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February 14 , 1972:

Beginning today and continuing throughout spring training, the regular season, and the post-season of 2002, I will present a daily feature that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Oakland A's' 1972 World Championship team. The feature, entitled "Memories of the Mustache Gang," will allow fans and researchers to relive one of the most memorable seasons-not only in the history of the Oakland franchise-but in all of baseball lore.

Presented in a diary-type format, the feature will be updated each day, with the exception of the few dates when the A's did not play games in 1972, or on occasional dates when work and travel commitments may prevent me from writing new material. The objective will be to give readers as much information as possible about the '72 A's, who won the first World Championship team in the history of the Oakland franchise. Those A's also became known as the "Mustache Gang" because of their unique physical appearance at a time when the baseball world remained very conservative. Among the many topics that I'll explore include the following: Vida Blue's celebrated holdout and his tumultuous contract negotiations with owner and general manager Charlie Finley; the player strike that delayed the start of the 1972 season; the advent of new Finley-mandated uniforms that continued the A's' trend toward color and non-conformity; the 65 player transactions that Finley engineered during the season; looks at each of the 47 different players that the A's used throughout the year; the near-firing of Dick Williams in mid-season; the suspension of Bert "Campy" Campaneris during the American League Championship Series; and dramatic post-season series against both the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds.

In today's first installment, I'll begin to set the stage for the start of spring training in 1972 by recapping the events that took place from October of 1971 through early February of 1972. Here are some of the biggest news items from that fall and winter:

*After winning 101 games to claim the American League West in a runway, the A's lost the American League playoffs in three straight games to the powerhouse Baltimore Orioles, the defending World Champions. The sweep at the hands of the Birds underscored the A's' lack of pitching depth, especially in the starting rotation.

*On November 29, the first day of baseball's winter meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, the A's made a move to lengthen their starting pitching. Owner Charlie Finley, acting in his usual role as general manager, acquired veteran left-hander Ken Holtzman from the Chicago Cubs for starting center fielder Rick Monday. The No. 1 draft choice of the Kansas City A's in the first-ever amateur draft held in 1965, Monday had shown flashes of stardom, but had struggled in his ability to hit left-handed pitching, a shortcoming that prevented him from becoming the impact player the franchise envisioned.

*One day after acquiring Holtzman, the A's made a surprising move by waiving veteran relief pitcher Jim "Mudcat" Grant for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. Grant had pitched effectively for the A's since being reacquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in June, winning one game, saving four, and posting an ERA of 1.98. Grant had also helped an unproven Rollie Fingers make the transition from starter to reliever, by giving the young right-hander advice on how to warm up and how to prepare to come into games in the late innings. So why did the A's release Grant, who had been so helpful both on the field and in the clubhouse? The reason was simple: money. Finley did not want to pay Grant a salary of $60,000-a sum that the owner considered too high a price for a set-up reliever in 1971.

*The A's contemplated another move by offering first baseman Mike Epstein to the New York Yankees for a frontline starting pitcher, believed to be either Mel Stottlemyre or Fritz Peterson. The Yankees turned down the offer. The inability to swing the trade might have proved fortunate, given that Epstein lost a reported 30 pounds from his sizeable frame during the winter and also equipped himself with new contact lenses, giving him hope of an improved batting eye in 1972.

*On January 5, 1972, one of Oakland's starting rotation hopefuls barely avoided tragedy. John "Blue Moon" Odom, who had been beset with elbow soreness in 1971, tried to stop a burglary in his hometown of Macon, Georgia. Odom's wife, Perrie, noticing some intruders at a neighbor's house, had called her husband at his work place, a nearby liquor store that was located four blocks away. Odom hurried to the scene and tried to confront three youths involved in the robbery. One of the youths, a 16-year-old boy, responded by firing three shots with a .38 caliber pistol at Odom, from "about 15 feet away," according to the pitcher's testimony. Two of the shots hit Odom, one in the neck and one in the side of the chest. Fortunately, doctors were able to treat the bullet wounds without surgery and gave Odom clearance to report to spring training as scheduled. With tragic circumstances averted, the A's hoped that Odom would compete with Chuck Dobson for the No. 4 spot in the starting rotation, behind staff aces Vida Blue and Jim "Catfish" Hunter, and the newly acquired Ken Holtzman.

February 15 , 1972:

On February 15, Charlie Finley called a press conference-not to announce the acquisition of a new player, but to herald the arrival of new uniforms for the 1972 season.

Finley has retained his favored color scheme of green and gold, but has eliminated the effect of a sleeveless jersey over a contrasting colored undershirt. The new double-knit stretch (AKA polyester) uniforms will replace the traditional baseball flannels and now feature bright, pullover V-neck tops with sleeves, elastic waistlines instead of the traditional buckle belts, and shimmering white pants with green and gold racing stripes. Finley also announced that the A's will alternate jerseys, wearing a bright "Kelly green" one day, followed by a gaudy "California gold" the next, and a "Polar bear" white at Sunday home games. The new shirts feature "A's" in white lettering on the left side of the chest, the player's uniform number in smaller white lettering to the right, and three bright stripes-either green or gold-on the edge of the sleeves.

The A's first adopted the green and gold pattern in 1963, while still in Kansas City. In breaking with the tradition of wearing white, gray, and one-color trim-a color scheme that Finley disdainfully referred to as "eggshell white and prison gray"-the A's became the first major league team to employ multicolored uniforms, along with their radical white shoes.

The changes for 1972, which further stamp the A's as the team with the gaudiest and most garish uniforms, represent the latest stage in Finley's efforts to promote his club. Finley hopes that the latest change in uniforms will stimulate marketing and fan interest.

(Editor's note: Fans at the Oakland Coliseum quickly caught on, buying replicas of the new A's' caps and jerseys, while giving the stadium a unique feel and appearance.)

February 16 , 1972:

The biggest concerning facing the A's in mid-February involves the contract status of their superstar pitcher Vida Blue. The American League's Cy Young Award winner and Most Valuable Player in 1971, Blue was also baseball's biggest bargain. He won 24 games and led the league in ERA at 1.82, while earning a salary of only $14,750. That amount of money is going to have to change in 1972, but the question remains: by how much?

On January 8, the ace pitcher, his representative (that term was used more often than the word "agent" in 1971) Bob Gerst, and A's owner Charlie Finley met face-to-face to discuss a new contract for the coming season. Finley offered what amounted to a raise of more than 300 per cent-to $50,000 for a one-year contract. Blue and Gerst had a different number in mind, more than double what Finley was offering. They requested a salary of $115,000, which would have placed the youthful Blue among the highest paid pitchers in the game.

Blue and Gerst based part of their argument on Blue's drawing power. In 1971, he drew 43 per cent of the A's' overall home attendance at the Oakland Coliseum. Given that Blue was one of only four regular starters to make at least 25 starts (along with Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Chuck Dobson, and John "Blue Moon" Odom) during the 1971 season, that figure represented a staggering percentage of fan interest in the Bay Area.

Based on the public comments of Gerst, Blue appears willing to take a hard-line approach in negotiations. "He is a tough SOB," Gerst told Ron Bergman, corresponding for The Sporting News, in assessing his client. "He's not going to back down from Finley. He's not a guy who gives in." Of course, Finley owns his own reputation for stubbornness, as evidenced by protracted-and often heated-contract negotiations that he had held with star outfielder Reggie Jackson after his breakthrough season in 1969. The current talks between Finley, Blue, and Gerst seem destined for a similar mix of contentious rhetoric and general nastiness.

February 17 , 1972:

As the A's prepare to begin spring training in 1972, three catchers figured to share playing time behind the plate. With two right-handed hitters and a left-handed batter available to him among his receiving corps, manager Dick Williams appears to have plenty of maneuverability with the following trio of catchers:

*Dave Duncan: At times a lightning rod for controversy (especially after butting heads with Charlie Finley over John McNamara's dismissal in 1970) Duncan enters the 1972 season as the A's' No. 1 catcher. The A's consider Duncan their best defensive catcher, based in part on his strong throwing arm. Although defensively superior to either Curt Blefary or Gene Tenace, Duncan has never fulfilled the potential that he displayed in the minor leagues. In 1966, he had hit 46 home runs for Modesto-one of Oakland's Class-A affiliates in the California League-but has never come close to duplicating such power numbers in the major leagues.

*Gene Tenace: A relatively little known player heading into 1972, Tenace figures to back up Duncan and provide some right-handed pinch-hitting in the late innings. On August 8, 1971, Tenace flashed indications of future exploits when he hit home runs in each end of a doubleheader, catching each game from start to finish. In 1970 and '71 stints with the team, Tenace's power and extraordinary patience at the plate impressed the A's. He also owns above-average speed, even though he's been given the nickname "Steamboat" for the awkward way that he runs. In spite of his offensive talents, the A's still question whether his defensive abilities will allow him to catch on an everyday basis.

*Curt Blefary: Owning a reputation as a clutch hitter in the late innings, Blefary hit three pinch-hit home runs in 1970 and '71, while splitting time between the A's and New York Yankees. The left-handed hitting Blefary entered the 1972 season as Oakland's third-string catcher-behind Duncan and Tenace. In addition to giving the A's their best left-handed power bat off the bench, Blefary provides depth as a backup outfielder and first baseman, and as an emergency third baseman and second baseman. Although a versatile player, Blefary previously earned the nickname "Clank" for his inability to play any position particularly well. Still, Blefary carries around as many as eight gloves with him, always at the ready to fill in as a catcher, infielder, or outfielder.

February 18 , 1972:

Like the catching position, first base offers the A's superior depth in the spring of 1972. Three veterans, all capable of playing either significant part-time or fulltime roles, figure to vie for playing time, either as first basemen or as pinch-hitters. One veteran, however, remains the clear-cut favorite to be Oakland's No. 1 first baseman.

*Mike Epstein: This burly left-handed hitting slugger split the 1971 season between the A's and the Washington Senators, coming over in a mid-season trade that netted Oakland lefty relief pitcher Darold Knowles in exchange for first baseman Don Mincher, reliever Paul Lindblad, and catcher Frank Fernandez. At his best, Epstein provides the A's with a fearsome power threat from the left side; on June 15 and 16 in 1971, he tied a major league record by hitting four consecutive home runs, coincidentally all coming against his former Senators mates. At his worst, Epstein has struggled to make contact, batting only .234 with the A's, and playing first base stiffly with little range. During the off-season, the A's offered Epstein around in trades, but failed to make a move, including one rumored deal with the New York Yankees. The enigmatic first baseman allayed some of their fears by dropping 30 pounds of excess weight and fitting himself with new and improved contact lenses. As a result, the A's expect Epstein to play first base almost every day in 1972, except for occasional sit-downs against tough left-handed pitchers.

*Tommy Davis: Although no longer the star that once drove in 153 runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962, Davis was the A's' best bench player in 1971. In 219 at-bats, spent mostly as a platoon first baseman and pinch-hitter, Davis hit .324 with 42 RBIs. In spite of his success, Davis played only occasionally against left-handers during the second half of the season, compiling most of his at-bats against those southpaws that gave Epstein the most trouble. Davis lobbied manager Dick Williams for more playing time, making a sound argument for playing first base against all left-handed pitchers. Yet, Davis once again appears destined to fulfill the same role that he had in the latter stages of 1971.

*Mike Hegan: Like Epstein, Mike Hegan joined the A's in the middle of the 1971 season, the result of a mid-season trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Stuck behind both Epstein and Davis, Hegan didn't play much, accumulating only 55 at-bats in 65 games with the A's. Still, the A's like Hegan as part of their bench, given his ability and willingness to serve as a pinch-hitter. Even more importantly, Dick Williams appreciates Hegan's superior defensive play at first base, making him an ideal "caddy" for Epstein in the late innings of close games.

February 19 , 1972:

The success of Oakland's middle infield continues to depend on the status of second baseman Dick Green, who was contemplating retirement after the 1971 season. Even with spring training just a matter of days away, the 30-year-old Green has still not announced his decision. With Green, the A's feature one of the best defensive middle infields in the game. Without him, they have a major hole to fill at second base.

*Dick Green: The rangy, surehanded Green forged a solid season in 1971. He finished second among American League second basemen in both putouts (366) and games played (143), while hitting 12 home runs in 475 at-bats. Although Green batted only .244, the mediocre average represented a major improvement over his .190 batting mark in 1970.

*Bert "Campy" Campaneris: Even in 1972, Campaneris is still best remembered for becoming the first player in major league history to play all nine positions in one game-which he had accomplished at the behest of Charlie Finley on September 9, 1995. After experiencing his best major league season in 1970, with a career-high 22 home runs and 64 RBIs, Campaneris fell off in every major statistical category in 1971-except for triples. He batted .251 with only five home runs, numbers more consistent with his previous career totals. Even if Campaneris fails to improve on those statistics in 1972, his overall speed and basestealing ability, coupled with his quick feet and superb range in the field, remain crucial to any of Oakland's blueprints for success.

*Larry Brown: The A's acquired this veteran utility infielder from the Cleveland Indians in the middle of the 1971 season. Brown didn't hit much-.196 in 189 at-bats-but showed himself capable of handling defensive chores at either second base or shortstop. As a fill-in player, the A's feel satisfied with Brown as their primary utility infielder; they just hope that neither Green or Campaneris will land on the disabled list for any extended period of time, thus exposing Brown's lifetime batting average of .235.

February 20 , 1972:

Of all the positions on their infield, the A's feel most comfortable with the play of their third baseman. In 1971, he was quite simply their best everyday player, superior even to the more publicized Reggie Jackson.

*Sal Bando: The A's' captain put together the second-best season of his career in 1971, finishing second to teammate Vida Blue in the American League's Most Valuable Player Award balloting. Bando hit 24 home runs and drew 86 walks, giving him an on-base percentage of 380, an excellent figure in a year top-heavy with good pitching. "Captain Sal" also played well defensively in 1971-not at the standard of a Brooks Robinson, but probably at an American League level second only to that of the "Human Vacuum Cleaner." If Bando were to suffer an injury that sidelined him for any length of time, the A's will face real problems at third base. Utility infielder Larry Brown can be relied upon to handle the position defensively, but has no power and little ability to hit for average. Another backup, utilityman Curt Blefary, swings a potent bat from the left side, but has little experience at the hot corner defensively. A fielding liability anywhere on the field, Blefary can't be expected to play third base for any extended stretch of time without making repeated errors-and without making life miserable for Campy Campaneris at shortstop.

February 21 , 1972:

Oakland's outfield offers Dick Williams a mixed bag of possibilities-and questions. Which Joe Rudi will show up in 1972, the one who had hit .309 in 1970, or the one who tailed off badly in 1971? With Rick Monday gone, will 1971 Rookie of the Year Candidate Angel Mangual be able to maintain his level of play as the everyday center fielder? In right field, the A's have fewer worries, with budding superstar Reggie Jackson poised to build on his solid 1971 season.

*Joe Rudi: In 1971, the young outfielder pleased the A's with his improved play in left field, which at one time had been atrocious. Yet, the A's still harbor concerns over the 25-year-old Rudi's inconsistent hitting. In 1971, his batting average fell off by 42 points. One possible reason? Rudi's periodic stints in the Marine Reserves may have hindered his timing at the plate.

*Angel Mangual: Dubbed the "Little Clemente" because of his resemblance to the Pittsburgh Pirates' All-Star, Mangual played well enough in 1971 to earn selection to the Topps Major League Rookie All-Star team. Still, Mangual played in only 94 games while sharing time with Rick Monday. With Monday now sporting the pinstripes of the Cubs, Mangual faces the pressure of having to fill the center field slot on a daily basis.

*Reggie Jackson: After a disappointing, contract-haggling 1970 season, Jackson rebounded to blast 32 home runs and hit a career-high .277. His home runs-and emotional displays-provided some of the most memorable moments of the season. In the 1971 All-Star Game, Jackson became a household name when he ripped a tape-measure home run that caromed off a light towers high above Tiger Stadium. Then, in the American League Championship Series, Jackson hit two home runs in Game Three against the vaunted pitching staff of the Baltimore Orioles. In spite of Jackson's play, the A's lost the game and the series-falling in three straight-prompting Reggie to cry openly on the top step of the dugout at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. Photos of Jackson's emotional outpouring provided a lasting image of a disappointing end to what had been such a prosperous season.

*Brant Alyea: A Rule Five draft acquisition from the Minnesota Twins, Alyea has embodied extreme inconsistency by showing power and promise in 1970, only to bat a dismal .177 with a mere two home runs in 158 at-bats in 1971. A weak defensive outfielder with a below-average arm, Alyea must rebound sufficiently at the plate to fill a role as a right-handed pinch-hitter and backup to corner outfielders Rudi and Jackson.

*George Hendrick: One of Oakland's most talented prospects, Hendrick presents the A's with a mild quandary as spring training approached. Should they send him back to play regularly at Triple-A Iowa, where he played well enough to earn American Association All-Star honors, or keep him on the roster as a rarely-used backup to Angel Mangual in center field? As the first player chosen in the January phase of the 1968 amateur draft, Hendrick has impressed the A's with the power created by his quick wrists at the plate and his ability to cover ground with long, gliding strides in center field. Based purely on physical abilities, Hendrick possesses as much five-tool talent as any of Oakland's veteran outfielders, with the exception of the stronger-armed Reggie Jackson.

February 22 , 1972:

Charlie Finley announced a player signing today-but it didn't involve celebrated outcast Vida Blue. Instead, Finley announced that he had signed starting left fielder Joe Rudi to a new one-year contract at a "damned good raise." It was certainly an unusual choice of words by the owner in describing Rudi's increased salary. "I get tired of that term 'substantial,' " Finley explained to Bay Area writer Ron Bergman. "It was a damned good raise." It was also a bit surprising, considering that Rudi had suffered an off year in 1971, after hitting a career-high .309 in 1970.

Rudi claimed that stints in the U.S. Marine Reserves, which caused him to miss 35 to 40 games a year, had affected his timing and rhythm at the plate. Now that Rudi's military obligations have ended, he is free to pursue the art of hitting to the fullest in 1972. Rudi also underwent a more extensive offseason conditioning and weight program, which was designed to add to his strength and stamina. Given the elimination of his military-induced interruptions and the definition of his newly sculpted body, Rudi expects major improvement in 1972.

A pull-hitting power hitter in the minor leagues, Rudi has transformed himself into a gap-hitting offensive player who liked to use the opposite field. Under former Oakland batting coach Charley Lau's tutelage in 1970, Rudi worked hard to radically change his batting approach. Rudi began choking up on the bat while adopting a severely closed stance with a deep crouch at the plate. Using an unusual diagonal stance, Rudi places his left foot close to the front corner of the plate, while nearly planting his right foot outside of the batter's box. In the meantime, Rudi rests his bat flatly on his right shoulder, making it parallel to the ground. Although an awkward-looking Rudi hardly seems ready to handle incoming pitches, the new stance actually makes his swing quicker and more compact. "Charley Lau changed my whole theory on hitting and what I was trying to do with the ball," said Rudi, making sure to credit his former batting instructor. "He taught me about hitting behind the runner, thinking about what I wanted to do with the ball... All of a sudden, it was there. It was like being in the boonies all your life and walking into a big city and finding a metropolitan library. I just milked that guy every second I could about hitting."

February 23 , 1972:

The A's officially opened spring training today, with all pitchers and catchers reporting to Mesa, Arizona on schedule-with one notable exception. Vida Blue, last year's 24-game winner, officially became a holdout. Blue's absence dominated the headlines in the Bay Area, but did little to bother Dick Williams. The manager, claiming that he had never known a player to sit out an entire season over a contract squabble, expressed confidence that Blue would return soon enough to have plenty of impact in 1972.

The issue of Blue aside, Williams raves about the composition of his A's team, what with most of the players from the 1971 Western Division championship returning to the fore. "I like our ballclub," the second-year Oakland manager tells Ron Bergman flatly. "I like our chances of repeating. I think we are the best ballclub, barring major injuries. And I'm quite sure we are going to win it."

Williams did concede that as many as three teams have the capability of challenging the A's in the West. He considers the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox, and possibly the California Angels, as strong contenders in a deep division.

While some of those teams face the task of trying to answer questions at certain positions, Williams sees no major holes throughout his starting lineup, in starting pitching, or among his core of relievers. "We have no overriding needs to remake an position on the club," says Williams. "I feel we're the best team in our division."

February 24 , 1972:

With the offseason acquisition of Ken Holtzman from the Cubs, starting pitching ranks as potentially the strongest area on the A's. Yet, questions remain. When will Vida Blue end his holdout? If negotiations reach an impasse, will the A's consider the possibility of trading him? Will the sore-armed duo of Chuck Dobson and Blue Moon Odom return to health? If the A's can find positive answers to those questions, they will have five above-average starters in 1972. If the questions yield only negative results, only Holtzman and Catfish Hunter can be counted upon to give the A's first-tier starting pitching.

*Vida Blue: While most of the media focused on Blue's 24 wins in 1971, his ERA told the true tale of his effectiveness. A 1.82 ERA not only led the American League, but set an all-time record for the A's' franchise, surpassing the best marks of Hall of Famers Chief Bender, Lefty Grove, and Eddie Plank. Blue also hurled a league-leading eight shutouts, ranked second in the league in strikeouts, and tossed 24 complete games. When healthy-and signed-an overpowering Blue features the most explosive arsenal of all the Oakland pitchers.

*Jim "Catfish" Hunter: After years of flashing stardom, Hunter finally stamped himself as one of the league's elite starters in 1971. Reaching the 20-victory plateau for the first time, "The Cat" finished in the top 10 in wins and strikeouts, completed 16 games, and tossed four shutouts. Although Hunter's repertoire of pitches ranks as the least impressive of the A's' starters, he compensates with staff-best control and savvy-and a congenial personality-making him the most favored pitcher among Oakland's catchers.

*Ken Holtzman: On the surface, Holtzman's 9-15 record and 4.48 ERA for the Cubs in 1971 looked ghastly. Mitigating factors, however, may have played a part in Holtzman's decline. His contentious relationship with manager Leo Durocher, who repeatedly referred to him with ethnic slurs about his Jewish heritage, most likely contributed to his worst season in the major leagues. Given his intelligence, two effective pitches-a good fastball and a terrific overhand curve-and the move from hitter-happy Wrigley Field to the pitching-friendly Oakland Coliseum, the A's feel confident that Holtzman can regain the form that saw him win 17 games in each of the previous two seasons.

*Chuck Dobson: At his peak, Dobson ranked as one of the best right-handers in the American League. An example of his potential brilliance could be found during one stretch in 1970, when Dobson won eight consecutive starts from July 16 through August 14. Yet, at his worst, Dobson faces nagging problems with consistency-and health. A sore elbow prevented him from pitching during the 1971Championship Series, dampening a season that saw him win 15 of 20 decisions. A 3.81 ERA also belied his won-lost record, indicating Dobson's tendency to implode during occasional starts and his too-heavy reliance on run support from the A's' lineup.

John "Blue Moon" Odom: Blue Moon's 4.28 ERA in 1971 was the highest among Oakland starters, but was more a product of continuing arm soreness than a lack of talent or effort. Still recovering from elbow surgery during the 1970 offseason, Odom made only 25 intermittent starts and had to skip the postseason series against Baltimore. When healthy, Odom and his ever-moving fastball made him unpleasant opposition for American League hitters. At his best, Odom managed to pitch three complete games and one shutout in 1971. Now one full season removed from surgery, the A's expect both of those numbers to increase substantially in 1972.

February 25 , 1972:

One of the A's' principal offseason targets was traded today-but not to Oakland. The St. Louis Cardinals sent talented left-hander Steve Carlton, who had been mentioned as part of trade rumors with the A's during the winter meetings, to the Philadelphia Phillies for veteran right-hander Rick Wise. The A's had discussed the possibility of trading one or more of their outfielders-with names like Rick Monday and George Hendrick among the possibilities-to the Cardinals in exchange for Carlton. When the A's couldn't satisfy the Cardinals' demands at the winter meetings, they instead made a move with the Chicago Cubs, acquiring Ken Holtzman for Monday in a straight-up one-for-one deal.

While the success of the A's' starting pitching hinges on health, the bullpen offers no similar concerns. In fact, Oakland's relief corps appears to be the deepest area on the ballclub, with two veteran left-handers and three talented right-handers poised to take the mound in 1972.

*Rollie Fingers: In less than one year, this talented right-hander converted himself from mediocre starter into established bullpen fireman (1970s parlance for "closer"). Fingers' 17 saves helped him rank sixth in the American League's Fireman of the Year race, despite the fact that he opened the season in a starting role. By season's end, the rubber-armed Fingers racked up 48 appearances, the most on the A's' staff. Still, two important questions linger with regards to Fingers. How effective will he pitch as a reliever the second time around, now that opposing hitters have come to expect that he would throw his devastating slider in most key situations? And how will he react to the departure of Jim "Mudcat" Grant, the savvy right-hander who helped him learn the fundamentals of pitching in relief, including something as basic as how to warm up? The A's will have to wait and see how Grant's departure, fueled by Charlie Finley's penny-pinching ways, will affect Fingers over the long term.

*Diego Segui: The veteran forkballer (often referred to as a spitballer by skeptical opponents) started Game Three of the 1971 playoffs against the Orioles, but the A's had a different role in mind for the 1970 American League ERA champion. Dick Williams hopes to use the right-hander exclusively in relief, as a replacement for Mudcat Grant, who had served as Rollie Fingers' set-up man toward the tail end of the '71 season. That plan, however, hinges on the health of starters Chuck Dobson and Blue Moon Odom. If either or both go down with sore arms, Williams will likely have no choice but to use Segui as a member of his thinning rotation.

*Bob Locker: Even without Segui, Williams knows that he owns another solid right-handed middle man in Locker, the onetime relief ace of the Chicago White Sox. The colorful Locker lacks the overpowering stuff of Fingers, but his control features pinpoint accuracy; in 72 innings, he walked only 19 batters. Locker's sidearm motion also proves extremely difficult for right-handed hitters, making him an ideal situational reliever in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.

*Darold Knowles: Acquired in the middle of the 1971 season as part of the Don Mincher-for-Mike Epstein swap, this talented left-hander pitched solidly, if not spectacularly, in an Oakland uniform. While Knowles' 3.59 ERA was only so-so, the A's came away most encouraged with the liveliness and control of his pitches. In 50 innings, Knowles struck out 43 batters while walking only 16, giving him a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 3-to-1. Knowles' ability to pick up strikeouts make him a candidate to come into pressurized situations with runners on base in the late innings. And on days when Fingers might be unavailable due to overwork, Knowles gives manager Dick Williams another option as a game-ending fireman.

*Jim Roland: Although virtually unknown outside of the Bay Area, the quietly efficient left-hander has pitched solidly in middle and long relief for the A's over the last two seasons. A veteran of both the A's and Minnesota Twins, Roland has posted only one ERA higher than 4.00 in nine major league seasons. The versatile Roland also possesses the ability to work different roles, providing the A's with a spot starter in the event of injuries or a pileup of doubleheaders.

February 26 , 1972:

The A's' non-pitchers and catchers reported to Mesa today, joining the batterymen who had reported three days earlier. As usual, Reggie Jackson made the biggest stir by showing up with a fully-grown mustache, the origins of which had begun to sprout during last year's Championship Series against the Orioles. Jackson made additional news when he announced that he would still be wearing the mustache come Opening Day. If so, Jackson would become the first major leaguer to sport a mustache during the regular season since Wally Schang (of the Philadelphia A's) in 1914.

Since the days of Schang, several major leaguers have worn mustaches during spring training, only to remove them prior to the start of the season. In the 1930s, Brooklyn Dodgers outfielder Stanley "Frenchy" Bordagaray created a sensation with a spring mustache, but was ordered to shave it off by a stringent team management. More recently, Dick Allen wore a mustache and long sideburns in the spring of 1970, but rid himself of the facial hair before his St. Louis Cardinals played on Opening Day.

(Editor's note: Unlike Allen, Bordagaray, and a few others, Jackson would not give in to the pressure to conform. The saga of the rebellious A's-and their new identity as baseball trendsetters-was just beginning.)

February 27 , 1972:

One of the A's' greatest fears of the offseason was calmed by the start of spring training. Starting second baseman Dick Green, who had hinted at the possibility of retirement, decided to return for another season. In a sense, the A's should have become used to speculation about Green's future; his threats of retirement had become an annual ritual. It wasn't that Green disliked Charlie Finley or his A's teammate; he had simply grown disenchanted with the general lifestyle of a baseball player. He didn't like the constant travel. He especially didn't like to fly. Even more importantly, he didn't like to spend long stretches away from his family. Yet, he had decided to play at least one more season-perhaps in part because of a desire to win a World Championship.

Although Green's inconsistent hitting relegated him to the nether regions of the Oakland lineup, he remained an indispensable part of the team because of his rock-solid fielding abilities. While several American League second basemen had surpassed in terms of range and flashiness, he remained the standard-bearer in other categories. No American League second baseman had better hands. None turned the double play as efficiently. And none inspired as much confidence from his pitchers as Richard Larry Green.

February 28 , 1972:

Of the 40 men listed on the A's' winter roster, 38 showed up to camp on time. The lone exceptions are Vida Blue, the game's most celebrated holdout, and little-known minor league pitcher Jim Panther. While the moral righteousness of Blue's holdout remained a topic of spirited debate, few could quarrel with Panther's reason for avoiding the start of spring training. As a high school teacher in Highland Park, Illinois, Panther wants to continue his educational responsibilities before beginning the baseball season.

As of the start of spring training, Oakland's 40-man roster consists of the following players and positional breakdowns:

*Catchers (4): Dave Duncan, Gene Dusan, Larry Haney, Gene Tenace

*Infielders (8): Dwain Anderson, Sal Bando, Larry Brown, Bert "Campy" Campaneris, Mike Epstein, Dick Green, Mike Hegan, Reggie Sanders

*Outfielders (8): Brant Alyea, Curt Blefary, Tommy Davis, George Hendrick, Reggie Jackson, Angel Mangual, Joe Rudi, Greg Schubert

*Pitchers: Vida Blue, Chuck Dobson, Rollie Fingers, Chris Floethe, Dave Hamilton, Ken Holtzman, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Ron Klimkowski, Darold Knowles, Steve Lawson, Bob Locker, Gilberto Marcano, Dennis Myers, John "Blue Moon" Odom, Jim Panther, Darryl Patterson, Jim Roland, Diego Segui, Don Stanhouse, Pat Tatom

The roster breakdown includes two striking features, one a curiosity and the other an oddity. The curiosity? Exactly half of the 40-man roster features pitchers, even though Dick Williams already has as many as 10 established pitchers (not even including Blue) ready to stake claim to jobs on the Opening Day staff. The excessive number of pitchers serves as a testament to the depth of both Oakland's experienced mound talent and the number of minor league prospects on the horizon at Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Iowa. And the oddity? Both Curt Blefary and Tommy Davis are listed as outfielders, even though both figure to play more often at other positions-Blefary as a catcher and Davis as a first baseman. In 1971, Davis made 35 appearances at first base but only 16 in the outfield. In Blefary's case, his 1971 outfield appearances did outnumber his catching appearances, 20 to 14, but a similar scenario seems unlikely in 1972. With the emergence of Angel Mangual, the off-season addition of veteran Brant Alyea, and the possible inclusion of George Hendrick on the Opening Day roster, Blefary doesn't appear likely to be needed for much outfield duty during the upcoming season.

February 29 , 1972:

Minor league right-hander Darryl Patterson suffered a small injury in workouts today. An errant throw struck Patterson in the nose, giving him a severe laceration and bringing his practice session to an abrupt end. Further examination showed no break of the nose, but the A's expects Patterson to miss at least the next few days of spring training. In spite of the injury, Patterson stands as an outside contender for the last spot in the Oakland bullpen, assuming that Vida Blue remains a holdout and Chuck Dobson continued his slow return from elbow surgery.

March 01 , 1972:

In addition to the 38 rostered players in camp, the A's also have four non-roster players who have been invited to Mesa. Of the four, none has stood out as much as Bill "Sugar Bear" Daniels, a 17-year-old right-hander attending his first spring training. As the A's' first pick in the June 1971 draft, Daniels brought with him a set of lofty expectations. Already billed as a "right-handed Vida Blue," Daniels' overpowering repertoire and impressive physique make him arguably the A's' best pitching prospect. The A's like Daniels' potential so much that Dick Williams refused to rule out the possibility that the teenager might be a part of the Opening Day 25-man roster-especially if Blue's holdout stretches into the start of the regular season.

Three other non-roster players also received invitations to camp. One is catcher Bill Fitzgerald, who hit .277 with seven home runs in only 42 at-bats at Class-A Burlington, but is given no chance of making a major league team that already has Dave Duncan, Gene Tenace, Curt Blefary, and Larry Haney. With 20 pitchers in camp, the A's simply needed another catcher to handle all of the hurlers in workouts. Another non-roster invitee is Venezuelan first baseman Gonzalo Marquez, who refused to sign a minor league contract in 1971 after hitting .341 for Iowa in 1970 and appeared to have only the smallest chances of making the A's' roster. The last of the non-roster invites is muscular outfielder Bobby "The Hammer" Brooks, a power-hitting career minor leaguer. Unlike Fitzgerald and Marquez, Brooks has a more realistic chance-although still an outside one-of sticking as an extra outfielder, given the offseason departure of Rick Monday. Brooks certainly played well at Triple-A Iowa in 1971, hitting 23 home runs with 70 RBIs, while drawing 83 walks, batting a respectable .272, and stealing 10 bases. Brooks' power and speed, combined with his ability to play center field, make him an intriguing option for Oakland's Opening Day roster.

March 02 , 1972:

So who will make the A's' 25-man Opening Day roster? Barring trades and injuries, the following 21 players seem like certainties to be with the team come April:

*Catchers (2): Dave Duncan and Gene Tenace

*Infielders (6): Mike Epstein, Dick Green, Campy Campaneris, Sal Bando, Tommy Davis, and Larry Brown

*Outfielders (4): Joe Rudi, Angel Mangual, Reggie Jackson, and Brant Alyea

*Pitchers (9): Catfish Hunter, Ken Holtzman, Blue Moon Odom, Ron Klimkowski, Diego Segui, Bob Locker, Rollie Fingers, Darold Knowles, and Jim Roland

With the above roster spots solidified, that leaves only four positions up for grabs. At least one will go to a third-string catcher. At the beginning of spring training, that seemed like Curt Blefary's job safely and securely, but the A's like the defensive work of Larry Haney, who spent all of 1971 in the minors. A right-handed batter, Haney doesn't give the A's an offensive bench threat like Blefary, but his ability to catch and throw far outweigh the defensive abilities of "Clank." If the A's keep Haney, they might trade Blefary, who has already expressed grief over a lack of playing time.

Another open roster spot will go to a second backup infielder, who will join veteran Larry Brown in a utility role. The favorite? It might be prospect Dwain Anderson, who regressed in 1971 after playing well in his Triple-A debut in 1970. While Anderson's speed and defensive ability impress the A's, his bat and versatility rank as question marks. The A's also don't know if Anderson-a natural shortstop-could play second and third base well enough to merit inclusion as a utility infielder. Another possibility is outfielder-first baseman Reggie Sanders, whom the A's are trying to convert to third base. If the power-hitting Sanders can play third base adequately, the A's will have a solid backup to Sal Bando and another right-handed pinch-hitting option for their bench.

A third open roster spot will likely go to a backup outfielder, specifically one who could back up Angel Mangual in center field. One possibility is George Hendrick, the A's' best prospect among position players. Another is Bobby Brooks, the non-roster invite who is making a good impression on the Oakland coaching staff.

Finally, the A's might have to consider the possibility of carrying a 10th pitcher. If Chuck Dobson regains his pitching health, he would become a likely candidate. Otherwise, the A's could make room for one of their many impressive young pitchers, such as Chris Floethe, Dennis Myers, or Sugar Bear Daniels. And then there is always the possibility that Vida Blue will end his holdout, thereby changing the entire structure of the pitching staff.

March 03 , 1972:

Non-roster first baseman Gonzalo Marquez hurt his knee in workouts today, doing enough damage to mandate the use of crutches for the immediate future. The A's deem the knee strain serious enough to list him as being out "indefinitely," making him unavailable for the start of the exhibition season, scheduled to begin in exactly one week. The injury has reduced Marquez' chances of making the Opening Day roster from remote to nonexistent.

The presence of the smooth-swinging Venezuelan in camp provides an intriguing side story. Scheduled to play for Triple-A Iowa in 1971, Marquez refused to sign his minor league contract, which he considered insufficient reward for batting .341 at Triple-A in 1970. As a result, Marquez stayed home in Caracas throughout the season, making him the most unusual kind of holdout-a minor league holdout.

In spite of his prior hitting success at Triple-A, the A's don't consider Marquez a true prospect. The A's know that he can hit for average, but also realized that he lacks power and speed, and doesn't play first base particularly well, either. At best, the A's view him as a potential pinch-hitter at the major league level, but certainly not an everyday or even a platoon player.

Now hobbled by injury, Marquez has to hope that he can recover in time to start the minor league season at Iowa.

(Editor's note: No one knew it at the time, but the mercurial Marquez would make a name for himself in Oakland by the end of the season.)

