Oakland Athletics

"A's" redirects here. For the Latin character, seeA.For other uses, seeASandA (disambiguation).

Oakland Athletics
2024 Oakland Athletics season
Established in1901 Based inOakland, Californiasince1968
Team logo Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
American League(1901–present) West Division(1969–present)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	9 24 27 34 34 43 A's 42
Colors
Green, gold, white
Name
Oakland Athletics (1968–present) Kansas City Athletics (1955–1967) Philadelphia Athletics (1901–1954)
Other nicknames
The A's Swingin' A's(1971–1981) The Green Elephants The Elephants The Green and Gold
Ballpark
Oakland Coliseum(1968–present) Cashman Field(1996) Municipal Stadium(1955–1967) Shibe Park(1909–1954) Columbia Park(1901–1908)
Major league titles
World Series titles(9)	1910 1911 1913 1929 1930 1972 1973 1974 1989
AL Pennants(15)	1902 1905 1910 1911 1913 1914 1929 1930 1931 1972 1973 1974 1988 1989 1990
West Division titles(17)	1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1981 1988 1989 1990 1992 2000 2002 2003 2006 2012 2013 2020
Wild card berths(4)	2001 2014 2018 2019
Front office
Principal owner(s)	John Fisher
President	Dave Kaval
General manager	David Forst
Manager	Mark Kotsay
Website	mlb /athletics

TheOakland Athletics(often referred to as theOakland A's) are an Americanprofessional baseballteam based inOakland, California.The Athletics compete inMajor League Baseball(MLB) as a member club of theAmerican League(AL)West Division.The team currently plays its home games at theOakland Coliseum,with plans to temporarily move toSutter Health ParkinWest Sacramento, California,for the 2025–2027 seasons (with an option for the 2028 season), prior to theirpermanent movetoLas Vegas.The relocation will mark the first move by an MLB team since theMontreal Exposmoved toWashington, D.C.,becoming theWashington Nationals.The nineWorld Serieschampionships, fifteen pennants, and seventeen division titles that the A's have won throughout their history is the second-highest in the American League after theNew York Yankees.

One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the team was founded inPhiladelphiain 1901 as thePhiladelphia Athletics.They won three World Series championships in1910,1911,and1913,and back-to-back titles in1929and1930.The team's owner and manager for its first 50 years wasConnie Mack,andHall of Fameplayers includedChief Bender,Frank "Home Run" Baker,Jimmie Foxx,andLefty Grove.The team left Philadelphia forKansas Cityin 1955 and became theKansas City Athleticsbefore moving to Oakland in 1968. Nicknamed the "Swingin' A's",under ownerCharlie O. Finleythey won three consecutive World Series in1972,1973,and1974,led by players includingVida Blue,Catfish Hunter,Reggie Jackson,andRollie Fingers.After being sold by Finley toWalter A. Haas Jr.,the team won three consecutive pennants and the1989 World Seriesbehind the "Bash Brothers",Jose CansecoandMark McGwire,as well as Hall of FamersDennis Eckersley,Rickey Hendersonand managerTony La Russa.In 2002, the Athletics set the record for most consecutive wins in a season with twenty, an event that would go on to be the pioneering step in the application ofsabermetricsin baseball.

Following theCalifornia Golden Seals' relocation to Cleveland in 1976, theGolden State Warriors' move across the bay toSan Franciscoin 2019, and theOakland Raiders' move to Las Vegasin 2020, the Athletics were left as the sole remaining professional sports team in Oakland. However, on April 20, 2023, the Athletics announced they had entered a land purchase agreement withRed Rock Resortlocated nearLas Vegas, Nevadato build a new ballpark on theLas Vegas Strip,finalizing the Athletics' plans to relocate from Oakland to theLas Vegas Valley.On May 9, 2023, the Athletics switched their planned location in the Las Vegas area to the site of theTropicana Las Vegashotel and casino, which will be demolished to construct a33,000-seat partially retractable ballparkand a 1,500-room hotel and casino.By June 15, 2023,Nevada governorJoe Lombardosigned an MLB stadium funding bill known as SB1 into law after the bill was approved by theNevada Legislature,and the Athletics officially announced they would begin therelocation process.On November 16, 2023, MLB owners unanimously approved the Athletics' request to relocate to the Las Vegas area.Before the scheduled move to Las Vegas in 2028, the team will play inWest Sacramento, CaliforniaatSutter Health Park(home of theSan Francisco Giants'Triple-Aaffiliate, theSacramento River Cats) for the 2025–2027 seasons (with an option for the 2028 season if necessary).While in West Sacramento, the team plans on being referred to as simply the "A's" and "Athletics," with no city name attached.

From 1901 through the end of 2023, the franchise's overall win–loss record is9,260–9,766–87(.487). Since moving to Oakland in 1968, the Athletics have an overall win–loss record of 4,545–4,294 (.514) through the end of 2023.

History

Main articles:Philadelphia Athletics,Kansas City Athletics,andHistory of the Oakland Athletics

The history of the AthleticsMajor League Baseballfranchise spans from 1901 to the present day, having begun inPhiladelphiabefore moving toKansas Cityin 1955 and then to its home inOakland, California,in 1968. The A's made theirBay Areadebut on Wednesday, April 17, 1968, with a 4–1 loss to theBaltimore Oriolesat theColiseum,in front of an opening-night crowd of 50,164.With four locations, the A's have had the most homes of any MLB team.

Team name and "A" logo

The Athletics' name originated in the term "Athletic Club" for local gentlemen's clubs—dates to 1860 when an amateur team, theAthletic (Club) of Philadelphia,was formed. The team later turned professional through 1875, becoming a charter member of theNational Leaguein 1876, but were expelled from the N.L. after one season. A later version of the Athletics played in theAmerican Associationfrom 1882 to 1891.

The familiarblackletter"A" is one of the oldest sports logos still in use. An image inHarper's Weeklywith the rivalBrooklyn Atlanticsshows that the "A" appeared on the original Athletics' uniform as early as 1866.

