1972 Oakland Athletics season

Last updated

1972  Oakland Athletics
World Series Champion
American League Champion
American League West Division Champion
League American League
Division West
Ballpark Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
City Oakland, California
Record93–62 (60%)
Owner Charles O. Finley
Manager Dick Williams
Television KBHK-TV
Radio KEEN
(Monte Moore, Jim Woods)
←  1971 Seasons 1973  →

The 1972 Oakland Athletics season was the 72nd season OF the Oakland Athletics franchise on Major League Baseball (MLB), all as member of the American League, and their 5th season in Oakland. The Athletics won the American League West Division with a record of 93 wins and 62 losses. In the playoffs, they defeated the Detroit Tigers in a five-game ALCS, followed by a seven-game World Series, in which they defeated the Cincinnati Reds for their sixth overall World Championship and first since 1930, when the club was in Philadelphia.

Contents

Offseason

Round 9: Rich Dauer (did not sign)
Round 10: Bob Lacey

Regular season

In 1972, the A's began wearing solid green or solid gold jerseys, with contrasting white pants, at a time when most other teams wore all-white uniforms at home and all-grey ones on the road. Similar to more colorful amateur softball uniforms, they were considered a radical departure for their time.

Furthermore, in conjunction with a Moustache Day promotion, Finley offered $300 to any player who grew a moustache by Father's Day, at a time when every other team traditionally forbade facial hair. When Father's Day arrived on Sunday, June 18, every player on the 25-man roster collected a bonus. [6] [7]

Changing the nickname

The nickname "A's" has long been used interchangeably with "Athletics", dating to the team's early days when headline writers wanted a way to shorten the name. Starting in 1972, the team nickname was officially "Oakland A's." The Commissioner's Trophy, given out annually to the winner of baseball's World 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 himself. The name also vaguely suggested the name of the old minor league Oakland Oaks, which were alternatively called the "Acorns".

Season standings

AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 9362.600—48‍–‍2945‍–‍33
Chicago White Sox 8767.5655½55‍–‍2332‍–‍44
Minnesota Twins 7777.50015½42‍–‍3235‍–‍45
Kansas City Royals 7678.49416½44‍–‍3332‍–‍45
California Angels 7580.4841844‍–‍3631‍–‍44
Texas Rangers 54100.35138½31‍–‍4623‍–‍54

Record vs. opponents

1972 American League records

Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKTEX
Baltimore —7–116–68–48–1010–86–610–56–67–66–66–6
Boston 11–7—8–46–68–75–96–611–74–89–99–38–4
California 6–64–8—7–118–45–79–67–57–84–88–1010–7
Chicago 4–86–611–7—8–45–78–99–38–67–57–814–4
Cleveland 10–87–84–84–8—10–86–65–108–47–112–109–3
Detroit 8–109–57–57–58–10—7–510–89–37–94–810–2
Kansas City 6–66–66–99–86–65–7—7–59–97–57–118–6
Milwaukee 5–107–115–73–910–58–105–7—4–89–94–85–7
Minnesota 6–68–48–76–84–83–99–98–4—6–68–911–7
New York 6–79–98–45–711–79–75–79–96–6—3–98–4
Oakland 6–63–910–88–710–28–411–78–49–89–3—11–4
Texas 6–64–87–104–143–92–106–87–57–114–84–11—

Opening Day Lineup

Opening Day Starters
#NamePosition
19 Bert Campaneris SS
26 Joe Rudi LF
9 Reggie Jackson RF
6 Sal Bando 3B
5 Mike Epstein 1B
15 Bobby Brooks CF
10 Dave Duncan C
22 Dick Green 2B
30 Ken Holtzman P

[8]

Notable transactions

Round 1: Chet Lemon
Round 9: Dennis Littlejohn (did not sign) [13]
Round 12: Chris Batton [14]
Round 15: Bob Pate (did not play)

Roster

1972 Oakland Athletics
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting


= Indicates league leader

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Dave Duncan 12140388.2181959
1B Mike Epstein 138455123.2702670
2B Tim Cullen 7214237.261015
3B Sal Bando 152535126.2361577
SS Bert Campaneris 149625150.240832
LF Joe Rudi 147593181.3051975
CF Reggie Jackson 135499132.2652575
RF Ángel Mangual 9127267.246532

