As baseball became more
widespread as
a pastime in the later 19th century, amateur and professional clubs
sprang up all over the eastern United States. In 1866 an amateur team
called the Athletic (Club) of Philadelphia was founded and although it
is not related to the modern A's, it is the origin of the Athletics'
name.
As for the modern Athletics, their story begins in 1901 when the
Philadelphia Athletics were founded as a charter member of the American
League. A manufacturer named Ben Shibe bought a controlling interest in
the A's and hired Connie Mack as his manager.
The Athletics were quick to establish themselves as a dominant team.
Between 1901 and 1914, the Athletics won six pennants (1902, 1905,
1910, 1911, 1913, 1914) and three World Series (1910, 1911, 1913). Rube
Waddell, Eddie Plank, Chief Bender, Eddie Collins and Home Run Baker
were the stars of those early years.
In 1910 the A's faced the powerful Chicago Cubs in the World Series.
Both teams were very talented with a number of future Hall of Famers
between them, but the A's won in five games.
The Athletics returned to the World Series the following year and faced
the New York Giants. Once again the Athletics prevailed, this time in
six games.
Connie Mack's Athletics and John McGraw's Giants face each other one
more time in 1913. The Athletics won the 1913 World Series in five
games.
The next decade was a bitter follow-up to the previous glory years.
Many of the A's star players departed to other teams and the franchise
suffered through terrible seasons while rebuilding.
The rebuilding process began to bear fruit by the mid-1920s. Despite
the seeming invincibility of the mighty Yankees, the A's were now in a
position to unseat them from their throne.
The first steps came in 1927 and 1928, when the A's finished second to
magnificent Yankees teams. Then from 1929 through 1931 the Athletics
established their own dynasty by winning three consecutive AL pennants
and two World Series.
As was his habit, Mack began dismantling the team shortly thereafter.
For most of the remainder of Mack's time as manager the
Athletics
rarely finished out of the cellar. In the end, Mack had managed the
Athletics for fifty years and had led the team to five World Series
victories.
Nevertheless, as the team's fortunes on the field failed, declining
attendance took a financial toll on the franchise. Coupled with the
apparent resurgence of the Phillies and it seemed as though the
Athletics were a redundant part of the city's sports landscape. In 1954
the team was sold to a businessman from Chicago who initiated the
team's move to Kansas City.
In 1960, Charles O. Finley purchased a controlling interest in the team
and acquired full ownership soon after. By 1967, Finley received
permission to move the team to Oakland, California.
The 1970s saw the birth of another A's dynasty, one that won three
straight World Series from 1972-1974. In the 1972 World Series, the A's
defeated the Cincinnati Reds in seven games.
In 1973, the A's won the World Series in seven games over the New York
Mets. In 1974, the A's defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
Reggie Jackon, Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers would all go on to be
elected to the Hall of Fame.
The Athletic's began another period of dominance in the late 1980s.
Guided by manager Tony LaRussa and a formidable lineup, the A's went to
three consecutive World Series from 1988 to 1990, winning in 1989.
In 1988, the Athletics lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games,
while in 1990 they lost to the Cincinnati Reds in four games. The
Athletics' 1989 win was in four games over the San Francisco Giants.
World Series Appearances:
- 1905: Lost 4-1 to the New York Giants
- 1910:
Won 4-1 over the Chicago Cubs
- 1911:
Won 4-2 over the New York Giants
- 1913:
Won 4-1 over the New York Giants
- 1914: Lost 4-0 to the Boston Braves
- 1929:
Won 4-1 over the Chicago Cubs
- 1930:
Won 4-2 over the St. Louis Cardinals
- 1931: Lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals
- 1972:
Won 4-3 over the Cincinnati Reds
- 1973:
Won 4-3 over the New York Mets
- 1974:
Won 4-1 over the Los Angeles Dodgers
- 1988: Lost 4-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers
- 1989:
Won 4-0 over the San Francisco Giants
- 1990: Lost 4-0 to the Cincinnati Reds
Hall of Famers:
- Frank "Home Run" Baker, 3rd Base (1908-1914)
- Chief Bender, pitcher
(1903-1914)
- Orlando Cepeda, 1st
Base (1972)
- Ty Cobb, outfielder
(1927-1928)
- Mickey Cochrane, catcher
(1925-1933)
- Jimmy Collins, 3rd
Base (1907-1908)
- Eddie Collins, 2nd
Base (1906-1914, 1927-1930)
- Stan Coveleski, pitcher
(1912)
- Dennis Eckersley, pitcher
(1987-1995)
- Rollie Fingers, pitcher
(1968-1976)
- Elmer Flick, outfielder
(1901)
- Nellie Fox, 2nd
Base (1947-1949)
- Jimmie Foxx, 1st
Base (1925-1935)
- Rich "Goose" Gossage, pitcher
(1992-1993)
- Lefty Grove, pitcher
(1925-1933)
- Waite Hoyt, pitcher
(1931)
- Jim "Catfish" Hunter, pitcher
(1965-1974)
- Reggie Jackon, outfielder
(1967-1975, 1987)
- George Kell, 3rd
Base (1943-1946)
- Nap Lajoie, 2nd
Base (1901-1902, 1915-1916)
- Connie Mack, manager/owner
(1901-1950)
- Willie McCovey, 1st
Base (1976)
- Joe Morgan, 2nd
Base (1984)
- Satchel Paige, pitcher
(1965)
- Herb Pennock, pitcher
(1912-1915)
- Eddie Plank, pitcher
(1901-1914)
- Al Simmons, outfielder
(1924-1932, 1940-1941, 1944)
- Enos Slaughter, outfielder
(1955-1956)
- Tris Speaker, outfielder
(1928)
- Don Sutton, pitcher
(1985)
- Rube Waddell, pitcher
(1902-1907)
- Zack Wheat, outfielder
(1927)
- Billy Williams, outfielder
(1975-1976)
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