Table of Contents
Athletics
Origins in Philadelphia
The Athletics franchise was founded in 1901 in Philadelphia as a charter member of the American League.1)
The Longest-Tenured Manager
Connie Mack was the team's first and longest-tenured manager, leading the Philadelphia A's for a remarkable 50 consecutive seasons from 1901 to 1950.2)
World Series Champions in Philly
The Philadelphia Athletics won five World Series titles in their history, with championships in 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, and 1930.3)
The White Elephant Emblem
The team's “white elephant” logo originated from a taunt by New York Giants manager John McGraw, who called the A's a “white elephant,” a worthless burden. Connie Mack adopted the elephant as a symbol of defiance.4)
First Franchise Move
After the 1954 season, the team moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City, where they played for 13 seasons before their next relocation.5)
The Charlie O. Finley Era
Charles O. Finley, a charismatic and eccentric owner, purchased the franchise in 1960 and was responsible for its move to Oakland and many of its unique innovations, including the colorful uniforms.6)
Three World Series in a Row
The Athletics' dynasty of the early 1970s won three consecutive World Series titles from 1972 to 1974, a feat no other team has accomplished since.7)
The Mustachioed Champions
In the 1970s, owner Charlie Finley offered bonuses to any player who would grow a mustache, a move that led to the “mustache gang” and a memorable visual for the championship teams.8)
First Team to Pay a Player $100,000
In 1928, the Athletics made history by paying Hall of Famer Al Simmons the first-ever $100,000 salary in professional baseball.9)
A Free Agent Landmark
Pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter was declared a free agent in 1974 after a contract dispute with owner Charlie Finley, a landmark moment that helped pave the way for modern free agency in baseball.10)
The Bash Brothers' Legacy
The “Bash Brothers,” Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, were the franchise's formidable power-hitting duo who led the Athletics to three consecutive World Series appearances from 1988 to 1990.11)
The 1989 Earthquake Series
Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the A's and the San Francisco Giants was famously postponed for 10 days due to the Loma Prieta earthquake.12)
A Perfect Reliever's Cy Young
Dennis Eckersley won both the Cy Young Award and the American League MVP in 1992, becoming one of only a handful of relief pitchers to ever accomplish the feat.13)
The Stolen Base King
Rickey Henderson, who played for the A's in three different stints, holds the all-time Major League Baseball record for stolen bases with 1,406.14)
Henderson's Runs Record
Rickey Henderson also holds the all-time MLB record for runs scored with 2,295, surpassing Ty Cobb's long-standing record in 2001.15)
The Moneyball Theory
The “Moneyball” era, popularized by a book and film, was the front office's philosophy of using sabermetrics to find undervalued players and build a competitive team with a limited budget.16)
The 20-Game Winning Streak
In 2002, the Athletics won 20 consecutive games, setting an American League record that was immortalized in the film “Moneyball.”17)
The A's All-Time Home Run Leader
Mark McGwire is the all-time franchise leader in home runs with 363, a record he set during his tenure with the team from 1986 to 1997.18)
The Only Mascot Named "Stomper"
The team's mascot is an elephant named Stomper, a nod to the “White Elephant” nickname given to the original Philadelphia franchise.19)
Shibe Park's Famous Neighbor
The Philadelphia Athletics' home field, Shibe Park, was the first concrete-and-steel ballpark in Major League Baseball and featured an ornate tower that could be seen from the street.20)
The "Mount Davis" Controversy
In the 1990s, a large section of the outfield stands known as “Mount Davis” was built at the Oakland Coliseum to accommodate the NFL's Raiders, blocking the view of the surrounding hills and changing the stadium's character.21)
The Future Home in Las Vegas
The Athletics are relocating to Las Vegas and have announced plans to build a new ballpark on the site of the former Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.22)
The First Designated Hitter
On April 6, 1973, the A's' Orlando Cepeda became the first designated hitter in American League history, a new rule that was being tested for the season.23)
