League & Division:
The Oakland Athletics compete in the American League West Division with the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.
Ballpark:
McAfee Coliseum- Capacity: 34,077 (baseball)
- Opened in: 1966
- Ballpark owner: City of Oakland
- Construction cost: $25.5 million
History:
The franchise was founded as the Philadelphia Athletics, a charter member of the American League, in 1901. The team moved to Kansas City in 1955 and to Oakland in 1968. They’re often called the A’s, a name that came about because newspaper headline writers needed to shorten Athletics to fit.
Memorable Moments:
- Led by a hard-hitting young lineup and ace pitchers Catfish Hunter and Vida Blue, the A’s won three consecutive World Series titles from 1972-74.
- The A’s almost repeated the feat from 1988 to 1990, winning the pennant each year but winning only in 1989 in a sweep of the crosstown San Francisco Giants, a World Series delayed by an earthquake that struck just before Game 3.
Championships:
Playoff appearances: 24
Division champions: 14 (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006)
American League pennants: 15 (1902, 1905, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1988, 1989, 1990)
World Series titles: 9 (1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989)
Wild-card berths: 1 (2001)
Spring Training:
The A’s are a member of the Cactus League and play spring training games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.
Famous Past Players:
- Jim “Catfish” Hunter
- Reggie Jackson
- Dennis Eckersley
- Rickey Henderson
- Rollie Fingers
Top Current Players:
- Mike Piazza
- Eric Chavez
- Huston Street
Leadership:
Owner: Lewis Wolff
General Manager: Billy Beane
Manager: Bob Geren