Elephant mascot

AfterNew York GiantsmanagerJohn McGrawtold reporters that Philadelphia manufacturerBenjamin Shibe,who owned the controlling interest in the new team, had a "white elephanton his hands ", team manager Connie Mack defiantly adopted the white elephant as the team mascot, and presented McGraw with a stuffed toy elephant at the start of the1905 World Series.McGraw and Mack had known each other for years, and McGraw accepted it graciously. By1909,the A's were wearing an elephant logo on their sweaters, and in1918it turned up on the regular uniform jersey for the first time.

In 1963, when the A's were located in Kansas City, then-ownerCharlie Finleychanged the team mascot from an elephant to amule,the state animal of Missouri. This is rumored to have been done by Finley in order to appeal to fans from the region who were predominantly Democrats at the time. (The traditionalRepublican Partysymbol is anelephant,while theDemocratic Party's symbol is adonkey.)Since1988,the Athletics' 21st season in Oakland, anillustrationof an elephant has adorned the left sleeve of the A's home and road uniforms. Beginning in the mid-1980s, the on-field costumed incarnation of the A's elephant mascot went by the name Harry Elephante, a play on the name of singerHarry Belafonte.In1997,he becameStomper,debuting Opening Night on April 2.

Uniforms

Over the seasons, the Athletics' uniforms have paid homage to their amateur forebears. Until 1954, when the uniforms had "Athletics" spelled out in script across the front, the team's name never appeared on either home or road uniforms. Furthermore, neither "Philadelphia" nor the letter "P" appeared on the uniform or cap. The Philadelphia uniform had only a script "A" on the left front, and likewise the cap usually had the same "A" on it. In the early days of the American League, the standings listed the club as "Athletic" rather than "Philadelphia", in keeping with the old tradition. Eventually, the city name came to be used for the team, as with the other major league clubs.

After buying the team in 1960, ownerCharles O. Finleyintroduced road uniforms with "Kansas City" printed on them, with an interlocking "KC" on the cap. Upon moving to Oakland, the "A" cap emblem was restored, and in 1970 an "apostrophe-s" was added to the cap and uniform emblem to reflect that Finley was officially changing the team's name to the "A's".

While in Kansas City, Finley changed the team's colors from their traditional red, white and blue to what he termed "Kelly Green, Wedding Gown White and Fort Knox Gold". It was here that he began experimenting with dramatic uniforms to match these bright colors, such as gold sleeveless tops with green undershirts and gold pants. The uniform innovations increased after the team's move to Oakland, which came with the introduction of polyester pullover uniforms.

During their dynasty years in the 1970s, the A's had dozens of uniform combinations with jerseys and pants in all three team colors, and never wore the traditional gray on the road, instead wearing green or gold, which helped to contribute to their nickname of "The Swingin' A's". After the team's sale to theHaasfamily, the team changed its primary color to a more subdued forest green and began a move back to more traditional uniforms.

The 2023 team wore home uniforms with "Athletics" spelled out in script writing and road uniforms with "Oakland" spelled out in script writing, with the cap logo consisting of the traditional "A" with "apostrophe-s". The home cap, which was also the team's road cap until 1992, is forest green with a gold bill and white lettering. This design was also the basis of their batting helmet, which is used both at home and on the road. The road cap, which initially debuted in 1993, is all-forest green. The first version had the white "A's" wordmark before it was changed to gold the following season. An all-forest green batting helmet was paired with this cap until 2008. In 2014, the "A's" wordmark returned to white but added gold trim.

The Athletics logo (1983–1992)

From 1994 until 2013, the A's wore greenalternate jerseyswith the word "Athletics" in gold, for both road and home games.

During the 2000s, the Athletics introduced black as one of their colors. They began wearing a black alternate jersey with "Athletics" written in green. After a brief discontinuance, the A's brought back the black jersey, this time with "Athletics" written in white with gold highlights. The cap paired with this jersey is all-black, initially with the green and white-trimmed "A's" wordmark, before switching to a white and gold-trimmed "A's" wordmark. Commercially popular but rarely chosen as the alternate by players, the black uniform was retired in 2011 in favor of a gold alternate jersey.

The gold alternate has "A's" in green trimmed in white on the left chest. With the exception of several road games during the 2011 season, the Athletics' gold uniforms were used as the designated home alternates. A green version of their gold alternates was introduced for the 2014 season, serving as a replacement to the previous green alternates. The new green alternates featured the piping, "A's" and lettering in white with gold trim.

In 2018, as part of the franchise's 50th anniversary since the move to Oakland, the A's wore a kelly green alternate uniform with "Oakland" in white with gold trim, and was paired with an all-kelly green cap.This set was later worn with an alternate kelly green helmet with gold visor. This uniform eventually supplanted the gold alternates by 2019, and in 2022, after the forest green alternate was retired, it became the team's only active alternate uniform.

The nickname "A's" has long been used interchangeably with "Athletics", dating to the team's early days when headline writers used it to shorten the name. From 1972 through 1980, the team name was officially "Oakland A's", although theCommissioner's Trophy,given out annually to the winner of baseball'sWorld Series,still listed the team's name as the "Oakland Athletics" on the gold-plated pennant representing the Oakland franchise. According to Bill Libby's Book,Charlie O and the Angry A's,owner Charlie O. Finley banned the word "Athletics" from the club's name because he felt that name was too closely associated with former Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie Mack, and he wanted the name "Oakland A's" to become just as closely associated with him. The name also vaguely suggested the name of the old minor leagueOakland Oaks,which were alternatively called the "Acorns". New owner Walter Haas restored the official name to "Athletics" in 1981, but retained the nickname "A's" for marketing. At first, the word "Athletics" was restored only to the club's logo, underneath the much larger stylized- "A" that had come to represent the team since the early days. By 1987, however, the word returned, in script lettering, to the front of the team's jerseys.

