Oakland Athletics

Quick Facts

  • Founded: 1901

  • Original Name/City: Philadelphia Athletics

  • Current Ballpark: Oakland Coliseum

  • World Series Titles: 9 (1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989)

  • Franchise Nicknames: The A's, The White Elephants

A History of the Oakland Athletics

The Athletics franchise is one of the most well-traveled and historically significant in baseball. They began as the Philadelphia Athletics, a charter member of the American League in 1901. Under the leadership of legendary manager-owner Connie Mack, the Philadelphia A's established two separate dynasties, winning five World Series titles between 1910 and 1930. They had Hall of Fame rosters that included stars like Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove.

After Mack's retirement, the team's fortunes faded, prompting a move to Kansas City in 1955, where they spent 13 largely unsuccessful seasons. The team found its modern identity upon moving to Oakland in 1968. Led by charismatic and often controversial owner Charlie Finley, the "Swingin' A's" of the early 1970s became a powerhouse.

With their bright green-and-gold uniforms and a roster of mustachioed stars like Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter, they won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 to 1974. Another exciting era emerged in the late 1980s with the "Bash Brothers" duo of José Canseco and Mark McGwire, culminating in a dominant 1989 World Series title.

In the early 2000s, the franchise became famous for a new reason. General Manager Billy Beane's "Moneyball" philosophy, which used advanced analytics to find undervalued players, allowed the low-payroll A's to compete with baseball's richest teams. This led to a string of playoff appearances.

In recent years, the franchise's story has been dominated by the deteriorating state of the Oakland Coliseum and a protracted, controversial effort by ownership to relocate the team to Las Vegas.

Franchise Timeline

  • 1901: Founded as the Philadelphia Athletics.

  • 1910: Won their first World Series.

  • 1955: Relocated to Kansas City and renamed the Kansas City Athletics.

  • 1968: Relocated to Oakland and renamed the Oakland Athletics.

  • 1972-1974: Won three consecutive World Series titles.

  • 1989: Won their ninth World Series.

  • 2002: Won 20 consecutive games, an AL record documented in "Moneyball."

Legendary Players

Jimmie Foxx (1925-1935)

  • "The Beast" was the powerful anchor of the second Philadelphia dynasty. A three-time MVP, he hit 58 home runs in 1932 and won the Triple Crown in 1933. He is one of the most feared right-handed sluggers of all time.

Reggie Jackson (1967-1975, 1987)

  • The charismatic, power-hitting leader of the "Swingin' A's," Jackson became a national star in Oakland. He won the 1973 AL MVP and World Series MVP awards, leading the team to its second of three straight titles. His flair for the dramatic earned him the nickname "Mr. October."

Rickey Henderson (1979-1984, 1989-1993, 1994-1995, 1998)

  • Arguably the greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner ever, Henderson redefined the top of the lineup. In his four separate stints with the A's, he won the 1990 AL MVP and set the all-time records for stolen bases and runs scored. He famously declared himself "The greatest of all time."

Dennis Eckersley (1987-1995)

  • Eckersley revolutionized the closer role with the A's. After a solid career as a starter, he became an utterly dominant reliever, winning both the AL Cy Young and MVP awards in 1992. His intensity and fist-pumping celebrations made him the face of the modern closer.