OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The Official History of the Oakland Athletics | Baseball Almanac

From the white elephants of the east coast to the green and gold of the west coast, the Philadelphia Athletics have had a colorful and successful run in the American League, witnessing its birth and leading its geographic expansion to the Midwest and west coast. Along the way, the Athletics have done much to influence and shape the destiny of the national game.

For its inaugural season of 1901, the American League awarded a franchise to Philadelphia and the Shibe family, which had made its name in the sporting goods business. Connie Mack, a serviceable catcher in the 19th century, became the man to oversee baseball operations for the team, and he proceeded to do so for the next 50 years, a record of longevity unmatched in the game.

The Athletics debuted on April 26, 1901 with a 5-1 loss to Washington and won the franchise's first game 8-5 against the Red Sox three days later. Nap Lajoie was the star of this first team, hitting .422 (still an American League record). He also recorded 14 home runs and drove in 125 runs — a Triple Crown performance.

In 1902, Lajoie was gone to Cleveland in a legal dispute. But Mack led his team to its first pennant behind legendary aces Rube Waddell (24-7, 2.05) and Eddie Plank (20-15, 3.30).

Because the World Series was not devised until 1903, the Mackmen had to wait until their 1905 pennant to participate in a fall classic. They got there behind the spinning of Waddell (26-11, 1.48) and Plank (25-12, 2.26) and a young Chief Bender (16-11, 2.83). Philadelphia lost the series to the New York Giants 4-1, a bitter pill to swallow since it was Giant manager John McGraw who had disparagingly labeled the Athletics as "White Elephants" when they were formed, a less-than-generous evaluation of the team and Mack's ability to manage it.

Mack built one of the league's first real dynasties, moving into Shibe Park (later Connie Mack Stadium) in 1909, and winning world Championships in 1910-11-13 behind the famous "$100,000 infield— of Stuffy McInnis, Eddie Collins, Jack Barry and Frank "Home Run" Baker - solid players all, with Collins the leader of the pack hitting .322, .365 and .345 in the championship years.

The team steamrolled to another American League pennant in 1914, but they were swept by the miracle Boston Braves in the Series, still considered one of the biggest upsets in baseball history. Mack, always operating on a noose-tight budget, decided he could not afford to keep his championship team intact.

He took the team apart so quickly that the Athletics plummeted to last place in 1915, and lost a then-record 117 games in 1916. Things didn't improve until the mid 1920's when Mack began to assemble the greatest team of his tenure.

The Athletics won three consecutive pennants in 1929-31 behind a sledgehammer of a lineup featuring Jimmie Foxx, the most prolific right hand home run hitter of his time. The burly slugger averaged .342 in these three years, totaling 100 and 393 runs-batted-in.

Foxx was backed by the equally fearsome Al Simmons, who averaged .378 during this three-year span, getting 200 or more hits each year, totaling 92 home runs and 450 RBI. Catcher Mickey Cochran would hit .331, .357 and .349 and handle a first-rate pitching staff led by arguably one of the best southpaws in American League history, Lefty Grove. Grove would win 20, 28 and 31 games in this span, leading the league in ERA and strikeouts all three seasons. With Rube Walberg and George Earnshaw sharing starter duties, the A's rarely wanted for a quality start.

The Athletics won the 1929 World Series against the Cubs in five games, using an amazing 10-run seventh inning rally to erase an 8-0 deficit and win the pivotal fourth game. They also won in 1930, but lost in 1931, both against St. Louis.

Foxx made a run at Ruth's single season home run record in 1932 with 58 homers. He also knocked in 169 runs and batted.349). Grove went 25-10 but the team finished a distant second to the Yankees. Again facing financial problems, Mack began slowly selling off his team rather than pay the salaries commanded by his stars. In the next few seasons Grove, Foxx, Simmons and Cochran would be gone and the Athletics would never know another post season while in Philadelphia. In fact, the team finished last nine times between 1935-46.

Mack finally retired after the 1950 season and his sons, now running the team, could no longer maintain the financial viability of a perennial loser. Attendance had slipped badly as had the Shibe Park neighborhood. The Mack family sold the team to businessman Arnold Johnson, who took the franchise west to Kansas City in 1954.

