Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado and Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst marked their faith in their respective baseball teams competing in the World Series opener Wednesday night by betting a dinner of each state’s celebrated culinary creations.
It wasn’t a high stakes wager, but rather a high steaks one.
“Our state is home to the best in the world,” Maldonado said in a statement Tuesday. “We have the best weather, best food, and championship sporting teams.”
The Giants routed the Rangers 11-7, with a seven-run lead at one point in the eighth inning after a three-run homerun by Juan Uribe.
Maldonado said that in the “unlikely event” the Giants did not clinch Wednesday night’s game, he would have treated Dewhurst and his staff to Santa Maria-style barbecue, California wine, and sandwiches from a San Francisco deli so popular it’s original location was shut down after neighbors’ noise complaints stemming from its the blockbusting lines.
Not to be outdone, Dewhurst promised a “Texas-size portion” of his state’s “legendary beef brisket.”
“The San Francisco Giants are going to learn pretty quick that everything’s bigger here in Texas,” Dewhurst said in the statement Tuesday.
But it seems Dewhurst will be eating those words.
Had the Giants faltered, Dewhurst and staff would have been dining on sandwiches from Ike’s Place, which, as of the time of publication, was the most-reviewed San Francisco restaurant on local business rating site Yelp.com with more than 2,800 critiques.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom had announced his own bet with Arlington, Texas, Mayor Robert Cluck Tuesday, one that promised to deliver a selection of local foods and required an in-person appearance from the losing mayor on the winning mayor’s territory.
The Giants will face the Rangers in Game 2 of the seven-game series tonight at AT&T Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:57 p.m.
Patricia Decker, Bay City News
