1974 Oakland Athletics season

Last updated

1974  Oakland Athletics
World Series Champions
American League Champions
American League West Champions
League American League
Division West
Ballpark Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
City Oakland, California
Record90–72 (.556)
Divisional place1st
Owners Charles O. Finley
Managers Alvin Dark
Television KTVU
Radio KEEN
(Monte Moore, Jon Miller)
←  1973 Seasons 1975  →

The 1974 Oakland Athletics season was the 74th season for the Oakland Athletics franchise, all as members of the American League, and their 7th season in Oakland. The Athletics won their fourth consecutive American League West title with a record of 90 wins and 72 losses. In the playoffs, the A's defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS for their third straight AL pennant, and in the World Series, the first ever played entirely on the West Coast, defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to take their third consecutive World Series championship. Paid attendance for the season was 845,693. [1]

Contents

In early 1974, owner Charlie Finley tried to sell the team with an asking price of $15 million. [2] [3]

Offseason

Regular season

The pinch runner

In 1974, "Hurricane" Herb Washington was tapped by Oakland owner Charlie Finley to become the A's "designated runner." Despite having no professional baseball experience, and having last played baseball in high school, Washington was signed to a major league contract prior to the season. His major league debut was on April 4, 1974, against the Texas Rangers. Appearing as a pinch runner for Joe Rudi in game two of the 1974 World Series, Washington was picked off first base in a crucial ninth-inning situation by Dodgers' reliever Mike Marshall.

Season standings

AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 9072.556—49‍–‍3241‍–‍40
Texas Rangers 8476.525542‍–‍3842‍–‍38
Minnesota Twins 8280.506848‍–‍3334‍–‍47
Chicago White Sox 8080.500946‍–‍3434‍–‍46
Kansas City Royals 7785.4751340‍–‍4137‍–‍44
California Angels 6894.4202236‍–‍4532‍–‍49

Record vs. opponents

1974 American League record

Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKTEX
Baltimore —10–87–55–712–614–48–48–106–611–76–64–8
Boston 8–10—4–88–49–911–74–810–86–611–78–45–7
California 5–78–4—10–8–13–95–78–103–98–103–96–129–9
Chicago 7–54–88–10–1—8–47–511–78–47–11–14–87–119–7–1
Cleveland 6–129–99–34–8—9–98–410–86–67–115–74–8
Detroit 4–147–117–55–79–9—7–59–93–911–75–75–7
Kansas City 4–88–410–87–114–85–7—11–18–104–88–108–10
Milwaukee 10–88–109–34–88–109–91–11—6–69–95–77–5
Minnesota 6–66–610–811–7–16–69–310–86–6—4–85–139–9
New York 7–117–119–38–411–77–118–49–98–4—7–58–4
Oakland 6–64–812–611–77–57–510–87–513–55–7—8–10
Texas 8–47–59–97–9–18–47–510–85–79–94–810–8—

Opening Day starters

Notable transactions

Roster

1974 Oakland Athletics
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Designated runner

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

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 Ray Fosse 6420440.196423
1B Gene Tenace 158484102.2112673
2B Dick Green 10028761.213222
3B Sal Bando 146498121.24322103
SS Bert Campaneris 134527153.290241
LF Joe Rudi 158593174.2932299
CF Billy North 149543141.260433
RF Reggie Jackson 148506146.2892993
DH Ángel Mangual 11536585.233943

Other batters

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

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Ángel Mangual 11536585.233943
Claudell Washington 7322163.285019
Ted Kubiak 9922046.209018
Deron Johnson 5017434.195723
Larry Haney 7612120.16523
Pat Bourque 739622.229116
Dal Maxvill 605210.19202
Jim Holt 30426.14300
Gaylen Pitts 184110.24403
Manny Trillo 21335.15202
Phil Garner 30285.17901
John Donaldson 10152.13300
Tim Hosley 1172.28601
Rich McKinney 571.14300
Herb Washington 9200----00

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Catfish Hunter 41318.125122.49143
Vida Blue 40282.117153.25174
Ken Holtzman 39255.119173.07117
Glenn Abbott 1996.0573.0038

Other pitchers

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

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Dave Hamilton 29117.0743.6969
Blue Moon Odom 3487.1153.8152

Relief pitchers

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

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Rollie Fingers 7695182.6595
Paul Lindblad 454462.0646
Darold Knowles 453334.2218
Leon Hooten 60003.241
Bill Parsons 40000.002

Postseason

ALCS

The Athletics defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1.

GameScoreDateLocationAttendance
1Baltimore – 6, Oakland – 3October 5 Oakland Coliseum 41,609
2Baltimore – 0, Oakland – 5October 6 Oakland Coliseum 42,810
3Oakland – 1, Baltimore – 0October 8 Memorial Stadium 32,060
4Oakland – 2, Baltimore – 1October 9 Memorial Stadium 28,136

1974 World Series

Summary

AL Oakland Athletics (4) vs. NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1)
GameScoreDateLocationAttendanceTime of Game
1Athletics – 3, Dodgers – 2October 12 Dodger Stadium 55,9742:43
2Athletics – 2, Dodgers – 3October 13 Dodger Stadium 55,9892:40
3Dodgers – 2, Athletics – 3October 15 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 49,3472:35
4Dodgers – 2, Athletics – 5October 16 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 49,3472:17
5Dodgers – 2, Athletics – 3October 17 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 49,3472:23

Awards and honors

All-Stars

1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Tucson Toros Pacific Coast League Sherm Lollar
AA Birmingham A's Southern League Harry Bright
A Burlington Bees Midwest League Rene Lachemann
A-Short Season Lewiston Broncos Northwest League Bobby Hofman and Buddy Peterson

References

  1. ↑ Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.222, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN   978-0-8027-1745-0
  2. ↑ "Not close to sale: A's Finley". Chicago Tribune. wire services. January 22, 1974. p. 4, sec. 3.
  3. ↑ Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.202, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN   978-0-8027-1745-0
  4. ↑ "Horacio Piña Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  5. ↑ Rico Carty page at Baseball Reference
  6. ↑ "A's Jackson gets his wish - $135,000 salary". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. February 23, 1974. p. 15.
  7. ↑ "Reggie wins arbitration". Chicago Tribune. UPI. February 23, 1974. p. 5, sec. 2.
  8. 1 2 "No 'A' for A's: Finley flunks as pep talker". Chicago Tribune. June 8, 1974. p. 2, sec. 2.
  9. ↑ 1974 Oakland Athletics Roster by Baseball Almanac
  10. ↑ Dal Maxvill page at Baseball Reference
  11. ↑ Rick Lysander page at Baseball Reference
  12. ↑ Pat Bourque page at Baseball Reference
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