March 04 , 1972:

Worried about the painstakingly slow comeback of Chuck Dobson and the lingering holdout of Vida Blue, the A's made a major move today to bolster their skeleton-thin starting staff. Charlie Finley sent minor league right-handers Jim Panther and Don Stanhouse to the fledgling Texas Rangers for two-time Cy Young Award winner and onetime Most Valuable Player Denny McLain. With the addition of McLain, the A's now have three Cy Young awards and two MVPs represented on their 40 man roster; of course, the absent Blue owns all of the American League hardware not belonging to McLain.

Unfortunately for the A's, McLain's award-winning seasons might have to be placed in the category of "ancient history." In 1968, he won 31 games and claimed both the Cy Young and MVP awards in helping the Detroit Tigers to the World Championship. The following season, McLain won an American-League best 24 games, posted a league-leading nine shutouts, and shared Cy Young Award honors with Baltimore's Mike Cuellar.

The last two years, however, have seen McLain fall into near oblivion. In 1970, he missed half of the season while suspended by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for unsavory ties to bookmakers and the gambling world. After his return, he received another suspension for dumping a bucket of ice water on two Detroit baseball writers who had angered him with negative comments in print. So disturbed by his continuing bad behavior, the Tigers traded their onetime ace to the Washington Senators after the season. McLain responded to the trade by losing a major league-high 22 games in 1971, all the while displaying a shortened fastball, a growing waistline, and a surly attitude.

McLain's strained relationship with Senators (and now Rangers) manager Ted Williams also contributed to his Oakland relocation. McLain wanted to pitch as part of a four-man rotation; Williams preferred using a five-man setup. McLain argued that he had pitched successfully for the Tigers under the four-man plan, but Williams pointed to more recent statistics that showed McLain to be more effective with an extra day-or two-of rest.

While McLain fell into disfavor with Ted Williams and the Rangers, he fills a specific short-term need for the A's. As a result of the faltering negotiations with Vida Blue, and the concerns over the physical well-being of Dobson and Blue Moon Odom, the A's need another body to fill out their starting rotation. "We started talking on and off with other clubs when it looked like we would have trouble signing Vida," Dick Williams told The Sporting News. "When you don't have your big starter in camp, and it's been open for two weeks, you've got to take action."

The acquisition of McLain did not come without a considerable price tag. Although the Rangers agreed to pick up $25,000 of McLain's $75,000 salary, that still leaves the A's with a payroll jump of fifty grand. Coincidentally, the sum of $50,000 is just about the difference between what Charlie Finley offered Vida Blue and what Blue's agent asked for during contract negotiations.

The addition of McLain also cost the A's in terms of talent; Rangers owner Bob Short refers to Jim Panther and Don Stanhouse as the two best pitching prospects in Oakland's organization. While the 27-year-old Panther is a bit too old to be considered a top-of-the-line prospect, the 21-year-old Stanhouse has received rave reviews from both the A's internally and scouts externally. (Editor's note: The colorful Stanhouse would go on enjoy a mildly successful career with the Rangers, Orioles, and Montreal Expos, while earning the nicknames "Full Pack" and "Stan the Man Unusual.") Preferring not to surrender such young pitching talent, the A's previously offered either Dobson or Odom to the Rangers as part of the package for McLain. Short rejected the offer, in part because of the fragile condition of their right arms and in part because of his desire to beef up a sagging farm system. Insisting on rookies over proven commodities, Short convinced Charlie Finley to make the two-for-one deal.

Still, the A's consider the deal for McLain a reasonable gamble. The depth of pitching prospects throughout their farm system lessens the blow of losing Panther and Stanhouse. Even more importantly, the A's have a crying need for starting pitching at the major league level. The talks with Blue have only regressed, making it a longshot that he will sign in time for the start of the season. And other than Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman, Dick Williams has almost no healthy and proven commodities ready to claim berths in the starting rotation. Perhaps by default, the newly acquired McLain might have to be considered the team's No. 3 starter by the time the calendar turns from March to April.

March 05 , 1972:

Pitching has become the main theme of spring training, but one of the more interesting backstories in camp can be found in the outfield, where 31-year-old journeyman Brant Alyea resides. At one time a surefire hitting prospect with the Washington Senators, Alyea made a memorable major league debut by hitting a home run in his first at-bat-a 1965 pinch-hitting appearance against the California Angels. After his auspicious beginning, the slow-footed, defensively-challenged Alyea struggled to find a niche with the Senators, who eventually traded him to the Minnesota Twins. In 1970, Alyea enjoyed a breakthrough, batting .291 with 16 home runs and 61 RBIs in only 94 games. His single best day came in the Twins' opener that year, when he drove in seven runs in support of veteran right-hander Jim Perry.

Alyea even achieved some notoriety on defense, where he usually struggled. In an April 25th game against the Detroit Tigers, Alyea and the rest of the Twins' players mistakenly assumed a third out on what appeared to be a strikeout of opposing pitcher Earl Wilson. As Alyea-and the other Twins-ran off the field, he suddenly realized that Wilson had not been called out because of catcher Paul Ratliff's inability to catch the third strike cleanly. Alyea stopped near the mound and picked up the ball, which Ratliff had rolled toward the hill. Noticing that Wilson had already rounded third and begun his sprint toward home, Alyea fired the ball to Ratliff, who engaged Wilson in a rundown. Alyea caught the return throw and tagged Wilson, marking the first time in 20th century major league history that a left fielder had received credit for a putout on a strikeout.

The bizarre play typified the fortuitous nature of Alyea's 1970 season. The following season, however, Alyea's luck turned sour. He slumped at the plate, encountered injuries, and angered Minnesota management with his outspoken rhetoric. As a result, the Twins left Alyea off their 40-man roster and assigned him to Triple-A Portland, making him eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. The A's decided to take a flyer on Alyea, selecting him in the draft and compensating the Twins with the standard draft payment. Under the rules of the draft, the A's will have to keep Alyea on their 25-man roster throughout the 1972 season or else offer him back to the Twins for half of the purchase price.

Even with a bad spring, Alyea figures to make the Opening Day roster because of the Rule 5 stipulation. Yet, Alyea has shown no signs of complacency during the early days of spring training. To the contrary, he has impressed Dick Williams with his attitude-and his powerful swing in the batting cage. "When he's hot," Williams told sportswriter Ron Bergman, "he hits anything." Alyea feels that he has not only regained his 1970 batting stroke, but has actually surpassed it. "Right now, I'm the best hitter I've ever been," Alyea told The Sporting News. Such words typify Alyea's brash nature.

(Editor's Note: Although it was not reported at the time, Alyea had also achieved some off-the-field "notoriety"-so to speak. During the offseason, Alyea typically played winter ball in the Caribbean. One winter, he met a nurse in Nicaragua and dated her for several months. The following year, Alyea returned to Nicaragua-only to be informed by several local players that he now had a son. Alyea spent the winter with his newfound son and the woman, but left because of civil unrest in Nicaragua. For nearly 20 years, Alyea would not be able to see his child again because of political revolution in the Latin American country.

Alyea would finally enjoy a reunion with his son during the spring of 1986. By then, young Brant Alyea Jr. had signed a professional contract with the Toronto Blue Jays' organization. He had already played one season with the team's affiliate in Medicine Hat, Alberta, having escaped Nicaragua when the Blue Jays' Latin American scouting director reportedly bribed an airport official. The younger Alyea would never make the major leagues, but would come to know the father who had once been a part of Charlie Finley's baseball world.)

March 06 , 1972:

At the beginning of spring training, the health of starting pitchers Chuck Dobson and Blue Moon Odom headed up the list of concerns for Oakland management. By now, two weeks since pitchers and catchers had first reported to Mesa, only one of the two seems to have much of hope of making the Opening Day roster. "Dobson is throwing about 35 per cent," Dick Williams told The Sporting News, offering a less-than-glowing prognosis of his 1971 15-game winner, "and he won't do any more until we get approval from a doctor." With Dobson nowhere near the physical peak that he had reached prior to his 1971 arm problems, he has almost no chance of breaking camp with the team-and nearly a 100 per cent chance of landing on the disabled list.

In contrast, the pre-season throwing sessions of Odom gives Williams a small degree of confidence. "He said he'll be ready and strong in two weeks," Williams told The Sporting News in recalling a recent conversation with his talented right-hander. If healthy, Odom gives the A's a fourth proven starter, after Catfish Hunter, Ken Holtzman, and the newly acquired Denny McLain. Without Odom, the A's face the unenviable task of trying to find at least one other starting pitcher amidst the continuing absence of Vida Blue.

March 07 , 1972:

With the regular season only a month away, Charlie Finley announced a front office hiring today. Finley brought in former major league outfielder Jimmy Piersall to head up group sales and season ticket sales. Aside from the timing, it was an unusual move, given that most former players became broadcasters, scouts, or general managers-not directors of group sales. Yet, it was not at all an unusual move in the context of Charlie Finley's Oakland A's.

During a 17-year playing career, Piersall batted a respectable .272 with 104 home runs, all the while establishing himself as one of the game's best defensive center fielders. (Casey Stengel went as far as to say that Piersall played center field better than his own Hall of Famer, Joe DiMaggio.)Yet, Piersall is not best known for his playing ability-but for a severe mental breakdown and depression that he suffered shortly after beginning his major league career. Piersall was placed in a mental hospital, where he received shock therapy, considered an appropriate treatment for mental illness at the time. When Piersall returned to baseball, he played well (going 6-for-6 in his first game back), but suffered the verbal slings and arrows of taunting fans in opposing cities. Piersall's plight became even more well-known in 1957, when the film Fear Strikes Out, starring Anthony Perkins as Piersall, aired in theaters nationwide.

Piersall's hiring by Finley-considered equally as unstable as the former player in some circles-figures to draw catcalls and one-liners from around the baseball world. Some observers may wonder how long the two men can co-exist within the same organization. Then again, on a team that already featured strong personalities in Mike Epstein, Reggie Jackson, and Denny McLain, among others, perhaps Piersall will blend in rather nicely.

March 08 , 1972:

It didn't take long for Denny McLain to make his unique presence felt at the A's' spring camp. Upon his arrival at the A's' spring training hotel, the Newton's Sands in Phoenix, McLain found himself being approached by a member of the national media. As McLain relaxed by the hotel pool, a reporter from ABC television asked him about his reaction to the recent trade from Texas. The unpredictable right-hander, who had once dumped water on two sportswriters during his days in Detroit, yelled at the reporter and made indirect threats against ABC sportscaster Howard Cosell, who had previously criticized McLain. McLain also made reference to Cosell's Jewish heritage, a remark that became slightly more forgivable when the pitcher revealed that he was also part Jewish. Still, it was another unpleasant incident involving McLain and the media. While McLain had changed teams, he had unfortunately retained the same unpleasant streak that he had displayed in both Detroit and Washington.

March 09 , 1972:

The A's began their Cactus League season today with an afternoon matchup against the Giants, their Bay Area rivals and defending National League West champions. Preparing to face right-hander Jim Barr, manager Dick Williams filled out the following names on his first lineup card of the spring:

Campy Campaneris, ss
Angel Mangual, cf
Reggie Jackson, rf
Sal Bando, 3b
Tommy Davis, 1b
Gene Tenace, c
Bobby Brooks, lf
Dick Green, 2b
Ken Holtzman, p

Other than Davis at first, Brooks in left, and possibly Tenace behind the plate, all of the above players figured to be mainstays in the Oakland lineup during the regular season. Davis went 3-for-3 with a run scored and Jackson drove in two runs on one hit in the Cactus League lidlifter, but the A's lost to the Giants, 8-5. Catfish Hunter, the second of four Oakland pitchers, allowed five runs on five hits in three innings, taking the loss. The A's played sloppily in the field, committing four errors, which contributed to two unearned runs against Holtzman. Campaneris made two miscues before leaving shortstop duties to young Dwain Anderson, while Brooks and Bando each made an error, Bando's coming in a limited stint before giving way to Curt Blefary at third.

Thoroughly unimpressive in their spring debut, the A's looked forward to an off day on the 10th before resuming the exhibition season the following day against the Milwaukee Brewers.

March 10 , 1972:

The 1972 A's had the day off today. Check back tomorrow.

March 11 , 1972:

Playing the start of a home-and-home series in Mesa, the A's picked up their first exhibition win of spring training with a 3-1 decision over the Milwaukee Brewers. Starting first baseman Mike Epstein (hoping to prove himself worthy of playing every day) and rookie outfielder George Hendrick (vying for a backup spot on the roster) each hit home runs in support of a quartet of effective pitchers. The most impressive of the four hurlers was journeyman Ron Klimkowski, who made a strong opening bid for the fourth spot in the starting rotation with three scoreless innings. The 28-year-old right-hander, who had compiled a mediocre 3.40 ERA in long relief in 1971, allowed one hit and no walks in pinning down Milwaukee's order over the first three innings. With Chuck Dobson struggling and Blue Moon Odom showing an unwillingness to throw his good fastball, Klimkowski's sparkling spring debut put him into viable contention for the No. 4 spot in the rotation. In the meantime, the victory over the Brewers evened Oakland's spring record at 1-and-1. The A's prepared to wrap up the weekend with another game against the Brewers, this time in Tempe, on Sunday afternoon.

A's Acorns: The A's banged out 10 hits, with the "unretired" Dick Green collecting two safeties in three at-bats… The usually steady Sal Bando committed his second error in two games… Minor league right-hander Darryl Patterson earned the win despite walking three batters in two innings and giving up Milwaukee's lone run.

March 12 , 1972:

Denny McLain made his much-anticipated spring debut for Oakland today-but the results were anything but what Charlie Finley had anticipated eight days earlier, when he agreed to surrender two prospects for the veteran right-hander. Tommy Davis' error at first base allowed two unearned runs against McLain's record, but most of the damage against the ex-Senator was self-inflicted. Plodding through three innings against the Brewers, McLain surrendered 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits, six walks, and one hit batsman, while striking out nary a single batter. Poor enough in and of itself, McLain's performance looked even worse considering the lack of firepower in Milwaukee's starting lineup, which featured immortals like Rick Auerbach, Joe Lahoud, Frank Tepedino, Paul Ratliff, and Bobby Heise. McLain's debut helped saddle the A's with a 14-4 loss, dropping their spring record to 1-and-2.

The only positive performances of the day were turned in by right fielder Brant Alyea, who continued to impress with a 2-for-4 day, and Davis, who tried to make up for his fielding miscue with two hits in four at-bats, two runs scored, and an RBI.

A's Acorns: Curt Blefary made his first catching appearance of the spring, spelling Gene Tenace behind the plate and picking up a hit and an RBI in two at-bats. Blefary had played a few innings at third base in the spring opener… Rookie infielder Dwain Anderson, vying for a utility role, batted leadoff and went 1-for-3 with an RBI while playing a flawless shortstop… Minor league right-hander Chris Floethe, already facing long odds of making the staff.

March 13 , 1972:

Three different A's hit home runs today, but a lack of control on the part of Ken Holtzman and a crucial error by Larry Brown at second base led to a 7-6 loss to the Cleveland Indians. Uncharacteristically wild, Holtzman walked seven batters in five innings, allowing all seven Indians runs. Three of the runs came across as unearned, as a result of Brown's first spring training error.

Offensively, the A's showed signs of explosiveness for the first time in the early Cactus League season. First baseman Mike Epstein and center fielder Bobby Brooks (continuing to surprise this spring) hit solo home runs, while Reggie Jackson contributed a two-run shot in a pinch-hitting role. Another bright spot could be found in the pitching performance of Blue Moon Odom, who made his spring debut with two scoreless innings in relief of Holtzman. Odom, while walking three batters, allowed no hits and pitched without pain, giving Dick Williams some hope that he might be ready to vie for the fourth spot in the starting rotation.

A's Acorns: Jackson's two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth brought the A's within three runs of the Indians, who had raced out to leads of 4-0 and 7-2. Jackson did not stay in the game to play right field, where rookie Greg Schubert played most of the game before being replaced by a pinch-hitting Tommy Davis… Only 615 fans showed up in Mesa to watch the A's drop to 1-and-3 on the spring.

March 14 , 1972:

Oakland's frontline pitching continued to struggle, as Catfish Hunter allowed 11 hits and seven runs in a 7-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs today. The A's' offense staked "The Cat" to an early 2-0 lead, but the Cubs exploded against Hunter in the fourth inning, sending 11 men to bat during a seven-run frame. Longtime Cubs third baseman Ron Santo both started and finished the rally, beginning with a solo home run and ending with a two-run double. Veteran slugger Jim Hickman, pinch-hitting for starting pitcher Joe Decker, also contributed a two-run double, as the Cubs scored all of their runs in one inning.

While Chicago's offense did plenty of damage against Hunter, the A's mustered little against a trio of Cub pitchers, managing a total of five hits. Most of the offensive highlights were supplied by a pair of rookie outfielders contending for a backup spot on the 25-man roster. Right fielder Greg Schubert continued to make an impression with two runs scored and a double in four at-bats. Another minor league flychaser, Bobby Brooks, added a run, an RBI, and a triple in four times to the plate.

A's Acorns: For the first time this spring, the A's played an errorless game in the field. Oakland's infield contributed to five double plays… Minor league pitcher Dennis Myers made a bid for the last spot in the bullpen with two shutout innings of relief. Veterans Jim Roland and Rollie Fingers each followed with a scoreless inning… Veteran infielder Tim Cullen, just signed after being released by the Texas Rangers, made his debut in an Oakland uniform. Expected to battle Larry Brown and Dwain Anderson for a utility infield spot on the 25-man roster, Cullen went 0-for-3 in playing the entire game at third base… With the loss, the A's fell to 1-and-4 in Cactus League play.

March 15 , 1972:

Prior to the spring of 1972, few A's fans had even heard of Bobby "The Hammer" Brooks. By the middle of March, Brooks was now threatening to make himself a household name in Oakland-or at least in Mesa, where the A's played their home games in the spring. The Hammer banged out two more home runs today, capping off a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and helping the A's to a 12-1 bombing of the rival California Angels.

Batting fifth in Dick Williams' starting lineup, Brooks finished the game with two runs, three hits, and four RBIs. Another rookie outfielder, Greg Schubert, came off the bench to hit a home run, with two RBIs, and two runs scored. Joe Rudi and Brant Alyea also went deep, as the A's hit a preseason-high four home runs in by far their most impressive game of the spring.

A's Acorns: The recently-signed Tim Cullen made his second consecutive start, this time at shortstop. Batting leadoff, Cullen went 2-for-5 with a run scored… Alyea, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter for starter Diego Segui, stayed in the game to play second base. The veteran outfielder had never before played the middle infield during his major league career… Segui looked impressive in his first spring start, striking out five Angels and allowing only one run in four innings… The A's are now 2-4 on the spring.

March 16 , 1972:

Vida Blue announced his retirement today, but no one in A's camp took the "news" seriously. Speaking in between giggles at a press conference, the celebrated holdout declared that he would work for Dura Steel Products as the vice president of public relations. While his agent tried to maintain a straight face, Blue smirked and laughed repeatedly throughout the press conference, leading most observers to doubt the credibility of his future in plumbing. On the surface, Dick Williams tried to offer a serious reaction to Blue's announcement. "We certainly hate to lose Vida," Williams told sportswriter Ron Bergman, "and that has to be the understatement of the year. But I feel we can win with or without Vida."

Without Vida, the A's continued their early pre-season schedule. Ron Klimkowski made his second straight eye-opening start of the spring, blanking the San Diego Padres over the first three innings of Oakland's 4-0 shutout win. "Klem" scattered four harmless hits and picked up three strikeouts, while rookie hopefuls Chris Floethe and Dave Hamilton each chipped in with two scoreless innings of relief, as the A's won consecutive games for the first time in Cactus League play.

The A's scored three of their runs in the fourth inning, thanks mostly to three Padre errors, but helped also by Reggie Jackson's double and Floethe's run-scoring single. The A's also played sloppily in the field-with Mike Epstein, Larry Haney, and Larry Brown committing miscues-but their mistakes did not hurt Oakland pitchers, who helped their own cause by combining to issue only one walk.

A's Acorns: The A's' hottest hitter in the pre-season, outfielder Bobby Brooks, did not play… Newcomer Tim Cullen made his third straight appearance, this time not as a starter but in releif of Sal Bando at third base… The versatile Curt Blefary, who has appeared sparingly this spring, played the final few innings of the game in right field. He had caught and played third base in his previous Cactus League appearances… The A's are now 3-and-4 in the pre-season.

March 17 , 1972:

The A's lost a heartbreaker today to the rival Giants, who plated the winning run in the bottom of the ninth for a 9-8 victory in Phoenix. Two of the Giants' young outfielders teamed up for the winning rally: left fielder Bernie Williams delivered a triple that scored center fielder Jimmy Rosario, who had tried but failed to advance a baserunner with a sacrifice bunt earlier in the inning.

In what has become a disturbing trend, the A's once again played atrociously in the field. Three more errors-including two committed by the usually reliable likes of Sal Bando and Joe Rudi-raised Oakland's spring training total to an alarming 15 in only eight games, including six in the last two games. The defensive shortcomings betrayed the efforts of Ken Holtzman, who allowed three runs-but only one earned-in five innings. The loss dropped the A's to a lackluster 3-and-5 in the Cactus League.

A's Acorns: Darold Knowles picked up the loss, retiring only one of three batters he faced in the ninth, the out coming when he fielded Rosario's bunt and caught Giants third baseman Alan "Dirty Al" Gallagher in a rundown between second and third… Tommy Davis continued his impressive spring at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and a run scored after entering the game to play left field… Sal Bando the only home run of the game for either team… Yesterday's day off did little to hamper the pre-season swing of Bobby Brooks, who picked up two more hits in five at-bats, while scoring a run and driving in another. With Angel Mangual bothered off and on by injury, Brooks has now emerged as a legitimate contender for the center field slot left vacant by the off-season trade of Rick Monday.

March 18 , 1972:

Another day and another lackluster spring performance for the defending champions of the American League West. The A's lost for the sixth time in nine Cactus League games, dropping a flat 5-0 decision to the Chicago Cubs in Mesa. Catfish Hunter allowed three runs in five innings, the Oakland offense mustered a grand total of four hits, and the defense once again lapsed, this time in the form of Bobby Brooks' second error of the spring.

Perhaps the only amount of satisfaction that Charlie Finley could extract from the game was the performance of ex-Athletic Rick Monday. Now the Cubs' starting center fielder, Monday went 0-for-4 against Oakland pitching. A's Acorns: Accounting for the A's' only extra-base hit of the day with a harmless double, Brooks started the game in the cleanup slot against Cubs ace Ferguson Jenkins… In a six-inning stint, Jenkins allowed only one hit-a bad-hop single… Billy Williams and Ron Santo each drove in two runs for Chicago, which improved to 2-and-0 against Oakland in head-to-head Cactus League play.

March 19 , 1972:

Throughout his career with the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees, Curt Blefary had gained a reputation as something of a malcontent, a player who hesitated little when it came to complaining about playing time and alleged mistreatment by management. Blefary hoped to change that reputation during his tenure in Oakland, becoming an important part of Dick Williams' bench in 1971. In the spring of '72, Blefary vowed to continue his recent transition from "clubhouse lawyer" to "clubhouse contributor." "I've got three things to do this spring," Blefary told The Sporting News. "I'm going to get in shape, take my swings, and keep my mouth shut."

If Blefary could fulfill those three promises, he figured to be the A's' most important bench player, even more so than pinch-hitter extraordinaire Tommy Davis. No one on Oakland's roster possessed as much versatility as Blefary, who listed catcher, first base, third base, and the outfield as his areas of experience. While Blefary's defensive limitations prevented him from playing any of those positions on an extended basis, his ability to fill in at a moment's notice gave Williams the option to rest regulars, pinch-hit in the late innings, and maneuver his defensive alignments.

Additionally, Blefary gave Williams his only proven left-handed hitting option off the bench. The rest of the team's projected reserves-Gene Tenace, Tommy Davis, Larry Brown, George Hendrick, and either Dwain Anderson or Tim Cullen-all batted from the right side. Blefary's ability to hit the long ball-or work out a walk with his patient batting eye-made him an attractive pinch-hitting commodity against the league's tougher right-handed relievers.

A's Acorns: The A's took the day off from Cactus League play today, instead playing their second spring exhibition against the Tokyo Lotte Orions. Tokyo, one of the oldest franchises in the Japanese Leagues, was spending the spring touring Arizona and Florida while playing exhibition games against major league clubs.

March 20 , 1972:

Playing some of their most inspired ball of the spring, the A's bounced back from an early 5-1 deficit to defeat the Chicago Cubs, 7-6. Rookie infielder Dwain Anderson made his strongest impression of the spring, rapping out three doubles as the starting shortstop and leadoff man. Anderson, who drove in three runs and scored three times, combined to form a dominating tandem with No. 2 hitter Joe Rudi, who also enjoyed a three-hit, three-RBI afternoon.

With the score tied at 6-6 in the fifth inning, one of the newest A's-and Anderson's main competitor for a roster spot -played a role in pushing across the game-deciding run. Sal Bando started the inning with a single, before giving way to a pinch-runner. Veteran infielder Tim Cullen, recently claimed off the waiver wire, replaced "Captain Sal" on the basepaths. Cullen proceeded to move up to second base on an infield out, then deftly stole third base, before alertly coming home on Mike Hegan's infield grounder. Darryl Patterson, Chris Floethe, and Darold Knowles combined to pitch scoreless relief over the final four innings, with Patterson picking up his second win of the exhibition season.

A's Acorns: Anderson and Rudi teamed up on six of Oakland's nine hits, as the A's improved to 4-and-6. Only Bando, Dave Duncan, and the torrid Bobby Brooks managed singles among the rest of the A's hitters… Former Athletic "Broadway" Frank Fernandez clubbed a grand slam for the Cubs in the second inning, when Chicago scored five times. Fernandez had spent the 1971 season as a human yo-yo, starting off with the A's before being shuttled off to Washington, eventually returning to Oakland, and then finishing up the year in the Windy City. "Broadway Frank" also spent time with the A's' and Cubs' minor league affiliates… For only the second time all spring, the A's did not commit an error.

March 21 , 1972:

In his first few exhibition starts, Ken Holtzman had been harmed by Oakland's shoddy defense and his own wildness. He had pitched creditably, but nowhere near the level that he had shown in his National League heyday.

Facing the Angels in Palm Springs today, Holtzman looked very much like the pitcher who had thrown two no-hitters during his best days with the Cubs. The talented left-hander blanked the Angels over six innings, scattering only four hits, allowing no walks, and earning the victory in the A's' 6-0 whitewash. It was by far Holtzman's best performance in the green and gold of the A's, and gave Dick Williams hope that he still had a left-handed ace to turn to, even with the continuing absence of holdout Vida Blue.

Dick Green supplied half of Oakland's offense with three RBIs. Brant Alyea and Holtzman also drove in runs, as the A's won their second consecutive Cactus League game. The A's are now 5-and-6 in exhibition play.

A's Acorns: Alyea, who had played as an outfielder and second baseman in earlier games, made his first spring appearance at first base… The A's' offense managed five runs and six walks against Angels starter Nolan Ryan, an offseason acquisition from the New York Mets. Two of the runs against Ryan were unearned, as California's defense committed a total of five errors… Ron Klimkowski continued his fine spring showing for Oakland, pitching two more scoreless innings in relief of Holtzman. Rollie Fingers finished off the shutout with a scoreless ninth.

March 22 , 1972:

The A's made it three straight spring training victories with another 6-0 blanking of the Angels, matching the score from yesterday's game. With the two teams playing at the neutral site of Holtville, California, Catfish Hunter scattered five hits in an impressive five-inning stint, but was overshadowed by the performance of Blue Moon Odom. According to the Oakland coaching staff, Odom threw harder and more effectively than he had at any time in the last two and a half years. Throwing without pain, Odom shut down the Halos on two hits and one walk over the final four innings of the game. Odom pitched so impressively that he may have put himself in the lead for the No. 4 slot in the starting rotation, after Hunter, Ken Holtzman, and Denny McLain.

A's Acorns: Making the most of his one at-bat, Brant Alyea continued a promising spring by delivering a three-run double in a pinch-hitting role. Alyea came in for Joe Rudi in the sixth inning, helping the A's open up a 5-0 lead, and then gave way to rookie Greg Schubert in left field… Sal Bando and George Hendrick each had two hits… Tim Cullen continued his push for a roster spot with a pinch-hit single in place of Sal Bando… The A's played errorless baseball for the third straight game.

March 23 , 1972:

Denny McLain's second start in an Oakland uniform was better than his first, but that hardly represented good news for the A's. McLain, who had surrendered eight earned runs in three innings in his A's debut, lasted five innings in his second start, but gave up seven runs (all earned) on a whopping 14 hits. Unable to recover from the 7-1 deficit that McLain had left them with, the A's lost to the San Diego Padres, 8-3, in Yuma.

McLain pitched fairly well through the first four innings, allowing only single runs in the second and fourth. In the fifth inning, he tired badly, surrendering triples to Derrel Thomas and "Downtown" Ollie Brown, a double to opposing pitcher Tom Phoebus, three singles, and a sacrifice fly. Manager Dick Williams opted to leave McLain in for the entire inning, wanting to extend his pitch count at the expense of a spring training loss.

A's Acorns: The defeat ended the A's' winning streak at three games, dropping their record below .500 at 6-and-7… Making his first appearance at first base, Curt Blefary went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bert Campaneris and Sal Bando also had two-hit days, with Campy adding a stolen base… Joe Rudi drove in two of Oakland's runs with a single… Dick Green committed his first error of the spring… Derrel Thomas and Dave Campbell (the future ESPN broadcaster) each had three hits for the Padres.

March 24 , 1972:

The A's continued to struggle against the lowly Padres, shut down by the hardly indestructible pitching combination of Bill Grief and Mike Corkins, 1-0.

With the game still scoreless in the bottom of the ninth inning, A's reliever Darold Knowles allowed a leadoff single to left fielder Leron Lee. After retiring slugging first baseman Nate Colbert, Knowles faced center fielder Jerry Morales, who tripled in the game-winning run. The loss dropped the A's to 6-and-8 in exhibition play.

Oakland's offense mustered only eight baserunners, including two walks, and struck out eight times. The anemic hitting might have been deemed a bit disturbing considering that Dick Williams started what could be his Opening Day lineup:

Campaneris, ss
Rudi, lf
Jackson, rf
Bando, 3b
Epstein, 1b
Tenace, c
Hendrick, cf
Green, 2b

Of the above eight positions, only catcher and center field seemed like question marks for Opening Day, with challenges being posed to Tenace (by Dave Duncan) and Hendrick (by Bobby Brooks and Angel Mangual).

Looking at the upside, Diego Segui turned in his best performance of the spring, allowing only four hits and no runs over six innings. Bob Locker, with another solid inning in middle relief, remained unscored upon in exhibition play.

A's Acorns: Mangual, who has been bothered by injuries throughout spring training, did make a hitless appearance as a pinch-hitter. In fact, Mangual was the only substitution among position players for the A's, as Dick Williams played the game more like a regular season affair than an exhibition tilt.

March 25 , 1972:

Since spring training games don't count in the regular season standings, it might be difficult to categorize a spring loss as heartbreaking. Yet, today's defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers might have come close to such a description.

With a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth and spring training sensation Ron Klimkowski on the mound, the game seemed securely in Oakland's favor. Unscored upon in Cactus League play, the A's committed a costly error before "Klem" buckled and allowed two home runs to catchers Paul Ratliff and Darrell Porter. Within moments, the Brewers had scored three runs to take a 5-3 lead, which they held onto for the victory.

The ninth inning implosion overshadowed another terrific start for Ken Holtzman, who allowed only one run in six innings. Shortstop Larry Brown and outfielder Bobby Brooks continued to experience shaky springs defensively, each committing an error. The A's had gone five straight games without a miscue prior to the meltdown.

A's Acorns: Joe Rudi homered for the A's. He was hit by a pitch in his only other plate appearance and left the game… Campy Campaneris drove in the other two runs for Oakland… The Brewers started Skip Lockwood, who allowed only one earned run in five innings. Lockwood began his career in the A's' organization-the Kansas City A's-as a third baseman.

March 26 , 1972:

A's Acorns: Joe Rudi and Sal Bando each hit two-run home runs in today's Cactus League game in Mesa, lifting the A's to an 8-3 win over the Padres. Catfish Hunter put forth his best effort of the spring, allowing only one earned run over seven innings… Dick Green continued his fine hitting in the exhibition season, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Reggie Jackson added two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored… Rookie infielder Dwain Anderson continues to turn heads. "D," as he's known to teammates, scored two runs while batting out of the leadoff spot and once again played a flawless shortstop… With the win, the A's snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 7-and-9 in the Cactus League.

March 27 , 1972:

After two disastrous spring training starts, members of the the A's' coaching staff held their fingers as Denny McLain took to the mound against the Cleveland Indians today in Tucson. Showing improved life with his fastball, McLain turned in seven respectable innings, allowing all three runs in a 3-2 loss to the Tribe. Although McLain permitted eight hits and four walks, he worked out of several jams, allowing runs in only the sixth and seventh innings. The Indians scored the game's decisive run in the seventh, on a single by pinch-hitter Lou Camilli, a sacrifice bunt by Del Unser, and an RBI single by Eddie Leon.

While McLain's performance offered encouragement, the A's' offense produced only frustration. Three of the A's' rookies each produced three hits-Bobby Brooks, Dwain Anderson, and George Hendrick-but as a team, the A's plated just a pair of runs. None of the other A's managed a single hit against Cleveland's Dick Tidrow and Chuck Machemehl.

A's Acorns: The A's employed an unusual lineup today, with third baseman Tim Cullen batting leadoff and catcher Curt Blefary batting second. The unusual 1-2 combination went hitless in seven at-bats, reaching base only once (on a Blefary walk). None of the A's' 1971 regulars appeared in the game except for Mike Epstein, who batted cleanup and played first base… The A's preseason record now stands at 7-and-10.

March 28 , 1972:

Blue Moon Odom didn't pitch as well as he had in his spring training debut, but still managed to strike out five and last a full six innings in a losing effort to the Angels in Mesa. Odom allowed four runs and nine hits in a 6-1 defeat to the Halos. Odom's outing proved encouraging enough for the A's to pencil him into their season-opening starting rotation.

In the meantime, the A's' erratic spring offense continued to sputter. Oakland managed only five hits against Andy Messersmith and Rickey Clark, with their one run coming on a bases-loaded walk to Campy Campaneris. Regulars Reggie Jackson, Mike Epstein, Dave Duncan, and Campaneris combined to produce only one hit in 13 at-bats, as the A's fell to 7-and-11.

A's Acorns: Once again, Bobby Brooks shone as the only offensive bright spot. The impressive rookie picked up two hits in three at-bats and scored Oakland's only run… The A's recalled non-roster infielder Vic Harris from their minor league camp to play second base and bat second behind Campaneris. The switch-hitting Harris, who batted .291 with 84 runs scored at Class-A Burlington (Midwest League) in 1971, went hitless in four at-bats.

February 29 , 1972:

Even though neither player has asked to be dealt, the names of Gene Tenace and Dave Duncan continue to be mentioned in trade talk during the spring. With the A's possessing two catchers of starting caliber in "Dunc" and "Steamboat," in addition to a solid bat in Curt Blefary, and a fine defensive receiver in Larry Haney (who has had an impressive spring), Charlie Finley has been shopping both Duncan and Tenace. In exchange, the A's would love to acquire a starting second baseman with the capability of beating out Dick Green, either now or in the near future.

Oakland scouts have salivated over the Pittsburgh Pirates' pair of young second basemen, Dave Cash and Rennie Stennett, but know that the Bucs already have a fine No. 1 catcher in Manny Sanguillen. As for other options, the Orioles' Dave Johnson and Chicago Cubs veteran Glenn Beckert represent two of the better veteran second basemen that might be available in a trade. Both the Orioles and Cubs would like to improve their receiving corps with a top-flight catcher. In 1971, the Orioles platooned journeymen Andy Etchebarren and Elrod Hendricks, while the Cubs struggled to find a replacement for the injured Randy Hundley, who came to bat only 27 times.

March 30 , 1972:

In the most stunning development of spring training, the A's today waived veteran first baseman-outfielder Tommy Davis, who batted over .320 in a part-time role in 1971. "I knew I was in trouble when I got my contract," Davis said of the pact that Charlie Finley had mailed him during the winter. "I hit .324 for him and he offered me [only] a $3,000 raise," Davis told Phil Pepe of the New York Daily News. In 1971, the 33-year-old Davis had performed exceedingly well as the A's' best bench player. He had led all American League pinch-hitters in batting average and had responded brilliantly in clutch situations, collecting 13 RBIs with his 12 pinch-hits.

Davis continued to hit well in the spring exhibition games, assaulting pitchers at a .563 clip prior to his release. So why did the A's essentially throw away such a valuable bench player while receiving nothing in return? The A's claim that the condition of Davis' oft-injured legs prevent him from playing a position in the field; Davis had not appeared in a game since March 23, or one week ago. "He could no longer do the job defensively," Dick Williams told Murray Chass of the New York Times.

