Oakland's Section 149 takes fandom to another level

There’s a yellow sign that sits on a cold, gray concrete wall behind the right-field bleachers at The Coliseum. The bold, black letters of “Section 149” and a red arrow direct dozens of A’s fans through a narrow passageway where they make their pilgrimage 81 times a year.

As they walk through the passageway, each gives the sign a love tap. Everything’s a ritual around here.

Inside, the field comes into view and you can hear the signature sounds of the right-field bleachers. It’s a symphony of drums, bongos, cowbells, vuvuzelas and tambourines accompanied by plenty of heckling.

Rows 27-29 -- situated directly above the out-of-town scoreboard -- are filled with characters with names like Wiggi, Big Will, The Other Will, Tony Two Tone, Tiger Woods, Diesel and Dirty Weasel Omar. There’s been an evolving group of die-hards in the right-field bleachers since the Mount Davis renovation in 1996, but this current core has been together since about 2005.

“We’re out here every day,” says Anson, a.k.a. Tiger Woods. “We met each other here, but we’re a family. We call ourselves the FANily. Bobby in left field came up with that term.”

The left-field and right-field bleachers are separate during the game, but fans from both sections tailgate together outside The Coliseum and can often be found dueling at the local bowling alley.

Section 149 has been the place to be this season, thanks in no small part to food deliveries from three separate Major League right fielders: Jeff Francoeur, Josh Reddick and Torii Hunter.

So what’s a night in the life of the FANily like? I got the whole nine-inning experience during Friday’s 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

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Before the game starts, Two Tone provides a disclaimer: The night may be a little quieter than usual because Reddick is out of the lineup, Brandon Inge is on the DL and the bleacher crew doesn’t have a relationship with Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

Reddick is known for his constant dialogue with Section 149 – and for throwing his gum into the crowd as a souvenir nobody will touch. Inge, of course, inspired the Bernie with his walk-up music. And the night is always a little more exciting when the opposing right fielder gets involved.

Francoeur and Hunter are in a class of their own, but the FANily has also forged relationships with Jose Bautista, Magglio Ordonez, Jose Guillen and Alex Rios among others.

“Bautista hates us,” Two Tone said. “He knows me and Anson by face. He’ll point at us before the first pitch and say, ‘You two, shut up! Shut up right now!’”

When Bautista jogged into the outfield for his usual greeting earlier this season, the die-hards gave him the silent treatment.

“He turned around to say something, but we all opened the newspapers on him like we were hella bored,” Two Tone said.

Then there was the case of Magglio Ordonez, who once told Two Tone that there wasn’t enough “money in the world” to lure him to Oakland.

“Last year, we read his entire Wikipedia out to him, his whole bio. The next day security came up to us and said, ‘Uh, yeah, he complained. ’”

7:00 – Following the National Anthem, a small celebratory Bernie goes down -- because why not?

7:07 – Brandon Moss fills in for Reddick in right field and acknowledges the FANily, prompting calls of “Like a Moss!” Coco Crisp tips his cap from center field, and we’re off and running.

7:08 – Drummer Boy Andy -- probably the most superstitious member of the FANily -- plays the same beat after every out. After Jason Kipnis grounds out to open the game, Moss turns around with one finger raised. It’s a tradition that started during Mark Kotsay’s tenure in Oakland and has survived through the years.

7:25 – Michael Brantley comes up to bat, and his mug shot features a big smile on the video screen. Overheard: “I want your teeth!”

7:33 – The A’s record the second out of the second inning and Moss gives the right-field bleachers a two-down sign, holding up his index finger and pinky like the “rock on” gesture.

7:50 – Whenever an opposing batter has two strikes and two outs -- a.k.a. “deuces” -- the fans take off their hats, hold them upside down and shake them. If it’s a right-handed batter, you hold your hat with your left hand and vice-versa. The trick works like a charm on Choo, who strikes out to end the top of the third.

8:00 – With a name like Carlos Santana, you’re an easy target every time you come up to bat. Overheard: “Oye Como Va is my favorite song!”

8:07 – Shelley Duncan takes a close 2-2 pitch to make it a full count in the top of the fourth, and home-plate umpire Joe West becomes the target of bleacher wrath for the rest of the night. This also causes one fan to yell, “Charge home plate, Carter!” at A’s first baseman Chris Carter.

8:07 – Duncan hits the next pitch deep to left field for a grand slam, giving the Indians a 4-0 lead. In the eyes of the right-field crew, the home run is West’s fault rather than starter Tommy Milone’s.

8:15 – Carter runs a count to 3-0, prompting a modified Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop with the fans calling, “Ball four, ball four, ball four!” Carter singles instead.

8:27 – Cliff Pennington knocks an RBI single to right field, narrowing the deficit to 4-3. Clapping and singing breaks out in right field, “We love you Oakland, we do! We love you Oakland, we do! We love you Oakland, we do! Ooooohhhhhh, Oakland we love you!” The tune is inspired by supporters of English soccer team Chelsea F. C.

9:00 – A Cleveland reliever begins to stretch down the right-field line, bending over and rotating his torso. With every rotation, the bleacher crew yells, “Twist! Twist! Twist!” The reliever catches on about halfway through and abruptly stops stretching. He then tips his hat to the crowd before finishing the routine.

9:01 – A FANily member busts out a pack of Starburst and starts tossing them out. “Rallyburst! Rallyburst! Who wants a rallyburst?!”

9:25 – Someone was nice enough to bring homemade lollipops for the section – half are green and half are yellow.

9:31 – Jason Donald comes to the plate. Overheard: “You have two first names! How does that feel?!”

9:42 – Reddick comes in to pinch hit, which is awesome. The right fielder is a well-known WWE aficionado – hence all the faux title belts in the section -- so it’s only appropriate that everyone starts yelling, “Wooo!” like Ric Flair.

9:47 – Josh Donaldson hits an RBI single to give the A’s a 5-4 lead. We love you Oakland, we do.

9:55 – Pennington hits a sac fly to right field to extend the A’s lead to 6-4. We love you Oakland, we do. Even more.

9:58 – 10:01 – Grant Balfour gets the nod to close out the game. Time to rage!

The Coliseum sound guys were particularly exuberant on this night, blasting a Metallica song for more than three minutes, which is a lot of raging. Overheard: “Longest ever!” “Feel the burn!” “I gotta get some water!” “Burn that candy off!”

10:07 – Balfour wraps up the save -- in a deuces situation -- sending the right-field crew into a frenzy.

Just another day in the life of the FANily.

-- Alex Espinoza / MLB.com Real-Time Correspondent

Content captured by Real-Time Correspondent on a Samsung Galaxy S III