Top 5 moments in Oakland A's history
by jfletcher on Jan 15, 2008 12:25 PM PST
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PrintHello everyone. I'm new here. I am the A's beat writer for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
I am working on a story on the top 5 moments in Oakland A's history, since this is their 40th anniversary. I just wanted to get some input from some of you on what you put on that list, and why.
By the way, a "moment" can be a single homer, a single game or a whole series. We're using the term pretty loosely.
Thanks in advance.
I look forward to reading your comments.
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Not that flashy
But what's bigger than winning the world series?
1972, 73, 74 and 89. There's your top 4 moments. No. 5 is the 20-game winning streak.
That pretty much covers the great years.
by Borbass on Jan 15, 2008 12:43 PM PST reply actions
I was at that game
It seemed like everyone knew what happen the moment he stepped off the field.
I was there, too
I brought a date and left my radio home in the name of being sociable. You could hear and feel the buzz, and I had no idea what was happening. I learned two things: 1) Never bring a date for whom baseball is not the ultimate goal of the evening; and 2) never leave my radio behind.
I don't think of "moments"
so much as I think of sets of events that had a lasting impact on the direction of the franchise. So, in chronological order:
- The 1972 postseason, the arrival of a young and supremely talented team with a stunning upset of the Big Red Machine in the World Series. The highlight moment would probably be the three pinch-hits for the come from behind victory in Game 4 of the Series.
- Billy Ball: The revival of a franchise which had drawn less than 4,000 fans per game in 1979 and was on the brink of moving to Denver. The 1980 team was fun but under Finley's ownership they still drew less than a million. The 11-game winning streak to start 1981, coinciding with the change of ownership, was the high point.
- The 14-game winning streak early in the 1988 season was the start of a great multi-year run for the La Russa, Canseco, McGwire, Stewart, Eckersley team.
- Winning the AL West in 2000 (Hudson's victory over Texas at the Coliseum in Game 162). In the 1990's I doubted that the Oakland Athletics would ever be seriously competitive again under modern baseball economics.
- No doubt that the 20-game winning streak has to be on the list.
Dunno about top 5
since as mentioned, the five "enduring accomplishments" of the Oakland years were the 4 WS wins and The Streak, but the Scutaro hit from last year would have to at least be in the top 10...
hatteberg's walk-off hr....
to extend the win streak to 20, should be in the top 5.
The 20 game streak itself . . .
. . . should be high on the list.
by jarforcefatherofforce on Jan 15, 2008 7:51 PM PST up reply actions
Hairs beat Squares to win '72 Series
Oakland's first crown, symbolism of the era in the flashy hairy A's versus the staid grey Reds, great stories in Gene Tenace's phenomenal seriesfrom out of nowhere, the Game 3 phony intentional walk to strikeout Johnny Bench, and the Game 4 comeback Soaker mentions up above.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jan 15, 2008 1:22 PM PST reply actions
Ditto on the phony intentional walk to Bench...
and would add Joe Rudi's spectacular ninth inning catch to preserve the 2-1 win in Game 2 (in which he also homered).
7 7 86
A's vs. Red Sox on Monday Night Baseball. Tony La Russa takes over as manager of the A's and puts in Dave Stewart to start against Roger Clemens.
The A's win the game, the second Oakland dynasty begins, as does Stew's (and the A's) domination of the rocket.
I was there
Brilliant game. What I most remember (memory is hazy, so correct me if wrong) is an at bat by Alfredo Griffin where he fouled off about 7 or 8 pitches before hitting a double off the monster to start the game winning rally.
i looked it up since i didn't remember either
griffin did double in a run, but it came in the second inning. his other hit came in the ninth, three innings after the a's had scored their last runs. canseco and kingman chased clemens with homeruns in the sixth.
do you have the ticket stub? i'll buy it ;)
Don't still have the ticket
Have some photos taken at BP hanging around somewhere, though. The AB I'm thinking of might have been the second inning.
Much like Blez (or is it Nico) most of the A's games I attended in the 80s were on the east coast. Great memories of visiting my Aunt in Boston, or my Grandparents in Maryland, or going to Yankee Stadium.
i made it to Cooperstown
for Eck's induction, but never to Yankee Stadium or Fenway. Doing the first one this year before it closes.
I need to get back to Yankee Stadium ...
I've been there once, but I couldn't get there early enough to visit Monument Park ...
I still remember...
Eric Fox' HR in Minnesota in 1992. I felt that shot, in early August, sealed the division title, as crazy as that sounds.