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Gene Tenace 8222751.225532
Larry Brown 4714226.18304
Matty Alou 3212134.281116
George Hendrick 5812122.182415
Bill Voss 409722.22715
Ted Kubiak 519417.18108
Mike Hegan 987926.32915
Don Mincher 47548.14805
Ollie Brown 205413.24114
Dick Green 264212.28603
Marty Martínez 22405.12501
Bobby Brooks 15397.17905
Dal Maxvill 27369.25001
Brant Alyea 20316.19412
Gonzalo Márquez 23218.38104
Ron Clark 14154.26701
Curt Blefary 8115.45501
Adrian Garrett 14110.00000
Allan Lewis 24102.20002
Bill McNulty 4101.10000
Art Shamsky 870.00000
Dwain Anderson 370.00000
Larry Haney 540.00000
Orlando Cepeda 330.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Catfish Hunter 38295.12172.04191
Ken Holtzman 39265.119112.51134
Blue Moon Odom 31194.11562.5086
Vida Blue 25151.06102.80111
Denny McLain 522.1126.048

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Dave Hamilton 25101.1662.9355
Joe Horlen 3284.0343.0058
Diego Seguí 722.2013.5711

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Rollie Fingers 65119212.51113
Bob Locker 5661102.6547
Darold Knowles 5451111.3736
Gary Waslewski 80302.048
Don Shaw 301016.884
Jim Roland 20003.860
Mike Kilkenny 10000.000

Postseason

ALCS

Game 1

October 7, 1972, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Team1234567891011RHE
Detroit01000000001262
Oakland001000000023101
W: Rollie Fingers (1–0)   L: Mickey Lolich (0–1)   
HR: DET – Norm Cash (1), Al Kaline (1)

Game 2

October 8, 1972, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Team123456789RHE
Detroit000000000031
Oakland10004000X580
W: Blue Moon Odom (1–0)   L: Woodie Fryman (0–1)   
HR: None

Game 3

October 10, 1972, at Tiger Stadium

Team123456789RHE
Oakland000000000070
Detroit00020001X381
W: Joe Coleman (1–0)   L: Ken Holtzman (0–1)   
HR: DET – Bill Freehan (1)

Game 4

October 11, 1972, at Tiger Stadium

Team12345678910RHE
Oakland0000001002392
Detroit00100000034101
W: John Hiller (1–0)   L: Bob Locker (0–1)  
HR: OAK – Mike Epstein (1) DET – Dick McAuliffe (1)

Game 5

October 12, 1972, at Tiger Stadium

Team123456789RHE
Oakland010100000240
Detroit100000000152
W: Blue Moon Odom (2–0)   L: Woodie Fryman (0–2)   S: Vida Blue (1)
HR: None

World Series

In 1972, the A's won their first league pennant since 1931 and faced the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. The A's seven-game victory over the heavily favored Reds gave the team its first World Series championship since 1930.

Of the four wins against the Reds, three of them occurred in Cincinnati, and all four Series victories were by a single run. Gene Tenace hit four home runs and drove in nine runs to power the A's offense, and was named the series Most Valuable Player.

Composite Box

1972 World Series (4–3): Oakland Athletics (A.L.) over Cincinnati Reds (N.L.)

Team123456789RHE
Oakland Athletics16113200216469
Cincinnati Reds11033164221465
Total Attendance: 363,149   Average Attendance: 51,878
Winning Player's Share: – $20,705,   Losing Player's Share– $15,080 *Includes Playoffs and World Series

Awards and honors

League leaders

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Iowa Oaks American Association Sherm Lollar
AA Birmingham A's Southern League Phil Cavarretta
A Burlington Bees Midwest League Harry Bright
A-Short Season Coos Bay-North Bend A's Northwest League Grover Resinger

References

  1. ↑ "Rick Monday Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Brant Alyea page at Baseball Reference
  3. ↑ Steve Hovley page at Baseball Reference
  4. ↑ 1972 Oakland Athletics Picks in the MLB January Amateur Draft
  5. 1 2 Denny McLain page at Baseball Reference
  6. ↑ "Oakland A's shut out Cleveland Indians 9-0". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. June 19, 1972. p. 11.
  7. ↑ Bock, Hal (June 19, 1972). "Blue given bat support in first win". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 22.
  8. ↑ 1972 Opening Day Lineup at Baseball-Reference
  9. ↑ Tim Cullen page at Baseball Reference
  10. ↑ Don Shaw page at Baseball Reference
  11. ↑ Curt Blefary page at Baseball Reference
  12. ↑ 1972 Oakland Athletics Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft
  13. ↑ Dennis Littlejohn page at Baseball Reference
  14. ↑ Chris Batton page at Baseball Reference
  15. ↑ Diego Segui page at Baseball Reference
  16. ↑ Vic Harris page at Baseball Reference
  17. ↑ Dal Maxvill page at Baseball Reference
  18. ↑ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 96, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN   978-0-451-22363-0
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