Today, the Oakland Athletics take to the field at Oakland Coliseum for the final time at home, celebrating a legacy of excellence that has defined the franchise. The 1970s were a golden era for the A’s, with three consecutive World Series championships from 1972-74, cementing their status as a dynasty. Legends like Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, and Catfish Hunter etched their names into baseball history, leaving an indelible mark on the game. As the team prepares to bid farewell to its Oakland home, we look back on the iconic moments, legendary players, and unforgettable games that have made the A’s a beloved part of baseball lore.
Greatest Oakland A’s Memories
1972-74 World Series Championships
1972 World Series: Athletics Defeat Reds, 4 games to 3
After a 40-year absence and two relocations, the A’s made it back to the World Series after beating the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. The Cincinnati Reds narrowly advanced, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth in Game 5 of the NLCS. The 1972 World Series was a clash of styles, commonly known as “The Hairs vs. The Squares.”
Oakland’s Gene Tenace stole the show, becoming the first player to homer in his first two World Series at-bats in Game 1. The A’s took a 2-0 series lead but the Reds fought back, shutting out Oakland 1-0 in Game 3. The series seesawed, with Oakland taking Game 4 and Cincinnati responding with wins in Games 5 and 6. In Game 7, Catfish Hunter and Fingers combined for a 3-2 victory, securing the franchise’s sixth championship overall.
These two teams met again in the World Series 18 years later in 1990.
1973 World Series: Athletics defeat Mets, 4 games to 3
Seeking to repeat as champions, the series began when Oakland’s Ken Holtzman outdueled Jon Matlack of the New York Mets in Game 1. The Mets tied the series with a 10-7 win in Game 2, but the A’s regained the lead with a 3-2 victory in Game 3. New York’s Tom Seaver dominated in Game 4, 6-1, to even the series. Hunter pitched a complete game shutout in Game 5, but the Mets forced a Game 7 with a 1-0 win. In the decisive game, Darold Knowles and Fingers combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings to give the A’s their second straight World Series. Reggie Jackson emerged as the World Series MVP, hitting .357 with two home runs and six RBI.
1974 World Series: Athletics defeat Dodgers, 4 games to 1
This was the first all-California World Series; these two teams met again 14 years later but with a different result. Fingers played a crucial role in the A’s victory, figuring in three of the four wins, including a win and two saves. He pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings, earning the World Series MVP Award and the A’s won 3-2, capturing their third straight World Series championship. Oakland became the first team to win three consecutive Series since the New York Yankees won five straight (1949-53).
Legendary Players
Reggie Jackson: Titanic Home Run in All-Star Game (July 13, 1971)
Jackson is one of the most clutch hitters of all time. Playing in his second All-Star Game. Jackson was utilized as a pinch hitter. The AL was down 3-0 in the third inning before Jackson stepped to the plate in place of Vida Blue. With Luis Aparicio on first and Dock Ellis on the mound, Jackson took a mighty swing that sent the ball soaring out of the park for a home run. However, this home run was like no other, as the ball hit off the light tower atop the right-center field roof. Despite that plate appearance being the only action Jackson saw in the game, it was the focal for the AL victory for the first time since 1962.
Catfish Hunter: Authors Rare Perfect Game (May 8, 1968)
Hunter cemented himself in baseball history. The right-hander pitched the ninth perfect game in MLB history and racked up 11 strikeouts, including three of future Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew in Oakland’s 4-0 win. Hunter was 22 years old when threw that perfect game, pitching 15 seasons in the majors, including 10 with the A’s (three in Kansas City) and five with the Yankees. For his career, Hunter went 224-166 with a 3.26 ERA. He had five straight seasons with at least 21 wins and was the AL Cy Young Award winner in 1974, his final season with the A’s. He pitched for five World Series champion teams.
