Charlie Finley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charlie Finley
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Charles Oscar Finley
February 22, 1918 Ensley, Alabama, U.S.
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| Died | February 19, 1996 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Baseball franchise owner and executive |
| Years active | December 1960–August 1980 |
| Known for | Owner of the Kansas City / Oakland A's |
Charles Oscar Finley (born February 22, 1918 – died February 19, 1996) was an American businessman. He was best known as the owner of the Major League Baseball team, the Oakland Athletics. People often called him Charlie O or Charley O. Finley bought the team when it was in Kansas City. He later moved it to Oakland in 1968. He also briefly owned the National Hockey League's California Golden Seals and the American Basketball Association's Memphis Tams.
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Charlie Finley's Early Life and Business Ideas
Charlie Finley was born in Ensley, Birmingham, Alabama. He grew up in Gary, Indiana, and later lived in La Porte. Finley became very wealthy in the insurance business. He was one of the first to offer group medical insurance plans.
Finley was known for his creative and bold business ideas. He once showed clients a large mansion, saying it was his home being remodeled. His business grew, and he owned a tall insurance building in downtown Chicago. In 1956, Finley bought a large property in LaPorte, Indiana. He built a huge mansion there that looked like the White House.
Finley put a big "Home of the Oakland A's" sign on a barn roof. This sign could be seen from the Indiana toll road. He often invited his baseball team, friends, and business partners to his home for fun parties.
Owning the A's Baseball Team
The Kansas City Athletics Years
Finley first tried to buy the Philadelphia Athletics in 1954. But the team was sold to someone else who moved it to Kansas City. On December 19, 1960, Finley bought the Kansas City Athletics. He worked hard to improve the team. He stopped trading players to the New York Yankees, which had been a problem. Instead, he looked for new, undiscovered talent.
Finley also tried several times to move the team. In 1964, he planned to move them to Louisville, Kentucky. But the American League stopped this move. He then considered offers from Denver and San Diego.
Charlie-O, the Team Mascot
Finley changed the Athletics' old elephant mascot. He brought in a live mule named "Charlie-O". This mule was paraded around the baseball field. It even went to parties and into the press room. Charlie-O was a unique and memorable mascot.
The "K.C. Pennant Porch" Idea
Finley tried to make his team's stadium like Yankee Stadium. In 1964, he built the "K.C. Pennant Porch" in right field. This made the fence exactly the same distance as Yankee Stadium's. However, league rules said fences had to be farther away. So, Finley had to move the fences back.
He then had a white line painted on the field. If a ball went past that line but not to the fence, the announcer would say, "That would have been a home run in Yankee Stadium." This idea didn't last long. More "would-be" home runs were hit by the other team!
New Uniforms and Colors
In 1963, Finley changed the team's colors. They became Kelly Green, Fort Knox Gold, and Wedding Gown White. In 1967, he made the players wear white baseball spikes instead of black. Finley also started calling the team simply "A's" instead of "Athletics."
The Beatles Concert in Kansas City
In 1964, the Beatles were on tour in the United States. Finley wanted them to play in Kansas City. He offered the band $150,000 for a concert on September 17, 1964. This was a huge amount of money for a single concert back then. The tickets had a photo of Finley wearing a Beatles wig on the back. He hoped that Beatles fans would become baseball fans.
The Oakland Athletics Dynasty
The A's officially moved to California in January 1968. They settled in Oakland. At this time, many talented young players were ready for the big leagues. These players included Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, Bert Campaneris, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, and Vida Blue.
In the early 1970s, the A's became a baseball powerhouse. They won three straight World Series championships from 1972 to 1974. They also won five straight division titles from 1971 to 1975. Even after Finley sold the team, some players he scouted, like Rickey Henderson, helped the A's win another World Series in 1989.
The Start of Free Agency
In 1974, after winning their third World Series, the A's lost star pitcher Catfish Hunter to free agency. This happened because of a contract issue. The A's still played well in 1975 but lost in the playoffs. With many players soon able to become free agents, Finley started to sell off his star players.
He tried to sell Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Rollie Fingers, and Vida Blue. However, Major League Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn stopped these sales. Kuhn said these sales were not in the "best interests of baseball." Finley sued the commissioner, but he lost the case. This lawsuit was very important for sports law in the U.S.
By the end of the 1976 season, most of the A's stars had left. The team finished in last place in 1977.
Selling the A's Team
Finley and his cousin, Carl A. Finley, started looking for new talent in 1977. They found future stars like Rickey Henderson and Dwayne Murphy. The team started to improve in 1980 under manager Billy Martin.
Finley eventually had to sell the team. In 1980, he planned to sell the A's to a businessman who wanted to move them to Denver. But the NFL's Oakland Raiders announced they were moving to Los Angeles. Oakland officials did not want to lose another major sports team. They stopped the A's from breaking their lease. Finley then sold the A's to Walter A. Haas, Jr. in August 1980 for $12.7 million.
Marketing and Promotions
Finley was very good at marketing his team. He changed the uniforms to green and gold with white shoes. He also gave some players fun nicknames. He introduced "ball girls" and pushed for night games in the World Series. Finley also strongly supported the designated hitter rule, which the American League later adopted.
He had many new ideas, including:
- Orange baseballs – These were tried in a few exhibition games. Hitters found them hard to see.
- A mechanical rabbit – This rabbit would pop up behind home plate. It would deliver new baseballs to the umpire. Its name was "Harvey."
- Hiring MC Hammer – Finley hired Stanley Burrell, who later became famous as MC Hammer. He was a teenager at the time. Finley hired him to be his "eyes and ears" for the team.
- Mustache bonuses – Finley offered players $300 bonuses to grow mustaches in 1972. For pitcher Rollie Fingers, his handlebar moustache became his famous trademark.
Despite his promotions, the A's often struggled to attract many fans. They rarely had radio or TV contracts. This made it hard for fans to follow the team.
Other Sports Teams Finley Owned
Finley also owned other sports teams. In 1970, he bought the California Golden Seals of the National Hockey League. He changed their colors to green and gold, just like the A's. He also made them wear white ice skates instead of black. This was not popular with players or fans.
In 1970, Finley bought the Memphis Pros of the American Basketball Association. He renamed them the Memphis Tams. The name stood for Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. He also changed their colors to green and gold. Finley ran this team with a very small budget. After one season, he sold the team and focused on baseball again.
Charlie Finley's Legacy in Indiana
Finley lived mostly in Chicago and LaPorte, Indiana. He often traveled to Oakland to manage the A's. He stayed in close contact with his cousin, Carl A. Finley, who helped manage the team locally. Charlie Finley was well-liked in his hometown of LaPorte. He remained involved in the community throughout his life.
Finley even sent equipment to the LaPorte High School baseball team. This included the white shoes that the Oakland A's made famous. The high school team used these shoes for many years.
Charlie Finley passed away on February 19, 1996, at age 77. He had been suffering from heart disease.
Images for kids
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Charlie Finley, owner of the Oakland A's.