KANSAS CITY ATHLETICS

The Athletics spent 13 undistinguished years playing at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The team never contended or escaped the second division. Charlie Finley bought the team in 1960 and moved it to Oakland eight years later.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The A's were shortly on the upswing and soon dynasty would be the watchword. They won five consecutive Western Division titles from 1971-75 and three consecutive world championships in 1972-74. They won with a flair unique to baseball at the time, wearing green and gold uniforms in a baseball world of home whites and road grays; and sporting fancy moustaches and long sideburns. The offense featured a solid lineup including Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Sal Bando and Bert Campaneris. They never put up gaudy numbers, but their pitchers did, especially Jim "Catfish" Hunter, with 21 victories in 1971-73 and 25 in 1974, Ken Holtzman (21, 19 and eighteen wins) and Vida Blue (three 20-plus win seasons).

Like Connie Mack before him, Finley could not, or would not, pay the high salary demands of his winning ballplayers and soon his fire sale and free agency stripped the club again. Except for a half-pennant under Billy Martin in the strike-shortened 1981 season, Finley's winning days were behind him and he sold the club to Levi Jeans owner Walter Haas in 1981.

Haas' new front office poured money and scouting resources into the club and the A's were talking dynasty again, winning pennants in 1988-89-90. Sparked by leadoff hitter Ricky Henderson (who would set career marks in runs scored, stolen bases and walks) and buttressed by the power of Jose Canseco (the first-ever 40 home run/40 stolen base season in 1988) and Mark McGwire (32, 33 and 39 home runs), the A's pummeled the American League and swept the Giants of San Francisco in the 1989 World Series. The blemish against this dynasty was its losing the World Series in 1988 and 1990 to the underdog Dodgers and Reds respectively.

The team slogged its way through the 1990's but was resurrected again by the tandem of General Manager Billy Beane and field manager Art Howe. It won division titles in 2000-02-03 and a 2001 wild card slot. Although they did not get far in postseason play, they had a bedrock starting staff for those four seasons featuring Tim Hudson (69 wins), Mark Mulder (64 wins) and Barry Zito (61 wins) and later Rich Harden.

They also developed sluggers Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada until both sought more lucrative pastures through free agency, and Eric Chavez. They also won their division in 2006, advancing to the league championship series before losing to Detroit. Overall, the Athletics have a record of success second to the Yankees, with nine world championships, 15 pennants, 13 division titles and one wild card slot — much more than John McGraw ever won. Not bad for a bunch of white elephants.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Well, you can't win them all." - Hall of Fame Manager Connie Mack in Baseball Bits: Little-Known Stories, Facts, and Trivia from the Dugout to the Outfield (Dan Schlossberg, Alpha Publishing, 05/06/2008, Page 184)

