Oakland Athletics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oakland Athletics |
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| Information | |||||
| League | American League (1968–2024) West Division (1969–2024) |
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| Ballpark | Oakland Coliseum (1968–2024) | ||||
| Year established | 1901 (franchise, Philadelphia) 1968 (Oakland) |
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| Nickname(s) | The A's
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| American League pennant | 15 (6 in Oakland)
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| West Division titles | 17
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| World Series championships | 9 (4 in Oakland)
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| Wild Card championships | 4
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| Colors | Green, gold, white |
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| Mascot | Stomper Trunk Harry Elephante Charlie-O |
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| Retired numbers | |||||
| Ownership |
List of owners
Charlie Finley (1968–1980)
Walter A. Haas Jr. (1981–1995) Ken Hofmann (1995–2005) Stephen Schott (1995–2005) Lewis Wolff (2005–2016) John Fisher (2005–2024) |
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| Manager |
List of managers
Bob Kennedy (1968)
Hank Bauer (1969) John McNamara (1969–1970) Dick Williams (1971–1973) Alvin Dark (1974–1975) Chuck Tanner (1976) Jack McKeon (1977) Bobby Winkles (1977–1978) Jack McKeon (1978) Jim Marshall (1979) Steve Boros (1983–1984) Billy Martin (1980–1982) Jackie Moore (1984–1986) Jeff Newman (1986) Tony La Russa (1986–1995) Art Howe (1996–2002) Ken Macha (2003–2006) Bob Geren (2007–2011) Bob Melvin (2011–2021) Mark Kotsay (2022–2024) |
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| President |
List of presidents
Roy Eisenhardt (1981–1986)
Walter J. Haas (1990–1992) Sandy Alderson (1993–1995, 1997–1998) Michael Crowley (1998–2016) Dave Kaval (2016–2024) |
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The Oakland Athletics, often called the Oakland A's, were a professional baseball team from Oakland, California. They played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the American League (AL) West Division from 1968 to 2024. Their home games were at the Oakland Coliseum.
The A's won nine World Series championships, which is the second-most in the American League. They also won fifteen AL pennants and seventeen division titles. After the 2024 season, the team moved to West Sacramento, California temporarily. They plan to move to Las Vegas permanently. This was the third time the team moved, having been in Philadelphia and Kansas City before Oakland.
The Oakland Athletics had a winning record of 4,614–4,387 (.513) during their 56 years in Oakland. Many former Oakland A's players are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Contents
- Team History: From Kansas City to Oakland
- The "Swingin' A's" Dynasty (1971–1975)
- End of an Era: The Finley Years (1976–1980)
- The Haas Era: Success and New Identity (1981–1995)
- The "Moneyball" Years (1996–2004)
- The Wolff Era (2005–2016)
- The John J. Fisher Years and Relocation (2016–2024)
- Team Uniforms and Style
- Ballpark History: The Oakland Coliseum
Team History: From Kansas City to Oakland
Moving to a New Home
The Athletics team moved to Oakland from Kansas City in 1968. The owner, Charlie Finley, had been looking for a new city for the team for a while. He considered places like Louisville, Dallas, and Seattle. Finally, he chose Oakland, California.
The team's first game in Oakland was on April 17, 1968, at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. This stadium was also home to the Oakland Raiders football team. In their first year, the A's had a winning record of 82–80, which was a big improvement.
Building a Strong Team (1968–1970)
The A's continued to get better. In 1969, led by Reggie Jackson and his 47 home runs, they finished second in their division. By 1971, they won their division with 101 wins. This was their first time winning over 100 games since 1931.
The "Swingin' A's" Dynasty (1971–1975)
Winning Three World Series Titles
The 1970s were a golden age for the Oakland A's. They won the American League pennant in 1972 and then faced the Cincinnati Reds in the 1972 World Series. The A's won in seven games, earning their first World Series title since 1930.
The team was known for its unique style. They wore bright green or gold jerseys and were the first team to allow players to grow mustaches. This led to their nickname, "The Hairs vs. the Big Squares," when they played the clean-shaven Reds.
The A's continued their winning streak, taking home the World Series trophy again in 1973 and 1974. Key players like Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, Bert Campaneris, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, and Vida Blue were the heart of these "Swingin' A's" teams.