That was a good one ...
First off, I object to a moment being defined ...
as anything more than a single play -- or, at the very most a brief succession of plays (back-to-back home runs, etc).
Here are a few from me:
The Walk Off Bunt
Giambi v Stanton
Scutaro's Double
Ernie Young's Triple Play in Las Vegas
Roger Clemens gets tossed
"Today, I am the greatest of all-time"
If pushed, I might expand the definition a bit and allow for pitching performances to count as moments, in which case I'd add:
Huddy outduels Pedro
July 14th and 15th, 2005
If I were you, I'd try to figure out 15 nominees and then put up a poll.
July 15th...
almost pales in comparison to July 14th. But I realize you're probably taking them together as a special feat (like the back-to-back-to-back HRs... who cares which HR went the greatest distance, right?).
The performance certainly pales ...
but it's the last home run in the back-to-back series that's the most exciting, even though it may have barely cleared the wall and was invariably a solo shot.
I was at both games and after just missing the night before, it didn't take much to get those juices going even though Zito had walked a couple of guys by the time history was on the line.
I have a couple of biases that probably unfairly
color my perception of Zito's performance: 1) I'm more of a Harden fan (on 7/15, I was going "Hey, neat... but Harden was almost perfect."), and 2) At the time, I was excited as hell about all the no-hitters Harden was sure to throw in his promising future, and I saw Zito's performance as more of an aberration. So I roam too far from the topic of moments.
I understand your point, devo
but the problem is that it's hard to remember single plays from 30 to 40 years ago, especially when we are talking about regular season games. And we are being asked to include moments from the entire 40 year history of Oakland A's baseball, not just moments since 1990 which is as far back as your list goes. Will you really remember Giambi vs. Stanton clearly 30 years from now?
That's why my list is more along the lines of turning points in franchise history rather than specific plays.
I'm 26 ...
And, yes, I do think I'll remember Giambi vs Stanton 30 years from now.
If you want some moments from the 20-odd years before my list, you'll need to talk to someone a bit older.
good point
because few remember that the A's came back from being down 7-0 to shock the Twins and clinch the West in '72. They also won two straight extra inning games before that one to bring the magic number to 1. Hard to beat for excitement, but on a large scale, merely a stepping stone to the post-season (6 of their 7 wins- and 3 of their 5 losses- by one run).
Here's an idea ...
call them top 5 memories, instead of moments ...
miggy's homerun to keep The Streak alive
would have to be up there
That game
was awesome. So was the double off the wall where Matsui looked lost to keep the streak alive.
by migueltejada on Jan 15, 2008 7:48 PM PST up reply actions
I was a tourist in New York
during that series. As much as I wish I'd been here for it, I'll always remember walking around NYC with my A's cap during that series.
I'll restrict my five to my favorite games which I attended:
- The Walk Off Bunt game
- Some game way back when when my mom visited from Pennsylvania and Luis Polonia hit an inside the park homer. My mom saying what a nice ball park the Coliseum was (granted she was used to Three Rivers Stadium, but no matter what it was beautiful back then).
- Beating Clemens in game one of the 2000 ALDS
- Watching the Angels lose on the Jumbotron with Hudson and Mulder sitting on the mound after the game (was that 2002?), clinching the division.
- Hudson's September two-hitter of Boston facing only 28 batters (was that 2003?) .
by Brian in 317 on Jan 15, 2008 8:51 PM PST up reply actions
+1 for the Walk Off Bunt
Another moment I happened to be present for.
I had the pleasure of being present for three
of those. All were fine moments. (Especially the bunt heard round the world)
It may have something to do with my picking them
... I was at all but Ernie Young's Triple Play and Roger Clemens getting tossed ...
Here are mine
(in no particular order)
- Game 7 win in Cincinnati 1972
- Hatte's walk-off to extend 20 game win streak
- Rickey's record-breaking SB
- Game 4 win in San Francisco 1989
- 11 game winning streak to begin '81 season (BillyBall)
Nice
My personal favorite moment as an A's fan was opening the Chronicle in 1989 and seeing that we got Rickey back. There were rumors that he'd be traded to the Giants, and the thought made me physically ill.
Others would be McGwire breaking the rookie home run record in Anaheim, Rickey's first home AB in 1989, winning the WS in 1989, (many Rickey moments in the '89 ALCS), Hatteberg's homer, the walk-off bunt, and Kotsay's inside-the-park HR.
by Egg Foo Yung on Jan 15, 2008 4:20 PM PST up reply actions
The Mother's Day Miracle of 2000-aught-seb'm?