Dennis Eckersley: Second Pitcher to Record a 50-Save Season (Sept. 21, 1992)
Dennis Eckersley became the second pitcher to record a 50-save season. That day, Eckersley and the A’s were up 6-5 to the Chicago White Sox, when he entered the game in the bottom of the ninth. Eckersley retired the side in order, getting Frank Thomas to pop out, Shawn Jeter to strike out and Robin Ventura to ground out. The 50th save of the season for Eckersley was the first since Bobby Thigpen‘s then-record 57-save campaign of 1990. Eckersley ended the season with 51 saves, winning both the AL Cy Young and MVP Awards.
Franchise Records
Rickey Henderson Becomes All-Time Stolen Base Leader (May 1, 1991)
Rickey Henderson began the 1991 season with 936 stolen bases, two behind Lou Brock. Stel No. 637 came on April 9, but a minor injury kept him out until April 27, stealing the record-tying base the following day. On May 1 against the Yankees, Henderson walked in the bottom of the first. Yankees catcher Matt Nokes gunned him down as he tried to steal second, then struck out in the bottom of the second. Henderson led off the fourth inning and hit a ground ball to Alvaro Espinoza, but the ball snuck under his glove for the error.
With Henderson on first, he moved to second after a Dave Henderson single. Henderson took off for the third on the next pitch, beating Nokes’ throw to third baseman Randy Velarde. However, it was too late as Henderson became the new all-time stolen base leader.
Bob Melvin Makes History (June 1, 2021)
On the verge of his 10th anniversary managing the on A’s on June 1, 2021, Bob Melvin stands alone as the winningest manager in the team’s time in Oakland. Melvin earned his 799th win in the A’s 12-6 win over the Seattle Mariners. Melvin surpassed Tony La Russa, who managed the A’s from 1986-95. While Melvin has the most managerial wins in Oakland history, he didn’t catch Connie Mack for the most in franchise history. Mack won 3,582 games during his 50 years managing the Philadelphia Athletics.
Other Notable Moments
The 1989 Bay Area Earthquake That Shook the World Series (Oct. 17, 1989)
Less than an hour before the first pitch of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the A’s and Giants, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck at Candlestick Park. The stadium fared well enough, but the damage in the surrounding San Francisco area was not. Numerous buildings collapsed and broken gas mains triggered fires that burned out of control for days. In all, 67 people were killed, 3,757 were injured and $5 billion worth of damage in 1989 dollars.
This marked the fourth World Series matchup and the first since 1913 between the two teams. The 76-year gap between matchups was the longest in World Series history. A record this Series would hold until 2018 when the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers met for the first time in 102 years. The A’s won the series in four games.
Dallas Braden’s Emotional Perfect Game on Mother’s Day (May 9, 2010)
Dallas Braden‘s perfect game came on the same day as Mother’s Day. For Braden, it was an emotional game as his mother passed away from cancer while he was in high school. As part of the Mother’s Day celebration, Braden invited his grandmother, who raised him after his mother died, to come watch him pitch. Braden, who retired all 27 Tampa Bay Rays batters, recorded the 19th perfect game in league history. Shortstop Cliff Pennington recorded the final out with a ground ball off the bat of Gabe Kapler and throwing it across the diamond to first baseman Daric Barton.
Scott Hatteberg’s Walk-Off Homer Heroics (Sept. 4, 2002)
The A’s came knocking on baseball history’s door, entering the day with a 19-game win streak that tied the 1996 White Sox and 1947 Yankees for the longest streak in AL history. Oakland jumped to an 11-0 lead against the Kansas City Royals until a bad outing by Tim Hudson and a bullpen that coughed up multiple runs to trim the lead to one run. A’s closer Billy Koch gave up an RBI single to Luis Alicea to tie the game. After Jermaine Dye‘s flyout in the bottom of the ninth, manager Ar Howe pulled Eric Byrnes for Scott Scott Hatteberg. Hatteberg was better against right-handed pitchers, but Jason Grimsley of the Royals was a tough challenge.
Hatteberg looked at one pitch for the ball, then blasted the next pitch into the right field bleachers for a walk-off home run.
Main Photo: © Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