Challenges and Changes
Despite their success, the team faced challenges. The owner, Charlie Finley, often had disagreements with his star players. For example, Catfish Hunter left the team in 1974 after a contract dispute, becoming a free agent.
In 1975, the A's won their division again but lost in the playoffs. Finley even considered moving the team to Chicago, but the plan didn't work out.
End of an Era: The Finley Years (1976–1980)
Players Leave and Team Struggles
After the 1976 season, many of the A's star players became free agents and left the team. This was a big change in baseball rules. The team's performance dropped sharply. In 1977, the A's had one of the worst records in baseball.
Attendance at the Oakland Coliseum also fell very low. Sometimes, only a few hundred fans would show up for games. The stadium became known as the "Oakland Mausoleum" because it was so empty.
New Ownership and "Billyball"
In 1980, Charlie Finley hired Billy Martin to manage the team. Martin brought an exciting style of play called "Billyball." With new young stars like Rickey Henderson, the team improved and finished second in 1980.
However, Finley decided to sell the team. In 1981, Walter A. Haas, Jr., a clothing manufacturer, bought the A's. This marked the end of the Finley era.
The Haas Era: Success and New Identity (1981–1995)
A Fresh Start for the A's
Under Walter Haas's ownership, the A's image changed. He brought back the traditional "Athletics" name and the elephant mascot. The team's colors also changed to a deeper forest green.
The A's became very popular, drawing large crowds to the Coliseum. They were one of baseball's most successful teams both on and off the field.
Building a Championship Team
The team's minor league system grew stronger, bringing up future stars like José Canseco and Mark McGwire. In 1986, Tony La Russa became the manager.
From 1988 to 1990, the A's were dominant, winning the American League pennant three years in a row. They had the best record in MLB during these years. Key players included McGwire, Canseco, Rickey Henderson, and Dennis Eckersley.
World Series Victory and Challenges
The highlight of this era was winning the 1989 World Series against their cross-bay rivals, the San Francisco Giants. The A's swept the series in four games. However, the series was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake.
The A's also reached the World Series in 1988 and 1990 but lost both times. After 1992, the team began to decline.
The "Moneyball" Years (1996–2004)
New Owners and Smart Strategies
In 1995, Walter Haas passed away, and the team was sold to new owners. They focused on building a strong minor league system without spending a lot of money on star players.
This period is famous for the "Moneyball" approach, led by general manager Billy Beane. The A's used advanced statistics to find undervalued players. This allowed them to compete with teams that had much higher payrolls. For example, in 2002, the A's won 103 games with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.
Playoff Runs and a Record Streak
The A's made the playoffs for four straight years from 2000 to 2003. They had a strong group of young pitchers known as the "Big Three": Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito.
In 2002, the A's set an American League record by winning 20 games in a row. This amazing streak included several dramatic comeback wins.
The Wolff Era (2005–2016)
New Ownership and Continued Playoff Hopes
In 2005, the A's were sold to a group led by Lewis Wolff. There were often rumors about moving the team to San Jose, but this was complicated by the San Francisco Giants' claim to that area.
The A's continued to be competitive. In 2006, they made it back to the playoffs, sweeping the Minnesota Twins in the first round. However, they were then swept by the Detroit Tigers.
Ups and Downs (2007–2016)
The team had some challenging years with injuries and player trades. In 2010, A's pitcher Dallas Braden pitched a perfect game, which is a very rare achievement in baseball.
In 2012 and 2013, the A's surprised many by winning their division titles. They had exciting young players like Josh Donaldson and Sonny Gray. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs both years to the Detroit Tigers.
In 2014, the A's started strong but struggled later in the season. They made the playoffs as a wild card team but lost a thrilling game to the Kansas City Royals. The next two seasons, 2015 and 2016, saw the team finish in last place as they began to rebuild.
The John J. Fisher Years and Relocation (2016–2024)
Building a New Core and Playoff Appearances
In 2016, John J. Fisher became the full owner of the team. The A's continued to develop young talent, including Matt Chapman and Matt Olson.