In reality, Davis' defensive limitations have little to do with his sudden unemployment, since the A's rarely used him in the field anyway. The real reason can be found in the name of Davis' agent-Bob Gerst-the same man representing celebrated holdout Vida Blue. Davis had first introduced Blue to Gerst, an act that Finley now considered unconscionable. "If that's the reason they cut me," Davis reasoned to the New York Times, "there's nothing I can do about it. If it is [the reason], it's very childish."

Davis explained that he had brought Blue and Gerst together during the first half of the 1971 season, when the left-hander's assault of American League batters had attracted commercial suitors. "I didn't introduce Gerst to help Blue with his contract," Davis explained to Bob Cottrol of Black Sports Magazine. "I introduced him to help him with endorsements and personal appearances-and that was early in the season." Regardless of Davis' intentions, Finley had sought retribution for the current crumbled state of salary negotiations with his star pitcher. "He wanted a scapegoat," Davis said. "He didn't want to get rid of Blue, but he wanted to show how strong he could be."

With teams looking to reduce their rosters to the 25-man limit late in spring training, the timing of the release did not help Davis. "I figure I had a job, hitting for Oakland and maybe playing sparingly… the next thing I'm out of baseball," Davis told Black Sports.

(Editor's note: Davis would eventually find work with the Chicago Cubs and in later years would make Finley regret his foolish decision to release him by becoming one of the American League's most productive designated hitters.)

A's Acorns: The release of the popular Davis overshadowed today's exhibition game against the Indians-a 6-5 win in Mesa. Ken Holtzman forged his second consecutive outstanding start, allowing only an unearned run in seven innings. Holtzman could be in line to be the Opening Day starter over Catfish Hunter, who also pitched well in his most recent appearance… The A's took an early 4-0 lead after two innings, but barely held off the Indians' late-inning charge against reliever Jim Roland, who was cuffed for four runs in one and two-thirds innings… Campy Campaneris paced the offense with three hits and three RBIs, Dick Green added a pair of hits and two runs scored, and Joe Rudi blasted his team-leading fourth home run of the spring.

March 31 , 1972:

Playing one of their best games of the spring, the A's routed the Padres, 8-0, in Mesa today. The A's scored all of their runs on home runs, supporting the shutout pitching of Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers. With seven innings of scoreless ball, Hunter matched Ken Holtzman's performance yesterday, giving Dick Williams a tough call as to who might become the Opening Day starter. Even the A's' shaky spring defense contributed to the victory, completing three double plays while committing no errors.

The A's took an early lead on George Hendrick's first-inning home run, and then added it to it on Mike Epstein's two-run shot in the fourth. In the seventh, Hendrick hit his second home run of the game-this time a two-run blast. Campy Campaneris, rebounding from a weak spring, concluded the scoring with a three-run blow in the eighth, capping off a two-hit day.

A's Acorns: Hendrick finished the game with three hits in four at-bats, three RBIs, and three runs scored. He became the second member of the A's to hit two home runs in a game this spring, joining his competitor in center field, Bobby Brooks… Larry Brown went 2-for-4 while playing the entire game at third base. Brown will likely make the Opening Day roster as the primary utility infielder, with Dwain Anderson and Tim Cullen still battling for the secondary position… Sal Bando and Reggie Jackson were the only two Oakland regulars who did not play… With their second consecutive win, the A's improve to 9-and-11 in spring play.

April 01 , 1972:

The A's were supposed to play a spring training game today, but that became a non-entity as major league baseball's Players' Association called the first general strike in the history of the sport. The April Fool's Day announcement effectively means the end of the exhibition season, while putting in jeopardy the start of the regular season, which is scheduled for April 5 (with the A's slated to play their first game on April 6).

The reason for the strike? The Players' Association, under the direction of Marvin Miller, wants improvement in the pension fund, long a sore point among players. The Association has asked for a 17 per cent increase in fixed retirement benefits, a request that has met with both indifference and resistance from the owners. On March 30, Miller completed a spring training canvass of the major league players, with 662 voting in favor of a strike and only 10 voting against a walkout, with two voters choosing to abstain. Miller found unanimous support among the A's' players, who voted 25-0 in favor of striking.

At today's meeting, which included player representatives from each of the 24 teams, the reps voted 47-0 in favor of a strike (Wes Parker of the Los Angeles Dodgers elected not to vote), making the walkout official. Oakland's Reggie Jackson made one of the most passionate appeals in favor of an immediate strike and found support from the team's alternate player representative, Chuck Dobson. Without a quick settlement, the scheduled start of the regular season has almost certainly been placed in an endangered state. And spring training-which always seems to begin with so much promise and hope-has come to an abrupt and sorrowful end.

April 02 , 1972:

A's Acorns: Thanks to the onset of the strike, the exhibition season has ended, leaving the A's with a mediocre record of 9-and-11 in Cactus League play. In spite of the team's generally sporadic play, several individual players put forth standout performances. Catcher-first baseman Gene Tenace hit .316 in Cactus League play, far bettering the mark of incumbent receiver Dave Duncan, who batted only .138. Still, manager Dick Williams has not announced who will start behind the plate once the strike comes to an end… Among hitters, none produced as much as non-roster invitee Bobby Brooks, who batted .344 with three home runs and piled up 11 RBIs in 61 spring at-bats. Brooks' surprising performance not only gained him a spot on the 25-man roster, but also impressed Dick Williams sufficiently to earn him a starting job in the A's' outfield. Brooks, the new center fielder, will be flanked by Joe Rudi in left and Reggie Jackson in right field. Now Brooks just has to wait for the strike to end before he can enjoy his first action in the major leagues since a cup of coffee in 1970… In order to make room for Brooks on the 25-man roster, the A's demoted 1971 sensation Angel Mangual to Triple-A Iowa. Mangual had reported to spring training with a torn leg muscle and incurred a series of other injuries throughout the spring, damaging both his performance and his playing time… From a pitching standpoint, both Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman excelled toward the tail end of spring training. Either would seem like a logical candidate to start the opener-whenever that is… Unfortunately, any momentum that either pitcher might have gained toward the regular season will likely be negated if the player walkout continues for any length of time…Three relievers-Rollie Fingers, Ron Klimkowski, and Bob Locker-also stood out. Locker did not allow a run in seven innings of work. The side-arming Locker will serve in middle relief, helping to set up Fingers, the team's No. 1 fireman.

April 03 , 1972:

Over a span of seven seasons, he had toiled in the minor leagues without ever making an Opening Day roster. Over the last two consecutive springs, he was the final player cut by the A's and sent back to the minors. The A's apparently thought so little of him that they didn't even include him on the 40-man roster heading into the spring of 1972. Given such circumstances, few could have blamed this obscure minor league journeyman for calling it quits.

Six weeks of spring training had completely changed the career outlook for the five-foot, eight-and-a-half inch slugger. Shortly before the Players' Association went on strike, manager Dick Williams announced that "Hammer"-AKA Bobby Brooks-had made the A's' Opening Day roster. Better yet, Brooks' performance had earned him a berth in the starting outfield as Oakland's regular center fielder.

Once Williams made up his mind, he called Brooks into his office to deliver the good news. An unsuspecting Brooks expected only the worst. "I thought the axe was swinging and the hog was high," the colorful Brooks told The Sporting News. In other words, he thought he was being sent back to the minor leagues-yet again.

That wasn't going to happen, not after Brooks had opened the eyes of the Oakland coaching staff with a .344 batting average and three home runs in 18 games. Brooks' performance also garnered applause from his teammates-even from those competing with him for a roster spot. "I'm very glad the Oakland organization has finally seen what the players have been seeing in Bobby Brooks all these years," observed George Hendrick, who lost out to Brooks in the center field derby. After seven years of hardship, Bobby Brooks had finally made it to Opening Day. Now if only the strike would end and Opening Day would actually take place.

(Editor's note: Brooks would hit only .179 in 39 at-bats before losing the A's' center field job early in 1972. He would play a brief seven-game stint for the California Angels in 1973, bringing his major league career to an end. Unfortunately, Brooks would meet with tragedy in his post-playing days. On October 11, 1994, Brooks died from a heart attack at the age of 48.)

April 05 , 1972:

Lost amidst the clamor created by the ongoing baseball strike is the composition of the A's' Opening Day roster. In somewhat of a surprise, Dick Williams and Charlie Finley have decided to retain journeyman Larry Haney as the third-string catcher. A defensive stalwart and onetime member of the Seattle Pilots, Haney did not play in the majors during the 1971 season and had been given little chance of making the team at the start of spring training. In another surprise, both Bobby Brooks and George Hendrick have made the team, beating out the injury-plagued Angel Mangual, who will start the season at Triple-A. In a more expected move, the A's have decided to keep Rule Five acquisition Brant Alyea as a backup outfielder rather than offer him back to the Minnesota Twins.

In other developments, Rangers castoff Tim Cullen narrowly edged out rookie Dwain Anderson for a spot as a utility infielder. Along with Anderson, rookie left-hander Dennis Myers and journeyman right-hander Ron Klimkowski (despite a sensational spring) were two of the final roster cuts. And veteran right-hander Chuck Dobson, nowhere close to being ready after offseason elbow surgery, will start the new season on the disabled list, while Vida Blue remains an unsigned holdout, leaving the A's with nine pitchers for Opening Day.

Although no one knows for sure when the strike will come to an end, these are the players that Williams and Finley have decided upon to fill out the 25-man roster:

Catchers (3): Dave Duncan, Larry Haney, Gene Tenace
Infielders (7): Sal Bando, Larry Brown, Bert "Campy" Campaneris, Tim Cullen, Mike Epstein, Dick Green, Mike Hegan
Outfielders (6): Brant Alyea, Curt Blefary, Bobby Brooks, George Hendrick, Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi
Pitchers (9): Rollie Fingers, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Ken Holtzman, Bob Locker, Denny McLain, Darold Knowles, John "Blue Moon" Odom, Jim Roland, Diego Segui
Disabled List (1): Chuck Dobson
Restricted List (1): Vida Blue

April 06 , 1972:

If all had gone according to plan, the Oakland A's would have opened up the regular season at historic Comiskey Park against the Chicago White Sox today. Unfortunately, the plans for the A's and the Western Division rival White Sox-and the rest of the major league teams-have been disrupted by the player strike, which has effectively wiped out today's Opening Day slate of games. So instead of Catfish Hunter or Ken Holtzman taking the Comiskey Park mound against knuckleballing ace Wilbur Wood (22-13 with a 1.91 ERA in 1971), Marvin Miller and the Players' Association continue their battle with major league owners over the issue of increased pension benefits.

April 08 , 1972:

As the A's and the rest of major league baseball wait for a resolution to the first general strike in the history of the game, we'll present profiles of the players most pivotal to Oakland's success in 1972:

A native of Cuba, Bert "Campy" Campaneris had arrived in the major leagues in 1964 with the Kansas City A's, as a replacement for injured shortstop Wayne Causey. After an all-night, sleep-depriving plane ride, Campaneris arrived at the ballpark. The A's' equipment manager thought the 155-pound Campaneris too frail to be a ballplayer and initially refused to give him a uniform. Campaneris surprised the equipment manager by homering in his first at-bat against Minnesota's Jim Kaat-on the very first pitch. Campaneris followed up by hitting a second home run against Kaat in the seventh inning. The dual home runs tied a modern day record for most home runs in a major league debut. The 22-year-old speedster added a single, a stolen base, and an impressive running catch on a short pop-up into left field.

Separated from his mother, father, and seven brothers and sisters, who still lived in Cuba, the shy, reserved Campaneris had few American friends, no girlfriend or wife, and lived by himself in a small apartment near Kansas City's Municipal Stadium. "He was such a loner," says former teammate Jack Aker. "I played with him there for three or four years and never really got to know him." Several of the A's attempted to incorporate Campaneris into the social atmosphere of the clubhouse. "We tried to get him at least psychologically to be a part of the team," Aker explains, "which we never were able to achieve while I was with the team."

Campaneris' tendency to stay to himself may have been caused by his problems with a new language. At first, Campaneris spoke such little English that teammate Diego Segui, who eventually became his best friend on the team, served as his interpreter for interviews with the media. Although A's' coaches had difficulty communicating with him, they quickly came away impressed with his speed and daring base-running style. "He's got guts," Kansas City A's coach Gabby Hartnett told sportswriter Joe McGuff in 1964. "He's got the best pair of wheels I've ever seen. I saw a lot of great basestealers, including Max Carey, but I wouldn't rate any of them ahead of this kid." A's third-base coach Luke Appling, also a Hall of Famer like Hartnett, raved about Campy's baseball instincts, calling them "exceptional."

The language barrier forced a determined Campaneris to study pitchers on his own and develop base-stealing techniques by himself. In 1965, Campaneris led all American League basestealers with 51 thefts. Campy topped the 50-stolen base mark three straight seasons, before swiping 62 bases in 1968. At the plate, Campaneris hit consistently in the .260 to .270 range. "We felt he was more of an offensive weapon than a defensive weapon at that time," recalls Jack Aker. Only elements of his defensive play remained a concern. "An outstanding defensive player as far as his range at the time," Aker says. "He wasn't as steady as Dick Green was at second. But he made the spectacular plays." Campaneris' quick, scampering feet allowed him to reach grounders that other shortstops couldn't touch, but he tended to bobble grounders because of his unsure hands. Campy made over 30 errors in three of his first four full seasons before settling down defensively in 1969. As with his base stealing, Campy improved his fieldwork through his self-imposed work ethic.

Campaneris wasn't satisfied with improvements on the field. He hoped to learn English to the point where he no longer would need bilingual teammates like Orlando Pena and Diego Segui to help him conduct interviews. He spent one winter with his second cousin, Angels' outfielder Jose Cardenal, whose wife gave him lessons in the new language. Thanks in part to his improved skills in speaking English, Campaneris eventually met and married an American woman.

In 1971, Campaneris represented one of the few offensive disappointments for the A's, this after slugging a career-high 22 home runs in 1970. "He hit some home runs leading off one year," Rollie Fingers says, recalling Campy's unusual power output in 1970. "Right out of the shoot, you were up 1-0, and that certainly helped."

In 1971, Campaneris struggled through an up-and-down season at the plate. Much to the chagrin of Dick Williams, Campaneris tried to hit home runs the way he had in 1970, rather than concentrate on putting the ball in play and getting on base. "We called him 'Baby Hondo,' " Fingers says with a chuckle, "because everybody thought he swung the bat like Frank Howard." The six-foot, seven-inch Howard weighed well over 250 pounds, while Campaneris measured five feet, ten inches tall and weighed barely 155 pounds. Using a long, overextended swing, Campaneris hit only five home runs and saw his batting average, runs scored, and stolen base totals fall off from his career-best season of 1970.

On the plus side, Campy rebounded from a poor start defensively-which had seen him make 10 errors in his first 24 games, including errors in four consecutive games-and began to emerge as a reliable, sure-handed shortstop who still had excellent range to either side of the ball.

April 09 , 1972:

As an amateur player, Sal Bando had starred at Arizona State University, where he played with his onetime Oakland teammate, Rick Monday. His collegiate coach-future A's coach and manager Bobby Winkles-worked with him on the principle of hitting to all fields, rather than trying to pull every pitch. Winkles hoped to make the slow-footed Bando a catcher in his senior season, but the young third baseman foiled the plan by making himself eligible for the professional draft. After hitting .480 in the 1965 College World Series, the Kansas City A's made Bando the third choice in that year's amateur draft.

Bando showed improvement in each of his three minor league seasons, hitting for a higher average while advancing one level each summer. Kansas City scouts loved Bando's game, especially the powerful throwing arm that had made him an all-city quarterback in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Scouts from other teams labeled Bando the best third base prospect they'd seen in years.

In 1967, the A's traded mediocre journeyman Ed Charles to make room for Bando, whom manager Alvin Dark considered the second coming of Brooks Robinson. At the urging of Dark, Bando altered his batting stance, adopting a deeper crouch. Bando should have retained his old approach; he hit only .192, injured himself, and received a return ticket to Triple-A Vancouver.

Bando returned to the major leagues the following season-sans the crouching stance preferred by Dark. Batting out of a straighter, more comfortable position, Bando continued to struggle. A subsequent tip from Hall of Fame batting instructor Joe DiMaggio reversed his failures at the plate. "I was getting jammed on everything," Bando explained to Ron Bergman. "Then Joe D. told me to close up my stance."

By 1969, Bando became Oakland's cleanup hitter and team captain. Even though Bando was only 25 years old, manager Hank Bauer recognized the leadership qualities and intelligence of his rugged, respected third baseman. "We didn't have a lot of veteran players when I was with Oakland," Reggie Jackson says of his first few years with the A's. "My intensity on the field was helped by playing with our captain, Sal Bando. We lived near each other in our very early years and he was very influential in my career."

"He was very friendly; off the field, he was one of the guys," says Jack Aker, a teammate of Bando's for two seasons. "On the field, you could sense that he was a leader. Even so much as when the manager would come out to talk to the pitcher, it got to where a lot of times the manager would come out and talk to Bando in front of the pitcher-which is rare. A lot of times the manager will talk to the catcher about the pitcher. Bando was so much in the ballgame and so aware; he could pick up that a pitcher might be tiring, even better than sometimes the catchers could. So he was very valuable."

Aker considered Bando a natural selection as team captain. "In the late sixties, all these fellows, like Bando, Campaneris-who was already there- Catfish came along, Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday, all of these fellows came up at almost the same time. I think everyone knew right away, as far as the veteran players, that they were gonna have some kind of team here. We didn't have a veteran who was in the right age group that could have carried on as captain when these young fellows came in. So I think partly the reason that Sal Bando was named the captain and fit in so well: he had the aptitude for it; he was a hard-nosed type of player who gave all he had everyday and expected everybody else to do. And he also was a very bright player; he made very few mistakes on the field… I think they definitely picked the right fellow."

April 10 , 1972:

Most observers who followed the A's in 1972 recognized that Reggie Jackson was their best and most talented everyday play. The star outfielder had been drafted by the Kansas City A's in 1966 after a terrific sophomore season at Arizona State University. After making Jackson the A's' first pick in the draft, Charlie Finley personally recruited Jackson's signature on a contract. The owner offered the college star an $85,000 bonus and a new car, in the hopes that he would give up his football scholarship with the Sun Devils. "He came driving up in a big Cadillac," Jackson told Glenn Dickey of Sport Magazine in describing his first meeting with Finley. He "kept talking about what a big star I was going to be and how we were going to be champions. He really overwhelmed me."

Finley wanted to start Jackson at Double-A, but Kansas City scouts Bob Zuk and Ray Swallow begged the owner to start him at a lower level. For once, Finley gave in. Jackson debuted professionally that summer, making two pitstops for Class-A teams in Lewiston and Modesto. Reggie moved up to Double-A Birmingham in 1967 and so dominated Southern League pitching that he earned a promotion to the major leagues midway through the season. When Jackson batted only .178 in 35 games, the A's targeted him for additional work in the Instructional League. Kansas City coaches tutored Jackson on hitting inside pitches and cutting down on his frequent strikeouts.

In 1968, with the A's now entrenched in Oakland, Jackson spent his first full season in the majors and worked daily with batting coach Joe DiMaggio, the former New York Yankees' great. For over an hour each day, DiMaggio schooled Jackson on the art of making better contact. "Reggie is still green as grass," DiMaggio admitted to sportswriter Ed Rumill. "We've just got to bring his talents to the surface. They're all there, no question."

Jackson terrorized American League pitchers during the first half of the 1969 season, setting a record with 37 home runs before the All-Star break. Jackson seemed destined to break Roger Maris' single-season record for home runs, but encountered a second half power drought brought upon by nerves and excessive media scrutiny. In addition to his obvious power, Jackson possessed all the other requisite skills to become a star: a burst of speed that reminded some of Willie Mays in his prime, and a thunderous throwing arm that reminded others of a young Al Kaline or even an older Roberto Clemente.

During the winter following the 1970 campaign, Jackson started to make some important changes in his approach to the game. While playing for Santurce in winter ball, Jackson tinkered with his batting stance by crouching at the plate. "I've torn down my batting style and I'm reconstructing it," Jackson told Ron Bergman. "I've forgotten about hitting the home run ball and I'm just hitting the ball somewhere." The crouch helped Jackson improve his ability to make contact with the ball. "This way, as long as I stay down in the crouch and swing, I don't lose contact with my eyes and overswing and hit the ball all over."

By accident, Jackson also discovered that he needed to wear eyeglasses. Jackson visited an eyewear store in search of some new sunglasses and met with an eye doctor. The doctor performed an examination of Jackson's eyes and discovered the slugger to be nearsighted. After donning his new eyeglasses, Reggie raised his batting average 70 points in Winter League play. "I've hit five home runs in the six games I played after I began wearing them," Reggie exclaimed to The Sporting News. "It's amazing."

During that same offseason, the A's hired Dick Williams as their new manager, replacing John McNamara. Based on what he had heard about Williams, Jackson reacted negatively to the move. "I've heard a lot of bad things about him from other players, unfavorable comments, " Jackson admitted to The Sporting News. "I heard that when things get tough, he wouldn't stick up for you." Jackson initially asked Williams to trade him. Reporters circulated rumors that the A's might trade Jackson to the Pittsburgh Pirates for slugging outfielder Willie Stargell, or to the Baltimore Orioles for outfielder Paul Blair and pitcher Tom Phoebus.

Jackson later retreated from his trade request-after meeting with Williams. "I saw Reggie down in Puerto Rico," Williams told The Sporting News after watching his slugger play for the Santurce Crabbers in the Puerto Rican Winter League. "His attitude was so good it was scary."

By 1972, Jackson had completely changed his opinion of Williams, whom he considered tough but fair. With Jackson and Williams on the same page, there was little chance of dispute between the team's manager and the team's best all-around player.

April 11 , 1972:

In 1964, the year before baseball established an amateur draft, a horde of scouts had launched an all-out assault on Hertford, North Carolina, and its population of 2,012 residents. That's where Jim Hunter, one of the best high school pitchers in the country, resided. Charlie Finley shooed away other scouts major league when he arranged for a police escort and a black limousine to bring him to the modest Hunter home. "Mr. Finley started passing out green warm-up jackets and green bats and orange baseballs," Hunter told Pat Jordan of Sport Magazine, "and it sort of scared off all the other scouts. They figured Mr. Finley had me all sewed up." Finley and the Kansas City A's didn't, at least not yet. The owner refused to give Hunter the new Thunderbird he wanted, but relented on a $75,000 bonus and a major league contract. For the hard-working farming community of Perquimans County, a $75,000 check represented an unheard-of windfall.

Shortly after his signing in June, Finley discovered that Hunter's right foot contained 30 shotgun pellets. During a high school rabbit-hunting expedition, Hunter's brother had tripped and accidentally shot him in the foot, resulting in the loss of his small toe. "My folks worried I would get hurt playing football," Hunter told the New York Daily News. "So, instead, my brother shot my toe off accidentally." His brother fainted, forcing Hunter to slap him in the face in an effort to bring him back to consciousness. The two boys then walked off together to a local hospital.

Taking a passive approach, a local doctor had decided to leave the buckshot pellets in Hunter's foot. Finley wanted to tear up his major league contract with the injured teenager and replace it with a minor league, for far less money. The Commissioner's Office ruled that the original contract remain valid. Having failed to destroy the contract, Finley wanted to repair Hunter's foot. Finley instructed the scout who had signed Hunter-Clyde Kluttz-to take the teenager to the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Doctors removed half of the pellets and some bone fragments from Hunter's four remaining toes, but the surgery knocked him onto the disabled list for all of the 1964 season. Baseball's bonus role and the possibility of losing Hunter to the first-year draft forced the A's to keep the 19-year-old on the major league roster in 1965, even though he had displayed only an average repertoire in spring training. The following spring, the A's planned to send Hunter to the minor leagues, but his surprising maturity and injuries to a few veteran pitchers enabled him to stay with Kansas City.

"It just so happened that he was my roommate," says Jack Aker, a reliever who had first joined the A's in 1964, one year before Hunter's arrival. "They decided he could stay with me, that I was safe and wouldn't lead him astray. Catfish was so impressive, not because of what he did pitching, but here's a kid right out of high school who goes on the major league mound and pitches as if he were a veteran. Catfish never showed a bit of fear or nervousness, anything that most rookies would show in that situation. He just picked up on major league baseball like it was another day back at his high school in Hertford, North Carolina." Hunter remained with the A's on a full-time basis, never spending a single day in the minors.

Hunter quickly impressed the veteran A's players with his demeanor, both on the pitching mound and in the clubhouse. "Very calm, cool customer on the field," Aker says. "Very personable off the field. Very shy when he was young. But a guy that, even though it took awhile to get to know him, everybody liked."

Although Hunter insisted that he continued to push off the mound with his foot as hard as ever, the high school hunting misadventure appeared to have robbed Hunter's fastball of some its velocity. Still, baseball scouts liked Hunter's control, ball movement, and pitching instincts so much that they predicted he would become a right-handed Whitey Ford. The A's liked Hunter enough to reject an enticing trade proposal from the Orioles, who had offered former American League Rookie of the Year Mike Epstein and two pitchers for Hunter. From 1966 to 1970, Hunter pitched creditably, earning selection to a pair of American League All-Star teams. Yet, he fell short of the level of stardom predicted by Charlie Finley, who had hoped Hunter would become a 20-game winner in 1968. That didn't happen until 1971, when Hunter finally became a bonafide star. Aided by the development of a slider, continued improvement of his control, and the addition of deception to his pitching motion, Hunter won 20 games for the first time in his career and established himself as one of the aces of the Oakland staff.

April 12 , 1972:

Standing six feet, four-inches, Rollie Fingers gave the A's some cause for concern from time to time because of his tendency to add weight. Ironically, Fingers had been anything but heavy as a teenager growing up in Steubenville, Ohio. In 1964, the gangly beanpole had won the American Legion Player of the Year award and signed a professional contract with the Kansas City A's. After debating whether to make Fingers a pitcher or a position player, the organization assigned him to moundwork with Leesburg of the Florida State League. Fingers ascended the ladder slowly, making it to Class-AA Birmingham in 1967. On opening night, Fingers threw a change-up to a minor league hitter named Fred Kovner. A line drive soon returned in Fingers' direction. "I saw it," Fingers told Ron Bergman, "about three feet from my face." Fingers tried to block the ball with his glove, but reacted too late, the drive striking him in the jaw. Fingers fell to the dirt, face first. When manager John McNamara rolled him over, he fixated on a stream of blood flowing from Fingers' right eye. Doctors repaired the eye, which had caused blurred vision, and wired his jaw shut. When a nurse gave him a drug that created an allergic reaction, he had to vomit repeatedly-through his teeth. Fingers spent three days in the hospital, losing several pounds along the way.

After the 1970 season, Fingers located the answer to his weight problems. Once again, the solution arrived in an undesirable way. Rollie experienced a severe bout with intestinal flu and lost 25 pounds in the process. The illness proved to be a blessing, as Fingers reported to spring training lighter, quicker, and more durable. In just over 36 spring training innings, Fingers compiled a record of 4-0, with an ERA of 2.23. On March 27, Fingers pitched the most masterful exhibition game of any Oakland starter to date. Despite struggling with his control, Fingers shut down the San Diego Padres, 9-2, with a complete game, five-hit effort. The performance marked the first complete game for an A's starter in spring training.

Dick Williams hoped that Fingers would prosper as a starter. In his first major league start in 1969, Fingers had pitched a complete game shutout against the Twins, whose lineup included Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, and Harmon Killebrew. With his hard, sinking fastball that moved in two different directions and a knee-buckling slider, Fingers owned the physical requirements needed to become an excellent starting pitcher. Yet, Fingers' personality and make-up posed a problem, working against him as a starter. "When I was a starting pitcher," Fingers told Ron Bergman, "I'd start thinking about it the day before the game. I'd be all shaky and everything." An onslaught of nervous anxiety and anticipation plagued Fingers' mind and body. "I just couldn't handle a starting job," Fingers conceded in later years. "If Dick Williams hadn't moved me to the bullpen in 1971, I would have been out of baseball a long time ago."

Fingers initially resisted the move to the bullpen, considered an unglamorous residential area in 1971. "Rollie thought it was banishment to begin with, to go to the bullpen," says Rick Monday, a member of the A's through the end of the 1971 season. "Bill Posedel was the pitching coach and did a wonderful job, and constantly stayed on top of Rollie." At the time, the decision to move Fingers to the bullpen created few headlines. No one around the A's realized the significance of what was to become a critical career change.

April 13 , 1972:

At 2:15 p.m. Pacific Time this Thursday afternoon, baseball fans heard the only news they had wanted to hear since April Fool's Day. The strike is over-thanks to an agreement between Marvin Miller, the executive director of the Players' Association, and John Gaherin, the lead labor negotiator of the owners' Player Relations Committee.

The end of the strike may have been facilitated by the intercession of Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who had called for all of the owners to gather in a meeting yesterday. Kuhn had previously kept himself out of the negotiating process, but felt that the time was right to intercede.

Earlier today, at about 12 noon Pacific Time, Gaherin called Miller with the owners' latest proposal-a one-year contract that allowed for some concessions with regard to the players' pension plan. As part of the offer, the owners stipulated that all players would be docked their salaries for the games missed because of the strike and that none of the cancelled games would be made up. Miller agreed to the stipulations-and the new collective bargaining agreement. As a result, the regular season will now open in two days, with the A's among the teams scheduled to begin play on Saturday afternoon.

April 14 , 1972:

On the eve of the opening game against the divisional rival Minnesota Twins, Curt Blefary has expressed his dissatisfaction by issuing a play-me-or-trade-me order. The veteran utilityman has become famous for making such proclamations during his journeyman career with the Orioles, Astros, Yankees, and now the A's.

Blefary began spring training as the team's third-string catcher behind Dave Duncan and Gene Tenace. After hitting .360 during the spring, Blefary managed to fall to fourth-string catcher behind Duncan, Tenace, and Larry Haney. He also finds himself as the third-string first baseman behind Mike Epstein and Mike Hegan, and as the team's sixth outfielder, behind backups Brant Alyea and George Hendrick.

In the view of the Oakland brass, Blefary's clumsy play behind the plate makes him too much of a liability to play except on an occasional basis.

{Editor's note: "Sometimes my mouth went into gear before my brain was engaged," Blefary would tell the Baltimore Sun in later years in explaining his frequent criticisms of managers who did not play him regularly. "I had to play every day or I was mad."}

April 15 , 1972:

Sporting their new Charlie Finley-mandated uniforms, the A's opened the 1972 regular season today on a Saturday, an oddity created by the duration of the players strike. Most likely upset by the Players' Association walkout, the fans didn't seem too curious about the new look in pullover polyester, as only 9,912 showed up for the lidlifter at the Oakland Coliseum. With holdout Vida Blue still unsigned, Dick Williams handed the Opening Day ball to former Cub Ken Holtzman, who had worked out, by his own estimation, for the grand total of five minutes during the players strike.

The rest of the Oakland lineup looked much the same as it had in 1971:

Campy Campaneris, ss
Joe Rudi, lf
Reggie Jackson, rf
Sal Bando, 3b
Mike Epstein, 1b
Bobby Brooks, cf
Dave Duncan, c
Dick Green, 2b
Ken Holtzman, p

Aside from the installation of the previously unknown Bobby Brooks in center field, the biggest surprise involves the catching position. At the start of spring training, Williams declared an open competition between Dave Duncan and Gene Tenace. In Cactus League play, Duncan batted only .138, while Tenace sizzled at .316. Tenace believed that his superior spring hitting earned him the first-string position, but on Opening Day, Duncan finds himself behind the plate. Duncan's shotgun throwing arm and agility behind the plate give him a stronger defensive presence than the offensive-minded Tenace.

Williams diplomatically told Tenace that he wanted Duncan to catch Holtzman in the opener since the two worked together more frequently during the spring. In actuality, Tenace caught Holtzman more often in exhibition games. Once again, Williams has decided to reward the better defensive catcher with the honor of opening the season as the starting receiver. Perhaps as much as anyone associated with the A's, Williams respects Duncan's ability to read other teams' hitters and help his own pitchers make in-game adjustments.

With Duncan behind the plate, former National Leaguer Ken Holtzman took the ball in today's opener and pitched well in his A's debut, giving up just two runs in eight innings. The A's went on to defeat the Twins in the 11th inning, when Joe Rudi raced home from third on a one-out grounder to third base. Eric Soderholm's throw easily beat Rudi to the plate, but catcher George Mitterwald dropped the ball when the Oakland left fielder crashed into him. The results of the fierce collision gave the A's a dramatic 4-3 win. Bob Locker picked up the win in relief, while Twins left-hander Dave LaRoche suffered the loss.

A's Acorns: Jack-of-all trades Curt Blefary apologized to Dick Williams for making such a public outburst and putting his manager on the spot right before Opening Day… The A's have signed veteran pitcher Joel Horlen, who was released by the Chicago White Sox during spring training. Some observers in Chicago have speculated that Horlen was given his release because of his active role in the union as the White Sox' player representative, a previously overlooked position that has drawn more notice because of the player strike.

April 16 , 1972:

The top of Oakland's order struggled badly today-with the first, second, and third-place hitters combining to go hitless in 11 at-bats-as the A's suffered their first loss of the new season. Jim "Catfish" Hunter and reliever Darold Knowles pitched creditably in defeat, allowing a combined four hits in a 3-2 loss to the Twins at the Oakland Coliseum.

Campy Campaneris (0-for-4), Joe Rudi (0-for-4), and Reggie Jackson (0-for-3) failed to ignite the offense, which gathered a total of only six hits on the afternoon. Of the half-dozen hits, the seventh and eighth-place hitters (Gene Tenace and Dick Green) each picked up a pair. Yet, it was not enough to counteract the Twins, who broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth. Cesar Tovar reached first when Hunter hit him with a pitch, moved up to second on an infield out, and scored on Rod Carew's double. Bobby Darwin accounted for the Twins' other runs with a two-run homer in the fifth, which negated Oakland's early 2-0 advantage.

A's Acorns: Only 9,051 fans attended the game, watching the A's drop to 1-and-1 on the season… The A's left nine runners on base, as Ray Corbin earned a win and side-arming fireman Wayne Granger picked up a save… Gene Tenace, who collected a single and a double, made his first start behind the plate. Dave Duncan had started the Opening Day game as Ken Holtzman's batterymate… Campy Campaneris and Sal Bando each stole a base… The A's will enjoy an off day tomorrow, as they await the arrival of another Western Division foe, the Kansas City Royals, for a three-game series at the Coliseum.

zero 17 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will resume action tomorrow night at the Coliseum against the Royals, marking the start of a three-game series. Making his A's regular season debut, former Tiger and Senator Denny McLain will start the game, while the Royals will counter with young right-hander Mike Hedlund.

A's Acorns: The A's face a bit of a dilemma with regard to recent waiver-wire pickup Joel Horlen. In order to add Horlen to the 25-man roster, the A's will have to either demote or release a player. Candidates include third-string catcher Larry Haney, utility infielder Tim Cullen, and outfielder George Hendrick.

April 18 , 1972:

Denny McLain had given the A's little reason for optimism during an atrocious spring training. He had earned a spot in the starting rotation on reputation-and little else.

Once again, spring training statistics and performances can prove to be exceedingly misleading. In making his regular season debut for the A's tonight, McLain shut down the Kansas City Royals over seven-plus innings, allowing only two unearned runs. McLain's inauguration in green and gold resulted in a 3-2 win, giving him a prosperous start to the new season after losing a league-high 22 games in 1971.

With the A's leading by one run heading to the eighth, McLain allowed leadoff singles to Cookie Rojas and Amos Otis, Kansas City's seventh and eighth hits on the night. Sensing that McLain's gas tank had reached a dangerously low level, Dick Williams called on Darold Knowles, his top left-handed reliever. Knowles struck out John Mayberry, the Royals' most dangerous longball threat from the left side. Rollie Fingers then came on in relief of Knowles, inducing a double play ground ball off the bat of Lou Piniella. The work of Knowles and Fingers ended the rally-and essentially the game, as the A's held on for a one-run win.

A's Acorns: With the win, the A's improved to 2-and-1… Mike Epstein and Dave Duncan supplied most of the A's' offense by hitting solo home runs. Duncan also hit a home run on Opening Day… McLain did his best to help his own cause offensively by laying down two sacrifice bunts… Tonight's game against Kansas City, which drew only 4,494 fans to the Coliseum, was Oakland's first night game of the new season.

April 19 , 1972:

For perhaps the first time in 1972, the A's truly looked like defending champions of the American League West. The A's swept a twi-night doubleheader from the divisional rival Kansas City Royals tonight, winning 4-0 and 3-1, thanks mostly to stellar pitching from their two best active starters (as Vida Blue remains a holdout). In the first game, Ken Holtzman followed his impressive no-decision in his first-ever Oakland start by spinning a five-hit shutout. In the nightcap, Catfish Hunter pitched five solid innings before turning the game over to the bullpen, which shut down the Royals' offensive completely over the final four frames.

The A's scored all of their runs in the first game during a fourth-inning rally. A wild pitch, coupled with consecutive singles by the heart of the order-Joe Rudi, Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Mike Epstein, and Bobby Brooks all reached against starter Dick Drago-allowed the A's to build a four-run lead. Rudi, Bando, and Epstein all finished the game with two hits, while Brooks enjoyed the first two-RBI game of his short career. Oakland's nine-hit attack more than ably supported Holtzman, whose control was pinpoint throughout the night (allowing no walks and few three-ball counts).