From 2025 to 2027, while the team temporarily plays its home games in West Sacramento, all of its uniforms would feature the "Athletics" wordmark.

Prior to the mid-2010s, the A's had a long-standing tradition of wearing white cleats team-wide (in line with the standard MLB practice that required all uniformed team members to wear a base cleat color), which dated to the Finley ownership. Since the mid-2010s, however, MLB has gradually relaxed its shoe color rules, and several A's players began wearing cleats in non-white colors, such asJed Lowrie's green cleats.

Home uniform, worn bySean Doolittle

Road uniform, worn byFrankie Montas

Alternate kelly green uniform, worn byLou Trivino

Former alternate forest green uniform (2014–2021), worn byMatt Olson

Former alternate gold uniform, worn by Sean Doolittle

Former alternate forest green uniform (1994–2013), worn byJosh Outman

Former alternate black uniform, worn byGregorio Petit

Ballpark history and future

TheOakland Coliseum—originally the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, and later named as Network Associates,McAfee,Overstock/O.co andRingCentralColiseum—was built as a multi-purpose facility.Louisiana Superdomeofficials pursued negotiations with Athletics officials during the 1978–79 baseball offseason about moving the Athletics to their facility inNew Orleans.The Athletics were unable to break their lease at the Coliseum, and remained in Oakland.

After theOakland Raidersfootball team moved to Los Angeles in 1982, many improvements were made to what was suddenly a baseball-only facility. The 1994 movieAngels in the Outfieldwas filmed in part at the Coliseum, filling in forAnaheim Stadium.

The Coliseum in its original configuration before being enclosed

In 1995, the Raiders moved back to Oakland. The Coliseum was expanded to 63,026 seats. The bucolic view of the Oakland foothills that baseball spectators enjoyed was replaced with a jarring view of an outfield grandstand contemptuously referred to as "Mount Davis"after Raiders' ownerAl Davis.Because construction was not finished by the start of the1996season, the Athletics were forced to play their first six-game homestand at 9,300-seatCashman FieldinLas Vegas, Nevada.

Although official capacity was listed as 43,662 for baseball, seats were sometimes sold in Mount Davis, pushing actual capacity to nearly 60,000. The ready availability of tickets on game day made season tickets a tough sell, while crowds as high as 30,000 often seemed sparse in such a venue. On December 21, 2005, the Athletics announced that seats in the Coliseum's third deck would not be sold for the 2006 season, but would instead be covered with a tarp, and that tickets would no longer be sold in Mount Davis under any circumstances. That effectively reduced capacity to 34,077, making the Coliseum the lowest-capacity stadium in Major League Baseball. Beginning in 2008, sections 316–318 immediately behind home plate were the only third-deck sections open for A's games, which brought the total capacity to 35,067 until 2017, when new team presidentDave Kavaltook the tarps off of the upper deck, increasing capacity to 47,170. The Athletics were the last MLB team to share a stadium full-time with an NFL team, a situation that ended when the Raidersmovedto Las Vegas in 2020.

The Athletics' spring training facility isHohokam Stadium,inMesa, Arizona.From 1982 to 2014, their spring training facility wasPhoenix Municipal Stadium,inPhoenix, Arizona;they also spent time playing inScottsdale, Arizona.

Improvements to the Coliseum

Oakland Coliseum,the 5th oldest MLB stadium

New areas

In 2017, the team created an outdoor plaza in the space between the Coliseum and Oracle Arena. The grassy area is open to all ticketed fans, and it features food trucks, seating and games likecorn holefor every Athletics home game.The following year, the team introduced The Treehouse, a 10,000-square-foot (930 m²) area open to all fans with two full-service bars, standing-room and lounge seating, numerous televisions with pre-game and postgame entertainment. The A's Stomping Ground transformed part of the Eastside Club and the area near the right-field flag poles into a fun and interactive space for kids and families. The inside section features a stage and video wall for interactive events, a digital experience that lets youngsters race their favorite Athletics players, replica team dugouts, a simulated hitting and pitching machine, foosball, and a photo booth. The outside area includes play areas, a grassy seating area, drink rails for parents, and picnic tables, a miniature baseball field and spiderweb play area.

Premium spaces

The team added three new premium spaces, including The Terrace, Lounge Seats, and the Coppola Theater Boxes, to the Coliseum for the 2019 season. The new premium seating options offer fans a high-end game-day experience with luxury amenities. The team also added two new group spaces – the Budweiser Hero Deck and Golden Road Landing – to the Coliseum.

Other additions

In addition, the tarps on the upper deck were removed; a modern version of the beloved mechanical Harvey the Rabbit to deliver the first pitch ball was re-introduced, while the playing surface at the Coliseum was renamed "Rickey Henderson Field". The team held the first free game in MLB history for 46,028 fans on April 17, 2018, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Athletics first game in Oakland.The team tried a new concept in season ticketing in the A's Access plan that involved "general admission access to every home game with a set number of reserved-seat upgrades allotted", which was meant to replace previous attempts at subscription-based services that they tried with Ballpark Pass and Treehouse Pass.On July 21, 2018, the Athletics set a Coliseum record for the largest attendance with a crowd of 56,310 when the team hosted to the San Francisco Giants.

Prior stadium proposals

Oakland

Main article:Oakland Ballpark

Since the early 2000s, the A's have been in talks with Oakland and otherNorthern Californiacities about building a new baseball-only stadium. The team had said it wanted to remain in Oakland. A 2017 plan would have placed a new 35,000 seat A's stadium nearLaney Collegeand the Eastlake neighborhood on the site of the Peralta Community College District's administration buildings. The plan was announced by team presidentDave Kavalin September 2017.However, three months later, negotiations abruptly ended.On November 28, 2018, the Athletics announced that the team had chosen to build its new 34,000-seat ballpark at the Howard Terminal site at thePort of Oakland.The team also announced its intent to purchase the Coliseum site and renovate it into a tech and housing hub, preservingOakland Arenaand reducing the Coliseum to a low-rise sports park as San Francisco did withKezar Stadium.In April 2023, the City of Oakland ended discussions with the Athletics organization after the announcement of a new ballpark in Las Vegas, amid widespread claims that the team was not negotiating in good faith and was using the proposed site in Oakland to leverage a better deal in Las Vegas instead of any real intention to stay within the city.