In 2018 and 2019, the A's surprised everyone by winning 97 games each year and making the playoffs as a wild card team. Manager Bob Melvin won the American League Manager of the Year award. In 2019, Mike Fiers threw the team's 13th no-hitter.
The A's made the playoffs again in the shortened 2020 season, winning their first-round series before losing to the Houston Astros.
The Move from Oakland
After years of trying to build a new stadium in Oakland, Major League Baseball gave the A's permission to look for a new home in 2021. The team struggled in 2022 and 2023, finishing with some of the worst records in baseball.
In April 2023, the A's announced plans to move to Las Vegas. They finalized plans for a new stadium there. On November 16, 2023, MLB officially approved the move.
The 2024 season was the A's last in Oakland. They played their final game at the Coliseum on September 26, 2024, winning 3–2. The team will play in West Sacramento for three seasons before their new stadium in Las Vegas is ready.
Fan Reactions to the Move
The decision to move the A's to Las Vegas was very unpopular with fans in the Bay Area. Many fans felt that the team's owner, John Fisher, didn't try hard enough to keep the team in Oakland.
Fans protested the move at games in Oakland and other cities. The "Sell" movement, with green flags, became a symbol of their opposition to the move.
Team Uniforms and Style
A History of Unique Looks
When the A's moved to Oakland, owner Charlie Finley introduced bright "Kelly Green, Wedding Gown White and Fort Knox Gold" colors. He also experimented with bold uniforms, like gold sleeveless tops.
During their "Swingin' A's" era in the 1970s, the team wore colorful jerseys and pants in all three team colors. They never wore traditional gray on the road, which was very unusual at the time.
Changes Over the Years
After the Haas family bought the team in 1981, they changed the primary color to a more subtle forest green. They also brought back the elephant mascot and the "Athletics" script on the jerseys.
Over the years, the A's have had different uniform combinations. They introduced black as an accent color in the 2000s, with black alternate jerseys. Later, they added gold and kelly green alternate jerseys.
The nickname "A's" has been used for a long time, even when the official name was "Oakland Athletics." This shorter name was popular for headlines and marketing.
For many years, the A's had a tradition of wearing white cleats. However, in recent years, players have started wearing different colored cleats as MLB rules have become more relaxed.
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Ballpark History: The Oakland Coliseum
The Oakland Coliseum was the A's home stadium for their entire time in Oakland. It was built to host both baseball and football games.
In 1995, the Oakland Raiders football team returned to Oakland, and the Coliseum was expanded. A large grandstand was added in the outfield, which changed the view for baseball fans. This section was sometimes called "Mount Davis" after the Raiders' owner.
The Coliseum's capacity for baseball was often adjusted. For many years, parts of the upper deck were covered with tarps to make the stadium feel more full. The A's were the last MLB team to share a stadium with an NFL team, a situation that ended when the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020.
Stadium Improvements and Fan Experience
In recent years, the A's made several improvements to the Coliseum. They added an outdoor plaza with food trucks and games for fans. They also created "The Treehouse," a large area with bars, seating, and TVs.
For kids and families, the "A's Stomping Ground" was added. It features interactive games, a mini baseball field, and a photo booth. The team also brought back a modern version of "Harvey the Rabbit" to deliver the first pitch ball.
In 2018, the A's held a free game to celebrate their 50th anniversary in Oakland, drawing a huge crowd of over 46,000 fans. The playing field was also renamed "Rickey Henderson Field" to honor the legendary player.
Past Stadium Plans in California
For many years, the A's tried to build a new baseball-only stadium in Northern California.
Oakland Proposals
The team explored building a new stadium near Laney College in Oakland. Later, they focused on the Howard Terminal site at the Port of Oakland. The idea was to build a new ballpark and redevelop the Coliseum site. However, negotiations with the city of Oakland ended in 2023.
Fremont and San Jose Proposals
The A's also considered moving to Fremont, California, and building a stadium called "Cisco Field." This plan faced opposition and was eventually canceled.
Another option was to move to San Jose, California. This idea was complicated because the San Francisco Giants claimed San Jose as part of their home territory. Despite efforts from San Jose officials, Major League Baseball did not approve the move, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected San Jose's lawsuit in 2015.