In the second game, the A's found themselves tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth, when Rudi started a game-winning rally with a triple. With two outs, the Royals elected to pitch to Jackson, which proved to be a mistaken mission. Reggie singled home Rudi, then came around to score after a walk to Bando and an RBI single by Epstein. Rollie Fingers then came on to pitch the ninth and recorded his first save, helping veteran reliever Bob Locker earn his second win.

A's Acorns: With the two wins, the A's improve to 4-and-1… The announced attendance for the twinbill was 5,671… Prior to the doubleheader, the A's activated recent waiver pickup Joel Horlen, giving manager Dick Williams a 10-man pitching staff. To make room for Horlen, the A's sent veteran utility infielder Tim "The Worm" Cullen to Triple-A Iowa. Cullen had been picked up during the spring after being released by the Texas Rangers.

April 20 , 1972:

Some call him Joe, while others call him Joel. Whatever the case, at 34 years of age, he is the newest member of the A's. Veteran right-hander Joel Horlen, who hurled 137 innings as a spot starter and long reliever during the 1971 season, surprisingly drew his release from the Chicago White Sox during the spring. More than a few observers have speculated that Horlen's release was prompted not by his ability, but by his involvement in the Players' Association as the White Sox' player representative.

Horlen posted a lofty 4.27 ERA in 1971, but did pitch well at times, logging three complete games. He also had a good strikeout-to-walk ratio, with 82 K's and only 30 bases on balls in 137 innings of work.

At his peak, Horlen was one of the top right-handed pitchers in the American League. In 1967, he led the American League in ERA, winning percentage, and shutouts. He also pitched a no-hitter in September, falling short of a perfect game because of a fielding error committed by Ken Boyer at first base. Some writers considered Horlen the league's best pitcher in 1967, but he finished second to Boston's Jim Lonborg in the Cy Young Award balloting.

Horlen no longer has the ability to contend for the league's Cy Young Award, but if he shows the capacity to pitch well in middle relief, he might make the A's' bullpen the deepest in all of baseball.

A's Acorns: Due to an unusual quirk in the American League schedule, the A's are off for two consecutive days-April 20 and 21. The extra days off will push back Dick Williams' need for a fourth starter, which is expected to be Blue Moon Odom. The A's have used only three starters-Ken Holtzman, Catfish Hunter, and Denny McLain-in their first five games. Oakland's next game is scheduled for the 22nd against the Twins.

April 21 , 1972:

Some call him Joe, while others call him Joel. Whatever the case, at 34 years of age, he is the newest member of the A's. Veteran right-hander Joel Horlen, who hurled 137 innings as a spot starter and long reliever during the 1971 season, surprisingly drew his release from the Chicago White Sox during the spring. More than a few observers have speculated that Horlen's release was prompted not by his ability, but by his involvement in the Players' Association as the White Sox' player representative.

Horlen posted a lofty 4.27 ERA in 1971, but did pitch well at times, logging three complete games. He also had a good strikeout-to-walk ratio, with 82 K's and only 30 bases on balls in 137 innings of work.

At his peak, Horlen was one of the top right-handed pitchers in the American League. In 1967, he led the American League in ERA, winning percentage, and shutouts. He also pitched a no-hitter in September, falling short of a perfect game because of a fielding error committed by Ken Boyer at first base. Some writers considered Horlen the league's best pitcher in 1967, but he finished second to Boston's Jim Lonborg in the Cy Young Award balloting.

Horlen no longer has the ability to contend for the league's Cy Young Award, but if he shows the capacity to pitch well in middle relief, he might make the A's' bullpen the deepest in all of baseball.

A's Acorns: Due to an unusual quirk in the American League schedule, the A's are off for two consecutive days-April 20 and 21. The extra days off will push back Dick Williams' need for a fourth starter, which is expected to be Blue Moon Odom. The A's have used only three starters-Ken Holtzman, Catfish Hunter, and Denny McLain-in their first five games. Oakland's next game is scheduled for the 22nd against the Twins.

April 22 , 1972:

After an unusual two-day layoff provided by the schedule, the A's were supposed to play their first road game of the season today. Instead, the A's enjoyed a third consecutive day off, as their matchup in Minnesota-with Denny McLain scheduled to take the mound-was postponed by snow. The game will not be played during this series, but will be made up during the A's' next visit to the Twin Cities, which is scheduled for August 4, 5, and 6.

A's Acorns: As a result of the postponement, McLain will lose a start and will not take his regular turn in the rotation. Ken Holtzman will start tomorrow's game, weather permitting.

April 23 , 1972:

After three days of rest and watching snow fall, the A's finally played their first road game of the season and fulfilled one of their worst fears-a vulnerability against quality right-handed pitching. Handcuffed by one of the league's toughest right-handers, the A's fell to the Minnesota Twins, 8-4. Bert Blyleven, who allowed four runs on only three hits, bested Ken Holtzman, who was rocked for eight hits and six runs in three-plus innings.

The A's, who start only two left-handed hitters on most days, took a 1-0 lead in the first. They then watched the Twins score three runs in the second, three more in the fourth, and a pair of runs in the sixth. Bobby Darwin's fourth home run of the season and Danny Thompson's three-hit afternoon highlighted Minnesota's offensive outburst. The A's did make the final score more respectable by scoring three runs in the top of the eighth-two on Dick Green's RBI triple-but failed to draw any closer against the curveballing "Dutchman."

A's Acorns: Through his first two games, Holtzman had pitched 17 nearly impeccable innings, without having surrendered a single walk. He didn't walk anyone against the Twins either, but allowed eight hits, including four doubles and a triple… Joel Horlen made his Oakland debut, pitching a perfect eighth inning in relief of an ineffective Jim Roland… Reggie Jackson hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning… Curt Blefary drove in one of the A's' runs with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the eighth inning… With the loss, the A's fall to 4-and-2.

April 24 , 1972:

When the Chicago White Sox placed veteran pitcher Joel Horlen on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release during spring training, every major league team passed on the opportunity to claim him. A few days later, Horlen signed a contract with the A's, but the veteran right-hander still feels the sting from the initial snub that he received from the 24 major league teams. "I couldn't believe it," Horlen tells The Sporting News in discussing his temporary state of unemployment.

As the White Sox' player representative, Horlen also understands who was responsible for giving him his release in the Windy City. He places no blame on manager Chuck Tanner, instead hinting that Chicago's front office no longer wanted any part of him. "Someone else did the dirty work and poor Chuck was left to hand me the bad news."

Horlen made his A's debut in Oakland's last game, pitching a scoreless inning of mop-up relief against the Twins.

A's Acorns: The 1972 A's are not scheduled to play today. The A's will return to action tomorrow when they visit the Bronx to take on Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer, and the rest of the Yankees.

April 25 , 1972:

Mike Hegan began his major league career eight years ago with the New York Yankees, but never received much playing time in Pinstripes before being sold to the expansion Seattle Pilots in 1968. In tonight's game against the Yankees, Hegan showed his former team what they might have missed out on by smacking a game-winning pinch-hit double with two outs in the 12th inning. Hegan's timely extra-base hit gave the A's their first road win of the season-a 4-3 decision at Yankee Stadium.

With one out, rookie center fielder Bobby Brooks (who had entered the at-bat 0-for-4) drew a walk against Yankee right-hander Lindy McDaniel. Opting for some unusual strategy, Dick Williams asked Dick Green, his No. 8 hitter, to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Williams then called on Hegan to pinch-hit for Rollie Fingers, the third pitcher of the night for the A's. With the go-ahead run on second base, the lefty-swinging veteran faced McDaniel, one of the Yankees' best relief pitchers. Hegan laced a McDaniel fastball into right-center field, just a few feet in front of his father, Jim, the Yankees' bullpen coach. As the elder Hegan watched from the Yankee bullpen beyond the right-field fence, Mike chugged into second base, the owner of a game-winning hit. Bob Locker came on to pitch a scoreless bottom of the 12th, notching his first save of the season.

Hegan's clutch pinch-hit may have scored Brooks to win the game, but he was still thinking about his father, who would have preferred to see him draw an intentional walk rather than beat the Yankees with a hit. "I kind of took a look toward the bullpen when I got to second," the younger Hegan revealed to the Associated Press, "but I didn't see him." Mike remembered that he had scheduled a post-game dinner date with his father. While the dinner with Jim was still on, Mike realized that his hit would cost him a few dollars. "I bought lunch," Jim pointed out to the AP, "so he better buy dinner."

A's Acorns: Catfish Hunter pitched creditably over the first seven innings, allowing three runs and no walks. Hunter left the game with the score tied at 3-3… Fingers worked three and one third scoreless innings of relief to post his first win of 1972… Joe Rudi and Sal Bando each went 2-for-5 at the plate… Gene Tenace, who has alternated behind the plate with Dave Duncan in the early going, hit his first home run of the season.

April 26 , 1972:

Denny McLain's second regular season start in an Oakland uniform looked a lot more reminiscent of his failed efforts in spring training than his impressive debut against the Royals. Currently the A's' No. 3 starter, McLain allowed five hits and three runs in a four inning stint, losing a 4-2 decision to the Yankees in the Bronx.

McLain's poor outing might have been a bit more understandable if he had given up home runs to the Yankees best hitters, Thurman Munson and Bobby Murcer. Instead, McLain found himself victimized by the Yankee's eighth-place hitter, Gene "Stick" Michael. The light-hitting shortstop, who had only eight career home runs heading into the 1972 season, swatted a three-run shot in the fourth inning to give the Yankees the jump on McLain and the A's.

The A's did make a comeback in the top of the seventh, scoring a pair of runs on Bobby Brooks' two-run single, but could draw no closer against Yankee reliever Fred Beene, who earned his first save of the season. With the loss, the A's fall to 5-and-3 on the season.

A's Acorns: Brooks, Campy Campaneris, and Mike Epstein all had two-hit games for the A's… Oakland used four pinch-hitters on the night-Mike Hegan, George Hendrick, Brant Alyea, and Curt Blefary-three of them for the pitcher's spot in the order. Blefary, the last of the pinch-hitters, stayed in the game to play second base. Dick Green, the usual starter at second base, was unavailable due to injury.

April 27 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will resume their road trip tomorrow night in Milwaukee against the Brewers. Ken Holtzman will make his fourth start of the season.

A's Acorns: During the A's' two-game series in New York, manager Dick Williams and traveling secretary Tom Corwin (who are roommates on the road) were robbed while they slept in their room in the Americana Hotel. The burglary continues a recent run of theft against members of the A's' organization. Reggie Jackson's cap was stolen during the team's stay in Minnesota as they practiced in a fieldhouse at St. Olaf University. Reggie did identify the culprit, but allowed the young man to keep the cap. As a result, Jackson has been wearing his batting helmet while playing right field.

April 28 , 1972:

For the third time in four starts, Ken Holtzman has made Charlie Finley look like a very smart man. The key acquisition of Oakland's offseason, Holtzman turned in another stellar complete game performance, shackling the Brewers, 5-1, at Milwaukee's County Stadium. The stylish left-hander scattered five hits and two walks in improving his record to 2-and-1.

Oakland's offense supported Holtzman with an unusual rally in the sixth inning. The A's sent 10 batters to the plate during the frame, scoring four runs on only three hits-all singles. The A's helped themselves by drawing three walks in the inning, with Gene Tenace, Joe Rudi, and Reggie Jackson providing RBI safeties and Campy Campaneris lofting a sacrifice fly. Rudi and Jackson stood out as the offensive stars of the night; Rudi collected two hits in five trips and Jackson enjoyed a 3-for-5, two-RBI performance.

A's Acorns: The A's managed to win despite leaving a season-high 13 runners on base… Milwaukee's normally slick-fielding first baseman, George Scott, committed two errors, but neither contributed to Oakland's run-scoring efforts… Larry Brown made his second consecutive start at second base in place of the ailing Dick Green… The A's are now 6-and-3 on the season.

April 29 , 1972:

The A's did all of their scoring in the top of the first inning and made the lead hold up in a 2-1 victory over the Brewers. A walk to Joe Rudi, a single by Reggie Jackson, a passed ball, and an intentional walk to Mike Epstein set up a bases-loaded situation for Dave Duncan, who promptly delivered a two-run single.

Staked to a 2-0 lead, Catfish Hunter pitched eight and one-third innings of nearly flawless baseball, allowing only a solo home run to Dave May in the sixth inning. Hunter's effort, with some tightrope relief work from Rollie Fingers in the ninth inning, gave "The Cat" his first win of the season.

A's Acorns: The A's made a surprising player transaction yesterday, selling veteran left-handed reliever Jim Roland to the New York Yankees for an undisclosed amount of cash. Although Roland appeared in only two games for the A's this season, allowing one earned run in two and one-third innings for a 3.86 ERA, he had been an effective middle reliever in past seasons for Oakland. The sale of Roland leaves the A's with only one southpaw-Darold Knowles-in their bullpen… Oakland replaced Roland on its 25-man roster with outfielder Angel Mangual, who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. With the addition of Mangual, the A's now have seven outfielders on their roster, including backups Brant Alyea, Curt Blefary, and George Hendrick… Dick Green, who hurt his back while attempting to lay down a sacrifice bunt in the recent series against the Yankees, has missed the last three games. With Larry Brown pressed into starting duty, the A's currently do not have a legitimate backup infielder.

April 30 , 1972:

Every time that Denny McLain takes the mound, the A's can consider it a test as to whether he has regained some of the enormous ability that made him one of the American League's most dominant starters in the late 1960s. Today McLain passed the test, but lost the game, as the A's fell to the Brewers, 3-1.

McLain pitched reasonably well, allowing three runs on seven hits through six and one-third innings, but Oakland's offense failed to provide him with any tangible support. The A's managed only two hits against Brewers starter Ken Brett, who struck out seven and allowed one unearned run in seven and one-third innings. Former A's hurler Ken Sanders, now the fireman for the Brewers, came on to pitch the final inning and two-thirds to earn his third save of the season.

A's Acorns: One of the best hitting pitchers in either league, Brett helped himself at the plate by picking up two hits in three at-bats, driving in one run, and scoring another… Campy Campaneris, Sal Bando, and Larry Brown had the only hits for Oakland. Brown made his fourth consecutive start at second base while Dick Green continues to deal with back problems… Spring training sensation Bobby Brooks had arguably his worst game of the regular season, going 0-for-3 and committing an error in center field… With the loss, the A's finish the month of April with a record of 7-and-4.

May 01 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They return to action tomorrow when they begin a two-game series at Fenway Park against Carl Yastrzemski and the Boston Red Sox.

May 02 , 1972:

The A's received some hearty news today when Vida Blue and Charlie Finley finally came to agreement on a contract for the 1972 season, finally ending the long holdout that had kept the left-hander out of spring training. Finley, having agreed to raise the ante on his initial offer of $50,000, has consented to give Blue a contract for $63,000, which would be prorated back to April 27. The deal would likely not have happened if Commissioner Bowie Kuhn had not interceded in the talks. In the days leading up to the agreement, even President Richard Nixon put pressure on Finley by raving about the talent of Blue. "Maybe Finley ought to pay," the President mused in an interview with United Press International. "It would be a great tragedy if a young player with all that talent stayed out too long."

With all of spring training and the start of the regular season having already elapsed, Blue is expressing little optimism that he will be able to pitch well. "I'll be lucky if I win 10 games," Blue informed a reporter for UPI.

Blue actually came to terms with the A's in Chicago on April 27, when Finley agreed to pay him a base salary of $50,000, give him a $5,000 bonus for his 1971 performance, and set aside another $8,000 that would be put toward the pitcher's continuing college education. The package, totaling $63,000, appeared to satisfy Blue, but he refused to sign the deal when Finley insisted that all terms of the contract be publicly revealed.

After the disagreement over "public revelation" led to a collapse in the talks between the two sides, Commissioner Kuhn stepped in to the negotiations, much to the chagrin of Finley. At first, Kuhn told reporters that Finley had made a fair offer, and felt Blue should agree to the $63,000 contract. Kuhn then ordered Finley to keep the offer on the table until May 2. Finley resented the notion of the commissioner ordering him to do anything when it came to offering contracts. An angry Finley tried to remove the offer from the table, but Kuhn insisted otherwise. "I am ruling that the offer has been made and will remain in effect," Kuhn succinctly told the Associated Press.

"The commissioner has no business being in this," Finley fumed to Ron Bergman, corresponding for The Sporting News. "I don't believe he had the authority to do so. I didn't like it one damn bit."

The holdout of Blue not only created hard feelings between Finley and the commissioner, but also between the owner and his star pitcher. Blue had not appreciated Finley's condescending tone throughout their protracted contract negotiations. As he prepared himself to resume playing baseball, Blue criticized the owner for his handling of the contract stalemate. "Charlie Finley has soured my stomach for baseball." Blue also introduced racial overtones to the recently concluded dispute. "Finley treated me like a damned colored boy," the pitcher claimed in an interview with the Associated Press.

A's Acorns: The 1972 A's were supposed to begin the concluding portion of their eastern swing with the opening of a two-game series in Boston tonight, but the matchup at Fenway Park was postponed due to rain. Ken Holtzman, who would have made the start tonight on three days' rest, will be pushed back to tomorrow.

May 03 , 1972:

Another day in Boston and another day of rain. As a result, the A's will not be able to play either game of their scheduled two-game set against the Red Sox. The two teams will attempt to make up the games in late July, when the A's are scheduled to return to Boston for the second and final time.

A's Acorns: The A's concluded their eastern swing with a record of 3-and-3. The A's were supposed to play nine games on the trip, but two games were rained out and one game (in Minnesota) was postponed due to snow… Vida Blue will remain on the restricted list until he is deemed ready to pitch. The hard-throwing left-hander will likely need several weeks of conditioning and throwing before Charlie Finley and Dick Williams add him to the active roster.

May 04 , 1972:

It isn't often that major league teams enjoy four days off in a row, even at All-Star time, when the break usually consists of three days. Yet, that is exactly what has happened to the A's, who enjoyed another day off-this time for travel purposes as they make their way back to the West Coast after a mediocre 3-and-3 Eastern trip. The A's will finally resume their schedule tomorrow night, when they play host to the New York Yankees at the Coliseum. In a matchup of veteran left-handers, Ken Holtzman will take aim at his third win, opposed by winless southpaw Fritz Peterson, who is off to an 0-and-3 start.

May 05 , 1972:

Manager Dick Williams has been employing an unusual system behind the plate this year, alternating his catchers, Dave Duncan and Gene Tenace, every other day. In spite of its unorthodoxy, the system seems to be working for Duncan, who slammed his third home run of the season in Oakland's 3-1 win over the visiting Yankees. Duncan also singled in the fourth inning to give the A's a 2-1 lead over the Pinstripers, and added his solo home run in the seventh to account for the game's final margin.

Duncan also did his usual fine work behind the plate, handling Ken Holtazman's complete-game, one-run effort. Holtzman allowed no walks and only four hits in improving his record to 3-and-1.

A's Acorns: Sal Bando accounted for the A's' other run with a single in the fourth inning, which tied the game at 1-1. Two batters later, Duncan ripped the first of his two hits to give the A's a lead they would not relinquish.

May 06 , 1972:

Two of Oakland's hallmark players took center stage in today's Saturday afternoon game at the Coliseum. Reggie Jackson drove in two runs with a fifth-inning home run and Catfish Hunter came within one out of pitching a complete game, as the A's posted a 4-1 victory over the visiting Yankees.

Jackson also contributed to an insurance run in the eighth, when he singled and scored on a double by cleanup hitter Sal Bando. Then, in the top of the ninth, Hunter ran into trouble, allowing two runners to reach base and bringing the potential tying run to the plate. Sensing that Hunter had tired, Dick Williams called upon his bullpen, bringing in side-arming right-hander Bob Locker to face Yankee third baseman Rich McKinney. Locker promptly struck out the Yankee third baseman to end the game and earn his second save of the season.

May 07 , 1972:

Rebounding from an early 5-0 deficit, the A's scored three runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to post their third straight win, a 7-5 victory over the Yankees. With the triumph, the A's swept the three-game weekend series from the Bombers.

Denny McLain, continuing to struggle since donning the green and gold of Oakland, allowed eight hits and five runs through the first three innings, before giving way to Joel Horlen. Dave Duncan springboarded the Oakland comeback with a three run homer in the fourth, cutting the deficit to two runs. The A's then took advantage of four Yankee errors, putting up a four-spot to take the lead. Horlen picked up the win-his first since joining the A's as a free agent after his surprising release by the White Sox.

A's Acorns: Diego Segui made his most impressive appearance of the young season, hurling three innings of scoreless relief in support of Horlen. Darold Knowles then came on to notch his first save… Mike Epstein had two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored for the A's… Ron Blomberg drove in four of the Yankee runs with a home run and a double… Blomberg, Gene Michael, Thurman Munson, and Steve Kline committed errors for the Yankees.

May 08 , 1972:

The 1972 A's, who have won three straight games to improve to 10-and-4, are off today. They await the arrival of the Milwaukee Brewers, who will take on Oakland in a three-game series at the Coliseum beginning tomorrow.

May 09 , 1972:

The A's swept a doubleheader from the Brewers today, while showcasing all aspects of their multi-faceted game. In the opening game, the A's scored all 10 of their runs in the fourth inning to support Ken Holtzman, who improved to 4-1 with yet another complete-game effort-his fifth of the season. Utilityman Curt Blefary, filling in for Joe Rudi in left field, contributed a single, a double, and a run scored. Angel Mangual drove in three runs, clearing the bases with a double.

In the nightcap, Blue Moon Odom and Rollie Fingers combined on a six-hit, 3-0 shutout. Fingers pitched four scoreless innings to extend the current domination of the Oakland bullpen.

A's Acorns: With the doubleheader sweep, the A's stretched their winning streak to five games. They are now 12-4 on the season.

zero 10 , 1972:

Limited to three hits and one walk, the A's once again found themselves at the mercy of the Brewers' Ken Brett. Milwaukee's veteran left-hander shut out the A's, 4-0, to end Oakland's winning streak at five games. Brett is now 2-and-0 against the A's this season.

With the game scoreless through the first three innings, the Brewers broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth. Dave "Daisy" May and George "Boomer" Scott banged out back-to-back doubles for one run, with a second run scoring on Catfish Hunter's error. The Brewers then padded their lead with two more runs in the seventh, courtesy of Billy Conigliaro's third home run of the season.

A's Acorns: Backup outfielder Brant Alyea accounted for most of the A's' offense. Subbing for a flu-riddled Joe Rudi in left field, Alyea picked up two hits in three at-bats, including a double. Fill-in second baseman Larry Brown had the only other hit for Oakland… Hunter allowed only four hits and three earned runs in eight innings, but fell to 2-and-2… Angel Mangual made his sixth consecutive start in center field in place of the slumping Bobby Brooks… The A's made a player transaction yesterday, sending minor league outfielder-infielder Reggie Sanders to the Detroit Tigers for left-handed pitcher Mike "Killer" Kilkenny. The curveballing Kilkenny, who had made only one appearance for the Tigers-allowing one run in one inning-will give the A's a second left-hander in their bullpen. The A's have lacked a second lefty reliever since dispatching Jim Roland to the Yankees earlier in the season… The A's regard the departed Sanders as a very good Triple-A player, but not a legitimate prospect to make the major leagues.

May 11 , 1972:

The A's have managed to win 12 of their first 17 games, despite a lack of contribution from 1971 ace Vida Blue, who didn't sign until May 2, and isn't expected to pitch his first game for several weeks. Without Blue, Dick Williams has smartly used a three-man starting rotation-Ken Holtzman, Catfish Hunter, and Denny McLain-which has been facilitated by several open dates and rainouts.

The bullpen has also picked up the slack for the absence of the reigning Cy Young award winner. Through the first 17 games of the season, Oakland relievers have allowed only one run in 33 and a third innings. The bullpen troupe of Rollie Fingers, Bob Locker, Diego Segui, Joel Horlen, and Darold Knowles has played a direct hand in winning or saving nine of Oakland's first 12 victories.

"Without a doubt, the best bullpen in baseball," Dick Williams assessed of his relievers in an interview with The Sporting News. "They throw hard and have good control. My three stoppers, Fingers and Locker from the right side and Knowles from the left, can get either right-handers or left-handers out... My two long and middle men, Segui and Horlen, are just outstanding."

Perhaps the most intriguing personality among the relievers can be found in the 34-year-old Locker. During the 1960s, the side-arming Locker used his hard, moving sinker to become the relief ace of the White Sox and one of the best firemen in the American League. As a 27-year-old rookie in 1965, the offbeat Locker drew snickers from his veteran teammates by wearing a 10-pound weighted canvas vest that looked like a bullet-proof jacket used by members of a SWAT team. When Chicago reporters asked him about wearing the vest during spring training drills, Locker offered some unconventional logic. "You see," Locker told Edgar Munzel of The Sporting News, "most of the players come to camp about 10 pounds overweight, while I never gain an ounce [during the offseason]. The fellows with the extra weight are strengthening their legs just carrying it around during these workouts before they finally take it off. Since I never am overweight, I saddle myself with those extra pounds to put me even with them." At least Locker doesn't wear the vest while pitching.

Away from the field, Locker loves to hunt and fish, to the extent that he often wakes up at 2:30 in the morning to embark on various expeditions. An expert fisherman, Locker has caught as many as 100 fish in a lake-in one day. He has other interests, too. Locker avidly follows the philosophies professed in the book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which he encourages his A's teammates to read as a way of life.

A's Acorns: The A's enjoy another day off today before beginning a weekend series at home against the Red Sox.

May 12 , 1972:

In his shortest outing as a member of the A's, Denny McLain lasted only two innings, the victim of a four-run pounding at the hands of the Red Sox. The early outburst against McLain helped send the A's to a 7-6 loss at the Oakland Coliseum. McLain's fifth start with the A's now leaves him with an ERA of 6.05-and leaves Dick Williams wondering what to do with the enigmatic right-hander. With Vida Blue unavailable for at least the next two weeks, Williams continues to search for a solid No. 3 starter to back up Ken Holtzman and Catfish Hunter.

A's Acorns: The A's (at 12-and-6) have now lost two straight games to fall a game and a half out of first place in the American League West.

May 12 , 1972:

In his shortest outing as a member of the A's, Denny McLain lasted only two innings, the victim of a four-run pounding at the hands of the Red Sox. The early outburst against McLain helped send the A's to a 7-6 loss at the Oakland Coliseum. McLain's fifth start with the A's now leaves him with an ERA of 6.05-and leaves Dick Williams wondering what to do with the enigmatic right-hander. With Vida Blue unavailable for at least the next two weeks, Williams continues to search for a solid No. 3 starter to back up Ken Holtzman and Catfish Hunter.

A's Acorns: The A's (at 12-and-6) have now lost two straight games to fall a game and a half out of first place in the American League West.

May 13 , 1972:

Reggie Jackson belted a pair of home runs today, but the right fielder's power outburst couldn't prevent a 9-6 loss to the visiting Red Sox. The Beantowners scored six runs against a surprisingly ineffective Ken Holtzman, who suffered his second loss in what amounted to his worst performance as a new member of the A's.

Red Sox utilityman John Kennedy, filling in for the slumping Rico Petrocelli at third base, drove in five runs, three of them scoring on his first home run of the season. Reggie Smith added a home run for the Red Sox, who managed to torch reliever Joel Horlen for three runs after Holtzman's departure.

A's Acorns: Jackson enjoyed his finest game of the season to date, driving in four runs on the strength of his two home runs in five at-bats. Jackson now leads the A's with four home runs… Newly acquired left-hander Mike Kilkenny made his Oakland debut today, retiring all three batters he faced in the eighth inning.

May 14 , 1972:

For the second time in the last week, Oakland's previously impenetrable relief corps suffered a late-game breakdown, but the A's managed to overcome the bullpen blip with a game-winning run in the ninth inning. Loading the bases with one out against Boston reliever Ken Tatum in the ninth inning, the A's managed to pull out a dramatic win on Sal Bando weak tapper toward first base. Duane Josephson, a converted catcher playing out of position, threw wildly toward the plate, allowing pinch-runner Blue Moon Odom to score the winning run in a 6-5 decision at the Oakland Coliseum. Odom, the fastest runner among the Oakland pitchers, had come in to run for Curt Blefary, who started the winning rally with a pinch-hit double.

The Red Sox had tied the score in the top of the eighth, when Josephson stroked a two-run homer against Rollie Fingers. Josephson's blast was the Red Sox' third home run of the game, following shots by Rick Miller and Ben Oglivie. For the A's, Mike Epstein (his 2nd) and Reggie Jackson (his 5th) went deep, accounting for two of Oakland's six runs.

A's Acorns: Campy Campaneris, Joe Rudi, and Sal Bando each picked up two hits and an RBI… Bob Locker, the A's best reliever thus far, earned his third victory of the season against no losses after pitching a scoreless ninth inning… Catfish Hunter pitched seven innings of three-run ball in notching another no-decision.

May 15 , 1972:

The A's have exiled Denny McLain to the minor leagues. After winning his first start, the two-time Cy Young Award winner pitched poorly virtually every time he took to the mound, resulting in his demotion to Double-A Birmingham of the Southern League. In his second start, McLain lasted only four innings against the Yankees, giving up five hits and three runs. In his next outing, McLain pitched creditably against the Brewers, but took the loss after pitching six and one-third innings of three-run baseball. On May 7, McLain failed to reach the fourth inning, giving up eight hits and five runs to the Yankees. Five days later, McLain lasted only two innings when the Red Sox pounded him for four runs.

The most recent start left McLain with an ERA of 6.05. Most alarmingly, in all five of his starts, McLain exhibited extremely poor velocity. One rival player was asked to compare the difference between McLain's fastball now and the heater he threw in 1968, when he won 31 games for the Tigers. "About 20 miles an hour," Red Sox catcher Duane Josephson told Sports Illustrated. "McLain's ball comes up to the plate as straight as a string."

Rumors have circulated that Charlie Finley will offer McLain a $25,000 settlement if he will retire and forego the balance of the $50,000 that the A's owe him. Another report says that Finley might release McLain if he continues to pitch ineffectively while in the minor leagues. The right-hander reacted philosophically to such speculation. "If the game ends tonight," McLain told the Associated Press after his last appearance as a starter, "I've had thrills other people never dreamed of having… They'll have to rip the uniform off me."

A's Acorns: The A's opened up a Western Division road trip with a 2-1 win over the Angels today. Blue Moon Odom, in his finest performance since his slow comeback from elbow problems, allowed only two hits in pitching a complete game victory. Odom allowed merely five baserunners, with two coming on walks and another on his own fielding error. Offensively, Angel Mangual supported Odom-making only his second start-with his first home run of the season and Joe Rudi went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Mangual has completely seized the center field job from the slumping Bobby Brooks… In addition to the demotion of McLain, the A's announced another player transaction today. Charlie Finley now has a third left-handed reliever with the acquisition of veteran Don Shaw from the Cardinals for backup infielder Dwain Anderson. Two years ago, the A's regarded Anderson as one of their top prospects among position players, but a poor year at Triple-A Iowa in 1971 altered their evaluation of the middle infielder. Anderson had played for parts or all of eight seasons in the A's' minor league system since making his professional debut in 1965.

May 16 , 1972:

The A's fell to the Angels and young right-hander Rickey Clark today, losing 4-2, as Diego Segui made his first start of the season. Segui, who is currently Oakland's No. 4 starter, lasted four innings, allowing three runs, four hits, and two walks before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.

A's Acorns: Prior to the game, the A's recalled infielder Ron Clark from Triple-A Iowa. Clark, who was hitting .298 in the minor leagues, came in to play second base after Larry Brown left for a pinch-hitter, but did not come to bat… Dick Williams called on four pinch-hitters tonight: Gene Tenace, Mike Hegan, Curt Blefary, and Brant Alyea. Tenace and Hegan each picked up hits… Joe Rudi stroked three hits in five at-bats.

May 17 , 1972:

The A's have made several player moves this month, but engineered their most puzzling move today, trading valuable backup Curt Blefary, a player to be named later, and recently acquired reliever Mike Kilkenny to the Padres for veteran outfielder "Downtown" Ollie Brown, whom Finley has been seeking off and on since 1969. The trade leaves the A's with only one reliable left-hander in the bullpen [Darold Knowles], deprives them of Blefary-one of their best left-handed bats off the bench-and gives them a slumping right fielder in Brown, who was hitting just .171 with no home runs and three RBIs with San Diego and happens to play the same position as Reggie Jackson.

The trade of the versatile Blefary seems mystifying, at least on the surface. Although Blefary had requested a trade moments before the start of the season, he served the A's well in a backup role, rapping out five hits in 11 at-bats.

So why did Finley decide to trade him for Ollie Brown, who figures to be a backup right fielder? Blefary's constant complaints over playing time may have sealed his fate with an annoyed Finley, but his lack of defensive prowess may have contributed to the transaction. Blefary has long since earned the nickname "Clank," which represents the imaginary sound the ball make when it caroms off any of his less-than-reliable gloves. Blefary carries around eight different gloves, in the eventuality that he might catch, play first, second or third base, or patrol the outfield. Although Blefary brings enthusiasm and versatility to the utility role, he represents a defensive liability everywhere.

Ollie Brown, despite playing the same outfield position as Reggie Jackson, does bring some strengths to Oakland. Reds superscout Ray Shore once called Brown's throwing arm the best he'd ever seen from an outfielder. Other scouts rate Brown's arm on a par with the Pirates' Roberto Clemente, often referred to by fans and writers as the owner of the game's greatest throwing arm. Brown has also shown some power and production at the plate-at least earlier in his career. In 1970, Brown enjoyed his most productive season, reaching career highs with 23 home runs and 89 RBIs.

A's Acorns: Ken Holtzman pitched brilliantly again today, shutting out the Angels, 4-0. Holtzman, who now has two shutouts, also supplied half of the A's' run-scoring with a two-run single against Rudy May… Joe Rudi, continuing to show signs of rejuvenation after returning from the flu, hit his first home run of the season.

May 18 , 1972:

What would a day be like in Charlie Finley's kingdom without another trade or two? Well, we'll all have to wait for that experience because the Oakland owner engineered not one, but two trades today, continuing a whirlwind of activity that began earlier this month. In the first of the two announced transactions, Finley has sent little-used backup outfielder and Rule 5 draftee Brant Alyea to the St. Louis Cardinals for utility infielder Orlando "Marty" Martinez. In the second deal, Finley dispatched Opening Day center fielder Bobby Brooks, who had slumped badly after a sensational spring training and was recently demoted to Triple-A Iowa, to the Detroit Tigers' organization. In the span of only three weeks, Finley has now completed six transactions involving 12 players.

Through Oakland's first 23 games, Alyea had played sparingly, a product of the A's carrying as many as seven outfielders at a time. The journeyman Martinez, who had three hits in seven at-bats for the Cardinals, is a slap hitter who has been respectable offensively in limited roles. A native of Cuba, Martinez can play second base, shortstop, or third base, but is not adept at any position. With Dick Green on the disabled list and Dwain Anderson dispatched to St. Louis, Martinez will become the A's' primary utility infielder, ahead of recent call-up Ron Clark.

On yet another front, Denny McLain finally reported to Double-A Birmingham, three days after the A's had announced his demotion. As a veteran player, McLain had the choice of refusing the demotion, but that option would have meant sacrificing the balance of his 1972 salary. When McLain delayed reporting to the minor leagues for three days, some writers speculated that he was pondering retirement. Others claimed McLain was intentionally stalling, so as to continue drawing paychecks at the rate of his annual salary for an extra few days. That theory didn't make sense, however, since the A's would have to pay McLain his major league salary regardless of whether he pitched for them or in the minor leagues. Finally, McLain agreed to report to Birmingham-as a matter of survival. "There were a lot of reasons for my decision [to report to the minor leagues]," McLain explained to The Sporting News. "But when you come right down to it, it's a matter of eating."

Eating may have been the root of McLain's problems in the first place. During his days with the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers, McLain had gained too much weight, which had affected his pitching. Prior to the trade to Oakland, he had begun taking diuretic pills, a medication that results in weight loss. The pills helped McLain lose weight, but also resulted in a loss of fluids and a reduction in potassium, which had caused a general weakening of the muscles. Although observers in Washington insisted McLain had already lost his good fastball by 1970, the loss of strength may have been responsible for robbing him of further velocity. "He can't throw that high, hard one anymore," Dick Williams told Arthur Daley of the New York Times. A reporter asked Williams if McLain could still pitch at the major league level. "From the way he's throwing, and the statistics show it," Williams candidly told the Associated Press, "I don't think he could help anybody right now."

Other factors-besides a bulging waistline-may have contributed to McLain's decline. He had been stricken with the flu almost immediately after joining the A's in the spring. The players' strike had limited his ability to work out and improve his conditioning. Furthermore, his wife, Sharon, had undergone a difficult pregnancy that had forced her into an unexpected stay in the hospital. Whatever the reasons for his decline and fall, McLain will have to begin rebuilding his career in Birmingham, Alabama.