Fremont

On November 7, 2006, the news media announced the Athletics would be leaving Oakland as early as 2010 for a new stadium in Fremont, confirmed the next day by the Fremont City Council. The plan was strongly supported by Fremont MayorBob Wasserman.The team would have played inCisco Field,a 32,000-seat, baseball-only facility.The proposed ballpark would have been part of a larger "ballpark village" which would have included retail and residential development. On February 24, 2009, however, Lew Wolff released an open letter announcing the end of his efforts to relocate the A's to Fremont, citing "real and threatened" delays to the project.The project faced opposition from some in the community who thought the relocation of the A's to Fremont would increase traffic problems in the city and decrease property values near the ballpark site.

San Jose

In 2009, the City ofSan Joseattempted to open negotiations with the team regarding a move to the city. Although land south ofDiridon Stationwould be acquired by the city as a stadium site, theSan Francisco Giants' claim onSanta Clara Countyas part of their home territory would have to be settled before any agreement could be made.

By 2010, San Jose was "aggressively wooing" A's ownerLew Wolff,the city as the team's "best option", but Major League Baseball CommissionerBud Seligsaid he would await a report on whether the team could move to the area, because of the Giants conflict.In September 2010, 75Silicon ValleyCEOs drafted and signed a letter to Bud Selig urging a timely approval of the move to San Jose.In May 2011, San Jose MayorChuck Reedsent a letter to Bud Selig asking the commissioner for a timetable of when he might decide whether the A's can pursue this new ballpark, but Selig did not respond.

Selig addressed the San Jose issue via an online town hall forum held in July 2011, saying, "Well, the latest is, I have a small committee who has really assessed that whole situation, Oakland, San Francisco, and it is complex. You talk about complex situations; they have done a terrific job. I know there are some people who think it's taken too long and I understand that. I'm willing to accept that. But you make decisions like this; I've always said, you'd better be careful. Better to get it done right than to get it done fast. But we'll make a decision that's based on logic and reason at the proper time."

On June 18, 2013, the City of San Jose filed suit against Selig, seeking the court's ruling that Major League Baseball may not prevent the Oakland A's from moving to San Jose.Wolff criticized the lawsuit, stating he did not believe business disputes should be settled through legal action.

Most of the city's claims were dismissed in October 2013, but a U.S. District Judge ruled that San Jose could move forward with its claim that MLB illegally interfered with a land agreement between the city and the A's. On January 15, 2015, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the claims were barred by baseball's antitrust exemption, established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1922 and upheld in 1953 and 1972. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo commented that the city would seek a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.On October 5, 2015, the United States Supreme Court rejected San Jose's case.

Planned relocation to Las Vegas

Main articles:New Las Vegas StadiumandOakland Athletics relocation to Las Vegas

On November 16, 2023, the Athletics' move to Las Vegas was unanimously approved by MLB team owners.According to the team, the new Las Vegas ballpark will not be completed until 2028. The lease to theOakland Coliseumexpires after the 2024 season. Before the scheduled move to Las Vegas in 2028, the team will play inWest Sacramento, CaliforniaatSutter Health Park(home of theSan Francisco Giants'Triple-Aaffiliate, theSacramento River Cats) for the 2025–2027 seasons (with an option for the 2028 season if necessary).While in West Sacramento the team plans on being referred to as simply the "A's" and "Athletics," with no city name attached.

On May 23, the city of Oakland officially announced its plan to sell its one-half share in the existing 155-acre Oakland Coliseum complex for a minimum of $105 million to the African American Sports & Entertainment Group, whose plans for the site include residential and commercial uses.

Rivalries

San Francisco Giants

See also:Bay Bridge Series

The Bay Bridge Series is the name of a series of games played between (and the rivalry of) the A's andSan Francisco Giantsof theNational League.The series takes its name from theSan Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridgewhich links the cities ofOaklandand San Francisco. Although competitive, the regional rivalry between the A's and Giants is considered a friendly one with mostly mutual companionship between the fans, as opposed toWhite Sox–Cubs,orYankees–Metsgames where animosity runs high. Hats displaying both teams on the cap are sold from vendors at the games, and once in a while the teams both dress in original team uniforms from the early era of baseball. The series is also occasionally referred to as the "BART Series" for theBay Area Rapid Transitsystem that links Oakland to San Francisco. However, the name "BART Series" has never been popular beyond a small selection of history books and national broadcasters and has fallen out of favor. Bay Area locals almost exclusively refer to the rivalry as the "Battle of the Bay".

Originally, the term described a series of exhibition games played between the two clubs after the conclusion of spring training, immediately prior to the start of the regular season. It was first used to refer to the1989 World Seriesin which the Athletics won their most recent championship and the first time the teams had met since they moved to theSan Francisco Bay Area(and the first time they had met since the A's also defeated the Giants in the1913 World Series). Today, it also refers to games played between the teams during the regular season since the commencement ofinterleague playin 1997. Through the 2021 regular season, the Athletics have won 71 games, and the Giants have won 65 contests.

Through the 2021 season, the A's also have edges on the Giants in terms of overall postseason appearances (21–13), division titles (17–10) and World Series titles (4–3) since both teams moved to the Bay Area, even though the Giants franchise moved there a decade earlier than the A's did.

On March 24, 2018, the Oakland A's announced that for the Sunday, March 25, 2018, exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants, A's fans would be charged $30 for parking and Giants fans would be charged $50. However, the A's stated that Giants fans could receive $20 off if they shout "Go A's" at the parking gates.

In 2018, the Athletics and Giants started battling for a "Bay Bridge" Trophymade from steel taken from theold east spanof the Bay Bridge, which was taken down after the new span was opened in 2013.The A's won the inaugural season with the trophy, allowing them to place their logo atop its Bay Bridge stand.

