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About The Bay: Long-Time Oakland Coliseum Employees Still Going Strong

OAKLAND (KCBS) — When the Oakland A's play their next home game Tuesday night at O.co Coliseum, you'll find two guys there who have been on the job before the team began playing for Oakland in 1968.

Hal Miller, 82, and Max Jacinto, 75, share the title of "employee number one." In September of 1966, the Oakland Raiders played for the first time at the Coliseum and Miller and Jacinto were there tearing tickets. Jacinto is still doing it while Miller eventually became an event supervisor.

Both applied for the job when the Coliseum complex was still a hole in the ground. Basketball, baseball, concerts, the circus, roller derby—Jacinto and Miller have worked them all.

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"Roller Derby was the toughest event we ever had," Miller said. "They took it so serious, you know. The people were just getting out of control; we had to call the PD here to keep from having a riot," Miller said.

There have been almost 10,000 events at the Coliseum complex over the last 46 years including six World Series, one NBA championship, an ABA championship (remember the Oaks?) and football playoffs.

Miller said he's only missed ten events during his entire career.

And there were the concerts.

"The worst counterfeit ever we ever had was The Grateful Dead. Do you remember those tickets?" Jacinto asked Miller. "They were printing them out in the parking lot."

While The Dead won't be playing at the Coliseum any more, Jacinto and Miller said they have no plans to quit any time soon.

"I keep saying that each year that this is going to be my last but were' still here," Jacinto said.

"We must enjoy it," Miller added, finishing his partner's thought.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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