A's Acorns: Although it was overshadowed by the roster shenanigans and the latest chapter in the McLain saga, the A's did manage to play a game today. In a matchup of former 20-game winners, Catfish Hunter faced off against left-hander Clyde "Skeeter" Wright. Neither starter earned a decision in the 12-inning marathon, which the Angels won, 4-3. Newcomer Don Shaw suffered the loss in his second appearance with the A's… "Downtown" Ollie Brown made his Oakland debut, drawing a walk in a pinch-hitting appearance… With the loss, the A's are now 15-and-9 and have fallen two games out of first place in the American League West.

May 19 , 1972:

Suffering their worst loss since moving from Kansas City to Oakland four years ago, the A's endured an embarrassing 19-1 loss to the rival Royals tonight. The Royals scored three runs in the first, five runs in the fifth, and seven more in the seventh in setting their own club record for most runs and most hits (20) in a single game. John Mayberry clubbed two home runs for the Royals, while Amos Otis swatted four hits in six at-bats, driving home a half-dozen runs. Paul Splittorff earned the victory with a complete game six-hitter.

In contrast to his brilliant performance against the Angels four days earlier, Blue Moon Odom lasted only three and two-thirds innings, having been pounded for eight runs and four hits. Two of Oakland's relievers fared even worse. Rollie Fingers failed to retire a single batter while giving up three hits and three runs, and left-hander Don Shaw pitched horrendously, scathed for nine hits and nine runs in three innings. Shaw has been ineffective in two of his three appearances since joining the A's from the Cardinals.

A's Acorns: Ollie Brown made his first start for the A's, batting fifth and playing center field in place of Angel Mangual. Brown, a better defensive outfielder than Mangual and the owner of one of the game's most potent throwing arms, went 0-for-4 against Splittorff.

May 20 , 1972:

Ollie Brown collected his first hits as a member of the A's and Mike Epstein launched a three-run homer, leading Oakland to an 8-5 win over the Royals. The A's scored four of their runs in the first inning, as Campy Campaneris walked, stole second and third, and scored on Reggie Jackson's single. After a walk to Sal Bando, Epstein went deep against Al Fitzmorris, helping to end the A's' brief two-game losing streak.

Brown doubled and singled in four trips to the plate, as he made his second consecutive start in center field. Bando added three hits and a pair of RBIs and Joe Rudi went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

A's Acorns: Rollie Fingers, rebounding from his disastrous performance on Friday night, picked up the win by pitching the final four innings. He allowed only one run, which was unearned, in relief of the ineffective duo of Diego Segui and Joel Horlen.

May 21 , 1972:

Dave Duncan has never hit more than 15 home runs in a season, his career high coming during the A's' successful run at the American League West last summer. This year, Duncan is now on pace to hit over 35 home runs, after clubbing a pair of four-baggers in Oakland's 5-2 win over Kansas City today. With Mike Epstein on base in the fourth inning, Duncan came to bat against Mike Hedlund and extended the A's' lead to 4-0 over the Royals. Duncan then added a solo blast in the ninth, giving him a team-leading seven homers on the season and capping off Oakland's scoring.

While Duncan has prospered with the long ball, Sal Bando has struggled to reach the fences. After a season-long drought that approached 30 games, Bando finally hit his first home run, launching a two-run blow to give the A's a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The trio of Ken Holtzman, Darold Knowles, and Bob Locker made the home runs hold up, with Holtzman pitching six innings of one-run ball to improve his record to 6-and-2. In the meantime, Locker continues to outshine all other residents of the bullpen, spinning two and two thirds innings of spotless relief to earn his third save.

A's Acorns: Ollie Brown made his third consecutive start in center field, going 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. Williams has decided to give Brown a shot at playing center field every day because of the defensive advantage he holds over the sometimes adventurous Angel Mangual… Joe Rudi, continuing to blossom after a recent bout with the flu, banged out a double and triple in five at-bats.

May 22 , 1972:

For six innings, Nolan Ryan showed the arsenal of overpowering pitches that made the New York Mets consider him one of their top pitching prospects in the late sixties. A five-run explosion by the A's in the seventh inning, however, exhibited why the Mets may have willingly parted with their young right-hander in the deal that sent shortstop-turned-third baseman Jim Fregosi to New York. After being held to one run by Ryan over the first six innings, the A's broke loose for a five-spot in the seventh, with Reggie Jackson's three-run homer proving the key blow in Oakland's 6-3 win over California.

Having allowed only two hits through six innings, Ryan buckled badly in the seventh, allowing singles to pitching counterpart Catfish Hunter and the red-hot Joe Rudi. Jackson followed with his sixth home run of the season, breaking a 1-1 tie. Perhaps shaken by the home run, Ryan walked Sal Bando, marking the seventh free pass that the hard-throwing right-hander allowed on the night. Ryan then gave way to lefty reliever Steve Barber, who promptly walked Mike Epstein and Ollie Brown to load the bases. An ineffective Barber quickly left the game, replaced by right-hander Mel Queen, who continued the lack of pitching control by throwing a wild pitch-which scored another run-yielding a walk, and then allowing a sacrifice fly by the light-hitting Larry Brown. Now up by five runs, Hunter finished the game off, permitting a pair of harmless runs in the ninth before sealing his third win of the season.

A's Acorns: Jackson finished the game with two hits in four at-bats, three RBIs, and a run scored… Larry Brown continues to provide excellent defensive play at second base during the prolonged absence of Dick Green, who remains on the disabled list with back problems. Brown, who can also play shortstop and third base, has shown good range and terrific hands in place of the slick-fielding Green.

May 23 , 1972:

The A's won their second straight game against the Angels tonight-and fourth in a row overall-playing the Halos even for eight innings before winning the game with dramatics in the ninth. With the game tied at 2-2, veteran reliever Eddie Fisher came on in relief of young right-hander Rickey Clark, who turned in a second straight solid performance against the A's. Making his first-and only-pitch of the night, Fisher surrendered a long home run to the resurgent Reggie Jackson. Reggie's seventh blast, tying him with the surprising Dave Duncan for the team lead, sent the crowd of 2,860 Oakland Coliseum fans to a contented climb toward the exits.

A's Acorns: Blue Moon Odom pitched eight and one-third innings of two-run ball (with only one run earned), but settled for a no-decision. Rollie Fingers, who retired the final two batters in the top of the ninth, earned his third win against one loss.

May 24 , 1972:

After missing all of spring training, remaining unsigned through the players' strike, and sitting out the first 29 games of the regular season, Vida Blue finally returned to the mound tonight, marking his first appearance since being named the American League's Cy Young and MVP in 1971. Blue's re-emergence resulted in disappointment, however, as he allowed two runs in one inning of relief. The two runs proved costly, as Blue suffered the loss in the A's' 6-5 defeat at the hands of the Angels, who thus avoid a three-game sweep.

With the score tied at 4-4, Blue came on to pitch the sixth inning, replacing fellow reliever Joel Horlen, who had been lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth. Facing the bottom of the Angels' order, Blue walked No. 8 hitter Art Kusyner on four straight pitches. The rusty left-hander unfurled a wild pitch before retiring opposing pitcher Don Rose, but then issued a one-out walk to Sandy Alomar. With runners on first and second, Blue surrendered consecutive run-scoring singles to Ken Berry and Vada Pinson. In the bottom of the sixth, the A's managed to draw within a run on Dave Duncan's eighth home run of the season, but failed to score against Rose and reliever Steve Barber over the final three innings.

A's Acorns: In spite of the loss, the A's have reached the 30-game mark with a record of 19-and-11… For the third straight time, Diego Segui struggled in a starting role, allowing three runs in two and two-thirds innings before giving way to Horlen. Once Blue builds up his arm strength, Dick Williams hopes to put the 1971 Cy Young Award winner in the rotation and return Segui to the bullpen, where he has pitched far more effectively… Joe Rudi and Mike Epstein each went 2-for-5 with a home run, with Rudi hitting his second and Epstein his fourth… Angels starter Don Rose, who earned the victory despite giving up five runs, achieved baseball notoriety by becoming only the second pitcher-and the seventh player overall-to hit a home run on the first pitch of his first major league at-bat. [Editor's note: Rose would never hit another home run and would never win another game during his three-year career in the major leagues.]

May 25 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today, awaiting the arrival of the surprising White Sox, who have won six straight games and lead the AL West with a record of 21-10, a game and a half ahead of Oakland. In tomorrow night's series opener, ace left-handers Ken Holtzman and Wilbur Wood will square off at the Coliseum.

May 26 , 1972:

The A's' top left-hander was better than the White Sox' top left-hander-at least in tonight's start of the showdown series between the two best teams in the American League West. Ken Holtzman forged another complete game-his seventh of the season-in limiting the Sox to two runs, while Wilbur Wood allowed four runs in a mediocre seven-inning performance. The A's won the game, 4-2, to stop the White Sox' winning streak at six games and pull within a half-game of first place in the West.

The A's gave Holtzman an early lead on Reggie Jackson's first-inning solo home run. The smooth-throwing southpaw maintained the edge until the fourth and fifth innings, when he gave up single runs in each frame. Now down, 2-1, the A's mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Dave Duncan, who has emerged as the regular catcher after rotating with Gene Tenace earlier in the season, started the rally with a walk against Wood. Mike Epstein then doubled, putting runners at second and third. With No. 8 hitter Larry Brown scheduled to bat, Dick Williams decided to forego the option of a right-handed pinch-hitter like Gene Tenace or Ollie Brown. The strategy paid off, as Brown delivered a two-run single, enabling the A's to retake the lead. The A's then added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on Duncan's sacrifice fly.

A's Acorns: Jackson now has eight home runs, tying him with Duncan for the team lead… Jackson, Epstein, and Brown each had two hits… In addition to another excellent performance on the mound, Holtzman laid down two successful sacrifice bunt… After six straight starts in center field, Ollie Brown sat out the game. Brown had picked up two hits in his second start with the A's, but managed a total of only three hits in 19 at-bats during the stretch. Rookie George Hendrick, starting for Brown against the knuckleballing Wood, went 0-for-4.

May 27 , 1972:

At the start of the regular season, Dick Williams alternated his first two catchers, a decision that stemmed in part from his confidence in both receivers, and in part from his desire that one would eventually emerge as the No. 1 backstop. Well, the manager's desires have been fulfilled. Since the second week in May, Dave Duncan has caught almost every game the A's have played, an understandable circumstance given his sudden emergence as the American League's most prolific home run hitter. Showing no fatigue despite the recent heavy workload, Duncan took over the league lead in long balls today, with his ninth blast highlighting Oakland's 6-3 win-and second consecutive victory over the White Sox. Thanks to Duncan, along with pitching and hitting assistance from Catfish Hunter, the A's have now taken over the divisional lead in the American League West.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, the tail end of the A's' order helped launch a comeback rally. Hunter, one of the best hitting pitchers in either league, started the onslaught with a single and scored all the way from first on Joe Rudi's double. Reggie Jackson followed with a single-one of his three hits on the afternoon-to give the A's a 2-1 margin. Duncan started the next rally, by hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. After two errors by White Sox second baseman Mike Andrews and another single off the bat of Hunter, the Oakland lead stood at 4-1. Andrews later drew the Sox closer with a two-run homer in the fifth, but Campy Campaneris reinstated the three-run lead with a two-run shot of his own in the bottom of the sixth.

In addition to collecting two hits and scoring one run in four at-bats, Hunter found enough energy left to notch a complete game, successfully scattering eight hits and three walks. With the win, Hunter improves to 4-and-2, while the A's' overall record surges to 21-11, one-half game ahead of the White Sox.

A's Acorns: Campy Campaneris and Joe Rudi, the first two hitters in the Oakland lineup, effectively set the table by reaching four times in eight at-bats. Rudi doubled twice while Campaneris hit his second home run of the year…. As well as the A's have played, they continue to struggle in their efforts to find a worthy successor to Rick Monday in center field. George Hendrick, making his second straight start in center, went 0-for-4, making him hitless in eight at-bats since taking over for Ollie Brown. Aside from Brown and Hendrick, Angel Mangual and the now departed Bobby Brooks have all taken turns in center field-and all without success… Vida Blue is scheduled to make his highly anticipated first start tomorrow afternoon in the finale of the three-game series with the White Sox.

May 28 , 1972:

At one time during the spring, the A's didn't know if they would enjoy the services of the American League's best pitcher in 1971. Now they know that they have him; they just don't know how effective he will be after missing all of spring training and nearly the first six weeks of the regular season. If today's performance was any indication, the A's might have not only the reigning Cy Young and MVP in tow, but also the best starting rotation of any team in the American League. Making his first start of the season, former holdout Vida Blue pitched brilliantly against the White Sox today, shutting out Dick Allen and Co. over five innings while allowing only one base hit. Although Blue's performance earned him nothing more than a no-decision, it did help lift the A's to a 5-4 win in extra innings and raised the confidence that manager Dick Williams and pitching coach Bill Posedel have in their starting pitching.

Pitching in front of a season-high crowd of 32,602 fans at the Oakland Coliseum, Blue allowed only Dick Allen to dent him for a hit-a meaningless single in the third inning. Blue struggled with his control, allowing three walks, but made up for it with his typically explosive arsenal of fastballs and curveballs. Blue then left the game in the bottom of the fifth, removed in favor of a pinch-hitting Angel Mangual.

After Blue's departure, the A's managed to take a 3-0 lead against White Sox starter Tom Bradley in the bottom of the sixth. Unfortunately, the relief tandem of Bob Locker and Darold Knowles allowed the White Sox to score three times in the eighth and ninth, tying the score. The White Sox then took the lead against Rollie Fingers in the 10th, scoring the go-ahead run on Jay Johnstone's single.

In the bottom of the 10th, Sox reliever Steve Kealey retired the first two A's batters, bringing Chicago to the cusp of victory-and a return to first place in the American League West. All seemed hopeless for the A's as Mike Hegan, who had been brought in for defensive purposes at first base, came to the plate. Hegan promptly laced a single to keep Oakland's hopes alive and bring rookie center fielder George Hendrick into the spotlight. To the surprise of everyone, the struggling Hendrick walloped a two-run homer-the first of his major league career-to give the A's their most dramatic win of the season. Hendrick's heroics capped off a personal 2-for-5, three-RBI day, while putting the finishing touch to a 5-4 victory and a three-game sweep of the Sox. The A's now lead the AL West by a game and a half.

A's Acorns: Since replacing the slumping Ollie Brown in center, Hendrick had been hitless in his two prior starts. In addition to today's game-winning home run, Hendrick also stole a base and played flawlessly in center field… Joe Rudi and Larry Brown each had two-hit days for the A's… Locker, who has been brilliant in the early going, allowed three hits and two runs in an unsuccessful three-inning stint.

March 29 , 1972:

The A's are scorching-and they can point to the home run as the principal weapon in their recent destruction of the American League West. Sweeping a pair of games from the Rangers, 4-1 and 7-1, the A's successfully opened up a marathon 14-game road trip-their longest of the season. The A's have now won five consecutive games.

In the first game, George Hendrick provided home run heroics for a second straight day. His three-run shot in the seventh broke a 1-1 deficit and helped make a winner of reliever Joel Horlen, who pitched five and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief in support of an ineffective Blue Moon Odom. Joe Rudi had homered earlier in the seventh, tying the game against right-hander Pete Broberg, who surrendered all of Oakland's runs.

In the second game, the A's went to work early rather than attempting to play the kind of comeback baseball that has characterized them of late. They scored five runs in the first inning against left-hander Jim Shellenback, with three of the runs coming home on Mike Epstein's fifth home run of the season. Reggie Jackson later added his ninth, tying him with Dave Duncan for the team lead, and padding the advantage for rookie starter Dave Hamilton. The young left-hander, just recalled from Triple-A Iowa, permitted only one run in six and one-third innings to notch his first major league win.

The A's won the second game despite the absence of two of their hottest home run hitters. Duncan took the nightcap off, giving way to Gene Tenace, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Another reserve, the recently benched Ollie Brown, filled in capably for Hendrick with two hits in five at-bats.

A's Acorns: Oakland committed four errors in the doubleheader (Duncan, Campaneris, Larry Brown, and Gene Tenace), but none of the miscues contributed to Ranger scores… Utility infielder Marty Martinez, acquired on May 18, finally made his Oakland debut. The versatile Martinez filled in for Campaneris at shortstop in the latter stages of the game… In addition to hitting a home run in game one, Rudi went 3-for-5 with an RBI in the nightcap.

May 30 , 1972:

The Rangers applied the upper "hand" to the A's today, snapping Oakland's five-game winning streak. Young right-hander Rich Hand gave up two runs over eight and one-third innings, as the A's fell just short in a 3-2 loss.

With one out in the ninth and Hand holding a one-run lead, Sal Bando gave the A's hope with a single. Rangers skipper Ted Williams lifted Hand, replacing him with former A's reliever Paul Lindblad, now scheduled to face the lefty-hitting Mike Epstein. Dick Williams countered with Gene Tenace, who responded with a pinch-hit single, pushing Bando into scoring position. Ted Williams then made his second move of the inning, calling on side-arming right-hander Horacio Pina to face two of the A's' hottest hitters, George Hendrick and Dave Duncan. In contrast to their recent late-game histrionics, Hendrick and Duncan (who had homered earlier in the night) both failed to come through, as Pina nailed down his seventh save of the season.

A's Acorns: Ken Holtzman pitched well again, giving up just two earned runs in seven innings. With the loss, he falls to 7-and-3… The A's managed only three hits against Hand, including a double by Joe Rudi and Duncan's 10th home run. Duncan once again leads the A's in long balls, one better than Reggie Jackson.

May 31 , 1972:

Reggie Jackson played a part in all three of Oakland's run-scoring rallies, as the A's resumed their winning ways with a 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers. Jackson homered in the first, walked as part of a three-run rally in the sixth, and was then hit by a pitch in the seventh, when the A's tacked on their final run. The errant pitch struck Jackson in the jaw, knocking him from the game.

Catfish Hunter allowed 14 baserunners on the night (nine hits and five walks), but stranded 14 baserunners in picking up a complete-game win. With a record of 5-and-2, Hunter ranks second on the staff in victories to Ken Holtzman.

A's Acorns: After being hit by a Mike Paul fastball, Jackson left the game immediately, replaced by pinch-runner George Hendrick. The rookie outfielder stayed in the game to play center, with Ollie Brown moving over to take Jackson's position in right. Brown, who had been slumping since joining the A's, picked up two hits in four at-bats and drove in a run… Jackson was taken to an Arlington hospital for X-rays on his jaw. An examination showed no fracture of the bone, which means that he will likely be available to play in Oakland's next game… Jackson's homer, his 10th of the season, once again puts him in a tie with Dave Duncan for the team lead… The A's have now won six of their last seven.

June 01 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will continue their road trip tomorrow night when they play in Baltimore. Vida Blue will make his second start of the season, opposed by Orioles ace Jim Palmer.

June 02 , 1972:

After making an impressive first start of the season, Vida Blue took a step backward in start No. 2, giving up four runs in five innings as the A's fell to the Orioles, 5-1. Blue pitched creditably over the first four innings, allowing two runs, but then lost command of his pitches and ran into major trouble in the fifth. After walking the bases loaded, he allowed a two-run double to Paul Blair, enabling the Orioles to open up the game. With the loss, Blue falls to 0-and-2.

Oakland's offense did little to support Blue, mustering only one run against Birds ace Jim Palmer. Hurling a complete game, Palmer earned his sixth win of the season against three losses.

A's Acorns: Dave Duncan and Reggie Jackson were the lone offensive bright spots for the A's. Duncan drove in Oakland's only run, while Jackson went 3-for-4 with a double… Prior to the game, the A's recalled journeyman outfielder Adrian Garrett from Triple-A Iowa and placed little-used catcher Larry Haney on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. The well-traveled Garrett, a veteran of three major league seasons with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs, has spent most of his career in the minor leagues since making his professional debut in 1961. He is expected to fill a role as a left-handed pinch hitter, a quantity the A's have missed since the trade of Curt Blefary to the San Diego Padres. Garrett appeared as a pinch-hitter in tonight's loss to the Orioles, but failed to pick up a hit… Haney appeared in only five games for the A's, going hitless in four at-bats. Although an excellent defensive receiver, Haney found himself stuck behind two quality catchers in Duncan and Gene Tenace.

June 03 , 1972:

The last nine times the A's and Orioles had played-including last year's American League Championship Series-the Birds had emerged as the superior team. Baltimore's recent stretch of dominance over Oakland finally ended today, as the A's pulled out a 4-2 win at Memorial Stadium. Mike Epstein's sixth home run, which came in the eighth inning of a tie game, supplied the difference in a 4-2 win over the O's. Epstein's two-run shot against Pat Dobson, one of four 20-game winners for the Orioles in 1971, scored Sal Bando ahead of him and gave Ken Holtzman a two-run advantage. Holtzman made the lead hold up by pitching scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, thereby earning his eight win against only three losses.

The top of Oakland's order did significant damage to Dobson. The first five batters in the lineup-Campy Campaneris, Joe Rudi, Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, and Epstein-combined for eight hits, three runs, and four RBIs in 20 at-bats. Campaneris, Rudi, and Bando each had two hits on the afternoon.

A's Acorns: Holtzman economized his pitches well, allowing only one walk while striking out two. Of the nine hits he surrendered, one was a home run by Don Baylor, his sixth of the season… The A's and Orioles have split the first two games of this four-game rematch of last year's American League playoffs. The two teams will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

June 04 , 1972:

Perhaps the A's have grown so tired of the Orioles' recent domination of them in head-to-head play that they've decided to start a winning streak of their own against the Birds of Baltimore. After losing nine straight games to the O's over the last two seasons, the A's have now built up a three-game win streak against the defending American League champions. Two of the wins came today, as the A's swept a doubleheader from the Orioles with matching scores of 2-0. With the two victories and 18 innings of shutout pitching, the A's succeeded in taking three of four from the Orioles in the weekend series at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium.

In the first game, Catfish Hunter blanked Baltimore on two hits and earned his 100th career victory in the process. Hunter allowed only harmless singles to Don Buford and Elrod Hendricks in improving his season record to 6-and-2. Sal Bando supplied virtually all of the A's' offense with a two-run homer vs. Mike "Crazy Horse" Cuellar in the first, scoring Campy Campaneris ahead of him. The A's received another stellar pitching effort in the nightcap, this time from a more unexpected source. Rookie left-hander Dave Hamilton, making only his second career start, stifled the Orioles on six hits and no walks over six innings. Rollie Fingers and Darold Knowles maintained the shutout, with Knowles pitching the final two and one-third innings to post his second save. Knowles struck out four batters in arguably his most impressive effort of the season.

A's Acorns: The A's scored all four of their runs in the first innings of the two games, then sat back and watched their pitching throttle the usually potent Oriole attack… Backup second baseman Larry Brown, who continues to fill in capably for the injured Dick Green, enjoyed an especially productive afternoon. Brown picked up three hits in seven at-bats and helped the A's turn three double plays.

June 05 , 1972:

Of all of the A's' current regulars, the two least likely sources for home run power are middle infielders Larry Brown and Campy Campaneris. (And we should probably put an asterisk next to Brown's name, since he's only filling in for regular second baseman Dick Green, who does have home run capability.) Except for a 1970 season that saw him hit 22 home runs, Campaneris has spent most of his career as a singles-and-doubles slap hitter who creates havoc on the bases with his natural speed and daring instincts. In tonight's game against the Cleveland Indians, Campaneris dipped into his 1970 arsenal and surprised the Tribe with an extra-inning show of power, blasting a game-winning solo home run in the top of the 10th. The unexpected long ball, coming against Indians ace Gaylord Perry, gave the A's the winning margin in a 3-2 victory at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. Oakland has now won four straight games, all on the road.

The A's scored their earlier runs on another home run-this one from the team's leader in power, Reggie Jackson. Jackson's two-run shot in the third gave the A's a temporary 2-0 lead, before the Indians rallied to tie on an RBI single by Graig Nettles in the seventh and a home run by Eddie Leon (another middle infielder not known for power) in the eighth.

A's' Acorns: Jackson's home run, his 11th of the season, puts him in the American League lead… After the game, several players complained that Gaylord Perry threw repeated spitballs during his 10-inning stint. The A's, however, refrained from bringing up the subject with the umpires during the game… Perry's counterpart, Blue Moon Odom, earned his third win in four decisions by pitching nine and two-thirds innings of two-run ball. Although such a workload might have seemed high for a pitcher coming off elbow troubles, consider that Odom threw only 76 pitches over the first nine innings. Manager Dick Williams says he can't recall a pitcher making as few pitches as Odom did over a nine-inning stretch… Darold Knowles retired the final batter of the game to post his third save. Williams found little consolation in the win, given how poorly the A's played in one facet of the game. Afterwards, Williams called a team meeting to discuss Oakland's poor baserunning throughout the game.

June 06 , 1972:

Vida Blue's third start of his holdout-interrupted season was not as good as his first and better than his second, but still not sufficient to earn his first win of 1971. Instead, Blue settled for a no-decision as the A's won their fifth consecutive game, 7-2 over the Indians.

Blue worked six innings, having allowed only two runs and no walks. Yet, he still trailed, 2-1, and departed the game after surrendering singles to Buddy Bell and Chris Chambliss to start the seventh. The Indians then loaded the bases when the A's failed to register a forceout on Jack Brohamer's ground ball, but Rollie Fingers came on to quell the rally, starting a double play on a ball back to the box and then fanning Eddie Leon to end the inning.

The A's managed to take Blue off the hook in the eighth, when they ralled for two runs on a Joe Rudi double and a Sal Bando single. Now leading by a run, the A's blew open the tight game in the ninth, with Reggie Jackson clubbing a three-run homer as part of a four-run outburst.

A's Acorns: The first four batters in Oakland's lineup combined for nine hits. Campy Campaneris went 2-for-5 with three runs scored, Joe Rudi enjoyed a 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, Reggie Jackson went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and Sal Bando managed a 2-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in… Bob Locker continues to flourish as one of Dick Williams' three firemen (along with Fingers and Darold Knowles). Locker allowed one hit over the final two innings in picking up his fourth save of the season… One day after pitching a near complete game in extra innings, Blue Moon Odom made an appearance as a pinch-runner, subbing for starting first baseman Mike Epstein… The A's are now 30-and-13, a season-high 17 games over .500.

June 07 , 1972:

Encouraged by the fine pitching of rookie Dave Hamilton and veteran Joel Horlen, Charlie Finley has deemed one of his veteran pitchers expendable. Finley sent former American League ERA champion Diego Segui to the St. Louis Cardinals today for future considerations, which are believed to entail cash and not players. The sale of the utility pitcher, who has been ineffective as a starter after pitching capably in relief, marks the third time he has been traded or let go by the A's' organization

Segui's presence in the clubhouse figures to be missed. His gentlemanly demeanor and refusal to complain about his many pitching roles made him a likable figure with his teammates. The other A's also respected the physical strength of Segui, regarded by some as the strongest man pound-for-pound in all of baseball.

Some players are openly wondering how the trade of Segui might affect Campy Campaneris, who felt closer to the veteran pitcher than any of the other A's. In 1969, the two Cubans spent so much time together that fans regularly mistook one for the other. Curiously, Campaneris and Segui simultaneously enjoyed career seasons in 1970. Segui won the American League's ERA title that summer, before tailing off somewhat in 1971.

A's Acorns: The A's won their sixth straight game tonight with a 10-4 clubbing of the Indians. Oakland scored three runs in the first, four in the fourth, and two in the seventh as part of a 14-hit assault against Cleveland pitching. Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Mike Epstein, Ollie Brown, and pitcher Ken Holtzman each collected a pair of hits, with Rudi and Epstein hitting home runs… Sporting an unusual pitching line, Holtzman earned a complete-game win despite giving up 14 hits to the Indians. Of the four runs that Holtzman allowed, three were unearned, due to a rare error by Campy Campaneris. Holtzman leads the A's' staff with nine victories… Dick Williams shifted his outfield alignment tonight, giving Ollie Brown his first start in right field and moving Reggie Jackson over to center field. The reason? Jackson has more speed than Brown, making him a better alternative in center field, while Brown's powerhouse throwing arm makes him a natural for right field. Another factor played into the decision, as well; Williams has been upset with the defensive play of his two young center fielders, rookie George Hendrick and second-year man Angel Mangual. In particular, Williams cited Hendrick for a failure to "take charge out there."

June 08 , 1972:

The 1972 A's, who have won six straight games and remain in first place in the AL West, are off today. They are traveling to Detroit to open up a three-game weekend series against the Tigers. Catfish Hunter will face right-hander Tom Timmerman in the opener on Friday night.

June 09 , 1972:

Downtown Ollie Brown's first home run as a member of the A's highlighted yet another Oakland victory-the team's seventh in a row. Brown, Sal Bando, and Gene Tenace each homered in a 10-5 come-from-behind win over the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers took an early lead against Catfish Hunter, scoring a single run in the third and three more in the fifth. An inning later, the A's rallied to tie the game with a four-spot, with Bando and Brown each blasting two-run homers. The Tigers regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the seventh, only to watch the A's explode for six runs in the top of the eighth. Pinch-hitting for reliever Darold Knowles, Tenace launched a three-run shot and then stayed in the game to play first base. Despite pitching ineffectively in two-thirds of an inning (giving up a hit and a walk and making an error), Knowles earned his first win of the season, with Rollie Fingers registering his sixth save.

A's Acorns: Hunter was uncharacteristically wild, walking six batters in his six and one-third innings of work… While Brown hit his first home run in the green and gold, Tenace ripped his second of the season, and Bando added his third. Bando also doubled as part of a three-hit, three-RBI night… Detroit's Norm Cash hit his 10th home run in a losing cause, as part of a three-hit day for the veteran Tiger first baseman… The top of the A's' order remains red-hot; Campy Campaneris (two singles, two stolen bases), Joe Rudi, Reggie Jackson (three singles), Bando, and Mike Epstein (two singles) combined for 11 hits and five RBIs. As a team, the A's collected 15 hits, giving them 29 hits over their last two games.

June 10 , 1972:

Two streaks continued today. The A's won their season-high eighth consecutive game, while Joe Rudi extended his hitting streak to 17 games, setting a new record for the Oakland franchise. Rudi hit his fifth home run of the season-accounting for his one hit and two RBIs on the afternoon-helping the A's to a 5-2 win over the Tigers.

With the A's trailing early, 1-0, Sal Bando homered for the second straight day, his solo shot victimizing Tigers ace Mickey Lolich in the top of the second. The A's then gave rookie left-hander Dave Hamilton the lead in the sixth, when Campy Campaneris reached first on a hit-by-pitch and Rudi followed with his home run. The A's added two insurance runs in the seventh, extending Hamilton's lead to four runs. Hamilton left the game after seven and one-third innings, earning his third consecutive win against no losses as a major leaguer. Bob Locker picked up his fifth save with an inning and two-thirds of spotless relief.

A's Acorns: Prior to Rudi's 17-game string, infielder Danny Cater held the record for the longest hitting streak in the history of the Oakland franchise, not including the team's pre-1968 years in Kansas City or Philadelphia. Cater, now a first baseman with the Boston Red Sox, compiled a 16-game hitting streak for the A's in 1969… For the third straight game, Dick Williams started Ollie Brown in right field and Reggie Jackson in center field. Brown went hitless in three at-bats, but Jackson picked up a hit, two RBIs, and a stolen base in three trips to the plate.

June 11 , 1972:

Two streaks that had reached extended proportions both came to an end this afternoon in Detroit. As Joe Rudi went hitless in three at-bats, the A's saw their winning streak snapped at eight games, courtesy of a 3-2 loss to the Tigers. Rudi had picked up hits in his last 17 games prior to today's setback.

Despite pitching another complete game, Ken Holtzman took the loss. Holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, Holtzman surrendered a triple to Aurelio Rodriguez and a game-tying sacrifice fly to Tony Taylor. Holtzman then ran into immediate trouble in the ninth. Bill Freehan, swinging at Holtzman's first pitch of the inning, delivered a tie-breaking, game-winning home run. Holtzman may have been overly aggressive in trying to jump ahead of Freehan in the count, considering that earlier in the game he had walked the Tigers' catcher to force home the Tigers' first run.

A's Acorns: Including Freehan's game-winning blast, Holtzman allowed only four hits. Yet, he was uncharacteristically wild, yielding four walks over nine innings… Mike Epstein hit his eighth home run, a solo shot in the fifth inning against Tigers starter Joe Coleman.

June 12 , 1972:

Playing in their fifth season since the move from Kansas City to Oakland, the A's would have liked nothing better than to win a game in front of the largest crowd in the franchise's West Coast history. The A's pitched well and defended well, but failed to muster any kind of offensive attack against one of the Orioles' quartet of 20-game winners, losing to Pat Dobson, 1-0, at the Oakland Coliseum.

A record crowd of 50,182 filled the Coliseum, in part because of the "Family Night" discount and in larger part because of the mound presence of Vida Blue. The reigning Cy Young Award winner pitched brilliantly, allowing only one run and five hits in eight innings-easily his best performance of the 1972 season. Blue held the Orioles scoreless until the eighth, when Dave Johnson, Andy Etchebarren, and Don Buford touched the left-hander for three consecutive ground singles. Pinch-runner Mark Belanger scored on Buford's timely hit, which proved to be a sufficient margin for Dobson. The Oriole right-hander finished off the A's with scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth to improve his record to 7-and-6.

June 13 , 1972:

In his last start, Blue Moon Odom pitched at his most brilliant, motivating some to say that he has made a full recovery from elbow trouble. Today, Odom came close to pitching at his worst, leading some to wonder whether he can be relied upon as one of Dick Williams' regular starters. Odom allowed three earned runs in an inning and a third-his shortest start of the season-as the A's dropped a 5-1 decision to Mike Cuellar and the Orioles.

The Orioles jumped on Odom early, scoring two runs in the top of the first. In the second inning, Odom issued a walk to Dave Johnson before coughing up a home run to his pitching counterpart. Cuellar's two-run blast gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead on their way to an easy victory at the Oakland Coliseum.

A's Acorns: Williams used three relievers in succession of Odom: Joel Horlen, Rollie Fingers, and Darold Knowles. The trio pitched effectively, allowing only one run in seven and two-thirds innings of work… Sal Bando accounted for Oakland's lone run with a home run, part of a 2-for-4 day at the plate… Angel Mangual made his second consecutive start in right field and also went 2-for-4…. The A's' defense turned three double plays in the loss.

June 14 , 1972:

The second meeting of the year between the A's and Orioles looked all too much like last year's American League Championship Series. The defending AL champions beat the A's for a third straight game, this time winning in extra innings. Bobby Grich's solo home run, coming at the expense of starter Catfish Hunter, gave the O's a 2-1 victory at the Coliseum.

Hunter contributed to his own misfortune earlier in the game, when he committed a key error while covering first base. In the third inning, Hunter dropped a throw from first baseman Mike Epstein, thereby extending the inning and allowing Dave Johnson to score the first run of the game. The A's rallied the following frame, when Joe Rudi doubled, advanced to third base on a single by Reggie Jackson, and then came home to score on a single by Sal Bando. Little did the A's realize it at the time, but they would collect only more hit the rest of the evening against Dave McNally, who earned his seventh win with a complete-game four hitter.

A's Acorns: Other than the safeties by Rudi, Jackson, and Bando, only Epstein managed a hit against McNally. Epstein then left the game for a pinch-runner, replaced by pitcher Blue Moon Odom. Manager Dick Williams has used Odom frequently as a pinch-runner this season, often in place of the slow-footed Epstein… The O's won despite committing three errors, one each for McNally, Grich, and catcher Johnny Oates… Disturbed by Oakland's lack of scoring over the first two games against Baltimore, manager Dick Williams shuffled his lineup. He started Gene Tenace behind the plate and Ron Clark at second base, but neither reserve managed a hit in place of regulars Dave Duncan and Larry Brown, respectively.

June 15 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will begin a three-game weekend series with the Cleveland Indians tomorrow night at the Oakland Coliseum.

June 16 , 1972:

After watching his team score only two runs in the last three games, Dick Williams decided to make another adjustment to his lineup. Williams gave the recently acquired Marty Martinez his first start as a member of the A's, putting him at shortstop and installing him as the leadoff man in place of the slumping Campy Campaneris. Martinez didn't exactly make Williams look like a genius, going 0-for-4 while making an error in the field, but the A's still managed to end a four-game losing streak with a 5-0 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Oakland's dormant attack showed immediate signs of resuscitation in the first inning, when Reggie Jackson clubbed his 13th home run and Dave Duncan added a two-run single. The early 4-0 cushion made circumstances that much easier for Ken Holtzman, who pitched another complete-game shutout in improving his record to 10-and-4. The newfound Oakland ace scattered seven hits and struck out five in reaching the double-figure mark in wins. Holtzman won only nine games all of last season while pitching with the Cubs… Martinez, who was acquired in the trade for Brant Alyea in mid-May, appeared in only his second game for the A's.

A's Acorns: In addition to unseating Catfish Hunter and Vida Blue as the current ace of the staff, Holtzman is also making a run at Hunter as the team's best hitting pitcher. Holtzman racked up three hits in four at-bats against Cleveland pitching, while driving in one of Oakland's five runs.

