Mayor Edwin M. Lee and Detroit Mayor David Bing today agreed to a friendly mayoral wager on the outcome of the 2012 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Detroit Tigers. Game One takes place this evening, October 24th at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Games One and Two will be played Wednesday and Thursday in San Francisco before moving to Detroit’s Comerica Park on Saturday for Game Three, followed by Game Four and, if necessary, Game Five.

The Mayor of the losing city will travel to the winning city for a day of community service and a tour of different companies based in the respective cities. If the San Francisco Giants win, Mayor Bing will come to San Francisco to spend a day playing baseball with young people in the Junior Giants program, and he will have a chance to tour the City so Mayor Lee can show Mayor Bing why San Francisco is the Innovation Capital of the World. If the Tigers win, Mayor Lee will travel to Detroit to tour the Chevy Volt factory – Mayor Lee’s official City vehicle is a Chevy Volt – and learn more about Detroit’s leadership in the electric vehicle market. Mayor Lee will also participate in a day of service benefitting the youth of Detroit.

“San Francisco is completely awash in Giants fever. It seems that everyone in the City is wearing Giants Orange, celebrating the improbable National League champions,” said Mayor Lee. “The San Francisco Giants are truly the comeback kids – this team never quits. With the steel nerves of Romo, Zito, Vogelsong, Cain, Scutaro, Posey, and Pagan, and the managing prowess of Bruce Bochy, this team can stare down the toughest of opponents. The City of Detroit also has a reputation for making an impressive comeback, although I fear I won’t get to see this firsthand, as the Giants are bound to win the World Series.”

“The Detroit Tigers have brought plenty of excitement and a lot of pride to the people of Detroit, the entire metro area and the state of Michigan during this post-season,” Mayor Bing said. “I am pleased to make this wager with Mayor Lee, because the Tigers have dominant pitching, they’re swinging big bats, and they’re playing great defense. As much as I enjoy visiting San Francisco and the Bay Area, I probably won’t get there anytime soon. I believe the Tigers have too much talent and too much momentum for the Giants in this Series.”

The San Francisco Giants are making their second World Series appearance in three years, following come-from-behind victories in consecutive playoff series against the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. The Giants’ road to the 2012 World Series included six do-or-die elimination games, all of which the Giants won in dramatic fashion.

The Detroit Tigers are fresh off a decisive victory against the New York Yankees, sweeping the American League Championship Series and earning a berth in the World Series for the first time since 2006. The Tigers also beat the Oakland A’s in the first round of the playoffs.

Mayor Lee is urging Giants fans and local businesses to show their pride in the National League Champion team by wearing the Orange & Black or displaying signs, flags or any form of support for the hometown team.

The San Francisco Giants flag will continue to fly over City Hall, and City Hall, Coit Tower, the Ferry Building, the Embarcadero Center, the TransAmerica Pyramid, the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco International Airport, the City’s Official Tree in front of McLaren Lodge and other San Francisco buildings and landmarks will all be lit in Giants Orange until the end of the World Series.

As the Giants begin the World Series, Mayor Lee and the San Francisco Giants joined Mayor Bing and the Detroit Tigers to urge all fans to treat each other with respect. Wherever fans choose to watch the game – AT&T Park or elsewhere – be safe and practice good sportsmanship. In the end, the World Series celebrates the game of baseball, and rivalries should remain on the field.