Zack Gelof's parents celebrate full circle moments at Coliseum during A's last homestand

Charlotte Varnes | Sep 25, 2024

Kelly Gelof at the Coliseum in 1996 and 2021. / Provided by Kelly Gelof

Kelly and Adam Gelof married shortly after graduating from law school in 1996.

Money was tight as new lawyers with student loans, so they decided to postpone their honeymoon. But friends pooled money together and surprised the Gelofs with a trip to San Francisco, where they decided to go to an Oakland Athletics’ game.

“It reminded me of almost a football game atmosphere,” Adam said. “When we came in, everyone was tailgating. I had not seen that for a baseball game. I think there were like 30,000 people in the stands — always very colorful, always into the A’s.”

The result was a memorable evening and an even more memorable photo of Kelly pointing to her and Adam’s name lit on the scoreboard — an image that has been recreated three times now that the Gelofs’ son Zack plays second base for the A’s.

Kelly Gelof, celebrating her anniversary at the Oakland Coliseum / Kelly Gelof

The Gelofs, who settled in Delaware, developed a new affinity for the Coliseum when Zack was drafted by Oakland in 2021. They revisited the stadium for the first time in more than 20 years in 2021 and have come for countless games since.

Now, the Gelofs are in the same boat as all A’s fans: soaking the Coliseum in one last time during this week’s homestand in Oakland.

Adam took photos with fans in the outfield like the banjo guy and the Stomper beanie woman over the weekend. He’s trying to talk to as many stadium employees and fans as he can during the last games in Oakland.

Kelly Gelof pointing out her anniversary at the Oakland Coliseum / Kelly Gelof

“It’s become family,” Adam said. “Most of the people, whether they’re working concessions or security, they’ve got like 20 years on the job and have been so nice… Every time we’re here, something happens where someone goes out of their way to make us feel at home and feel like family.”

Kelly and Adam celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary at the Coliseum on Sunday. A bouquet of yellow flowers sat beneath Kelly’s seat — a gift from a family of A’s fans they’ve grown close with. Another fan of Zack’s, Barbara, whom the Gelofs met at the World Baseball Classic, sat next to them.

Zack said the fans have been special to him and have similarly been great to his family, saying the support has meant a lot.

Baseball was always part of the Gelofs’ relationship well before Zack and his brother Jake played professional baseball. Adam returned from an Orioles game the day of their first date, and Kelly immediately started talking baseball with him.

Despite the love they’ve come to have for the Coliseum, the Gelofs’ photo now-famous photo of Kelly pointing at the scoreboard was tucked away until Zack was drafted.

The Gelofs first recreated the photo when they visited the Coliseum in 2021. They intended to visit Zack in Stockton, but the Ports’ game was canceled due to COVID. So the Gelofs headed for the Coliseum instead, taking Zack with them to catch an A’s game.

Kelly Gelof, celebrating her anniversary at the Oakland Coliseum / Kelly Gelof

“It didn’t hit us until we were actually here,” Kelly said. “Like, ‘Wow. This is what this all has come to: you’re working for the A’s.’”

It felt “serendipitous,” Adam said, because the game coincided with their anniversary and wasn’t part of their original plan.

For Zack, it proved helpful as a visual learner. Seeing where he’d someday play and watching big leaguers were part of a “fun day all around,” he said.

Now, Kelly and Adam are part of a new family of Oakland A’s fans — one that will dramatically change as the A’s depart Oakland in the coming days. The Coliseum may no longer host the A’s, but the memories made there are with the Gelofs for the long run.

“Part of our story, in having a connection with the Coliseum, probably elevates our connection to people a little bit more than the average parents,” Kelly said. “We couldn’t feel luckier, and are so appreciative of the experience that Zack has allowed us to have with all of the fans and everybody that is part of the Oakland Athletics.”