Mariners fan travels to Giants' waterfront ballpark, fondly remembering time there with slain son

When Mariners fan Keith Beach was asked whether he might be interested in using the seats from a friend of a friend for a big league baseball game, he immediately inquired about when and where

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When Mariners fan Keith Beach was asked whether he might be interested in using the seats from a friend of a friend for a big league baseball game, he immediately inquired about when and where.

July 4. Oracle Park, San Francisco. Mariners-Giants matinee.

His heart suddenly touched by a flood of emotions, the 71-year-old Beach knew he absolutely had to make the trip from his home in the Seattle suburbs — walking boot for a torn Achilles tendon and all. His son was killed while attending a co-ed softball tournament in the Washington coastal town of Long Beach during the July 4 weekend eight years ago and they had special memories together at San Francisco’s waterfront ballpark. The father and son attended a game here a year before Jeff Beach was beaten to death at age 36 in a case that remains open.

“We were here in 2014,” recalled Beach, who also played baseball and shared that love over the decades with his son. “We got to go to a game. We were visiting San Francisco, he told his mom we had to go.”

So Beach made his plans a few weeks back to fly from Seattle on an 8 a.m. flight Tuesday with three friends: Ray Gross, Dick Weaver and Steve Yost, decked out in Mariners gear.

First-year Mariners bullpen coach Stephen Vogt popped outside from a pregame meeting for a quick hello to the group in their seats a couple of rows behind the Seattle on-deck circle during a picture-perfect Bay Area day.

Beach, who also lost his daughter Jennifer at age 17 in a car crash, could remember fondly his trip with Jeff.

They were headed home on a flight scheduled for just before 8 p.m. after the game, which the Mariners won 6-0. It was all worth it, even with Beach wearing a walking boot over his right foot for the Achilles tendon he tore about a month ago.

“The last time I was here was with my son," Beach said. “It's a one-day, stupid thing that you just do.”

Nah, not stupid at all but rather quite special.

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