Oakland Athletics History

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Philadelphia Athletics Rosters | 1901 - 1954
  1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954          
Kansas City Athletics Rosters | 1955 - 1967
          1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967    
Oakland Athletics Rosters | 1968 - 2024
                1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023            
Bold Seasons : Uniform Numbers Worn
Philadelphia Athletics Schedules | 1901 - 1954
  1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954          
Kansas City Athletics Schedules | 1955 - 1967
          1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967
Oakland Athletics Schedules | 1968 - 2024
                1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023            
Bold Seasons : Box Scores Online
Philadelphia Athletics 100-Win Seasons
Year Record Manager
1910 102-48 Connie Mack
1911 101-50 Connie Mack
1929 104-46 Connie Mack
1930 102-52 Connie Mack
1931 107-45 Connie Mack
Oakland Athletics 100-Win Seasons
Year Record Manager
1971 101-60 Dick Williams
1988 104-58 Tony LaRussa
1990 103-59 Tony LaRussa
2001 102-60 Art Howe
2002 103-59 Art Howe
Philadelphia Athletics 100 Loss Seasons
Year Record Manager
1915 43-109 Connie Mack
1916 36-117 Connie Mack
1919 36-104 Connie Mack
1920 48-106 Connie Mack
1921 53-100 Connie Mack
1936 53-100 Connie Mack
1940 54-100 Connie Mack
1943 49-105 Connie Mack
1946 49-105 Connie Mack
1950 52-102 Connie Mack
1954 51-103 Eddie Joost
Kansas City Athletics 100 Loss Seasons
Year Record Manager
1956 52-102 Lou Boudreau
1961 61-100 Joe Gordon
" " Hank Bauer
1964 57-105 Ed Lopat
" " Mel McGaha
1965 59-103 Mel McGaha
" " Haywood Sullivan
Oakland Athletics 100 Loss Seasons
Year Record Manager
1979 54-108 Jim Marshall
2022 60-102 Mark Kotsay
2023 50-112 Mark Kotsay
Philadelphia Athletics No-Hitters
Name IP Date
Weldon Henley 9.0 07-22-1905
Chief Bender 9.0 05-12-1910
Joe Bush 9.0 08-26-1916
Dick Fowler 9.0 09-09-1945
Bill McCahan 9.0 09-03-1947
Oakland Athletics No-Hitters
Name IP Date
Catfish Hunter 9.0 05-08-1968
Vida Blue 9.0 09-21-1970
Vida Blue 5.0 09-28-1975
  Glenn Abbott 1.0 "    "
  Paul Lindblad 1.0 "  "
  Rollie Fingers 2.0 "  "
Mike Warren 9.0 09-29-1983
Dave Stewart 9.0 06-29-1990
Dallas Braden 9.0 05-09-2010
Sean Manaea 9.0 04-21-2018
Mike Fiers 9.0 05-07-2019
Bold = Perfect Game
Philadelphia Athletics Cycle Hitters
Name Inn. Date
Harry Davis 9.0 07-10-1901
Nap Lajoie 9.0 07-30-1901
Danny Murphy 9.0 08-25-1910
Frank Baker 9.0 07-03-1911
Mickey Cochrane 9.0 07-22-1932
Mickey Cochrane 9.0 08-02-1933
Pinky Higgins 9.0 08-06-1933
Jimmie Foxx 9.0 08-14-1933
Doc Cramer 9.0 06-10-1934
Sam Chapman 9.0 05-05-1939
Elmer Valo 9.0 08-02-1950
Oakland Athletics Cycle Hitters
Name Inn. Date
Tony Phillips 9.0 05-16-1986
Mike Blowers 9.0 05-18-1998
Eric Chavez 9.0 06-21-2000
Miguel Tejada 9.0 09-29-2001
Eric Byrnes 9.0 06-29-2003
Mark Ellis 11.0 06-04-2007
Bold = Natural Cycle
Oakland Athletics Cy Young Winners
Year Name Position
1971 Vida Blue LHP
1974 Catfish Hunter RHP
1990 Bob Welch RHP
1992 Dennis Eckersley RHP
2002 Barry Zito LHP
Philadelphia Athletics MVP Winners
Year Name Position
1931 Lefty Grove P
1932 Jimmie Foxx 1B
1933 Jimmie Foxx 1B
1952 Bobby Shantz P
Oakland Athletics MVP Winners
Year Name Position
1971 Vida Blue P
1973 Reggie Jackson OF
1988 Jose Cansco OF
1990 Rickey Henderson OF
1992 Dennis Eckersley P
2000 Jason Giambi 1B
2002 Miguel Tejada SS
Philadelphia Athletics Rookies of the Year
Year Name Position
1952 Harry Byrd P
Oakland Athletics Rookies of the Year
Year Name Position
1986 Jose Cansco OF
1987 Mark McGwire 1B
1988 Walt Weiss SS
1998 Ben Grieve OF
2004 Bobby Crosby SS
2005 Huston Street P
2009 Andrew Bailey P
Athletics Franchise Retired Numbers
# Name Position
#9 Reggie Jackson OF
#24 Rickey Henderson OF
#27 Catfish Hunter P
#34 Rollie Fingers P
#34 Dave Stewart RHP
#42 Jackie Robinson 2B