June 17 , 1972:

Once again employing an improvised lineup, Dick Williams watched his A's win their second consecutive game after a four-game losing skid. Yet, it was again the team's pitching-and not the new-look-lineup-that proved most responsible for a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Rookie left-hander Dave Hamilton continued his early string of successful starts with eight innings of one-run ball, earning his fourth win against no losses. Hamilton, who has solidified a place in the rotation alongside Ken Holtzman, Catfish Hunter, and Vida Blue, allowed only six hits and two walks in beating his far-better-known pitching counterpart, Gaylord Perry.

For the second straight day, the A's used Marty Martinez as their starting shortstop and leadoff man. In four at-bats against Cleveland pitching, Martinez picked up his first hit as a member of the A's, but it was the No. 2 through No. 7 hitters who delivered most of the damage against the Indians. The A's scored all of their runs in the fourth inning, when Joe Rudi took first on a hit-by-pitch and came home to score on a double by Reggie Jackson. After Mike Epstein drew an intentional pass, the resuscitated Angel Mangual scored a second run with an RBI single and Dave Duncan plated the final run with a double.

A's Acorns: Rudi, Jackson, and Duncan each had two hits, with Reggie adding a stolen base… The A's won the game despite leaving nine runners on base… The A's drew one of their stronger crowds of the year. A total of 28,934 fans attended the game at the Oakland Coliseum, enticed by the "Helmet Day" promotion.

June 18 , 1972:

Vida Blue did something today that he hasn't done since September 26, 1971: win a ballgame. Looking very much like he did throughout his 24-win season in 1971, Blue provided every indication that he has recovered from the after-effects of a long holdout that delayed the start of his current season until May. Having lost his first three decisions of 1972, Blue twirled a four-hit shutout against the reeling Indians. The 9-0 whitewash gave the A's a sweep of the three-game weekend series at the Coliseum, where a crowd of 26,210 bore witness to Blue's domination of Indian hitters.

Mike Epstein gave Blue an early cushion with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, his ninth blast of the season. George Hendrick added to the margin with his third home run, a two-run shot in the fourth. Two innings later, the A's exploded for six runs against Indians relievers Denny Riddleberger and Steve Hargan-and a shaky Cleveland defense which allowed four unearned runs.

A's Acorns: After a two-game absence, leadoff man Campy Campaneris returned to the lineup with a single and double in five at-bats. Batting right behind Campy, Joe Rudi went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base… The bottom of the Oakland order also contributed. Dave Duncan collected three hits in four at-bats, Larry Brown went 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Blue added a hit, a run, and a sacrifice bunt in four appearances at the plate… Brown struggled through a miserable day in the field and on the basepaths. He committed two errors-his first multiple-error game of the season-and also found himself mired in embarrassment in the fourth inning, when he was thrown out at the plate by Indians left fielder Alex Johnson, one of the weakest-armed outfielders in either league.

To coincide with today's Father's Day holiday, the A's held the first-ever "Mustache Day" in the history of major league baseball. In May, Charlie Finley had promised to pay $300 bonuses to each player who featured a mustache on Father's Day; every one of the players on the active 25-man roster complied with Finley's "suggestion" and each found $300-and a thank-you note-waiting for him in his locker after the game. In addition, all mustache-bearing fans received free admission to the Coliseum. Three players-Sal Bando, Larry Brown, and Mike Hegan-had shown some hesitancy toward growing facial hair before finally conceding to Finley's request. Some players, like Rollie Fingers, willingly fulfilled Finley's desire for mustaches. "For $300," Fingers admitted to Phil Pepe of the New York Daily News, "I'd grow one on my rear end."

June 19 , 1972:

The A's typified the concept of "manufacturing" a win tonight, loading the bases in the eighth inning and then driving home four runs without the benefit of a hit. The unusual rally gave the A's a 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers.

With the game tied at 3-3, the A's came to bat in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Chuck Seelbach. Joe Rudi and Reggie Jackson opened the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back singles. Sal Bando followed by dropping down a sacrifice bunt, which turned into a hit when the Tiger infield failed to retire him at first base. With the bases loaded and the lefty-swinging Mike Epstein coming to the plate, Tiger manager Billy Martin summoned southpaw Fred Scherman from the bullpen. The A's now shifted from a hitting mode to a more passive approach. Epstein, who had already hit two home runs, patiently drew a walk, driving in his fourth run of the game. Dave Duncan also worked out a walk, forcing in a second run and giving the A's a 5-3 lead. The A's then watched the third pitcher of the inning-Phil Meeler-unleash a wild pitch, allowing another run to score. The next batter, George Hendrick, plated an additional run with a sacrifice fly, capping off a rally that saw all four runs come to the plate on something other than a base hit.

A's Acorns: With three home runs in his last two games, Epstein now has 11 on the season. He is now only two behind Reggie Jackson for the team lead… Sal Bando had two hits and two runs scored… Blue Moon Odom pitched creditably, surrendering three runs in seven-plus innings of work… Bob Locker earned his fourth win against no losses, despite giving up four hits in two innings.

June 20 , 1972:

The emergence of Joe Rudi as an American League star continues. "Gentleman Joe," as he's known throughout the A's' clubhouse, led off the bottom of the 11th and launched the first pitch he saw into the bleachers of the Oakland Coliseum. The solo home run, which victimized Tiger reliever Chuck Seelbach and made him a loser for a second straight day, gave the A's a dramatic 3-2 victory. Rudi's extra-inning bomb capped off a day that saw him collect three hits in four at-bats, while also stealing a base (a rare occurrence for Rudi). His batting average, which has never topped .309 for a single season, is now approaching .340, by far the best among A's hitters. Rudi's sixth home run of the season made a winner of workhorse Catfish Hunter, who lasted all 11 innings. Hunter allowed only five hits and struck out nine in improving his record to 7-and-3.

A's Acorns: George Hendrick also homered for the A's. The rookie outfielder, who continues to shuttle with Angel Mangual and Ollie Brown in the ever-changing right field derby, now has four home runs… Al Kaline and Norm Cash went deep for the Tigers against Hunter. The venerable Cash, a Tiger veteran since 1960, has 14 home runs in 1972… The 25-man merry-go-round continues for the A's. Prior to the game, Charlie Finley announced yet another trade, sending backup infielder Ron Clark to the Milwaukee Brewers for backup outfielder Bill Voss. The left-handed hitting Voss hit a career-high 10 home runs as a part-time player in 1971-more than tripling his previous career high-but slumped badly the first half of this season, scraping only three hits in 36 at-bats to accumulate a diminutive .083 batting average. Still, the A's are hoping that Voss, who has played for the White Sox and Angels during an eight-year career, will give them a capable left-handed pinch-hitter to fill the role of the departed Curt Blefary, who was traded to San Diego earlier in the season.

June 21 , 1972:

After producing a series of clutch hits in winning their last five games, A's bats fell silent today against journeyman pitcher Tom Timmerman. The Tiger right-hander, who has spent most of his career in the minor leagues in between occasional trips to the Motor City, held the "Swingin' A's" to five hits in Detroit's 5-2 victory at the Oakland Coliseum.

While Timmerman pitched brilliantly, Oakland's defense did little to support A's starter Ken Holtzman. Errors by shortstop Campy Campaneris, center fielder Reggie Jackson, and second baseman Tim Cullen-just up from Triple-A Iowa-made Holtzman work harder and longer than he should have, while also contributing to an unearned tally. In spite of the porous defense, Holtzman kept the A's within one run until the eighth, when he gave up a two-run, bases-loaded double to Oakland nemesis Bill Freehan. Still, Holtzman recovered to complete the inning and the game, helping himself with eight strikeouts and one walk along the way.

A's Acorns: Offensively, Mike Epstein picked up two of Oakland's five safeties, including his 12th home run of the season. Epstein has hit four home runs in his last four games.

June 22 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. Their homestand will continue tomorrow against the rival California Angels.

June 23 , 1972:

Dave Hamilton continues to make a bid for the American League's Rookie of the Year Award, but the A's' shaky outfield defense and their all-too-inconsistent offense managed to saddle him with his first defeat as a major leaguer. The young left-hander allowed only one earned run in forging a complete-game, eight-strikeout effort, but lost a 2-1 decision to the California Angels.

With the A's holding a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, right fielder Angel Mangual committed a crucial error, leading directly to an unearned run for California. The game remained tied until the ninth, when slugging first baseman Bob Oliver touched Hamilton for a two-out home run. Nolan Ryan then shut the A's down in the ninth, capping off a two-hit, 10-strikeout gem at the Coliseum.

A's Acorns: Dave Duncan and Reggie Jackson produced the only hits against Ryan. In the first inning, Jackson hit his 14th home run, putting him two ahead of Mike Epstein for the team lead… Hamilton, who fell to 4-and-1, did not issue a single base-on-balls… Tim Cullen, recently recalled from the minor leagues, made his second consecutive start at second base and went 0-for-3.

June 24 , 1972:

Given his long holdout, the lack of spring training, and his delay in starting the season, it shouldn't be too surprising that stamina is currently the main stumbling block for Vida Blue. The A's' left-hander was brilliant over the first six innings of today's game against the Angels, but tired badly with two outs in the seventh on his way to losing a tough 3-1 decision to California.

Courtesy of Reggie Jackson's team-leading 15th home run of the season, Blue held a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh. Blue retired the first batter-former Oriole Curt Motton, a 1971 playoff nemesis of the A's-allowed a one-out single to Bob Oliver, and then put down Ken McMullen. Needing just one out to end the inning, Blue faltered. He allowed successive singles to Leroy Stanton, Leo "Chico" Cardenas, and the light-hitting Jeff Torborg, allowing the Angels to take a 2-1 lead. Blue eventually closed out the inning without further score, but departed the game in the bottom half of the seventh, lifted for a pinch-hitting Gene Tenace. The Angels added an insurance run in the eighth, nicking Rollie Fingers for a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly.

A's Acorns: After piling up five consecutive victories, the streaking A's have suddenly lost three straight games… California's Clyde "Skeeter" Wright pitched a complete game, limiting the A's to five hits. In the meantime, the more heralded Blue fell to 1-and-4. After the game, the outspoken Wright made some critical remarks about his counterpart, saying he was unimpressed by Blue. Wright also made reference to Blue's sub-.500 record while citing his own mark of 8-and-3… The venerable Vada Pinson stole two bases for the Angels, even though he entered the game in the later innings as a pinch-hitter for Motton.

June 25 , 1972:

The A's should schedule more doubleheaders-perhaps as often as every other day. The green and gold swept its fifth consecutive doubleheader, seizing impressive 6-1 and 6-0 victories over the Angels while bidding adieu to a three-game losing streak.

Catfish Hunter handcuffed California in the opener, allowing only three hits and a walk in picking up a complete-game victory. Hunter would have enjoyed a shutout, if not for a pair of errors by Oakland's latest second-baseman-of-the-day, Tim Cullen. Playing in place of the now-disabled Larry Brown, Cullen's defensive adventures led directly to California's unearned score in the third inning.

Not surprisingly, Hunter overcame the fielding hiccup and also helped himself with two hits and an RBI at the plate. Oakland's order provided a balanced offensive attack, with Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, and Mike Epstein also depositing two hits apiece. Bando's performance included a rare triple and stolen base, while Campy Campaneris added a pair of steals despite an 0-for-4 at the plate.

In the nightcap, the A's' most inconsistent starter once again gave Dick Williams hope for improvement from the bottom end of the Oakland rotation. Blue Moon Odom pitched eight scoreless innings, keeping the Angels off the board despite the allowance of six hits and four walks. With two men on and no one out in the ninth, a tiring Odom gave way to Darold Knowles, who finished off the game by retiring the next three batters to pick up his fifth save. Offensively, Sal Bando and Gene Tenace supplied Odom with most of the support that he would need. Bando blasted a three-run homer (his sixth of the season) as part of a 3-for-3 effort, while Tenace chipped in with his third home run and three RBIs.

A's Acorns: Hunter is now 8-and-3, while Odom improves to 4-and-2… The newly acquired Bill Voss made his Oakland debut in the second game, earning a start against right-hander Rickey Clark. Batting fifth and playing right field, Voss went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Voss had accumulated all of three hits during his early-season stay in Milwaukee… Joe Rudi left the game after being hit by a pitch. He was replaced in left field by rookie George Hendrick.

June 26 , 1972:

Ken Holtzman is not a complete game machine after all! After pitching five consecutive route-going performances, the Oakland left-hander lasted "only" seven and one-third innings at Turnpike Stadium, but still pitched brilliantly in the first game of the A's' road trip. Allowing no runs and a mere three hits, Holtzman helped shut down the Texas Rangers, 3-0, and give the A's their third straight victory.

The game remained scoreless until the seventh, when Holtzman broke the tie by driving in Tim Cullen with a clutch double. The A's then padded the lead in the eighth, stringing together five singles and scoring two more runs. The multi-run lead proved more than sufficient for Holtzman and Darold Knowles, who recorded the final five outs in notching his sixth save.

A's Acorns: Cullen enjoyed his finest day as a member of the A's. In addition to scoring the tie-breaking run, he went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cullen had spent most of spring training with the Rangers before drawing his release… Cullen's double-play partner, Campy Campaneris, added two hits and a stolen base.

June 27 , 1972:

Oakland pitchers did it all today. Rookie Dave Hamilton doubled for his first major league hit, Rollie Fingers picked up his first hit of 1972 via a surprising home run, and both pitchers combined to limit the Rangers to a trio of runs in a 9-3 victory at Turnpike Stadium.

With the score deadlocked at 1-1 in the top of the sixth, the A's loaded the bases, as Hamilton started the rally. Hamilton doubled, Joe Rudi walked, and Reggie Jackson reached base on an error. After Dick Williams inserted fellow pitcher Blue Moon Odom as a pinch-runner for Hamilton, Bando plated a pair of go-ahead runs with a single. Two innings later, reliever Rollie Fingers, who had succeeded Hamilton on the mound, swatted a two-run homer to give the A's a 5-2 lead. The A's then put the game away in the ninth, scoring three times against former Oakland farmhand Jim Panther and adding a tack-on run against left-hander Mike Paul.

A's Acorns: Hamilton has now won five of six decisions since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa…. In addition to Fingers, Campy Campaneris proved another unlikely longball source, blasting his fourth home run… Rudi returned to the lineup after missing two games with a minor injury… Tim Cullen enjoyed his second straight productive game at the plate. The A's second baseman-who spent part of spring training with the Rangers after playing last season with the Washington Senators-continued to haunt his old team with two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored in four at-bats… Bill Voss, making his third start in the outfield, went 1-for-4 with a run scored.

June 28 , 1972:

If the A's are to win their second consecutive American League West title, they will need to contain the efforts of Dick Allen. The White Sox' slugger, who has been arguably the league's most dangerous hitter through the first 10 weeks of the regular season, blasted his 12th home run in helping defeat the A's, 6-4. Allen gave the Sox an early 1-0 lead with a first-inning solo shot-one of three home runs against an ineffective Vida Blue.

The A's came back to tie the score against young left-hander Dave Lemonds, but Oakland's bullpen pulled one of its few disappearing acts of the season. Bob Locker, in one of his rare ineffective stints, coughed up two go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh. Allen played a key role in the rally, drawing a walk before coming home to score on Carlos May's two-run single.

A's Acorns: The A's announced another player acquisition today, as Charlie Finley purchased one of the members of the 1969 World Champion New York Mets. The A's purchased the contract of veteran outfielder-first baseman Art Shamsky from the Chicago Cubs, where he had struggled in a reserve role, picking up only two hits in 16 at-bats. The lefty-swinging Shamsky, a former Cincinnati Red and New York Met, enjoyed his best season in 1969, when he batted an even .300 as a platoon right fielder for Gil Hodges' "Miracle Mets." Shamsky is expected to fill a role as a left-handed pinch-hitter, especially now that Bill Voss seems to have taken hold of the right-field job … Dick Allen's home run was no surprise, given that he had already reached double figures this season. The other two White Sox home runs came from unexpected places; catcher Tom Egan and right fielder Walt "No-Neck" Williams each hit his first of the year… Tim Cullen, playing solidly in the absence of the injured Larry Brown, went 1-for-3 with an RBI… Reggie Jackson reached base three times in four plate appearances. He was twice hit by pitches, first by right-handed reliever Vicente Romo and then by left-hander Terry Forster.

June 29 , 1972:

The Denny McLain Era in green and gold has come to an end. Faced with having an unwanted player at an exorbitant salary of $50,000, Charlie Finley made an unusual transaction today. The Oakland owner sold McLain, who had been demoted to Birmingham of the Class-AA Southern League in mid-May, to the pitching-poor Atlanta Braves. While McLain heads to Atlanta, Finley simultaneously purchased 1967 National League MVP Orlando Cepeda, who managed four home runs and a .298 batting average for the Braves, but had been limited to 84 at-bats by knee troubles. Although the A's and Braves officially announced the transactions as separate sales, the two teams have essentially traded former league MVPs for another, the first time in history that such a deal had taken place.

"I'm as happy as hell," McLain told New York Newsday when asked for his reaction to the deal. As someone who hated pitching in the minor leagues, McLain realizes he will have an opportunity to return to the major league level.

Like McLain, Cepeda was pleased to hear the trade news. "I am always happy," Cepeda told the Associated Press. "Only when I do not play am I unhappy." With the Braves, Cepeda lost his starting job when manager Luman Harris decided to move Hank Aaron from the outfield to first base. Harris questioned whether Cepeda could play every day because of his wavering physical condition. Cepeda balked at his demotion by walking out on the team and the Braves responded by suspending him-albeit for only two days.

If the McLain-for-Cepeda swap had been made five years earlier, it might have been hailed as the "deal of the century." At his peak in 1967, Cepeda batted .325 with 25 home runs and 111 RBIs for the World Champion Cardinals. In 1968, McLain forged an eye-popping record of 31-6 with an ERA of 1.96, which earned him American League MVP honors.

Yet, both players have fallen on hard times in 1972, with McLain victimized by his weight and gambling problems and the 34-year-old Cepeda undermined by his chronically bad knees. Since each player had to clear waivers before the trade could be officially consummated, any of the other 22 major league teams could have claimed McLain or Cepeda for $25,000. Five years earlier, any team would have jumped at the chance to pick up Cepeda or McLain at such a price, but both are now considered damaged goods. As New York Times columnist Arthur Daley aptly summarized the trade of former MVPs: "It is a trade that is a lot more historic than it is momentous."

Now that Cepeda had arrived in Oakland, how will the A's use him? Perhaps Dick Williams envisions a platoon of Cepeda and Mike Epstein at first base, with Orlando playing against left-handed pitchers. Although Epstein has managed a respectable .250 average against portsiders, he has hit only one home run against lefties.

Whatever the resolution of the new first base quandary, the trade of the unhappy McLain has ended one of the shortest chapters in his baseball life. In the spring, Finley and Williams quietly hoped that McLain could recapture his former pitching dominance, or at least some percentage of it. By mid-season, those hopes had been transformed into the realities of a lost fastball and an expanding waistline.

Although it was overshadowed by the news of the McLain departure and the pickup of Cepeda, the A's made another roster move today when they sold veteran outfielder "Downtown" Ollie Brown on waivers to the Milwaukee Brewers. The sale of Brown opens up a roster spot for outfielder-first baseman Art Shamsky, just acquired from the Chicago Cubs. At one time, the A's considered Brown the answer in their search for a third outfielder to team with Joe Rudi and Reggie Jackson. Brown had played well in right field for the A's, showcasing one of the great power arms in recent memory, but his lack of hitting, coupled with an inability to adapt to a part-time role, turned the A's sour on him.

A's Acorns: Oh by the way, the A's played a pair of games today. When a team scores only three runs in a doubleheader, it might consider itself fortunate to win one of the two games. The A's probably share that particular feeling after being throttled by Chicago ace Wilbur Wood in the first game, before coming back to salvage a split of their twinbill against the surprising Sox.

Wood, who had lost three consecutive games, regained his early-season form with a complete-game shut out, beating the A's 4-0. Wood scattered seven hits over nine innings and showed complete mastery of his trademark knuckleball, issuing no walks to the A's. For the second straight day, White Sox slugger Dick Allen homered-his 13th of the season-with his two-run blast giving Chicago a four-run lead in the fifth. Allen finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. The only Oakland offensive highlights came from Campy Campaneris and Gene Tenace, who each picked up two hits.

In the nightcap, the A's rebounded nicely, with Mike Epstein providing an early lead courtesy of his 13th home run, which came in the first inning against Sox starter Tom Bradley. Epstein's home run highlighted a three-hit, two-RBI day, and was supplemented by another surprising performance from new right fielder Bill Voss. The Milwaukee Brewers' ex-patriot collected two hits in three at-bats and drove in the other run for the A's in the 3-1 victory. On the mound, Blue Moon Odom provided another promising start. The comebacking right-hander improved to 5-and-2 by limiting the White Sox to five hits and one run over eight and a third innings. Rollie Fingers posted the final two outs to cement his eighth save.

A's Acorns: Dick Williams made an intriguing lineup alteration in game one. Trying to use as many good right-handed bats as he could against Wilbur Wood, Williams gave Gene Tenace his first start of the season in right field. Tenace played the position without incident… Wood is now 12-and-7 on the season… The little-used Marty Martinez made his first start as a second baseman, giving Tim Cullen a rest in the second game. The A's have now used six second basemen in 1972: Martinez, Cullen, Larry Brown, Ron Clark, Dwain Anderson, and Dick Green. Two of the second basemen-Brown and Green-are currently on the disabled list. Two others-Anderson and Clark-have already been traded to other organizations.

June 30 , 1972:

The A's made a gallant comeback, fighting off an early five-run deficit, but their middle and late inning rallies went for naught when Darold Knowles walked in the winning run with a count of three-and-two and two outs in the bottom of the 11th. With the 6-5 setback to the White Sox, the A's ended up losing three of four games to the surprising Southsiders of Chicago.

Ken Holtzman, who has been spectacular in seizing the leadership of the starting rotation this season, failed to retire a single batter against the White sox. He allowed six hits and five runs before being mercifully removed from the game by manager dick Williams. The Oakland bullpen, spearheaded by Joel Horlen and Bob Locker, kept the White Sox scoreless over the next nine innings, making Oakland's rallies in the second, fifth, and seventh innings relevant occurrences. In the second inning, Bill Voss hit his first home run as a member of the A's; in the fifth, Tim Cullen and Campy Campaneris rapped doubles in front of a Joe Rudi home run; and in the eighth, Mike Epstein's rare triple set up a sacrifice fly by Dave Duncan.

With the game now tied, the A's and Sox eventually moved to extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Rollie Fingers seemed determined to continue the bullpen's success when he retired the leadoff batter, but then issued a single to Luis Alvarado and a walk to Dick Allen. Left-hander Darold Knowles came on to retire a pinch-hitting Jay Johnstone, but when both runners moved up on the groundout, Williams ordered Knowles to intentionally walk Carlos May. Knowles then ran a full count on the right-handed hitting Mike Andrews, before missing with the payoff pitch-and giving the Sox a 6-5 victory.

A's Acorns: Art Shamsky, acquired two days ago from the Chicago Cubs, made his Oakland debut. Shamsky pinch-hit unsuccessfully for Tim Cullen in his first-ever American League appearance… Epstein's triple capped off a three-hit night for the hot-hitting first baseman, who may feel extra motivation after the A's announcement yesterday that they had acquired fellow first baseman Orlando Cepeda. Not surprisingly, the arrival of Cepeda has angered Epstein, who was enjoying his status as an everyday first baseman. In an interview with the Associated Press, Epstein wondered aloud why manager Dick Williams didn't approach him to explain how his role might be affected. "What hurt me is that Dick Williams hasn't called me into the office and told me what they're going to do with Cepeda," a frustrated Epstein complained to the AP. "I busted my tail for this team and then I read in the paper where we got another player to platoon with me." When told of Epstein's reaction, Williams countered by saying it wasn't the responsibility of the manager to explain every one of his lineup decisions. "All a player has to do is check the lineup card every day and see if his name is on it," Williams angrily told Bay Area writer Ron Bergman. "If it is, he goes out and busts his rear." Stay tuned.

July 01 , 1972:

Simply put, the A's had no chance against the fastballs and curveballs of Nolan Ryan tonight. The overmatching right-hander, who is making the off-season deal that brought him to the American League from the New York Mets look like an absolute winner for the California Angels, struck out 16 batters in clamping down the A's, 5-3. Considering Ryan's powerful repertoire throughout the complete-game effort, the A's might have considered their three-run offensive output a moral victory.

The A's actually took an early lead on Ryan by scoring a run in the top of the second, but the Angels immediately tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Ryan drove home a run with a single. California then piled on four more runs in the following frame against starter Dave Hamilton, giving Ryan an insurmountable margin. Ken Berry and Leo "Chico" Cardenas (who finished the game with three RBIs) each homered during the third-inning uprising against Hamilton, who struggled through his worst start as a major leaguer.

A's Acorns: The A's totaled only five hits against an effectively wild Ryan, who walked three batters and hit two others… Newcomer Art Shamsky pinch-hit for the second consecutive day, popping up weakly against Ryan in the top of the seventh… Campy Campaneris and Joe Rudi each stole bases against the combination of Ryan and catcher Art Kusyner.

July 02 , 1972:

Baseball people often talk about clutch hitting, but don't seem to mention clutch "pitching" nearly as often. In tonight's game against the Angels, Vida Blue put that concept on full display, twice working his way out of bases-loaded situations. Blue's text case of pitching under pressure helped the A's post a 3-1 victory at Anaheim Stadium.

The A's gave Blue an early lead when they jumped on Halos starter Clyde Wright in the first inning. The ever-improving Joe Rudi started a one-out rally with a triple and then came home to score on Reggie Jackson's double. Angel Mangual, making the start in right field, followed with an RBI single to give Oakland a 2-0 edge. The A's tacked on another run in the third, with Rudi once again jump-starting the rally. After a double by Rudi, Mike Epstein delivered an RBI single to give the A's a 3-0 lead.

The Angels immediately cut the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring their first run and then loading the bases with two outs. Facing a dangerous right-handed hitter in Leroy Stanton, Blue fanned the ex-Met farmhand to stymie the rally. The Angels again loaded the bases in the fifth, only to watch Blue retire Stanton again-this time on a critical inning-ending double play. Having pushed away the Angels a second time, Blue finished off the remaining four innings without incident, picking up only his second win since his return from a holdout.

A's Acorns: Blue allowed seven hits and five walks, but stranded 10 Angels baserunners… Epstein's RBI single highlighted a three-hit night. Although the slugging first baseman had expressed his displeasure with the A's' recent acquisition of Orlando Cepeda, he has been red hot since the "Baby Bull" arrived in town at the end of June. Epstein is 5-for-10 in the three games the A's have played since making the Cepeda trade on June 29.

July 03 , 1972:

Ken Holtzman has emerged as the newfound anchor of the A's in his first three months with the ballclub, but holdover Jim "Catfish" Hunter may be making his own bid at becoming the team's accredited ace. "The Cat" put forth his finest game of the season tonight, limiting the Angels to two hits and one walk in Oakland's impressive 5-0 win at Anaheim Stadium.

Hunter, who authored a perfect game in May of 1968, held the Angels hitless over the first five innings. Angels catcher John Stephenson broke up the no-hit bid to start the sixth, but was left stranded. The only other hit that Hunter permitted-a two-out triple by veteran outfielder Andy Kosco in the seventh-also proved harmless.

For awhile, it seemed like the A's' dormant offense might lay waste to Hunter's masterful pitching. The A's finally broke the scoreless tie in the seventh, when Mike Epstein drove home a run with a clean single. Epstein also contributed a key two-run single in the eighth, when the A's added four runs to Hunter's lead. Dave Duncan accounted for the other two runs with a clutch single.

A's Acorns: Epstein finished the game with three hits in four at-bats. He is now 8-for-14 since the acquisition of Orlando Cepeda in the Denny McLain deal. Speaking of Cepeda, he finally made his Oakland debut as a pinch-hitter for Tim Cullen, but failed to reach base against Angels starter Rudy May… The A's played little ball to the extreme in tonight's win. Bert Campaneris, George Hendrick, Joe Rudi, and even Reggie Jackson all layed down successful sacrifice bunts.

July 04 , 1972:

The 1972 A's continue to play some of their best ball on promotional days and nights. Working in front of a crowd of 37,761 fans who entered the Oakland Coliseum on "Fireworks Night," the A's posted a 4-2 victory over the visiting New York Yankees. Entering the game with a perfect record of 3-and-0 on "Mustache Day" and "Hot Pants Day," the A's pleased the large Fourth of July crowd by scoring all four of their runs in the fourth inning, which proved more than sufficient for Oakland starter Blue Moon Odom. The comebacking right-hander allowed only two runs over seven and two-third innings before giving way to Darold Knowles, who collected his seventh save. With the win, the resurgent Odom improves to 6-and-2.

Odom's counterpart, Mel Stottlemyre, retired the first 10 batters he faced before running headfirst into a roadblock in the fourth. Stottlemyre coughed up a double to Joe Rudi, walked Mike Epstein intentionally, and then unleashed another walk to Bill Voss. The bases-loaded situation set the stage for Sal Bando's first grand slam of the season. Bando's home run, only his seventh of the year, broke open a scoreless tie. Bando also doubled, with his two hits accounting for 40 per cent of Oakland's hit total on the night.

July 05 , 1972:

Ken Holtzman improved greatly on his last start, when he failed to retire a single batter, but still looked less far different from his early-season form in dropping a 4-1 decision to the visiting Yankees. The suddenly penetrable Holtzman surrendered 11 hits and three walks in falling to the New Yorkers, 4-1.

A former Athletic did some of the most pertinent damage against Holtzman. Veteran first baseman Felipe Alou, who played with the A's all of 1970 and part of '71, drove in a run with a double in the fourth and then added a solo home run in the eighth-all part of a 3-for-3 night. Alou's teammate, Yankee catcher Thurman Munson, also drove home a pair of runs, spotlighted by his fourth home run of the season. In the meantime, the A's' offense mustered virtually no energy against Yankee starter Steve Kline, who safely spread around six hits while walking none of the A's batters. Kline allowed only one run, with Sal Bando supplying the RBI single.

A's Acorns: After drawing a crowd of better than 37,000 for "Fireworks Night," the A's and Yankees attracted an audience of only 5,022 at the Oakland Coliseum… Bill Voss, continuing to receive regular playing time in right field, had two of Oakland's six hits… After a sensational stretch of games, Mike Epstein struggled through an 0-for-4 at the plate and committed an error in the field.

July 06 , 1972:

It's been well over a year since the A's traded Felipe Alou to the Yankees, but Charlie Finley might want to make an attempt to reacquire the veteran first baseman-outfielder and respected team leader. The former Athletic picked up two more hits and two more RBIs in the Yankees' impressive 6-2 win over the sleepwalking A's. Alou has gone 5-for-7 with four RBIs in the last two games against his former mates.

With the A's trailing by a run in the top of the fifth, the Yankees bundled together four singles with a timely double by Alou to open up a 5-0 margin. After Mike Kekich allowed the A's to draw closer with a two-run rally, the Bombers called upon their new relief ace, Sparky Lyle. The major league leader in saves allowed only one hit in three and a third innings of sparkling relief to earn his 17th save.

A's Acorns: Orlando Cepeda made his second appearance in an A's uniform, pinch-hitting for reliever Joel Horlen. Cepeda is now 0-for-2-both pinch-hit at-bats-since joining Oakland from Atlanta… The A's played poor defense behind Horlen, who was saddled with an unearned run, and starter Dave Hamilton. Tim Cullen and Sal Bando each committed errors, at second and third base, respectively… Reggie Jackson was given the night off against Kekich. George Hendrick played center field, while Gene Tenace made his second start of the season in right field, playing the position without incident.

July 07 , 1972:

Vida Blue looked nothing like the vintage 1971 model, and even worse than the rookie 1969 model, when he was still trying to make the transition from the minors to the major leagues. In his worst career defeat ever, Blue gave up eight runs (including six earned) in six-plus innings, as the A's fell to the Milwaukee Brewers, 9-4. Prior to last night, Blue had never allowed more than five overall runs or more than four earned runs in an outing since making his big league debut in August of 1969.

Blue surrendered two runs in the first, a single run in the third, two more in the sixth, and three in the seventh, when he failed to retire a single batter before giving way to Bob Locker. Much of the damage against Blue came via the long ball, with Dave May, George Scott, and former Athletic Ollie Brown all hitting home runs. Some of Blue's ineffectiveness may have been attributable to injury. After Blue departed the game, the A's announced that he had suffered a strained muscle just above his left knee while trying to field a hard-hit ball in the fourth inning. The A's do not yet know whether the injury will cause him to miss his next scheduled start.

A's Acorns: Blue's poor performance overshadowed several outstanding offensive performances by the A's, who totaled 11 hits against Milwaukee pitching. Campy Campaneris went 3-for-5 with two doubles and stolen base, while Reggie Jackson, Mike Epstein, and Dave Duncan each collected two hits. Duncan also ended a personal home run drought by hitting his 11th of the season… The two newest A's-Art Shamsky and Orlando Cepeda-each made pinch-hitting appearances, but once again failed to reach base. Cepeda and Shamsky remain hitless while wearing the green and gold… With left-hander Ken Brett on the mound for the "Brew Crew," Gene Tenace made his second consecutive start in right field. Tenace went 0-for-3 before being lifted for a pinch-hitting Bill Voss in the eighth inning.

July 08 , 1972:

With Vida Blue seemingly light years away from his 1971 peak and American League neophyte Ken Holtzman suddenly struggling in his last two starts, it appears that Jim “Catfish” Hunter has regained leadership of the Oakland A’s’ starting rotation. Pitching his second consecutive shutout and reaching the double-figure mark in victories, Hunter hurled the A’s to a 7-0 whitewash of the Brewers. Hunter allowed five hits, walked only one, and reached the 10-strikeout plateau in thoroughly baffling the Brewer bats. The dominating performance puts Hunter at 10-and-4, bringing him within one victory of Holtzman’s team lead in wins this season.

Oakland’s inconsistent offense broke through in the third, sixth, and eighth innings in supporting Hunter’s latest gem. The A’s banged out 13 hits, including four home runs, with the quartet of long balls accounting for all of the scoring. Joe Rudi’s two-run shot in the third gave the A’s an early advantage; back-to-back blows by Sal Bando and Mike Epstein doubled the score in the sixth; and Dave Duncan’s three-run blast in the eight rounded out the run-scoring. Epstein now has 14 home runs, Duncan has 12, and Bando and Rudi have hit eight apiece.

A’s Acorns: Epstein added a double as part of a 3-for-4 effort. The hulking first baseman, who calls himself “Super Jew,” has played his best ball of the season since the A’s acquired Orlando Cepeda from the Atlanta Braves. Manager Dick Williams had planned to platoon Cepeda and Epstein, but has not started Cepeda in a single game since his acquisition on June 29… Rudi, Duncan, and Campy Campaneris all enjoyed two-hit days. Campaneris has now hit in 15 straight games, bringing him within two of Rudi’s franchise record, set earlier in the season… With the exception of Hunter, every one of the A’s’ starters had at least one hit.

July 09 , 1972:

At the start of the spring training, the A’s hoped that at least one of their two comebacking right-handers—Chuck Dobson or Blue Moon Odom—could make a successful return and fill out a rotation that lacked a proven third or fourth starter. Dobson hasn’t been able to throw a single pitch this regular season, but Odom may have arrived all the way back. The talented right-hander tamed the Brewers on five hits today, coming within out of a complete-game shutout. In picking up his fourth straight win, Odom ended up allowing one run—and needed last-second relief help from Rollie Fingers—but still pitched superbly in Oakland’s 3-1 victory at the Coliseum.

Odom retired 22 consecutive batters in one stretch, stirring memories of the flair with which he pitched in 1968 and ’69, before arm woes began to slow him in 1970. Perhaps even more impressively, the usually wild Odom did not issue a single walk to the Brewers (though he did hit one batter), as he picked up his seventh win in nine decisions this season.

Odom showed no signs of fatigue until the ninth. After retiring the first two batters, Odom seemed on the cusp of a shutout, but then allowed singles to George “Boomer” Scott and Johnny Briggs, followed by a run-scoring double to Dave “Daisy” May. With the tying runs on base, Dick Williams decided that Odom’s tank had run dry and summoned Rollie Fingers, who struck out former Athletic Ron Clark on four pitches to end the game.

A’s Acorns: Dave Duncan homered for a third consecutive game, giving him 13 for the season. Joe Rudi accounted for Oakland’s other runs with a third-inning, two-run double… Bill Voss made the start in right field against Milwaukee’s Jim Lonborg. It appears that Williams has settled on a strict platoon in right field, with Voss facing right-handers and Angel Mangual playing against southpaws. In the meantime, Reggie Jackson continues to see regular duty in center field.

July 10 , 1972:

Ken Holtzman and Bob Locker combined to strike out 13 Boston Red Sox, but their overall pitching wasn’t good enough to prevent a 4-2 loss at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s held a 2-1 lead until the top of the eighth, when Holtzman gave up a two-run homer to Rico Petrocelli, his eighth of the season. Locker then came on to pitch the ninth, allowing three hits and an insurance run to close out the scoring.