An All-Green and Gold Uniform
Charlie Finley famously introduced all-green and all-gold uniforms to the team in the 1970s, which were a radical departure from the traditional baseball whites and grays.24)
The 1970s "Dynasty" Players
The 1970s A's featured a roster of future Hall of Famers, including Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, and Joe Rudi.25)
Reggie Jackson's 1973 MVP
Reggie Jackson won the 1973 American League MVP Award while playing for the A's, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 117 RBIs to lead the team to a World Series victory.26)
The Oakland Era Begins
The Athletics played their first game in Oakland on April 17, 1968, after their move from Kansas City.27)
The Franchise All-Time Strikeout Leader
Lefty Grove, who pitched for the Philadelphia A's, holds the franchise record for most career strikeouts with 1,954.28)
The First American League Cy Young Winner
Jim “Catfish” Hunter was the first American League pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in 1974, which he did after pitching for the A's.29)
Rickey Henderson's Career-Long Feat
Rickey Henderson holds the record for most career lead-off home runs, hitting 81 of them during his career, many with the Athletics.30)
The "Walk-Off" Streak
The Athletics hold the all-time MLB record for the most walk-off wins in a single season with 17, which they accomplished in their 2012 season.31)
No. 34 Retired for a Legend
The Athletics retired jersey number 34 in honor of Rollie Fingers, who was a key reliever during the team's 1970s dynasty and a Hall of Famer.32)
A Father and Son Legacy
The team’s history includes a famous father-son duo: Connie Mack, the longtime manager, and his son Earle Mack, who also played for and coached the team.33)
A Team with Two Different City's Names in its Hall of Fame
The franchise has retired numbers for players from both its Oakland and Philadelphia eras, a unique distinction shared by few other teams.34)
The 2011 "Billy Beane" Trade
The 2011 trade of Gio Gonzalez and other players for prospects was a major “Moneyball” move, netting the A's future All-Stars and helping to rebuild the team.35)
Longest-Tenured A's Broadcaster
Bill King, known for his unique and passionate style, served as the radio play-by-play announcer for the A's from 1981 to 2005, the longest tenure in franchise history.36)
The All-Star Game Host of the '80s
The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum hosted the MLB All-Star Game in 1987, a year that showcased the rise of the team's late-1980s dynasty.37)
A Coin Toss Determined Home Field
Home-field advantage for the 1972 World Series was determined by a coin flip, which the A's won against the Cincinnati Reds.38)
The 1929 World Series "Connie Mack's Bombers"
The 1929 Philadelphia A's team, with its powerful lineup of Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, and Mickey Cochrane, was widely considered one of the greatest teams of all time and famously overcame a deficit in Game 4 of the World Series.39)
Rickey Henderson's Record-Setting Season
In 1982, Rickey Henderson set the single-season MLB record for stolen bases with 130, a mark that has not been broken since.40)
A's to the Hall of Fame
The franchise has had numerous players and managers inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, including Jimmie Foxx, Dennis Eckersley, and Frank “Home Run” Baker.41)
The Team's Second-Longest Winning Streak
Before the 20-game streak, the franchise's longest winning streak was 19 games, which was achieved by the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics.42)
The Only A's Triple Crown Winner
Jimmie Foxx is the only player in franchise history to win the Triple Crown, which he did in 1933 by leading the league in batting average, home runs, and RBIs.43)
The A's first home game at their new stadium
The Athletics played their first home game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on April 17, 1968, in a 4-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.44)
Stomper's Introduction
The Athletics mascot, Stomper, was introduced in 1997, replacing a number of short-lived and unofficial mascots that preceded him.45)
The A's First Managerial Change in Over 50 Years
After the retirement of Connie Mack in 1950, Jimmy Dykes was hired to be the A's new manager, marking the first time in the franchise's history that someone other than Mack was leading the team.46)