#43 Dennis Eckersley P
Philadelphia Athletics Batting Champions
Year Name #
1901 Nap Lajoie .426
1930 Al Simmons .381
1931 Al Simmons .390
1933 Jimmie Foxx .356
1951 Ferris Fain .344
1952 Ferris Fain .327
Oakland Athletics Batting Champions
Year Name #
-- -- --
Philadelphia Athletics ERA Champions
Year Name #
1905 Rube Waddell 1.48
1909 Harry Krause 1.39
1926 Lefty Grove 2.51
1929 Lefty Grove 2.81
1930 Lefty Grove 2.54
1931 Lefty Grove 2.06
1932 Lefty Grove 2.84
Oakland Athletics ERA Champions
Year Name #
1970 Diego Segui 2.56
1971 Vida Blue 1.82
1974 Catfish Hunter 2.49
1981 Steve McCatty 2.32
1994 Steve Ontiveros 2.65
Philadelphia Athletics Home Run Champions
Year Name #
1901 Nap Lajoie 14
1902 Socks Seybold 16
1904 Harry Davis 10
1905 Harry Davis 8
1906 Harry Davis 12
1907 Harry Davis 8
1911 Frank Baker 11
1912 Frank Baker 10
1913 Frank Baker 12
1914 Frank Baker 9
1918 Tilly Walker 11
1932 Jimmie Foxx 58
1933 Jimmie Foxx 48
1935 Jimmie Foxx 36
Oakland Athletics Home Run Champions
Year Name #
1951 Gus Zernial 33
1973 Reggie Jackson 32
1975 Reggie Jackson 36
1981 Tony Armas 22
1987 Mark McGwire 49
1988 Jose Cansco 42
1991 Jose Cansco 44
1996 Mark McGwire 52
2018 Khris Davis 48
Philadelphia Athletics Strikeout Champions
Year Name #
1902 Rube Waddell 210
1903 Rube Waddell 302
1904 Rube Waddell 349
1905 Rube Waddell 287
1906 Rube Waddell 196
1907 Rube Waddell 232
1925 Lefty Grove 116
1926 Lefty Grove 194
1927 Lefty Grove 174
1928 Lefty Grove 183
1929 Lefty Grove 170
1930 Lefty Grove 209
1931 Lefty Grove 175
Oakland Athletics Strikeout Champions
Year Name #
-- -- --
Oakland Athletics Wild Cards
Year Record Manager
2001 102-60 Art Howe
2018 97-65 Bob Melvin
2019 97-65 Bob Melvin
Oakland Athletics West Division Titles
Year Record Manager
1971 101-60 Dick Williams
1972 93-62 Dick Williams
1973 94-68 Dick Williams
1974 90-72 Alvin Dark
1975 98-64 Alvin Dark
1981 64-45 Billy Martin
1988 104-58 Tony LaRussa
1989 99-63 Tony LaRussa
1990 103-59 Tony LaRussa
1992 96-66 Tony LaRussa
2000 91-70 Art Howe
2002 103-59 Art Howe
2003 96-66 Ken Macha
2006 93-69 Ken Macha
2012 94-68 Bob Melvin
2013 96-66 Bob Melvin
Philadelphia Athletics A.L. Pennants
Year Record Manager
1902 83-53 Connie Mack
1905 92-56 Connie Mack
1910 102-48 Connie Mack
1911 101-50 Connie Mack
1913 96-57 Connie Mack
1914 99-53 Connie Mack
1929 104-46 Connie Mack
1930 102-52 Connie Mack
1931 107-45 Connie Mack
Oakland Athletics A.L. Pennants
Year Record Manager
1972 93-62 Dick Williams
1973 94-68 Dick Williams
1974 90-72 Alvin Dark
1988 104-58 Tony LaRussa
1989 99-63 Tony LaRussa
1990 103-59 Tony LaRussa
Philadelphia Athletics World Championships
W.S. Opponent M.V.P.
1910 Chicago n/a
1911 New York n/a
1913 New York n/a
1929 Chicago n/a
1930 St. Louis n/a
Oakland Athletics World Championships
Year Opponent M.V.P.
1972 Cincinnati Gene Tenace
1973 New York Reggie Jackson
1974 Los Angeles Rollie Fingers
1989 San Francisco Dave Stewart
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Oakland Athletics Forum
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Oakland Athletics Franchise Facts At-A-Glance
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baseball almanac fast facts

On June 14, 1969, the Oakland Athletics set a team record for hits during a game with twenty-five versus the Boston Red Sox.

PhiladelphiaAthleticsWorldSeries
1905WorldSeries 1914 World Series
1910 World Series 1929 World Series
1911 World Series 1930 World Series
1913 World Series 1931 World Series
Oakland AthleticsWorldSeries
1972 World Series 1988 World Series
1973 World Series 1989 World Series
1974 World Series 1990 World Series

Did you know that the Oakland Athletics set a team record for runs scored during an inning on July 5, 1996, with thirteen versus the California Angels in the first (1st) inning?

The Oakland Athletics, on April 6, 1982, set a new team record for attendance during an Opening Day game when 51,513 fans watched them defeat the California Angels 3-2