For Castro bar patrons, nearly every venue sponsors a team or hosts fundraisers, where the draft beer and other libations flow generously. Enjoy the "Linsanity" of NBA games through March Madness, or watch a local pool team compete.
Other events outside the gay bar scene are fun, too. The San Francisco Giants Gay Day isn't until May 29, but gay fans have always attended games. For info on that festive event, visit the Giants' website. You'd better get your tickets soon. This event always sells out.
Along with its new events, like the weekly Friday night Joe and the Saturday party Bounce -where a few beefy gogo guys shake their bonbons- The Lookout (3600 16th St at Market and Noe) has brought back their weekly Sunday sporty fundraisers.
Chris Hastings of The Lookout mentioned several upcoming events with a jock-ular theme. "On March 4 we're having a Jock warm-up party called "Tailgate," he said. "It'll follow the same basic format and schedule as Jock, but there just is not a host team that week."
Jock's Season 5 gets its official launch on Sunday March 11. The host team will be Xtreme Softball. Hastings added that The Lookout is one of five locations that will be part of the after-party for the San Francisco Gay Softball League's 40th Anniversary.
On Sunday March 18, The Lookout we will host the UC Berkeley-based Red Speedo AIDS Life Cycle Team. If you didn't get enough of last December's hilarious Santa Skivvy Run, check out this event, where for participating women and men in the cycling event, skin is in, and Jungle Red is the color of choice.
And what was that about softball? This year, the historic San Francisco Gay Softball League turns 40. Opening Day events March 11 include ceremonies at Lang Field. Once again, dozens of teams continue the tradition of bar sponsorship, including The F-liners (sponsored by The Edge), The Fury (440), The Horny Toads (Toad Hall), The Whalers (Moby Dick), The Hustlers (Powerhouse) and Treat (with a March 3 benefit at 9pm), The Pups (Pilsner Inn) and many more. Look for their jubilant celebrations and fundraisers through spring and into summer. Check out the schedule of games and other events at www.sfgsl.org
Steamworks, Berkeley's popular bathhouse, also sponsors a team, the nearly eponymous Steamworkers. No doubt their team manager has plenty of towels.
And although softball players no longer drink (much, allegedly) while playing, no team name could more clearly exemplify the sports-bar relationship than the one named, simply, Hold My Beer.