A’s Acorns: A crowd of 29,943 attended the “Family Night” game, which the A’s feature on Mondays, offering an admission of half-price. The attendance figure of nearly 30,000 represents a higher total than Oakland’s three previous weekend crowds put together… In spite of gaining the victory, the Red Sox set an unwanted American League record for most strikeouts in two consecutive games. With their 13 strikeouts tonight, Red Sox batters have struck out 29 times in their last two games. California’s Nolan Ryan struck out 16 Red Sox in the previous night’s game… With a single in four at-bats, Campy Campaneris stretched his hitting streak to 17 games, tying Joe Rudi for the franchise record… Mike Epstein continues to roll, doubling in one of Oakland’s two runs in four at-bats… Holtzman was unusually wild for a second straight game, surrendering three walks and unleashing two wild pitches.

July 11 , 1972:

With Vida Blue unavailable due to a twisted and bruised leg, the A’s turned to their bullpen to fill a temporary hole in the starting rotation. Joel Horlen, who had pitched exclusively in relief in his previous 17 appearances, worked eight creditable innings, but couldn’t come close to matching Boston’s Marty Pattin. The Red Sox’ right-hander narrowly missed throwing a no-hitter against Oakland’s inconsistent offense, coming within two outs of pitching a masterpiece before allowing a single to Reggie Jackson and settling for an impressive one-hitter—and a 4-0 victory at the Oakland Coliseum.

Pattin’s batterymate, catcher Carlton Fisk, accounted for half of Boston’s run total with an RBI single and a solo home run. Former Athletic Danny Cater, now Boston’s regular first baseman, also drove in a run as the Sox beat the A’s for a second straight night.

A’s Acorns: With an 0-for-4 at the plate, Campy Campaneris’ 17-game hitting streak came to an end. Still, Campaneris managed to tie Joe Rudi for the franchise record while eclipsing Cater’s 16-game hitting streak in 1969… Aside from Jackson’s single, only three other A’s reached base against Pattin, all on walks… The unusually versatile Gene Tenace ended up making his first appearance of the season at third base this season. Sal Bando had to leave the game early, after he was hit in the head for the fifth time in his career; the captain gave way to utilityman Marty Martinez. After Mike Hegan pinch-hit for starting second baseman Tim Cullen, Dick Williams moved Martinez over to second base, but had no other fulltime infielders available to him. Tenace, who has already played right field this season, then stepped in and played the remainder of the game at the hot corner.

July 14 , 1972:

There's nothing like a doubleheader sweep to cure a three-game losing streak. Playing in the opening games of an East Coast swing, the A's swiped a pair at Yankee Stadium, winning 9-3 and 1-0.

The twi-night doubleheader did not start well for the A's, who fell behind 3-0 in the first inning of the lidlifter. Catfish Hunter, coming off back-to-back shutouts, surrendered a single to Bobby Murcer, three walks, and a double to Ron "Rocky" Swoboda before settling down. Allowing no more hits from the second inning on, Hunter separated the Yankees from the scoreboard for the rest of the game.

Still, it did not appear that Hunter's in-game recovery would matter. The A's remained scoreless through the first six innings, unable to touch Steve Kline for even a single hit or walk. The Yankee right-hander, who shackled Oakland in his last start, looked perfectly impenetrable until the seventh, when he hit Campy Campaneris with a pitch. Then, without warning, Oakland's offensive barrage began. Joe Rudi delivered a single and Reggie Jackson brought home three runs with his team-leading 16th home run of the season. Not to be outdone, Mike Epstein followed with his 15th home run-giving the A's a 4-3 lead. Within the matter of moments, Kline had transported himself from a bid at a perfect game to a one-run deficit.

Campaneris helped add insurance runs in the eighth, when he swatted a two-run homer. The A's pushed across three more runs in the ninth to close out the scoring.

Campaneris continued his surge in the nightcap. He led off the game with a double and came home to score the game's lone run on a follow-up double by Angel Mangual. With a one-run lead in hand, Blue Moon Odom pitched scoreless ball for six and a third innings-running his record to 8-and-2-and Darold Knowles shut out the Yankees the rest of the way to earn his eighth save.

A's Acorns: After his 5-for-5 day in the series finale against Boston, Dave Duncan went only 1-for-7 in the doubleheader, but did drive in two runs… After picking up two hits in four at-bats in the first game, Mike Epstein sat out the nightcap. Gene Tenace, starting against left-hander Mike Kekich and playing the role that was originally slated for the injured Orlando Cepeda, went 0-for-2 with a walk… Yankee third baseman Celerino Sanchez, better known for his defensive play, went 4-for-4 in the nightcap.

July 15 , 1972:

As the A's' captain and star third baseman, Sal Bando has accomplished many things in his major league career, yet has never hit a home run at Yankee Stadium-until today, that is. Not satisfied with his initial blast at "The House that Ruth Built," Bando ripped two home runs in Oakland's 6-2 win over New York.

With the A's holding a 1-0 advantage in the top of the fourth, Bando doubled the lead by banging out his first Yankee Stadium longball. The Yankees rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth, then watched the A's re-take the lead in the seventh, before Bando contributed a three-run shot (his 10th home run of the season) in the ninth. The last-inning rally made Ken Holtzman's 12th win and Rollie Fingers' 10th save that much easier.

A's Acorns: After pitching poorly in his most recent outings, Holtzman looked more like the early-season model with seven innings of two-run ball… The A's tagged Yankee starter Fritz Peterson for 10 hits and three runs before jumping on New York's bullpen for three more runs in the final frame. Reggie Jackson had two hits in three at-bats, including his 17th home run of the year… Dave Duncan collected two hits and an RBI in five at-bats… The usually light-hitting Tim Cullen went 3-for-4 while playing the entire game at second base.

zero XXX NEW ENTRY XXX , 1972:

DATE: 07/16

In the early 1960s, the Kansas City A’s were known as cellar-dwelling handmaids to the New York Yankees, always providing key players for another pinstriped pennant drive. A decade later, the transplanted A’s now call Oakland home—and can also call themselves a superior ballclub to the Yankees. The first-place A’s completed a four-game sweep of New York today via an impressive 5-2 win at Yankee Stadium.

The A’s jumped on Yankee ace Mel Stottlemyre early, scoring single runs in the first and second to end the right-hander’s string of 22 consecutive shutout innings. Joe Rudi provided the first run with his ninth home run. And then in the sixth, the A’s broke the game open with three more runs, two scoring on Mike Epstein’s 16th home run. Furthermore, freshman Dave Hamilton continued his push toward the American League’s Rookie of the Year Award with six and two-thirds of shutout ball. Hamilton also collected two hits in three trips to the plate.

A’s Acorns: Tim Cullen went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, giving him five hits in the last two games… Rudi and Sal Bando also had two-hit games… The little-used Marty Martinez made a rare start at shortstop, but gave Dick Williams little reason to increase his playing time. Martinez went 0-for-3 while committing an error… Bob Locker earned his sixth save despite giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth.

July 17 , 1972:

The 1972 A’s, who have won four straight games, are off today. The A’s, who lead the American League West with a record of 52-and-30, will continue their eastern swing tomorrow night in Milwaukee. Catfish Hunter will oppose Earl Stephenson in the first game of the series.

July 18 , 1972:

The A’s extended their winning streak to five straight games tonight, but also saw that streak come to an end. Such is life when a major league team splits a doubleheader.

In the first game, Catfish Hunter forged his third shutout in four starts by clamping down the Brewers, 4-0. Scattering five hits and yielding only one walk, Hunter improved to 12-and-4 on the season. The A’s had only five hits themselves, but two of them were of the extra-base variety and both came off the bat of Reggie Jackson. The A’s’ center fielder clubbed an RBI double along with his team-leading 18th home run.

In the nightcap, the A’s’ winning ways came to an end as Jim Lonborg bested Joel Horlen, 7-4. The Brewers jumped on Horlen early, taking advantage of an Oakland error and stringing together singles by Bob Heise and George “Boomer” Scott, and a double by Dave “Daisy” May. The Brewers tacked on three more runs in the sixth, thanks to an infield error and a passed ball by catcher Gene Tenace. Mike Epstein tried to key a comeback by hitting a pair of solo home runs; in the ninth, the A’s scored two more runs to chase Lonborg but could draw no closer against reliever Frank Linzy, who recorded the final out.

A’s Acorns: Epstein, who now has 18 home runs to match Jackson’s total, went 3-for-4 in the nightcap… After Tim Cullen strained his back early in the opening game, Marty Martinez played both ends of the doubleheader at second base, but continued to struggle. Martinez went 0-for-6 while committing a costly error in the nightcap… The A’s made a player move today, purchasing the contract of reliever Gary Waslewski from their Triple-A affiliate at Iowa. Waslewski is expected to work out of Oakland’s bullpen.

July 19 , 1972:

Former Athletic Ollie Brown hit a game-tying home run to negate an early 3-0 deficit, but the A’s bounced back with a half-dozen runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 9-6 win at County Stadium. Angel Mangual’s triple and Reggie Jackson’s double were the key blows during the A’s game-breaking rally. Blue Moon Odom was the primary recipient of the offensive explosion, improving his record to 9-and-2 despite giving up six runs in eight and one-third innings.

A’s Acorns: Art Shamsky’s tenure as a member of the A’s has come to a quick end. After seven unsuccessful trips to the plate as a pinch-hitter, the A’s released the veteran outfielder-first baseman and onetime member of the 1969 Miracle Mets. The A’s have recalled switch-hitting infielder Vic Harris from Triple-A Iowa to take Shamsky’s place on the 25-man roster… Rumors are circulating that the A’s have completed a multi-player trade with the Texas Rangers that will bring two former A’s back to the Bay Area. According to the report, the A’s would acquire veteran first baseman Don Mincher and switch-hitting utility infielder Ted Kubiak. One of the players rumored to be headed to Texas is Marty Martinez, who had three hits in five at-bats and scored a pair of runs in tonight’s game.

July 20 , 1972:

What was rumored yesterday became fact today. As expected, the A’s have completed a five-player deal with the Texas Rangers. The announcement of the trade, which was delayed until today because all of the players involved needed to clear waivers, brings infielders Don Mincher and Ted Kubiak to Oakland in exchange for three players. The A’s surrender veteran utilityman Marty Martinez, young middle infielder Vic Harris—who was just recalled from Triple-A yesterday—and a player to be named later.

The trade, which greatly strengthens the Oakland bench, overshadowed the A’s’ second doubleheader (this one against the Boston Red Sox) in the last three days. Both ends of the Fenway Park twinbill ended up losses for the A’s—and both in discouraging fashion. In the opener, the Red Sox pushed across the game-winning run with an eighth-inning squeeze bunt, giving them a 2-1 victory and making Ken Holtzman’s complete-game effort a moot point. The second game offered even more heartbreak, as Darold Knowles forced in the winning run by walking Carl Yastrzemski with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th. The 4-3 loss negated a terrific game for Joe Rudi, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, including his 10th home run of the season.

A’s Acorns: Ted Kubiak, a former Athletic who last played for the team in 1970, arrived at the ballpark in time to play both games. Starting at second base in each end of the doubleheader, “Smooth” went 0-for-3 in his latest A’s debut and picked up a hit and a run scored in four at-bats in the nightcap… A’s hitters accumulated only 10 hits in the doubleheader… Vida Blue pitched well in taking a no-decision. He struck out nine batters in seven and one-third innings, allowing only two runs.

July 21 , 1972:

The A’s keep finding heart-wrenching ways to lose to the Red Sox. After coughing up an early 4-0 lead, the A’s lost in the 14th inning on an error by a player being asked to play an unaccustomed position.

The Oakland offense jumped on Red Sox’ starter John Curtis early on, scoring three times in the first inning and once more in the third. Three of the runs came home on RBIs by Angel Mangual, who went 2-for-4 on the night. The Red Sox, however, chipped away with single runs in the fourth, sixth, seventh, and ninth, tying the game and forcing extra innings.

On several occasions, the A’s appeared on the verge of ending the deadlock. In the top of the 10th inning, they loaded the bases, prompting Red Sox manager Eddie Kasko to replace former Athletic Ken Tatum with young right-hander Don Newhauser. Dave Duncan received the first chance to break the tie, but delivered nothing more than a harmless pop fly. Dick Williams then called on Don Mincher, making his first appearance since being reacquired earlier in the week from the Rangers, as a pinch-hitter for fellow trade acquisition Ted Kubiak. Failing to forge a storybook start to his second career with the A’s, Mincher struck out. Williams then summoned another pinch-hitter, journeyman Adrian Garrett, who matched Mincher’s fate by also succumbing on strikes.

Having lost one opportunity, the A’s tried to build another rally in the 14th inning, this time loading the bases with two outs. Newhauser once again extinguished the threat, retiring George Hendrick, the last of four pinch-hitters used by Williams in the game.

When the A’s took the field in the top of the 14th, they showcased arguably their strangest defensive alignment of the season. With Kubiak and Tim Cullen having been removed for pinch-hitters, Williams moved Sal Bando from third base to second, and brought Joe Rudi in from left field to play Bando’s vacated spot on the left side of the infield. Surely enough, the strange infield alignment cost the A’s. After Doug Griffin reached first on a two-out single, Carl Yastrzemski lashed a hard ground ball toward second base. Bando reached for the hard-hit but playable ball, only to have it carom wildly off his glove into short right-center field. As a platoon of A’s outfielders and infielders chased the ball, Griffin scored all the way from first to end the game, 5-4. The error by Bando saddled reliever Gary Waslewski—just up from Triple-A Iowa—with an unearned run and a loss in his Oakland debut.

A’s Acorns: Other than Angel Mangual, only one other Athletic had more than one hit during the marathon game. Leadoff man Campy Campaneris went 2-for-7 with a run scored and two stolen bases… Dave Hamilton gave the A’s another creditable start, allowing two runs in six innings, but watched Bob Locker blow the lead during his stint of two and one-third innings.

July 22 , 1972:

Forgive the A’s if they feel exhausted; for the third time in the last five days, the A’s played a doubleheader. This twinbill was a little bit different than the others—a split day-night, separate-admission pair of games at Fenway Park. And for the second time in three doubleheaders, the A’s manufactured a split, bringing the Red Sox’ seven-game winning streak to an end in the process.

In the day game, the A’s took one-run leads on three separate occasions, only to watch the Red Sox rally to tie the score. Then, in the top of the eighth, the A’s broke the pattern. With two outs and no one, Dave Duncan lofted a lazy pop fly beyond second base. Doug Griffin camped himself under the ball, only to drop it as he collided with shortstop John Kennedy. Left-hander Gary Peters then walked the light-hitting Ted Kubiak, enabling Dick Williams to put the more dangerous Gene Tenace into the game as a pinch-hitter for reliever Darold Knowles. Tenace rattled a triple, scoring both Duncan and Kubiak with the go-ahead runs. Those runs would hold up, as Rollie Fingers came on to finish off the Red Sox by retiring six of seven batters.

After a break of several hours, the two teams returned to the Fenway Park playing field to play the nightcap. Joel Horlen, who has now become a fulltime member of the Oakland starting rotation, allowed single runs in the third, fifth, and seventh innings. Although he pitched creditably, the A’s could offer him little support; Campy Campaneris’ error led to an unearned run and the Oakland offense mustered only five hits against Horlen’s counterpart, Sonny Siebert. Reggie Jackson and Angel Mangual each collected a pair of hits, but no other A’s position player managed a hit or a walk against Siebert, who improves to 9-and-5.

A’s Acorns: Don Mincher made his first two starts since joining the A’s earlier in the week. Playing first base in both games, “The Mule” went 1-for-9 against Red Sox pitching… The A’s’ regular first baseman, Mike Epstein, is sidelined by an eye infection. Epstein damaged his eye in a game against the Brewers on July 17, when he slid headfirst into the third base bag. Dirt lodged in Epstein’s right eye, behind his contact lens. Later that day, Epstein repeatedly rubbed his eye, causing an abrasion, and ultimately an infection. With Epstein’s eye shut and covered by a patch, Mincher has moved into the temporary starting role, with Mike Hegan serving as his backup.

July 23 , 1972:

Playing their final game before the three-day All-Star break, the A’s beat the Red Sox, 6-3. Manager Dick Williams used the upcoming break to his advantage, employing first-half staff ace Ken Holtzman out of the bullpen. By pitching a scoreless sixth inning in relief of Blue Moon Odom, Holtzman earned his 13th win of the season.

With the score tied at 2-2 through six innings, the A’s took advantage of several mistakes by the Red Sox. Sal Bando drew a walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch by Boston starter Lynn McGlothen. The Red Sox’ right-hander added to his problems by walking the light-hitting Ted Kubiak in front of Mike Hegan, the pinch-hitter for Odom. During Hegan’s at-bat, Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk allowed one of McGlothen’s deliveries to slip away, with the passed ball allowing both runners to move up. After Hegan lofted a sacrifice fly to give the A’s a 3-2 advantage, Campy Campaneris, Joe Rudi, and Reggie Jackson supplied consecutive singles to expand the lead to three runs.

A’s Acorns: The A’s end the first half of the season firmly entrenched in first place, enjoying a six-and-a-half game lead in the American League West… Rudi and Jackson each went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Jackson also drove in two of Oakland’s six runs. Sal Bando and Angel Mangual each had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored… … The A’s made two errors, but also turned four double plays… After pinch-hitting for Odom, Hegan stayed in the game to play first base. Don Mincher went 0-for-2 as the starting first baseman before being lifted against left-hander Bill Lee, one of four relievers used by the Red Sox… The acquisition of Mincher gives Dick Williams a quantity he desperately wants—a left-handed power hitter to bring off the bench. The A’s have tried—and given up on—both Art Shamsky and Curt Blefary in that role. Although Mincher had struggled to a .236 average in 61 games for the Rangers, he had been hitting the ball well of late prior to the trade. Mincher had lifted his batting average 70 points in the last three weeks, and continued to lead the Rangers in RBIs, despite his status as a platoon player. With six home runs, Mincher figures to provide the A’s with a decent long-ball threat in the late innings… Mincher will have to make the difficult adjustment from playing regularly to being used in spots. “I’m just not ready to sit on the bench,” said Mincher, a semi-regular for the Rangers, in an interview with The Sporting News. “Although I don’t want to get into a lot of name-calling, and I won’t, but I’m really disappointed… This trade knocked me off my feet.”… Dick Williams also realizes that the trade for a first baseman might have a damaging effect on the psyche of incumbent Mike Epstein, who is currently sidelined by an eye infection. After all, Epstein had expressed frustration when he heard about the acquisition of Orlando Cepeda. Williams has already sought out Epstein, telling him that the A’s acquired Mincher to improve the bench, not to play first base every day. “You’re my first baseman as long as you can do the job,” Williams has assured Epstein.

July 24 , 1972:

A fine first half has translated into ample All-Star rewards for the A’s. Fans chose Reggie Jackson, who led all league outfielders in votes, to start the 1972 Midsummer Classic for the American League. Orioles manager Earl Weaver selected five other A’s players as reserves for tomorrow night’s All-Star Game in Atlanta: infielders Campy Campaneris and Sal Bando, outfielder Joe Rudi, and pitchers Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman.

Several other Oakland players feel they should have been selected to the All-Star team, as well. The most deserving of the group appears to be overlooked catcher Dave Duncan, whose 14 home runs and 48 RBIs highlight his power hitting. In addition, Duncan’s all-around defensive play places him among the elite of the league’s receivers. The snub by Weaver greatly upset Duncan, who has never played in an All-Star Game. “I’m the best defensive catcher in the league,” Duncan contended in an interview with Bay Area sportswriter Ron Bergman, “and I’m doing the best with the bat.” Instead of Duncan, Weaver chose Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and Brewers journeyman Ellie Rodriguez as backups to the Tigers’ Bill Freehan. Weaver also ignored A’s first baseman Mike Epstein, who ranked in the league’s top five in both home runs and RBIs. “I guess statistics don’t mean anything,” Epstein said with resignation in an interview with Bergman. Weaver also bypassed the comebacking Blue Moon Odom, who feels the Oriole manager played favorites by choosing his own pitcher, Pat Dobson. Odom says Weaver should have picked either himself or Angels left-hander Clyde Wright.

July 25 , 1972:

The American League stars fell to the National League stars, 4-1, on Joe Morgan’s RBI single in the bottom of the 10th, but two of the A’s did their fair share for the junior circuit. Reggie Jackson, who played the entire game while splitting time between right field and center field, picked up a single and double in four at-bats. Joe Rudi, coming into the game as a substitute for starting left fielder Carl Yastrzemski, doubled in his lone at-bat.

Only one other Athletic saw action in the game. Sal Bando, the backup to All-Star starter Brooks Robinson, went 0-for-2 in a reserve stint at third base. Three other A’s All-Stars—Campy Campaneris, Catfish Hunter, and Ken Holtzman—did not make an appearance in the game. Campaneris, in particular, was not pleased by All-Star manager Earl Weaver’s decision not to use him in a reserve role.

All-Star Acorns: The American League now trails the All-Star series, 24 games to 18, with one tie.

July 26 , 1972:

The 1972 A’s are off today, sitting out the final day of the three-day All-Star break. The A’s will return to action tomorrow night, when they open up a series at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum against the rival Minnesota Twins. Vida Blue will face Twins ace Bert Blyleven in the opening game of the three-game set.

July 27 , 1972:

In tonight’s first game after the All-Star break, Vida Blue gave the A’s an indication that his second half might be a touch better than his contract-affecting first half. The ex-holdout pitched shutout ball over the first eight innings before tiring in the ninth and escaping with a 4-3 win over the rival Minnesota Twins.

Blue allowed only four hits while striking out nine batters over the first eight frames, looking every bit like he did in winning the Cy Young and MVP in 1971. In the ninth, a fatigued Blue allowed three hits, including a two-run homer by Twins slugger Harmon “Killer” Killebrew. After the home run, Dick Williams pulled Blue and replaced him with Rollie Fingers, who retired the two batters he faced to record his 14th save.

The Oakland offense did good early work against Minnesota’s staff ace, Bert Blyleven, denting him for a run in the third and two more in the fourth. The A’s then added what proved to be the game’s decisive run in the bottom of the eighth, when they victimized reliever Wayne Granger. Joe Rudi singled, Reggie Jackson and Angel Mangual drew walks, and Sal Bando delivered an infield grounder. On the forceout, Rudi came home to score, giving the A’s a 4-0 lead—a lead that would barely hold in the top of the ninth.

A’s Acorns: Rudi’s rally-starting single represented one of his three hits on the night… Jackson and Dave Duncan each went 2-for-3… Bando drove in two of the A’s’ four runs… With the win, Blue improves to 3-and-5 on the season… In off-the-field news, the A’s announced the re-acquisition of outfielder Brant Alyea from the St. Louis Cardinals earlier today. Alyea will report to Triple-A Iowa, where he is expected to be one of the minor league team’s starting outfielders. In May, the A’s had traded Alyea to the Cardinals for utility infielder Marty Martinez, who has since been dealt to the Texas Rangers.

July 28 , 1972:

Another game and another 4-3 decision between the A’s and the Twins, with Harmon Killebrew and Co. emerging as victors this time. With the score tied at 1-1 going to the ninth, Minnesota broke through for three runs against Ken Holtzman and then held on for dear life, keeping a potentially dramatic rally by the A’s painfully shy of completion.

Holtzman and Twins right-hander Dick Woodson locked up over the first eight inning, each limiting the other team’s lineup to a single run. In the top of the ninth, Killebrew cracked the deadlock with a two-run homer—his second longball in as many nights against A’s pitching. The Twins then added to the rally when Bobby Darwin reached safely on an error by Sal Bando, moved up to second on a fielder’s choice grounder by Eric “The Viking” Soderholm, and then scored on Steve Brye’s RBI single.

To their credit, the A’s didn’t give up on the three-run margin. Bando led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and moved up to second on Dave Duncan’s walk. With two on and no one out, Twins manager Bill Rigney pulled Woodson from the game in favor of reliever Jim Strickland, who promptly walked pinch-hitter George Hendrick to load the bases. That brought a tougher hitter to the plate in Gene Tenace, pinch-hitting for Holtzman, who came through with a clutch two-run single. Strickland then walked Campy Campaneris to re-load the bases. With no one out, a tied game—if not an outright win—seemed almost guaranteed for the A’s.

The Twins brought in right-hander Wayne Granger to face the red-hot Joe Rudi. Granger, at one time the Twins’ No. 1 reliever and still the owner of a deceiving side-arm motion, struck out Rudi. With Reggie Jackson the next scheduled batter, Rigney summoned left-hander Dave LaRoche. The hard-throwing LaRoche overpowered Jackson on a strikeout and then easily handled the light-hitting Tim Cullen, who was called on to pinch-hit for the first time this season. Cullen popped up weakly to end a game that the A’s, just a few moments earlier, thought they were about to win.

A’s Acorns: Having already used Tenace and George Hendrick as pinch-hitters, Dick Williams had no other right-handed batters besides Cullen on his bench. Oh where have you gone, “Downtown” Ollie Brown? Or how about you, Brant Alyea? Come to think of it, Alyea was just reacquired by the A’s’ organization yesterday and sent to Triple-A Iowa. If Williams continue to use a plethora of pinch-hitters, Alyea could be back in the big leagues sooner than originally expected... Killebrew now has 17 home runs on the season… Duncan hit his 15th for the A’s.

July 29 , 1972:

For most of the season, the A’s have been looking for a third outfielder, ideally a quality center fielder or right fielder who can hit for either average or power. Regardless of whether the A’s eventually find that player, there has been nothing wrong with their other two starting outfielders, both of whom have played major roles in sustaining Oakland’s offense this summer. Those two All-Stars carried the A’s again today, combining to hit three home runs in a 7-2 win over the Twins.

Reggie Jackson, who has emerged as the team’s regular center fielder after calling right field home for most of his career, hit two solo home runs, including a third-inning rip that gave the A’s a 2-0 lead. And then in the seventh inning, left fielder Joe Rudi connected with two men aboard—his 11th of the season—to expand the lead to 7-1. Jackson then followed Rudi with his second solo blast of the day—and his team leading 20th home run of year. The array of long balls by the Oakland outfielders helped Catfish Hunter coast to his 13th win of the season, a comfortable complete-game five-hitter.

A’s Acorns: All four of the A’s’ runs in the seventh inning were scored as unearned—the result of an error by Twins third baseman Eric Soderholm… With a big lead in the late innings, Dick Williams gave Rudi and Jackson the rest of the day off. Journeyman Adrian Garrett made a rare appearance spelling Rudi in left, while rookie George Hendrick took over for Jackson in right… Don Mincher continues to struggle since donning the green and gold a little over a week ago. “The Mule,” starting at first base against a right-hander, went hitless in three trips before being taken out in favor of defensive specialist Mike Hegan… Minnesota outfielder Charlie Manuel, pinch-hitting for reliever Dave LaRoche, belted his first home run of the season. [Editor’s note: This is the same Charlie Manuel who would eventually become manager of the Cleveland Indians before being fired in the midst of the 2002 season.]

July 30 , 1972:

The first-place A's received the ultimate insult today-losing a doubleheader to the dismal, last-place Texas Rangers. To make matters worse, the primary force behind the Rangers' day-long resurgence could be found in light-hitting infielder Dave Nelson, who had been mired in a 7-for-60 slump heading into the twinbill.

In the first game, Nelson spearheaded the Ranger cause early, drawing a first-inning walk, stealing second base, and then coming home to score on a single by Larry Biittner. The A's managed to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, but Nelson came through again in the ninth, driving in Jim Mason with what proved to be a game-winning double. Former Athletic Paul Lindblad closed out the A's in the bottom of the ninth, closing out the game at 3-2 and finishing off a stint of three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.

In the second game, Nelson again walked in the first inning, again stole second base, and again scored-this time on a double by Ted Ford. The A's immediately rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first, before Nelson drove in Mason with another RBI single. And then in the seventh, Nelson thrust himself in the middle of another Rangers rally by again driving in Mason with a single and then scoring a run himself on Elliott Maddox' RBI triple. The two-run outburst gave the Rangers their final runs in a 4-2 victory and also made a winner of former Athletics prospect Don Stanhouse, who earned his first major league victory.

A's Acorns: Nelson stole four bases in the twinbill, two in the first game and two in the second… Biittner, the Rangers' first baseman against right-handed pitching, went 4-for-4 in the opening game… Blue Moon Odom (now 9-and-3) and Dave Hamilton (now 6-and-4) took the losses for the A's. Odom allowed 10 hits and four walks, but permitted only two runs… The A's totaled only 14 hits in the doubleheader. The only offensive bright spots were provided by Sal Bando, who went 2-for-4 in the opener, and Mike Hegan, starting in place of the slumping Don Mincher, who went 2-for-4 in the nightcap.

July 31 , 1972:

This is what Charlie Finley had in mind when he agreed to budge from his beginning offer and give Vida Blue a larger-than-initially desired pay raise. Turning in his finest outing of a truncated, contract-delayed season, Blue allowed only two hits in pinning down the Rangers, 2-0. Blue retired the first 17 batters he faced before his mound counterpart, Texas right-hander Rich Hand, laid down a surprising bunt single in the sixth inning. Hand's bunt base hit didn't faze Blue, however, as the A's' left-hander proceeded to set down the rest of the Rangers in order, with the lone exception of Toby Harrah's pinch-hit single in the ninth.

Blue's terrific performance might have gone to waste if not for a major mental meltdown by Rangers left fielder Ted Ford in the bottom of the third inning. After Blue walked and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt, Joe Rudi flied out to Ford. Thinking that he had recorded the third out of the inning, Ford proceeded to trot leisurely toward the infield. Having already tagged up and started his run toward third, Blue realized Ford's mistake, rounded third hard, and headed home. The unusual sacrifice fly-as determined by the official scorer-gave the A's a 1-0 lead, which they maintained until the eighth, when two Ranger errors (one by Hand and one by third baseman Dave Nelson) contributed to an insurance run. Former Ranger Ted Kubiak singled and eventually made his way to third on the miscues, before scoring on Rudi's second sacrifice fly of the game.

A's Acorns: Oakland bats have now gone silent over the last three games. The A's managed only two hits in tonight's win-one by Kubiak and the other by Dave Duncan. Hand allowed both of the hits before departing after seven and one-third innings. Hand also walked three A's batters… Campy Campaneris, the A's' best bunter, executed two successful sacrifices… The A's announced a player move before the game, outrighting infielder-outfielder Adrian Garrett to Triple-A Iowa.

August 01 , 1972:

For 20 consecutive innings, Oakland hurlers have done what all pitchers strive to do-keep the other team off the board. Following in the footsteps of Vida Blue's masterful performance last night, Ken Holtzman pitched his fourth shutout of the season, knocking down the Kansas City Royals, 4-0. Including Bob Locker's two scoreless innings of relief in the second game of Sunday's doubleheaders, the A's' scoreless innings streak has now reached 20 frames over a three-game stretch.

Once again displaying precise control, Holtzman walked no one in improving his record to 14-and-9. The left-hander allowed only three hits-a double by Royals left fielder Lou Piniella and a pair of harmless singles by third baseman Paul Schaal. In contrast, the A's dented Royals pitching for 11 hits. The key blows came in the third inning, when Sal Bando plated two runs with a single, and the fifth inning, when Reggie Jackson rocked Paul Splittorff for a two-run homer.

A's Acorns: Bando went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, while Jackson finished the night with two hits and two RBIs in three tries. Joe Rudi added two hits and two runs scored in four at-bats.

August 02 , 1972:

Among the team's position players, there isn't much doubt as to who has been the A's' most improved player. Continuing his march toward stardom, Joe Rudi came within a triple of hitting for the cycle-banging out a home run, a double, and a single-in leading the A's to a 5-0 blanking of the Royals. Rudi's two hits and two runs scored supported the five-hit pitching of Catfish Hunter, who improved to 14-and-4 with a route-going start. Oakland pitchers have now combined to pitch 27 consecutive innings without surrendering a run-either earned or unearned.

Rudi doubled in the fourth inning and came home on Mike Epstein's sacrifice fly, breaking a scoreless tie. In the fifth, Rudi singled in Catfish Hunter to expand to the lead to 2-0. And then in the seventh, Rudi hit his 12th home run of the season to open up a 3-0 advantage.

Tonight's game was marred by an ugly incident that started when Royals pitcher Dick Drago fired a fastball that clipped Sal Bando in the ankle. Bando stepped toward the mound, only to be intercepted by Kansas City's burly catcher, Ed Kirkpatrick. Bando and Kirkpatrick tangled, leading to an eruption of players from both benches onto the playing field. Dave Duncan tackled Kirkpatrick, preventing him from doing any further bodily harm to Bando, who was ejected from the game. During the melee, Reggie Jackson pulled a muscle in his ribcage, aggravating an injury that already existed.

A's Acorns: Tim Cullen replaced Bando and finished out the game at third base. Cullen picked up one hit in three trips to the plate… Hunter walked one Royal batter and struck out five… Batterymates Hunter and Duncan each went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

August 03 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will begin a weekend series in the Twin Cities on Friday night. Blue Moon Odom will oppose curveballing Bert Blyleven in the opening game of the series. The A's may be without Reggie Jackson, who injured his ribcage in the melee with the Royals last night.

August 04 , 1972:

Joe Rudi piled up three more hits and homered for the second consecutive game, but his offensive exploits couldn't prevent a painful 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. A single by Rod Carew and a double by Steve Braun, coming in the seventh inning at the expense of reliever Bob Locker, gave the Twins what proved to be the winning run at Metropolitan Stadium.

The A's rallied from an early 4-1 deficit to make it a one-run game, before watching the Twins open up a two-run lead in the seventh. Joe Rudi's home run in the eighth-his 13th of the season-drew Oakland within one again, but proved to be nothing more than window dressing in the loss to the A's' Western Division rivals. After giving up Rudi's home run, Twins fireman Wayne Granger settled down and closed out the game for his 15th save.

A's Acorns: Reggie Jackson sat out tonight's game, having aggravated a ribcage muscle pull during the brawl with the Royals on Thursday night. Bill Voss took Jackson's place in center field while Angel Mangual received another start in right field. Voss and Mangual combined to go 0-for-8… The Oakland staff's streak of 27 innings without having surrendered a run came to an end in the first inning, when Blue Moon Odom allowed a pair of Twins to score. Odom also fell short in his bid to join Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman in the double-figures win circle. Odom, who lasted only four innings before being lifted in favor of a pinch-hitting Mike Hegan, gave up four runs in falling to 9-and-4 on the year. … Manager Dick Williams continues to use a bevy of substitute hitters. In addition to Hegan, Don Mincher and Dave Duncan also made pinch-hitting appearances… The A's played sloppily in the field, with Odom and the usually surehanded Ted Kubiak committing errors.

August 05 , 1972:

The first-place A's received the ultimate insult today-losing a doubleheader to the dismal, last-place Texas Rangers. To make matters worse, the primary force behind the Rangers' day-long resurgence could be found in light-hitting infielder Dave Nelson, who had been mired in a 7-for-60 slump heading into the twinbill.

In the first game, Nelson spearheaded the Ranger cause early, drawing a first-inning walk, stealing second base, and then coming home to score on a single by Larry Biittner. The A's managed to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, but Nelson came through again in the ninth, driving in Jim Mason with what proved to be a game-winning double. Former Athletic Paul Lindblad closed out the A's in the bottom of the ninth, closing out the game at 3-2 and finishing off a stint of three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief.

In the second game, Nelson again walked in the first inning, again stole second base, and again scored-this time on a double by Ted Ford. The A's immediately rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first, before Nelson drove in Mason with another RBI single. And then in the seventh, Nelson thrust himself in the middle of another Rangers rally by again driving in Mason with a single and then scoring a run himself on Elliott Maddox' RBI triple. The two-run outburst gave the Rangers their final runs in a 4-2 victory and also made a winner of former Athletics prospect Don Stanhouse, who earned his first major league victory.

A's Acorns: Nelson stole four bases in the twinbill, two in the first game and two in the second… Biittner, the Rangers' first baseman against right-handed pitching, went 4-for-4 in the opening game… Blue Moon Odom (now 9-and-3) and Dave Hamilton (now 6-and-4) took the losses for the A's. Odom allowed 10 hits and four walks, but permitted only two runs… The A's totaled only 14 hits in the doubleheader. The only offensive bright spots were provided by Sal Bando, who went 2-for-4 in the opener, and Mike Hegan, starting in place of the slumping Don Mincher, who went 2-for-4 in the nightcap.

August 06 , 1972:

Given the onset of age and signs of decline in the third-place Twins, the A's had hoped for better than a record of 1-and-3 in their four-game weekend set against the two-time winners of the American League West. Yet, that's all the A's managed after splitting a Sunday afternoon doubleheader against aging Minnesota.

The A's took the first game, 6-3, behind the pitching of Ken Holtzman and Darold Knowles, with the latter picking up a rare victory in relief. The second game did not bode as well, however, as rookie Dave Hamilton continued his recent struggles after a surprisingly effective beginning to his major league career. Hamilton took the loss in a 5-1 nightcap at Metropolitan Stadium.

A's Acorns: The A's remain 21 games above .500 at 62-and-41, but their lead in the American League East is now done to three and a half games over the White Sox, who swept their doubleheader against the Rangers… The A's have dropped five of six decisions to the Twins this season. With the three wins over the weekend, the Twins have moved within eight games of the first-place A's.

