In the feel-good story of the year, an estimated 12,000 volunteers showed up to Union Square, AT&T Park, City Hall, and other locations around San Francisco to make a wish for 5-year-old Leukemia survivor Miles Scott (he’s in remission!) yesterday, after he said he wanted to be Batman for a day. I was there to see Miles chase the Penguin to AT&T Park and rescue the Giants mascot, and later get the key to the city, taking pictures the whole time. I don’t know if the 12,000 figure came just from official volunteers or was an estimate of total numbers, because it seemed like more. There were places where it seemed like no one in a 10-block radius was working. Can you blame them?
The word really got out about this one, and it was nice to see the internet bringing people together to do something other than call each assclown and argue about Sarah Palin. President Obama made a Vine, and it got a little ridiculous at times how many people were falling over each other trying to participate somehow. But again, can you blame them?
After getting the key to the city, poor Miles had to sit through speeches by the mayor, the city attorney, the chief of police, a guy from the FBI, the fire chief… Which I can’t imagine was a facet of being Batman for a day that factored heavily in a 5-year-old’s wish (nor would it have mine). In fact, I’m pretty sure Batman would’ve been off in his mansion (“banging Talia in front of a fireplace,” as a friend put it) and let the politicians handle the press conference.
Nonetheless, most of it was pretty heartwarming. Hell, I wish every day was Batkid Day. Like everyone else there, I took lots of pictures. Feel free to view them as a slideshow, or use the “view as single page” button down there to use your scroll wheel instead of your arrow keys.
This one actually comes from the SF Giants Facebook page (I never got this close, obviously), but it’s a pretty great picture.
Incidentally, those are custom shoes Miles was wearing that are now being sold to the public, with proceeds going to the Make a Wish foundation. BATKICKS!
Here’s the special Batkid Edition of the Chronicle I snagged, hot off the presses.
Ugh, this asshole again. You may remember his brief cameo in our last Denny’s Hobbit food video?
Amateur parazzi mob outside Union Square.
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The Penguin, getting booed as he drives off with the Giants mascot (you can just see the top of her head).
Could’ve got a fatter penguin, I thought, but…
There he is! It’s Batkid!
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People on the roof. I didn’t even know you were allowed up there.
Six stories of Batkid spectators.
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The police dirtbike brigade. Only the most XXXtreme cops sign up for it.
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Makin signs.
I don’t know what this guy’s deal was and I felt like he desperately wanted people to ask, so I didn’t.
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Oh look, the 49ers rhino is here.
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GET BACK TO WORK!
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This is in front of City Hall.
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The best shot I could get of Batkid’s Lamborghini, unfortunately. I like to think this is eventually what happened to Guy Fieri’s Lamborghini after it was repossessed.
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No one at City Hall was working either.
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There were some serious-looking tough guys in the crowd. Even tough guys like Batkid.
At one point I counted three planes and two helicopters. I was worried they were going to crash into each other. A few times it seemed like a real possibility.
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At a certain point I realized I was going to be behind the press conference.
When they showed the video of Batkid’s heroism from earlier in the day, I was behind the screen and couldn’t see it, so I just had to just by this girl’s reactions.
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This was about as close as I got, and I was filming a projector.
The key to the city! San Francisco mayor Edwin Lee is a giant dork, by the way. He peppered a few inside jokes into his speech, which no one laughed at. Luckily it didn’t get awkward, because most people didn’t realize they were supposed to be jokes and thus didn’t feel bad for not laughing.