Los Angeles Angels

See also:Angels–Athletics rivalry

The A's have held a rivalry with theLos Angeles Angelssince their relocation to California and to the AL West in 1969. The A's and Angels have often competed for the division title.The peak of the rivalry was during the early part of the millennium as both teams were perennial contenders. During the 2002 season, the A's famous "Moneyball" tactics led them to a league record 20-game winning streak, knocking the Angels out of the first seed in the division. The A's finished 4 games ahead while the Angels secured the Wild Card berth.Despite the 103-win season for Oakland, they lost to the underdog Minnesota Twins in the ALDS. The Angels beat the heavily favored New York Yankees, then beat the Twins, and then won the2002 World Series.During the 2004 season, the teams were tied for wins headed into the final week of September with the last three games being played in Oakland against the Angels.Both teams were battling to secure the lowest remaining wild card spot. Oakland lost two of the three games to the Angels, and they were eliminated from the playoff hunt. The Angels were swept in the playoffs by the eventual champion Boston Red Sox.The Athletics lead the series 527–479, and the two teams have yet to meet in the postseason.

Philadelphia Phillies (historic)

See also:City Series (Philadelphia)

The City Series was the name of baseball games played between the Philadelphia Athletics and thePhiladelphia Philliesof theNational League,that ran from 1903 through 1955. After the A's move toKansas Cityin 1955, the City Series rivalry came to an end. Since the introduction of interleague play in 1997, the teams have since faced each other during the regular season (with the first games taking place in 2003) but the rivalry had effectively died in the intervening years since the A's left Philadelphia. In 2014, when the A's faced the Phillies in inter-league play at the Oakland Coliseum, the Athletics did not bother to mark the historical connection, going so far as to have a Connie Mack promotion the day before the series while the Texas Rangers were in Oakland.

The first City Series was held in 1883 between thePhilliesand theAmerican AssociationPhiladelphia Athletics.When the Athletics first joined theAmerican League,the two teams played each other in a spring and fall series. No City Series was held in 1901 and 1902 due to legal warring between the National League and American League.

Achievements

Awards

Main article:Oakland Athletics award winners and league leaders

• The Athletics give out an award named theCatfish Hunter Awardsince 2004 for the most inspirational Athletic.

Hall of Famers

Main article:List of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame

Oakland Athletics Hall of Famers
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Philadelphia Athletics Home Run Baker* Chief Bender* Ty Cobb Mickey Cochrane* Eddie Collins Jimmy Collins Stan Coveleski Elmer Flick Nellie Fox Jimmie Foxx* Lefty Grove* Waite Hoyt George Kell Nap Lajoie Connie Mack* Herb Pennock Eddie Plank* Al Simmons* Tris Speaker Rube Waddell* Zack Wheat Kansas City Athletics Luke Appling Lou Boudreau Whitey Herzog Tommy Lasorda Satchel Paige Enos Slaughter Oakland Athletics Harold Baines Orlando Cepeda Dennis Eckersley* Rollie Fingers* Goose Gossage Rickey Henderson* Catfish Hunter* Reggie Jackson* Tony La Russa Willie McCovey Joe Morgan Mike Piazza Tim Raines Don Sutton Frank Thomas Billy Williams Dick Williams Players and managers listed inboldare depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a Athletics cap insignia. * Philadelphia / Kansas City / Oakland Athletics listed as primary team according to the Hall of Fame

Ford C. Frick Award recipients

Oakland AthleticsFord C. Frick Awardrecipients
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Harry Caray Herb Carneal Al Helfer Bill King By Saam Lon Simmons Names in boldreceived the award based primarily on their work as broadcasters for the Athletics.

Retired numbers

See also:List of Major League Baseball retired numbers

The Athletics have retired six numbers; additionally,Walter A. Haas, Jr.,owner of the team from 1980 until his death in 1995, was honored by the retirement of the letter "A". Of the six players with retired numbers, five were retired for their play with the Athletics and one, 42, was universally retired by Major League Baseball when they honored the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier. No A's player from the Philadelphia era has his number retired by the organization. Though Jackson and Hunter played small portions of their careers in Kansas City, no player that played the majority of his years in the Kansas City era has his number retired either. The A's have retired only the numbers of Hall-of-Famers who played large portions of their careers in Oakland. The Athletics have all of the numbers of the Hall-of-Fame players from the Philadelphia Athletics displayed at their stadium, as well as all of the years that the Philadelphia Athletics won World Championships (1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, and 1930).Dave Stewartwas about to have his #34 jersey retired by the Oakland Athletics in 2020, but the ceremony was postponed until further notice, due to theCOVID-19pandemic. Questions were raised if there would be a formal ceremony after no news about a reschedule happened in 2021 before it was announced in April 2022 that Stewart would have his jersey retired on September 11, 2022.Stewart broke the A's tradition in that his number was a re-retirement, as well as his not being in the Hall of Fame.

Reggie Jackson RF RetiredMay 22, 2004 Rickey Henderson LF RetiredAugust 1, 2009 Catfish Hunter P RetiredJune 9, 1991 Rollie Fingers P RetiredJuly 5, 1993 Dave Stewart P RetiredSeptember 11, 2022 Dennis Eckersley P RetiredAugust 13, 2005 Walter A. Haas, Jr. Owner Honored 1995 Jackie Robinson All MLB RetiredApril 15, 1997

Athletics Hall of Fame

On September 5, 2018, the Athletics held a ceremony to induct seven members into the inaugural class of the team's Hall of Fame. Each member was honored with an unveiling of a painting in their likeness and a bright green jacket. Hunter, who died in 1999, was represented by his widow, while Finley, who died in 1996, was represented by his son. If the team ever gets a new stadium, a physical site will be designated for the Hall of Fame, as the Coliseum does not have enough space for a full-fledged exhibit.In August 2021, it was announced that playersSal Bando,Eric Chavez,Joe Rudi,director of player development Keith Lieppman, and clubhouse manager Steve "Vuc" Vucinich would be part of the class of 2022; in November 2021,Ray Fosse,who had died the previous month, was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame.The Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2023, to be inducted August 6, featured playersJason Giambi,Carney LansfordandGene Tenace,and longtime public address announcer Roy Steele.

