The A's Move to Oakland in 1968

by arnec on Nov 23, 2009 7:14 PM PST

When I did my post about a month ago on Catfish Hunter's perfect game, I was surprised to find there were actually a fair number of people here who remembered the game and had some thoughts on it. So, I'm going back to 1968 one more time, with a sequel post on the A's arrival in Oakland. A few months back I dug through the Chronicle's microfilm archives and got their coverage of the A's first game, in Baltimore on April 10 of '68. There wasn't a great deal of detail or color to the story though, so you don't get much of a sense of how the A's were received by people around town. Maybe I should have found the Chronicle's coverage of the A's first game in Oakland to find out about that.

Anyway, I'll pose some questions for the older fans: Were people around the Bay excited to have a second MLB team, and the A's specifically? Did any of the former Kansas City A's have cache, name recognition, established star power? It looks to me like none of them did. I know Reggie was on the team, but he wasn't a star yet. Also, what was the Coliseum like back then?

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I have an Oakland Tribune from April 14, 1968

A few (ha) words, first from Ed Levitt

"There are those who ally themselves with a team and make it a personal crusade. They believe a team belongs to them and in a way it does. Soon boys from Hayward, Oakland, Berkeley, El Cerrito, and Richmond will turn into Oakland Athletic stars, to become Catfish Hunter, Rick Monday, Sal Bando, and Campy Campaneris."

(How right he was!)

Bill Fiset, columnist:

"All of a sudden you’re a baseball nut because Oakland has a big-league team all its own, a bunch of guys whose names will become household words in a matter of weeks despite the garish uniforms and the strange drama that unfolds on a baseball field. By strange drama I mean all that stuff where the pitcher tugs at his cap, the catcher scratches himself in the most unlikely places, the third base coach takes two steps backward and it all means something."

Other articles touched on Oakland’s rich baseball tradition, the A’s chances in the American League, and the stars that would soon descend on the Coliseum (Mantle, Yastrzemski). There was even a letter from owner Charles O. Finley to the fans. Meanwhile a future President, who would throw out the first pitch in the A’s opener, viewed the new baseball season as a much-needed diversion from the Vietnam War.

"I am hopeful it will presage a return to normalcy among our people and turn our minds to the better side of our national life", said Ronald Reagan, at the time Governor of California. "I want particularly to welcome the Athletics to California and Oakland and to wish them the best of success in their league and with their fans."

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 24, 2009 4:45 AM PST reply actions

I saw in the Chronicle that the second A’s-Orioles game was postponed because of rioting after the MLK assassination, in fact after the 10th, the A’s didn’t play again till the 13th, in D.C. It looks like the first two games in Oakland were make-ups against the O’s, because they’d played just the one game in Baltimore to start the season.

by arnec on Nov 24, 2009 2:42 PM PST up reply actions

I was pretty young then

But I do remember the announcement that we would be getting the A’s. My older brother was excited about it, but my Grandfather, a former ball player in the bay area, was a Giants fan. I can remember him saying that the A’s were not a real major league team, “Look at those silly uniforms” that quote I do remember. He did watch the ‘72 world series, and was more interested in the A’s. Sadly he passed away in April 1973 and missed out on the true glory. My Grandmother moved in with us and became quite the A’s fanatic. She was blind, and almost deaf, so the A’s on the radio was her favorite. She remained a fan until she passed in 1985. I’m glad they came.

Stomp,em, stomp the piss out of em.Then pound the budweiser after the game. Joe Schultz Seattle Piolts Mgr 1969

by billyball1981 on Nov 24, 2009 1:23 PM PST reply actions

I didn't live in the Bay Area in 1968.

I was born and raised in the Central Valley. I don’t remember much excitement over the A’s arrival. I was excited, as my dad was no Giant’s fan; he called them “um-bays,” piglatin for bums. Loving the A’s was a natural response to our SF antipathy. Plus, for all their gaudy green & gold unis, the A’s had the same color scheme as our beloved Packers. It was love at first sight and has never faded. I usually saw them once per annum, and it was the highlight of my year.

JJ Martin
The best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until the ball stops rolling and then pick it up. ~Bob Uecker

by JJ Martin on Nov 24, 2009 7:45 PM PST reply actions