voters to fund construction of a new stadium. Giants officials reportedly want to sponsor a league-wide AIDS benefit next season.