Jeff, Thanks for joining AN!
I hope we can help out. I won't give a top 5 but suggest that Catfish Hunter's no-hitter (and no, I wasn't there) has to up there with individual/team ahievements considering where his career went and his dignificance to the dynasty year teams.
Along those lines, Rickey's stolen base record has to be mentioned as well.
Perhaps distinguishing team event's vs individual events may help. This franchise has just too rich of a history to not think in broader terms. Unlike other sports 162 game season's sometimes makes it difficult to fetter out individual moments.
Beating the Yankees...
19 times in a row in the late '80's has to rank right up there, although IMO those teams were "tainted" by the 'Roid Brothers and LaRussa looking the other way because "hey, we're winning"...
Kendall stealing home and tagging the runner with
his bare hands at home plate.
I really can't remember much about the game but he way he stole home on the Angel's and that tag was true grit.
Others have to be the 72-74 and 89 series and Rickey's stolen base record game.
How about
when Kendall stole home on F-Rod's dropped throw back to the mound?
Beating the guys that supposedly "play baseball the right way" on such a heads-up play? Awesome.
by EddieVegas_NRAF on Jan 16, 2008 1:32 PM PST up reply actions
My contribution
I have three games that stand out, of which, I was in attendance:
- Dave Henderson hitting three home runs and the A's hitting six in total and losing 7-6.
- Game 18 of the streak, at which Bluto from the movie Animal House rallied the A's before their at bat in the ninth.
- The A's losing to the Yankees when Jeremey Giambi did not slide during the play at the plate.
Please post your story after it is published.
This is tough, but my personal favorites
- Rickey. He is is own moment. 119 and counting plus the all-time steals record. Getting him traded back in '89 to help win the Series.
- The 20-game win streak including the two comeback wins over the weekend as well as Hatteberg's walk-off for #20.
- 1989. Sticking it to the Giants. 20 game winners. Dave Stewart being filthier than filthy. Eck.
- Although we lost the series, one of the greatest home games I have ever attended, the Ramon/Chavvy walk-off bunt vs. the Red Sox and all their Masshole friends who were there that night.
- 72, 73, 74
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson, Rickey Henderson, Rickey Henderson and Rickey Henderson. Watching him the season he broke Brock's record was pretty awesome. A Highlight in my fandom life.
And don't forget Rickey Henderson.
Keep 'em coming guys...
This is great. I'll say the 20-game winning streak is certainly going to be one of them. And we'll have to find a way to make the three consecutive titles one thing.
as special as '72 was
especially considering the odds- the A's were considered the third best team in baseball behind Cincy and Pittsburgh, and went into the Series without Reginald Martinez Jackson- but to win a third time in '74, well, only two teams have done it: our A's, and the Yankees.
By that year the A's were on auto-pilot. Manager Dick Williams had quit, there was the usual turmoil in the clubhouse (Reg and North slugged it out in June), Catfish was at odds with Finley, and none of it mattered. Sure there are teams that overcome adversity, but for the '74 A's it wasn't about "overcoming" anything. It was "Look, that trophy is ours, and the season is merely to decide who loses to us in the playoffs". Few teams oozed confidence like that one. Even the most recent Yankee clubs relied on mystique as much as their own talent. There was nothing magical or supernatural about the '74 team. They were just damn good, and they knew it. End of story. Which by the way is why those '70 teams aren't held in as high regard as the Big Red Machine or the Bronx Zoo. Too fundamentally sound for their own good.
The person you really need to interview for this
is Roy Steele. The A's have played well over 3000 games at the Coliseum and Roy has seen just about all of them, with almost all of the misses coming in the last couple of years.
without question
Wow this is tough
in no particular order:
- Big Mac walk off jimmy jack in 1988 off former A Jay Howell. Sadly the only win for the A's in that series.
- Rickey's return in 1989 on Monday Night Baseball.
- Mike Moore's double in the 1989 world series (a guilty pleasure)
- El Walk Off bunt.
- The aftermath of Scutaro's double. The Marco Polo game was just ridiculously cool.
Honorable mentions:
Chavez introduces Brad Radke to the back row in right field. Only because I called it to my brother. I knew it was on in that moment.
Milton and Jack Cust with the bombs against Cleveland.
Jose Cansecos 5th deck shot in Toronto 1989 playoffs.
Big Mac nearly puts a hole in the Kingdome off Randy Johnson.
Dave Stewart no hits the Blue Jays.