Key

Bold	Member of theBaseball Hall of Fame
†	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as an Athletic
Bold	Recipient of the Hall of Fame'sFord C. Frick Award

Athletics Hall of Fame
Year	No.	Player	Position	Tenure
2018	43	Dennis Eckersley†	P	1987–1995
	32, 38, 34	Rollie Fingers†	P	1968–1976
	39, 35, 22, 24	Rickey Henderson†	LF	1979–1984 1989–1993 1994–1995 1998
	27	Catfish Hunter	P	1965–1974
	9, 44	Reggie Jackson	RF	1967–1975 1987
	34, 35	Dave Stewart	P	1986–1992 1995
	—	Charlie Finley	Owner General Manager	1960–1981
2019	10, 11, 22, 29, 42	Tony La Russa	IF Manager	1963 1968–1971 1986–1995
	14, 17, 21, 28, 35	Vida Blue	P	1969–1977
	19	Bert "Campy" Campaneris	SS	1964–1976
	25	Mark McGwire	1B	1986–1997
	—	Walter A. Haas, Jr.	Owner	1981–1995
2021	—	City of Oakland	Fans	1968–present
2022	30, 3	Eric Chavez	3B	1998–2010
	6	Sal Bando	3B	1966–1976
	15, 45, 8, 36, 26	Joe Rudi	LF/1B	1967–1976 1982
	10	Ray Fosse	C Broadcaster	1973–1975 1986–2021
	—	Keith Lieppman	Director of Player Development	1971–present
	—	Steve Vucinich	Clubhouse manager	1966–present
2023	16	Jason Giambi	LF/1B	1995–2001 2009
	5, 4	Carney Lansford	3B	1983–1992
	24, 38, 18	Gene Tenace	C/1B	1969–1976
	—	Roy Steele	Public address announcer	1968–2005 2007–2008

Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame

Dave Stewart,Oakland Athletics pitcher from 1986 to 1992 and 1995

Main article:Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame

17 members of the Athletics organization have been honored with induction into theBay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

Athletics in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
No.	Player	Position	Tenure	Notes
12	Dusty Baker	OF	1985–1986
14, 17, 21, 28, 35	Vida Blue	P	1969–1977
19	Bert "Campy" Campaneris	SS	1964–1976
12	Orlando Cepeda	1B	1972	Elected mainly on his performance withSan Francisco Giants
4, 6, 10, 14	Sam Chapman	CF	1938–1941 1945–1951	Born and raised inTiburon, California
43	Dennis Eckersley	P	1987–1995	Grew up inFremont, California
32, 34, 38	Rollie Fingers	P	1968–1976
—	Walter A. Haas, Jr.	Owner	1981–1995	Grew up in San Francisco, California, attendedUC Berkeley
24	Rickey Henderson	LF	1979–1984 1989–1993 1994–1995 1998	Raised inOakland, California
27	Catfish Hunter	P	1965–1974
9, 31, 44	Reggie Jackson	RF	1968–1975 1987
1	Eddie Joost	SS Manager	1947–1954 1954	Born and raised in San Francisco, California
10, 11, 22, 29, 42	Tony La Russa	IF Manager	1963 1968–1971 1986–1995
1, 4	Billy Martin	2B Manager	1957 1980–1982	Elected mainly on his performance withNew York Yankees,Born inBerkeley, California
44	Willie McCovey	1B	1976	Elected mainly on his performance withSan Francisco Giants
8	Joe Morgan	2B	1984	Elected mainly on his performance withCincinnati Reds,raised inOakland, California
19	Dave Righetti	P	1994	Born and raised inSan Jose, California
34	Dave Stewart	P	1986–1992 1995	Born and raised inOakland, California

Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame

See also:Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame

The Athletics have all of the numbers of the Hall-of-Fame players from the Philadelphia Athletics displayed at their stadium, as well as all of the years that the Philadelphia Athletics won World Championships (1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, and 1930).

Also, from 1978 to 2003 (except 1983), thePhiladelphia Philliesinducted one former Athletic (and one former Phillie) each year into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame at the then-existingVeterans Stadium.25 Athletics have been honored. In March 2004, after Veterans Stadium was replaced by the newCitizens Bank Park,the Athletics' plaques were relocated to the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society inHatboro, Pennsylvania,and a single plaque listing all of the A's inductees was attached to a statue ofConnie Mackthat is located across the street from Citizens Bank Park.

Key

Year	Year inducted
Bold	Member of theBaseball Hall of Fame
†	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of the A's
Bold	Recipient of the Hall of Fame'sFord C. Frick Award

Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame
No.	Player	Position	Tenure	Inducted
—	Frank "Home Run" Baker†	3B	1908–1914	1993
—	Charles "Chief" Bender†	P	1903–1914	1991
4, 6, 10, 14	Sam Chapman	CF	1938–1951	1999
2	Mickey Cochrane	C	1925–1933	1982
—	Eddie Collins	2B	1906–1914 1927–1930	1987
—	Jack Coombs	P	1906–1914	1992
5	Jimmy Dykes	3B/2B Coach Manager	1918–1932 1940–1950 1951–1953	1984
11	George Earnshaw	P	1928–1933	2000
5, 8	Ferris Fain	1B	1947–1952	1997
2, 3, 4	Jimmie Foxx	1B	1925–1935	1979
10	Lefty Grove	P	1925–1933	1980
4, 7, 26	"Indian Bob" Johnson	LF	1933–1942	1989
1	Eddie Joost	SS Manager	1947–1954 1954	1995
—	Connie Mack†	Manager Owner	1901–1950 1901–1954	1978
9, 27	Bing Miller	RF	1922–1926 1928–1934	1998
1, 2, 9, 19	Wally Moses	RF	1935–1941 1949–1951	1988
—	Rube Oldring	CF	1906–1916 1918	2003
—	Eddie Plank†	P	1901–1914	1985
14	Eddie Rommel	P	1920–1932	1996
21, 30	Bobby Shantz	P	1949–1954	1994
6, 7, 28, 32	Al Simmons†	LF Coach	1924–1932 1940–1941, 1944 1940–1945	1981
10, 15, 21, 35, 38	Elmer Valo	RF	1940–1954	1990
—	Rube Waddell†	P	1902–1907	1986
12	Rube Walberg	P	1923–1933	2002
6, 19, 30	Gus Zernial	LF	1951–1954	2001

Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame

Main article:Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame

Athletics in the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
No.	Name	Position	Tenure	Inducted	Notes
—	Connie Mack	Manager Owner	1901–1950 1901–1954	2004
2, 3, 4	Jimmie Foxx	1B	1925–1935	2004
10	Lefty Grove	P	1925–1933	2005
6, 7, 28, 32	Al Simmons	LF Coach	1924–1932 1940–1941, 1944 1940–1945	2006
2	Mickey Cochrane	C	1925–1933	2007
—	Eddie Collins	2B	1906–1914 1927–1930	2009
21, 30	Bobby Shantz	P	1949–1954	2010
5	Jimmy Dykes	3B/2B Coach Manager	1918–1932 1940–1950 1951–1953	2011	Born in Philadelphia
—	Eddie Plank	P	1901–1914	2012
—	Charles "Chief" Bender	P	1903–1914	2014
—	Herb Pennock	P	1912–1915	2014	Elected mainly on his performance withNew York Yankees
—	By Saam	Broadcaster	1938–1954	2014
4, 7, 26	Bob Johnson	LF	1933–1942	2017
—	Home Run Baker	3B	1908–1914	2019

Team captains

• 6Sal Bando,3B, 1969–1976

Season-by-season records

Main article:List of Oakland Athletics seasons

The records of the Athletics' last ten seasons inMajor League Baseballare listed below.

Season	Wins	Losses	Win %	Place	Playoffs
2014	88	74	.543	2nd in AL West	LostALWCvs.Kansas City Royals,9–8
2015	68	94	.420	5th in AL West
2016	69	93	.426	5th in AL West
2017	75	87	.463	5th in AL West
2018	97	65	.599	2nd in AL West	LostALWCvs.New York Yankees,7–2
2019	97	65	.599	2nd in AL West	LostALWCvs.Tampa Bay Rays,5–1
2020	36	24	.600	1st in AL West	LostALDSvs.Houston Astros,3–1
2021	86	76	.531	3rd in AL West
2022	60	102	.370	5th in AL West
2023	50	112	.309	5th in AL West
10-Year Record	822	858	.489	—	—
All-Time Record	9,260	9,766	.487	—	—

Philadelphia

• Columbia Park(1901–1908)
• Shibe Park(1909–1954)

Kansas City

• Municipal Stadium(1955–1967)

Oakland

• Oakland Coliseum(1968–present)
  • Cashman FieldinLas Vegas, Nevada(April1996for six games due to renovations at Oakland Coliseum)

Roster

See also:Oakland Athletics all-time roster

Oakland Athletics roster
Active roster				Inactive roster		Coaches/Other
Pitchers Starting rotation 68Joey Estes 63Hogan Harris 38JP Sears 40Mitch Spence Bullpen 29Austin Adams 54Scott Alexander 45Osvaldo Bido 70Lucas Erceg 65Tyler Ferguson 48T. J. McFarland 39Kyle Muller 47Michel Otañez Closer(s) 19Mason Miller		Catchers 23Shea Langeliers 52Kyle McCann Infielders 50Armando Alvarez 20Zack Gelof 77Brett Harris 26Tyler Nevin 12Max Schuemann Outfielders 22Miguel Andújar 33JJ Bleday 15Seth Brown 4Lawrence Butler 28Daz Cameron Designated hitters 25Brent Rooker		Pitchers 66Brady Basso 35Joe Boyle 56Dany Jiménez 46Luis Medina 37Jack O'Loughlin 81Royber Salinas 36Ross Stripling Catchers 21Tyler Soderstrom Infielders 10Nick Allen 49Ryan Noda 31Abraham Toro Outfielders 1Esteury Ruiz		Manager 7Mark Kotsay Coaches 18Mike Aldrete(hitting) 51Darren Bush(bench) 90Wilkin Castillo(bullpen catcher) 41Chris Cron(assistant hitting) 8Bobby Crosby(first base) 14Scott Emerson(pitching) 88Ramón Hernández(coach and interpreter) 71Dan Hubbs(bullpen) 91Dustin Hughes(bullpen catcher) 59Marcus Jensen(quality control) 3Eric Martins(third base) 60-day injured list 58Paul Blackburn 17Trevor Gott 2Darell Hernáiz 30Ken Waldichuk 57Alex Wood Restricted list 47Michael Kelly 26 active, 12 inactive 7-, 10-, or 15-dayinjured list #Personal leave Rosterandcoachesupdated July 13, 2024 Transactions •Depth chart →All MLB rosters

Minor league affiliations

Main article:List of Oakland Athletics minor league affiliates

The Oakland Athleticsfarm systemconsists of sixminor leagueaffiliates.