Mike Oquist, Bobby Chenard, et al leave the team :)
Olmedo Saenz introduces Robb Nenn to the bleachers baby.
Miggy. Ken Korach's call of Miggy. Off Eddie Guardado... 3 run jack extends the streak!
Damn there are so many more.
I attended two of your honorable mention moments.
Rickey's return and Olmedo's walk off against the Giants.
Good times.
by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 16, 2008 5:35 AM PST up reply actions
I was at two of your moments
Rickey's return and Olmedo's walk off against the Giants.
Good times.
by Athletics fan and runner on Jan 16, 2008 5:34 AM PST reply actions
My Input
How about Joe Rudi crashing into the wall at Riverfront Stadium and robbing Johnny Bench of extra bases during the 1972 World Series?
i have only seen that
in highlights. But it makes me smile every time. I was born in 75... so I missed those years, but it is when my uncles really got into the A's and as a result me too.
Here's my five...
In no particular order but how they came to me...
- Games 18 & 20. They must be a huge part of A's lore if you don't have to write anything but that.
- '72 Series. Huge underdog vs Cincy in the first of 3 straight rings. All the titles were special, but I figured I'd just pick one.
- Kots' ITPHR. At that moment, I knew we were going to make it the ALCS, which as we all know was a bit of a thorn. I just had no clue we were in for a 1st round KO (metaphorically) by Detroit.
- Catfish's Perfecto. If something has happened less than 20 times, it must be pretty darned special. Just put up a comment concerning his day as the best day ever for a pitcher. Honorable mention for the unassisted triple play.
- Rickey breaking the SB record. Not sure where he was when he broke all the other records (walks, runs, etc.) before they were taken by Bonds, but I'm fairly positive it wasn't Oakland.
Duh, scratch the ITPHR...
Great moment, and it did get the ALDS monkey off our back, but after reading over the other comments I totally neglected the walk off bunt. What an incredible ending to a game.
When Clemens flipped off the Ump in the Playoffs
It was before Mt. Davis was built (spawned), I had cneter field seats and was carrying a broom for the sweep. Clemens flipped off the Ump and got the exit door for it.
The final game of the 20 game streak was incredible too.
Mark McGwire Walk-off Game 3 1988 W.S
I KNOW, I KNOW, we lost, but i still remember it, also i was at Game 2 the next year when Steiny hit the 3-run shot that gave us a huge lead against the Giants.
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 1:56 PM PST reply actions
Eric Fox Home Run against Minnesota
i got a TON of em.
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 1:57 PM PST reply actions
We can see that ...
neat thing about the comments feature on this site ... you can include more than one line in each comment ...
Jose Canseco upper-deck shot in the Skydome......
A BOMB!!
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 1:58 PM PST reply actions
Eric Chavez goes crazy against Seattle!!!!
Remember when we took 3 out of 4 against Seattle to steal the division in 2000.
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 2:00 PM PST reply actions
Mulder 1 Hits the DBacks!!!!!
Another good one.
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 2:02 PM PST reply actions
The day we Re-acquired Rickey Henderson in 1989!!
i know, we lost that game, dam McGriff!!!
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 2:03 PM PST reply actions
Dave Stewart Game 1 Shutout!!!
Dominating.....
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 2:04 PM PST reply actions
Mark Kotsay inside-the-park HR in the ALDS
Bad play by Hunter but i loved it.........
by eastoaklandike on Jan 17, 2008 2:05 PM PST reply actions
1980 vs. Detroit
The A's pull a rare triple steal, all hands were safe. After the inning Detroit catcher Lance Parrish, takes batting practice on the drinking fountain in the Detroit dugout, thus adding a water feature in the Coliseium.
It doesn't deserve the top 5, but
I was so incredibly excited with Scutaro's 9th inning three run walk off homer against the Yankee's Rivera. Things looked pretty dark, that sunny afternoon, when the first two guys in the bottom of the 9th were out, and the 3rd batter was 0--2. But it morphed into Scooter coming up with two on, and Voila!! The two smug Yankee fans who were sitting next to me were speechless, while the A's faithful went crazy.
Hatty's home run to win the 20th in a row does deserve to be there.
Thanks guys, I'm getting ready to write the story
I don't want to spoil your surprise when the story comes out, but you've definitely helped me out by seeing that there is a pretty good consensus on a few of the moments.
Anyway, you can keep adding to this thread and I'll keep checking it. The story won't be printed until just before Opening Day, so someone can always change my mind.
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