Class	Team	League	Location	Ballpark	Affiliated
Triple-A	Las Vegas Aviators	Pacific Coast League	Summerlin, Nevada	Las Vegas Ballpark	2019
Double-A	Midland RockHounds	Texas League	Midland, Texas	Momentum Bank Ballpark	1999
High-A	Lansing Lugnuts	Midwest League	Lansing, Michigan	Jackson Field	2021
Single-A	Stockton Ports	California League	Stockton, California	Banner Island Ballpark	2005
Rookie	ACL Athletics	Arizona Complex League	Mesa, Arizona	Fitch Park	1988
	DSL Athletics	Dominican Summer League	Boca Chica,Santo Domingo	Juan Marichal Complex	1989

Radio and television

See also:List of Oakland Athletics broadcasters

As of the 2020 season, the Oakland Athletics have had 14 radio homes.The Athletics'flagshipradio station isKNEWand the team has a free live 24/7 exclusive A's station branded asA's Castto stream the radio broadcast within the Athletics market and other A's programming viaiHeartRadio.Going into the 2020 season, the Athletics had a deal withTuneInfor A's Cast and no flagship radio station in the Bay Area but changed their plans due to theCOVID-19 pandemickeeping fans from attending games.The announcing team featuresKen KorachandVince Cotroneo.

Television coverage is exclusively onNBC Sports California.Some A's games air on an alternate feed of NBCS, called NBCS Plus, if the main channel shows aSacramento KingsorSan Jose Sharksgame at the same time. On TV,Jenny Cavnarcoversplay-by-play,andDallas Bradenprovidescolor commentary.Some games would featureChris Carayon play-by-play; Caray is a fourth-generation baseball announcer that included great-grandfatherHarry Caray,grandfatherSkip Caray,and fatherChip Caray.

In popular culture

The 2003Michael LewisbookMoneyballchronicles the2002 Oakland Athletics season,with a focus onBilly Beane's economic approach to managing the organization under significant financial constraints. Beginning in June 2003, the book remained onThe New York TimesBest Seller listfor 18 consecutive weeks, peaking at number 2.In 2011,Columbia Picturesreleased afilm adaptationbased on Lewis' book, which featuredBrad Pittplaying the role of Beane. On September 19, 2011, the U.S. premiere ofMoneyballwas held at theParamount Theatrein Oakland, which featured a green carpet for attendees to walk, rather than the traditionalred carpet.

The blog that spawned the full-fledged popular sports blog siteSBNationwas dedicated to the Oakland Athletics.

Eric Shaun Lynch,a former member ofThe Howard Stern Show'sWack Packwho went by the name "Eric the Actor" (and previously, "Eric the Midget" ), was a huge fan of the Athletics and would occasionally talk about them on Stern's show. Following his death in September 2014, the team broadcasters offered a tribute by using Lynch's signature sign off "bye for now" at the end of an Athletics game broadcast. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when American baseball teams were using cutouts of fans to show solidarity in their absence, the Athletics placed a cutout of Lynch among other cutouts of the team's fans.

See also

• Oakland Athletics award winners and league leaders
• List of Oakland Athletics first-round draft picks
• List of Oakland Athletics managers
• List of Oakland Athletics no-hitters
• List of Oakland Athletics Opening Day starting pitchers
• List of Oakland Athletics owners and executives
• List of Oakland Athletics team records

Further reading

• Bergman, Ron.Mustache Gang: The Swaggering Tale of Oakland's A's.Dell Publishing Co., New York, 1973.
• Dickey, Glenn.Champions: The Story of the First Two Oakland A's Dynasties—and the Building of the Third.Triumph Books, Chicago, 2002.ISBN1-57243-421-X
• Jordan, David M.The Athletics of Philadelphia: Connie Mack's White Elephants, 1901–1954.McFarland & Co., Jefferson NC, 1999.ISBN0-7864-0620-8.
• Katz, Jeff. "The Kansas City A's & The Wrong Half of the Yankees." Maple Street Press, Hingham, Massachusetts, 2006.ISBN978-0-9777436-5-0.
• Kuklick, Bruce.To Everything a Season: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia 1909–1976.Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ, 1991.ISBN0-691-04788-X.
• Lewis, Michael.Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., New York, 2003.ISBN0-393-05765-8.
• Markusen, Bruce.Baseball's Last Dynasty: Charlie Finley's Oakland A's.Master Press, Indianapolis, 1998.
• Peterson, John E.The Kansas City Athletics: A Baseball History 1954–1967.McFarland & Co., Jefferson NC, 1999.ISBN0-7864-1610-6.
• Slusser, Susan.100 Things A's Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.Triumph Books, Chicago, 2015.ISBN978-1629370682.

External links

• Oakland Athletics official website
• Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society
• Oakland Athletics stats and minor league statisticsArchivedJuly 14, 2008, at theWayback Machine
• Sports E-Cyclopedia
• Oakland A's prospect information

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Pittsburgh Pirates 1909	World Series champions Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911	Succeeded by Boston Red Sox 1912
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 1912	World Series champions Philadelphia Athletics 1913	Succeeded by Boston Braves 1914
Preceded by New York Yankees 1927–1928	World Series champions Philadelphia Athletics 1929–1930	Succeeded by St. Louis Cardinals 1931
Preceded by Pittsburgh Pirates 1971	World Series champions Oakland Athletics 1972–1974	Succeeded by Cincinnati Reds 1975–1976
Preceded by Los Angeles Dodgers 1988	World Series champions Oakland Athletics 1989	Succeeded by Cincinnati Reds 1990
Preceded by Chicago White Sox 1901	American League champions Philadelphia Athletics 1902	Succeeded by Boston Americans 1903
Preceded by Boston Americans 1903	American League champions Philadelphia Athletics 1905	Succeeded by Chicago White Sox 1906
Preceded by Detroit Tigers 1907–1909	American League champions Philadelphia Athletics 1910–1911	Succeeded by Boston Red Sox 1912
Preceded by Boston Red Sox 1912	American League champions Philadelphia Athletics 1913–1914	Succeeded by Boston Red Sox 1915
Preceded by New York Yankees 1926–1928	American League champions Philadelphia Athletics 1929–1931	Succeeded by New York Yankees 1932
Preceded by Baltimore Orioles 1969–1971	American League champions Oakland Athletics 1972–1974	Succeeded by Boston Red Sox 1975
Preceded by Minnesota Twins 1987	American League champions Oakland Athletics 1988–1990	Succeeded by Minnesota Twins 1991