August 07 , 1972:

The law of averages caught up with the A's tonight-on two different fronts. Catfish Hunter's six-game winning streak came to an end on the same night that his counterpart, Kansas City Royals starter Dick Drago, ended a 26-at-bat hitless string. Drago's surprising RBI single helped lift Kansas City to a 4-2 victory at Royals Stadium.

The A's took an early lead against Drago, scoring runs in each of the first two innings. The Royals then broke through in the fourth, bunching three singles, two walks, a double, and a sacrifice fly in denting Hunter for four runs. Hunter recovered to pitch a scoreless fifth and sixth inning before departing the game for a pinch-hitter. In the meantime, Drago shut the A's down over the final seven innings to win only his eighth game against 13 losses.

A's Acorns: Joe Rudi accounted for one of Oakland's runs with his 14th home run of the season… Mike Epstein doubled and tripled in four at-bats… Reggie Jackson missed his fourth consecutive game with a ribcage injury. In his absence, the A's have used Bill Voss in center field and Angel Mangual in right field, weakening both their hitting and their outfield defense.

August 08 , 1972:

The A's' current road trip is quickly turning into a disaster area. Unable to hold a late one-run lead, the Oakland bullpen allowed the tying run in the eighth inning and the winning run in the ninth, resulting in a frustrating 4-3 loss to the Royals. With the loss, the A's fall to 1-and-5 on their journey through the Midwest.

Oakland's defense also contributed to the defeat, albeit in the early innings. Errors by starter Blue Moon Odom and second baseman Tim Cullen led directly to a pair of unearned runs. The A's then fought back with three runs in the fourth, two of them scoring on Gene Tenace's triple. Oakland's lead remained intact until the eighth, when Freddie Patek led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and eventually scored on an infield grounder by Amos Otis.

With the game tied in the ninth and Rollie Fingers on the mound for the A's, the Royals once again placed their leadoff man on base. Richie Scheinblum stroked a single before giving way to pinch-runner Steve Hovley, a former A's outfielder. Hovley then moved into scoring position on a fielder's choice groundout, prompting the A's to walk Lou Piniella, one of Kansas City's most capable hitters. The strategy initially appeared to work, as Fingers struck out Paul Schaal, but Freddie Patek delivered a two-out single to score Hovley and send the A's to another defeat.

A's Acorns: Odom left the game after only two and a third innings, his shortest outing of the season. Lacking command and control of his pitches, Odom allowed eight baserunners-four hits and four walks-and also uncorked a wild pitch… The A's have been playing shorthanded since July 31, when they demoted backup outfielder-infielder Adrian Garrett to Iowa of the American Association, but failed to add a 25th man to the roster. The A's finally replaced Garrett on the roster today, recalling outfielder Brant Alyea from the Triple-A Oaks. This marks Alyea's second stint with the team. After joining the A's as a winter pickup in the Rule 5 draft, Alyea opened the season with Oakland before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for infielder Marty Martinez on May 28. The A's then reacquired Alyea on July 27, picking him up in a cash deal and assigning him to the minor leagues… Dick Williams wasted little time in putting Alyea to use. Apparently dissatisfied with the play of Angel Mangual and Bill Voss, Williams inserted Alyea into the lineup as his right fielder. Alyea went 0-for-3 with an RBI before being lifted for a pinch-hitter… After missing four straight games with an injured ribcage, Reggie Jackson returned to the lineup and played center field. Jackson went hitless in four at-bats before giving way to George Hendrick.

August 09 , 1972:

Perhaps feeling the effects of the so-called "dog days" of August, the A's find themselves playing their worst ball of the season. The A's committed two more errors tonight-giving them five in their last two games-managed only four hits against Royals pitching, and watched Vida Blue struggle for a second consecutive game in losing to Kansas City, 5-2. With the lackluster defeat, the A's conclude their Midwestern road trip a dismal 1-and-6, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Royals.

The Royals scored a single run against Blue in the fourth, before knocking him from the game with a two-run rally in the sixth. The Royals then iced the game in the seventh, when Darold Knowles allowed his first home run of the season. Even more strangely, the long ball came off the bat of Royals second baseman Cookie Rojas, who had failed to hit a home run in Kansas City during his first two and a half seasons with the club. Rojas, who also homered in the All-Star Game earlier this summer, clubbed a two-run shot to give the Royals their final runs of the night. The A's did manage to make a late charge in the seventh, scoring two runs against Royals starter Mike Hedlund, but could draw no closer against Kansas City's bullpen. Pitching two and one-third innings of scoreless relief, veteran sidearmer Ted Abernathy earned his first save of the season.

A's Acorns: Campy Campaneris and Mike Epstein committed errors in tonight's game, although neither miscue result in unearned runs… Continuing a season-long tendency, Dick Williams used four pinch-hitters-Mike Hegan, Don Mincher, Gene Tenace, and Mangual-in tonight's game. Of the four, only Gene Tenace recorded an official at-bat. Hegan and Mangual drew walks, while Mincher was lifted after the Royals summoned left-hander Norm Angelini from their bullpen.

August 10 , 1972:

The A's and the White Sox, who find themselves separated by merely one-half game in the divisional standings, played into the early morning hours, but still couldn't decide the outcome of their Western Division showdown. With the score tied at 3-3 after 17 innings and the local clocks reading 1:00 am-the standard curfew for American League games-the umpires suspended the game and announced that it would be resumed on Friday night.

The White Sox twice took leads against the first-place A's, initially by the score of 2-0 and then 3-2, only to watch the A's rally to tie in the eighth inning and then again in the 13th inning. After the White Sox took the lead on a triple by Pat Kelly and an ensuing wild pitch, the A's rallied in the bottom half of the 13th, extending the game when Gene Tenace drove in Angel Mangual with a dramatic two-out single.

The two teams will resume play on Friday night in the top of the 18th, play to a conclusion, and then tackle the regularly-scheduled game later in the evening.

A's Acorns: The A's used seven pitchers through 17 innings. Ken Holtzman started the game and worked the first seven innings before being succeeded by Rollie Fingers, Darold Knowles, Bob Locker, Joel Horlen, Dave Hamilton, and Gary Waslewski. The White Sox used six pitchers-Tom Bradley, Terry Forster, Cy Acosta, Steve Kealey, Dave Lemonds, and Rich Gossage… Prior to the game, the A's placed All-Star outfielder Reggie Jackson on the disabled list. Jackson re-aggravated a ribcage injury in the final game of the series against the Royals. With Jackson sidelined, the A's are expected to use a platoon of Angel Mangual and Bill Voss in center field.

August 11 , 1972:

Where would the A's be without Joe Rudi? Their All-Star left fielder delivered yet another dramatic and necessary hit-this time a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the 19th inning-to give the A's a 5-3 win in the completion of yesterday's suspended game. Rudi's blow made a loser of Stan Bahnsen, normally a starter for the White Sox, while putting another starter, Catfish Hunter, in the 15-win circle. Hunter came on to pitch scoreless relief in the 18th and 19th innings before the A's rallied to win on Campy Campaneris' single and Rudi's 15th home run of the season.

Hunter came within a whisper of winning both ends of the pseudo-doubleheader. After coming on in relief in the conclusion of the suspended game, Hunter started the regularly-scheduled affair and allowed a first-inning run on Carlos May's RBI single before settling down to shut the Sox down over the next seven innings. Unfortunately, Oakland's offense could do nothing to support Hunter. Left-hander Dave Lemonds and right-hander Cy Acosta, both of whom pitched in the suspended portion of the early game on Thursday night, throttled the A's on two hits and two walks. Only Sal Bando and Dave Duncan managed singles against the two young White Sox hurlers, who combined for a 1-0 victory.

With the loss, Oakland's lead over Chicago in the American League West race falls back to one-half game.

A's Acorns: In the suspended game, three A's collected three hits apiece. Rudi and Campy Campaneris each went 3-for-9, while Angel Mangual picked up three hits in eight at-bats… Defensively, the A's played one of their worst games of the season, committing five errors in 19 innings, including a pair of miscues by Angel Mangual… The A's used 22 of their 24 players in the suspended game. The only A's who did not make appearances were starting pitchers Vida Blue and Blue Moon Odom… Rookie first baseman Gonzalo Marquez, who was just recalled from Triple-A Iowa to replace the injured Reggie Jackson on the 25-man roster, made his major league debut in the regularly-scheduled game, pinch-hitting unsuccessfully for Ted Kubiak… The A's announced two other player moves in between games, demoting rookie outfielder George Hendrick to Iowa and activating veteran second baseman Dick Green from the disabled list. Green has missed most of the season with a herniated disc in his back.

August 12 , 1972:

The A's are no longer a first-place team. Facing one of the American League's most effective and durable pitchers this season, the A's managed only one run and two hits against knuckleballing specialist Wilbur Wood. The White Sox' ace pitched all 11 innings, earned a 3-1 afternoon victory, emerged as the major leagues' first 20-game winner this summer, and pushed his team into first place by one-half game over the A's.

Wood held the A's hitless through the first six innings, before allowing an infield single to Brant Alyea in the bottom of the seventh. Wood stranded Alyea, then sat back and watched his offense mount a rally in the top of the ninth. Dick Allen tripled and came home to score on a sacrifice fly by Carlos May, giving the Sox a 1-0 lead. Given Wood's effectiveness, that seemed like a healthy margin, but the knuckleballer faltered in the bottom half of the inning, surrendering a game-tying home run to Alyea.

In the top of the 11th, the White Sox took advantage of Oakland's bullpen. Allen singled against Rollie Fingers and then tried to steal second, only to be thrown out by Dave Duncan. Undeterred, the White Sox re-ignited the rally. May drew a walk, setting the table for Ed Spiezio. The Sox' third baseman clubbed a two-run homer-only his second of the season-knocking Fingers from the game and sending the A's to second-place residency in the American League West.

A's Acorns: The A's had owned the top spot in the Western Division since May 26, giving them a 10-week hold on the division lead… Other than Alyea-who batted cleanup and played right field-none of the A's' batters managed hits against a tireless Wood.

August 15 , 1972:

Due to a quirk in the schedule, the A's and Orioles do not play a game today. The two teams, opponents in the 1971 American League Championship Series, will conclude their abbreviated series tomorrow night, when Catfish Hunter opposes Mike Cuellar at Memorial Stadium.

August 16 , 1972:

Campy Campaneris successfully extracted revenge on Earl Weaver for the Baltimore manager's failure to play him in this year's All-Star Game. The Oakland shortstop racked up three hits in four at-bats-including a solo home run-to lead the first-place A's to a 4-3 win tonight over Weaver's Orioles.

Campaneris homered to lead off the game, giving the A's the jump against left-hander Mike "Crazy Horse" Cuellar. After the Orioles scored two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth, Campy ignited another rally in the top of the fifth by singling, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, stealing third base, and then scoring on Sal Bando's sacrifice fly. Angel Mangual then gave the A's a temporary lead with a rare home run (only his third) in the seventh inning, and Mike Epstein broke another tie by clubbing his 20th home run in the top of the eighth. Three Oakland relievers combined to shut down the Orioles over the final two and two-thirds innings, with Bob Locker picking up the win and Joel Horlen earning his first save as a member of the A's.

A's Acorns: Though not known for his power, Campaneris now has seven home runs on the season… Catfish Hunter deserved better than a no-decision. Only one of the three runs he permitted was earned. The A's made three errors in the field, including two by the usually sound Sal Bando… Batting in the No. 2 spot for the first time this season, Mangual enjoyed one of his most productive games in recent memory. In addition to hitting a home run, Mangual collected a single and executed two sacrifice bunts.

August 17 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will resume their road trip on Friday night, with the start of a three-game series in Cleveland. Blue Moon Odom will oppose Gaylord Perry in the first game of the weekend set at Municipal Stadium.

August 18 , 1972:

Dick Williams employed one of his most unusual lineups of the season-but the A's didn't miss a beat. With Angel Mangual playing in center field for the injured Reggie Jackson and Mike Hegan earning his first start in right field in place of the slumping Bill Voss, the A's banged out three home runs as part of a 10-hit attack. The A's swatted the Indians, 8-0, supporting the complete-game shutout effort of Blue Moon Odom.

After failing to score in their first three at-bats, the A's tattooed 18-game winner Gaylord Perry in the fourth and fifth innings. Campy Campaneris and Sal Bando each touched Perry for two-run homers, giving the A's a 4-0 lead. After Perry's departure from the game, the A's added to the lead on Hegan's solo home run-his first of the season-in the seventh inning. The A's then scored their final runs on Campy Campaneris' single (giving him three RBIs for the night) and a bases-loaded double by the normally light-hitting Tim Cullen.

On the mound, Odom coasted from start to finish. He allowed only seven baserunners, including four walks, in completely taming the Indians and reaching double figures in wins.

A's Acorns: There was one oddity contained in Odom's pitching line. Of the 34 Indians he faced, he struck out only one batter… Hegan's home run highlighted a 2-for-4 night at the plate, including two runs scored. After temporarily falling out of first place, the A's have recovered to win three straight games.

August 19 , 1972:

Two of the constant for the A's this summer have been the effectiveness of a deep and talented bullpen and their ability to handle the Cleveland Indians. Those two tendencies wavered today, as Oakland's bullpen gave up three decisive runs in a 5-4 loss to the Tribe.

The A's, who had won the first seven head-to-head matchups with the Indians, had to turn to their bullpen early because of the physical condition of Vida Blue. The hard-throwing southpaw left the game after one inning (and two runs), supposedly because of recurring pain in his groin. Journeyman Gary Waslewski, the first of four Oakland relievers to pitch this afternoon, proved ineffective in succeeding Blue. After the A's took a 3-2 lead, Waslewski allowed a home run to Alex Johnson, a walk to Roy Foster, and another home run to Graig Nettles. The A's never fully recovered from the sudden two-run deficit, scoring only a single run in the seventh inning against the Indian bullpen.

A's Acorns: Blue's appearance as today's starter was surprising given Dick Williams' declaration last week that the left-hander wouldn't be traveling on the current road trip because of his need to have dental work done. According to Blue, he had two cavities removed earlier in the week. A's trainer Joe Romo says Blue came out of the game early, not because of the dental work, but because of a distinctly different problem. "He's got a groin infection," says Romo. "It hurts him every time he lifts his leg." Since Blue relies on a higher-than-normal leg kick as part of his delivery, the strain on his groin has become more problematic… Dave Duncan and Mike Epstein each homered for the A's. Duncan hit his 17th and Epstein his 21st… Mike Hegan made his second consecutive start in right field. He singled in his lone at-bat before giving way to a pinch-hitting Gene Tenace… In the absence of Reggie Jackson, Angel Mangual continues to bat second and play center field "Little Clemente" collected two RBIs and three hits, including a pair of doubles, in five at-bats.

August 20 , 1972:

For most of the season, the A's have received excellent starting pitching. In their last two games, however, the starters have lasted a combined three innings while giving up five runs. After Vida Blue's one-inning, two-run effort on Saturday, Ken Holtzman struggled almost as badly today, giving up all three Indians runs in two innings before departing a 3-2 defeat to the Tribe. The loss, combined with the White Sox' split of a doubleheader, puts the A's in a first-place tie with Dick Allen and Company.

Holtzman lacked control of his pitches from the very start. After retiring leadoff man Buddy Bell, Holtzman walked Eddie Leon and then allowed a two-out, run-scoring double to Alex Johnson. In the second inning, Holtzman again initiated a rally with a walk. A base on balls to Ray Fosse, followed by a single to Roy Foster, a double to Graig Nettles, and a sacrifice fly by Frank Duffy extended Oakland's deficit to three runs. The A's offense failed to mount a comeback against Indians starter Dick "Dirt" Tidrow, who earned his 11th win with a complete-game effort.

A's Acorns: Joe Rudi drove in the A's' only run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning…. Mike Hegan made his third consecutive start in right field… Oakland's bullpen did well in support of Holtzman. Joel Horlen, Dave Hamilton, and Rollie Fingers each turned in two scoreless innings of relief.

August 21 , 1972:

Based on the outcome of tonight's game in Detroit, the A's knew that they would either be residing in sole possession of first place, or finding themselves looking up at the White Sox in the American League West standings. Given that situation, the A's could have asked for no one better than Catfish Hunter to pitch tonight's game. The Oakland ace made an early 3-0 lead stand up, sending the A's to a 5-1 win at Tiger Stadium.

Hunter's counterpart, veteran left-hander Woodie Fryman, had won his first three American League decisions since joining the Tigers in a mid-season deal. Facing Fryman for the very first time, the A's scored three times in the first inning. Campy Campaneris led off the game with a double, daringly stole third, and came home to score on Joe Rudi's single, one of his four hits on the night. Sal Bando followed with a single, setting up a two-run double by Mike Epstein. The run support helped Hunter pitch aggressively in improving his record to 16-and-6; he allowed only one walk in shutting down the Tigers over the first eight innings. Rollie Fingers pitched a scoreless ninth to post his 15th save.

A's Acorns: Oakland's first five batters-Campaneris, Angel Mangual, Rudi, Bando, and Epstein-combined for 12 hits, four RBIs, and four runs scored. Rudi led the way with four hits and Campaneris collected three, while Mangual and Epstein had two apiece… Jim Northrup accounted for Detroit's only run with his eighth home run of the season.

The A's made a roster move prior to tonight's game. Brant Alyea, who injured his hamstring earlier on the road trip, has been placed on the disabled list. Rookie outfielder George Hendrick, who spent much of the first half of the season with the A's, has been called up from Triple-A Iowa.

August 21 , 1972:

Based on the outcome of tonight's game in Detroit, the A's knew that they would either be residing in sole possession of first place, or finding themselves looking up at the White Sox in the American League West standings. Given that situation, the A's could have asked for no one better than Catfish Hunter to pitch tonight's game. The Oakland ace made an early 3-0 lead stand up, sending the A's to a 5-1 win at Tiger Stadium.

Hunter's counterpart, veteran left-hander Woodie Fryman, had won his first three American League decisions since joining the Tigers in a mid-season deal. Facing Fryman for the very first time, the A's scored three times in the first inning. Campy Campaneris led off the game with a double, daringly stole third, and came home to score on Joe Rudi's single, one of his four hits on the night. Sal Bando followed with a single, setting up a two-run double by Mike Epstein. The run support helped Hunter pitch aggressively in improving his record to 16-and-6; he allowed only one walk in shutting down the Tigers over the first eight innings. Rollie Fingers pitched a scoreless ninth to post his 15th save.

A's Acorns: Oakland's first five batters-Campaneris, Angel Mangual, Rudi, Bando, and Epstein-combined for 12 hits, four RBIs, and four runs scored. Rudi led the way with four hits and Campaneris collected three, while Mangual and Epstein had two apiece… Jim Northrup accounted for Detroit's only run with his eighth home run of the season…

The A's made a roster move prior to tonight's game. Brant Alyea, who injured his hamstring earlier on the road trip, has been placed on the disabled list. Rookie outfielder George Hendrick, who spent much of the first half of the season with the A's, has been called up from Triple-A Iowa.

August 22 , 1972:

The A's and the Tigers don't like each other. That sentiment became plainly evident during tonight's game, which featured a bench-clearing, dugout-emptying brawl. Histrionics aside, the A's played well before and after the fisticuffs to post a memorable 6-3 win at Tiger Stadium.

The A's took an early lead on Joe Rudi's two-run homer in the first inning-his 17th roundtripper of the season-but the Tigers countered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. Blue Moon Odom's first home run of 1972, coming in the third inning, gave the A's a 3-2 lead, which then became a four-run advantage on Angel Mangual's three-run shot in the fifth.

In the top of the seventh, Odom picked up his second hit, a one-out single. Facing Campy Campaneris, reliever Bill Slayback threw a pitch up and in, just missing Campy's head on the way to the backstop. After Campaneris grounded out, Odom surprised everyone in attendance by stealing third base, a development that apparently angered Slayback- or more to the point, Tiger manager Bill Martin. After Martin gestured toward Slayback, the right-hander threw another high-and-tight fastball, this one just behind the neck of Mangual. Slayback then made a move toward home plate, perhaps to cover in case Mangual tried to score.

Mangual, however, had no interest in scoring. Instead, he met Slayback in between the plate and the mound and promptly decked the pitcher with a stiff right fist. The initial fit of violence prompted several others bouts between members of the A's and Tigers. Martin ran toward Mangual, but was stopped by A's manager Dick Williams. Tigers outfielder Willie Horton ran in from the outfield and encountered Mike Epstein, whom he greeted with a right-hand punch, knocking the A's' first baseman to the ground. In the meantime, Mangual fell on top of Slayback, Tigers utility infielder Ike Brown struck Dave Duncan from behind, and A's coach Jerry Adair exchanged blows with Tigers catcher Duke Sims. Another A's coach, Irv Noren, found himself on the receiving end of a punch from one of the Tigers pitchers, believed to be reliever Tom Timmerman. The series of fights lasted nearly 15 minutes.

After the umpires ejected Brown, Mangual, and Slayback from the premises, the two teams finished out the game without further incident. Unfortunately, the two teams still have one game to play in this series-and may be on a collision course to meet in the American League playoffs.

A's Acorns: The A's were not pleased that the Tigers saw fit to take aim at some of their coaches during the Pier Six brawl. Noticing that third base coach Irv Noren was wearing a bandage over his black eye, A's captain Sal Bando expressed his contempt for the guilty Tiger. "Somebody is really gutless to hit a coach," Bando spewed in a post-game conversation with Bay Area writer Ron Bergman… In addition to picking up two hits and stealing a base, Odom pitched seven innings to earn his 11th win against only four losses. Darold Knowles relieved Odom in the eighth, quietly notching the final six outs for his ninth save… Mangual went 2-for-3 with three RBIs before his ejection. The slumping Bill Voss took his place at the plate and stayed in the game to play the final two innings in right field… Earning his first start since yesterday's promotion from Triple-A Iowa, George Hendrick went 1-for-4 and played center field without incident… Detroit's ace, Mickey Lolich, failed badly in his bid to win his 20th game. The Tiger left-hander, who allowed six runs in five innings, saw his record fall to 19-10.

August 23 , 1972:

The A's may be concerned that the American League has figured out Kenny Holtzman. For the second straight start, the wily left-hander failed to make it past the second inning, lasting a mere inning and a third in Oakland's 7-5 loss to Detroit. The A's did rally from an early 7-0 deficit to make a game of it, but even a four-run outburst in the ninth could not prevent Holtzman's 11th loss of the season.

The big blow against the A's was produced by longtime Tigers catcher Bill Freehan, who blasted a grand slam in the second inning to break open the game. Joel Horlen, the first of four A's relievers, fared little better than Holtzman, allowing two runs in only two-thirds of an inning. Tigers starter Joe Coleman made the advantage hold up, despite struggling in the ninth and needing last-out assistance from Chuck Seelbach, who earned his ninth save.

A's Acorns: After a sensational first half, Holtzman's record is now approaching .500. He is 14-11 in his first American League season… Dick Williams did something unusual in making out today's lineup card. He listed Dick Green as his second baseman and placed him in the seventh spot in the batting order-instead of his usual No. 8 position-then pinch-hit for Green in his first plate appearance. "Don't give me credit for this," Williams insisted in an interview with Oakland sportswriter Ron Bergman. "It was Charlie's [Finley's] idea. He suggested it, I talked it over with my staff, and we couldn't see anything wrong in it." The plan seemed to work best for Green's replacement at second base, Ted Kubiak, who enjoyed his finest day at the plate since rejoining the A's in a midsummer trade with the Rangers. Kubiak banged out a double and single in three at-bats, collecting a season-high four RBIs… Williams used five pinch-hitters in an effort to come back from the seven-run hole. Don Mincher, Gonzalo Marquez, Bill Voss, Mike Hegan, and Tim Cullen all made appearances at the plate, with Marquez and Cullen delivering pinch hits.

August 24 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. Having concluded their long road trip through the Midwest, they return to Oakland for the start of a homestand on Friday night. The A's, who have dropped out of first place in the American League West, will play host to the Baltimore Orioles, as Jim "Catfish" Hunter opposes Mike Cuellar in the first game of the series.

August 25 , 1972:

The A's, who at one point enjoyed a stranglehold on the top spot in the American League West, have now fallen out of first place by one full game. While the White Sox saw their game in Milwaukee rained out, the A's experienced an excruciating defeat, allowing a one-run lead in the ninth inning to turn into a 5-3 loss to the Orioles.

Powered by home runs from Reggie Jackson (fresh off the disabled list) and Dave Duncan, the A's took a 3-2 lead into the top of the ninth inning. With Catfish Hunter having pitched five consecutive scoreless innings and still appearing strong, the game appeared well in hand. Well, not so fast. Dave Johnson led off the ninth with a single, then gave way to a pinch-running Mark Belanger, who took second on Johnny Oates' sacrifice bunt. Orioles manager Earl Weaver then inserted a pinch-hitter, none other than former Athletic Tommy Davis, who was unceremoniously dumped during spring training, apparently because of his friendship with then-holdout Vida Blue. Davis responded with one of his trademark pinch-singles, scoring Belanger with the tying run. Davis then left the game for a pinch-running Tom Shopay, who came home to score the go-ahead run on a triple by Don Buford. The O's added an insurance run when Buford scored on a wild pitch issued by Rollie Fingers, who had since relieved Hunter during the disastrous inning.

A's Acorns: Prior to the game, the A's activated Jackson from the disabled list and demoted journeyman reliever Gary Waslewski to Triple-A Iowa… The A's' bullpen, insurmountable during the first half of the season, has played a direct role in two losses over the past six days. On August 19, Waslewski allowed three runs-including the decisive tally-in an ineffective relief stint against the Indians. That performance likely influenced the A's' decision to send Waslewski back to the minor leagues today… Jackson now has 22 home runs, while Duncan has 18… The A's scored their third run on Tim Cullen's RBI single. "The Worm" collected two of Oakland's seven hits.

August 26 , 1972:

No longer playing like the "Swingin' A's," the "swooning" A's have reached a near crisis point in 1972. For the second straight day, the A's collapsed in the ninth inning, as their defenders played giveaway with the Orioles, all the while falling two games back of the White Sox in the American League West.

With Blue Moon Odom and Pat Dobson locked in a scoreless pitching duel, the Orioles broke through in the fifth inning, when Bobby Grich singled, stole second base, and scored on Brooks Robinson's double. The A's failed to touch Dobson in the fifth, sixth, or seventh innings, but finally did damage in the eighth. Pinch-hitting for reliever Bob Locker, Mike Hegan swatted a double and then came home on Joe Rudi's RBI single. The rally tied the game at 1-1, and seemed to enliven the A's as they headed to the ninth.

With Rollie Fingers on the mound, the playing field at the Oakland Coliseum soon came under siege. Robinson led off with a double, motivating the A's to intentionally walk No. 8 hitter Johnny Oates. Rather than allow Dobson to remain in the game and attempt a sacrifice bunt, Earl Weaver elected to use his bench. Once again employing former Athletic Tommy Davis as a pinch-hitter, Weaver watched his new acquisition play an indirect role in a second consecutive ninth-inning rally. Davis bounded a routine grounder to shortstop, where Campy Campaneris fielded the ball and flipped to Tim Cullen for the force at second base. Hoping to turn two against the slower-than-average Davis, Cullen threw the ball wildly to first base-marking his second error of the afternoon. As the ball eluded Mike Epstein, Robinson smartly skipped home to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead.

The Orioles weren't finished. Davis surprised the A's by swiping second, prompting Dick Williams to order an intentional walk of Don Buford. The strategy seemed to work, as Paul Blair followed with a fly ball. Reggie Jackson tried to track the ball in center field, but completely lost sight of it, blinded by a glaring afternoon sun. As Jackson chased the sun-driven double, both Davis and Buford scored to break open the game. The Orioles then tacked on a final run when Terry Crowley singled, scoring Blair from second base.

A's Acorns: In spite of the error by Cullen and the sun-affected misplay by Jackson, all four runs against Fingers were scored as earned runs… Cullen, who made two errors in a short stint at second base, came into the game after Ted Kubiak left for a pinch-hitter. Kubiak himself replaced starting second baseman Dick Green, who was also lifted for a pinch-hitter. In fact, none of the A's' second baseman came to bat during the game, as Dick Williams continued Charlie Finley's strange rotation of pivotmen… The constant use of pinch-hitters for the second-base spot in the order resulted in a strategic mistake by Williams. In the ninth inning, Williams sent the left-handed hitting Bill Voss to the plate as the batter for Cullen, despite the fact that left-hander Grant Jackson was on the mound for the Orioles. Williams still had two right-handed hitters, including George Hendrick and Gene Tenace, available for use against Jackson, but neither made an appearance. After the game, Williams admitted to the mistake and announced that he was fining himself $100 for the oversight… With the White Sox winning their game against the Brewers, the A's have dropped two games out in the Western Division. That marks the A's' largest deficit since the first month of the season.

August 27 , 1972:

With the A's having lost five of their seven games to fall two lengths back in the American League West, with the team not hitting for much of August, and with the third outfield spot-next to Joe Rudi and Reggie Jackson-remaining a glaring weakness-Charlie Finley played another one of his many trading cards today. The A's perpetually active owner-general manager acquired veteran outfielder and onetime National League batting champion Matty Alou from the St. Louis Cardinals for journeyman outfielder Bill Voss and minor league pitcher Steve Easton.

The A's have needed a third outfielder for some time now. With players like Felipe Alou (traded to the Yankees in 1971) and Tommy Davis (foolishly released in spring training this year) now wearing the colors of other teams, the A's' outfield depth had fallen into disarray. After a sensational spring, minor league veteran Bobby Brooks won the starting center field job, only to slump badly at the plate during the regular season. Last year's rookie marvel, Angel Mangual, has endured a brutal sophomore season, earmarked by a series of misjudged fly balls in the outfield and a bevy of undisciplined swings at the plate. And top rookie prospect George Hendrick has failed to hit in sporadic duty, despite possessing the strength and quickness in his wrists that some scouts have compared to a young Ernie Banks.

Although the Cardinals feel that the aging Alou is no longer capable of playing the outfield on an everyday basis, the A's obviously feel differently. While the Cardinals believe that Alou's poor throwing arm and diminishing range will prevent him from playing an effective center field, Finley and Dick Williams apparently feel that he has retained enough athletic ability left to play right field. As a result, Williams says that he will use Alou as his everyday right fielder, with Reggie Jackson moving to center field on a fulltime basis. Jackson has played much of the time in center field anyway; the acquisition of Alou merely ensures that Jackson will play out the season flanked by Rudi in left and Alou in right.

Even at 33 years old, Alou is still a competent major league hitter, though he lacks power and doesn't care to draw many walks. At the time of today's trade announcement, Alou led the Cardinals with a .314 batting average, a better mark than that of hard-hitting teammates like Joe Torre, Lou Brock, and Ted Simmons. More impressively, Alou's batting mark placed him fifth overall in the National League, behind only Cesar Cedeno, Billy Williams, Ralph Garr, and Dusty Baker. The 33-year-old Alou has also retained enough footspeed to steal 11 bases, giving the A's another potential basestealer to complement Campy Campaneris.

Setting aside debates over Alou's abilities at an advancing age, the A's gave up very little to acquire him. They surrendered Voss, a veteran of seven major league seasons who has never hit more than 10 home runs or batted higher than .261 in a single year, and certainly did not appear to be the answer to the center field-right field quandary. As for the minor league Easton, the A's regard him as a decent pitching prospect-but not as talented as Bill "Sugar Bear" Daniels or as advanced as Dennis Myers.

So why were the A's able to pull off such a one-sided deal in acquiring Alou, the National League's batting champion in 1967, when he batted .342 batting average for the Pittsburgh Pirates? Well, two factors may be at work. First, the A's must assume the balance of Alou's $110,000 contract, which makes him one of the game's highest paid players. Second, the trade for Alou seems connected to another deal that Finley made with the Cardinals earlier this season. In June, Finley practically gave pitcher Diego Segui to the Cardinals for a small sum of cash-or so it seemed. At the time, the Cardinals fancied themselves contenders in the National League East. Segui proceeded to pitch brilliantly as the Cardinals' No. 1 reliever, but the team has since faded from the National League East pennant race. Cardinals general manager Bing Devine, looking to shed salary and rebuild with younger players, might have considered this the right time to repay Finley for the favor of "giving" him Segui earlier in the season. Thus, Alou will wear the green and gold of Oakland for the balance of the season.

A's Acorns: The acquisition of Alou may have overshadowed Oakland's on-the-field story today, but the A's deserve credit for reversing a few trends in their afternoon tilt against the Orioles. The A's, who had lost five straight games to the Orioles in Oakland this season and eight games in a row dating back to last year, scored a crucial run in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull out a 2-1 victory at the Coliseum. With the score tied at 1-1, Campy Campaneris led off the pivotal inning with a single against starter Dave McNally, who had kept the A's scoreless over the previous four frames. Joe Rudi, arguably the A's' best bunter, then laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Campy into scoring position. Electing to exploit the lefty-lefty matchup rather than set up a double play possibility against Sal Bando, McNally pitched to Reggie Jackson, who pounded out a run-scoring double to give the A's a one-run lead… The Orioles seemed ready to rally in the ninth, when pinch-hitter Sergio Robles delivered a one-out single in his first big league at-bat. Bob Locker then came on in relief of Darold Knowles and promptly inducted a ground ball from Bobby Grich, resulting in a game-ending double play… Oakland's win, coupled with Chicago's ninth-inning loss to Milwaukee, brings the A's within one game of first place in the Western Division… The A's played lots of "little ball" today, setting down three sacrifice bunts, one by Rudi and two by Ken Holtzman. Although he failed to earn a decision, Holtzman put forth his most promising effort in weeks, allowing only one run in seven innings… With Voss having been traded and Alou still with the Cardinals, Dick Williams tabbed Angel Mangual as his starting right fielder for today's finale against the Orioles. Given McNally's presence on the mound, it's unlikely that Voss would have started even if he had remained with the team for today's game.

August 28 , 1972:

A little bit of the old and a little bit of the new each played key roles in giving the A's one of their most dramatic-and meaningful-victories of the season. Fighting back from a 2-0 deficit to score all of their runs in a memorable seventh inning, the A's held on for a 5-2 victory over the Indians. The suspenseful win keeps the A's just one game back of the first-place White Sox, who won their game against the Red Sox, in the American League West.

Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the seventh, a comeback didn't seem likely, given the domination of Indians right-hander Steve "Stunning" Dunning over the first six frames. Still, the A's had their third, fourth, and fifth-place hitters scheduled to bat. New right fielder Matty Alou, making his Oakland debut after coming over from the Cardinals in a trade 24 hours earlier, led off the inning with a solid single. Pitching carefully to Reggie Jackson, Dunning walked the A's' cleanup batter, putting runners on first and second. Both Alou and Jackson advanced on an infield out by Mike Epstein, bringing Sal Bando to the plate. Rather than deal with the Oakland captain, the Indians opted to walk him and load the bases, bringing the much lighter-hitting Ted Kubiak to the plate. The strategy made sense, but paid off only partially as Kubiak drove home a run with a sacrifice fly. With one runner in scoring position and two men out, Dunning now faced Gene Tenace. Producing one of his biggest hits in a season that has seen him play only sparingly in a utility role, Tenace smacked a single to tie the game at 2-2.

With the pitcher's spot-occupied by reliever Darold Knowles-scheduled to bat, Dick Williams made a move. He inserted Mike Hegan, one of his best bench players, as a pinch-hitter. That decision resulted in a counter-move by Indians skipper Ken Aspromonte, who plucked Dunning from the game, relieving him with former Athletics left-hander Mike Kilkenny (Remember him?). Opting to play the percentages, Williams lifted Hegan in favor of Angel Mangual, one of the team's most enigmatic players. Looking every bit like the player who made the Topps All-Rookie team in 1971, Mangual lofted a three-run homer against his former mate, opening up a 5-2 lead for the A's. Despite a two-run homer by Graig Nettles against Dave Hamilton in the ninth, the lead held up, as Rollie Fingers recorded the final out for his 16th save.

A's Acorns: Mangual and the rest of the A's probably don't remember too much about Kilkenny. "Killer" spent only a week wearing the green and gold before being included in the trade that brought Downtown Ollie Brown to the A's from the Padres… Now that Alou is in right field and Reggie Jackson is healthy and playing center field, Mangual doesn't figure to see much playing time in Oakland's outfield. Yet, he might become an important figure off the bench if he continues to contribute clutch hits like he did against the Tribe tonight… Roy Foster's two-run homer gave the Indians their initial lead in the sixth inning, before Alou and Mangual delivered the starting and finishing blows in the seventh.

August 29 , 1972:

While Oakland bats continue a lackluster back-and-forth dance that has lasted for most of August, it is A's pitching that so often carries this team's collective weight. And it is A's pitching that has carried the team back into first place in the American League West. Although Oakland's enigmatic offense managed only one run on eight hits, the combined mound work of Catfish Hunter and Darold Knowles resulted in a taut 1-0 victory over the Indians. The win, coupled with a White Sox loss, puts the A's back in first place by one-half game in the standings.

Hunter lasted the first eight and one-third innings, allowing a mere four hits and one walk while striking out five. When fatigue appeared to set in during the ninth, Dick Williams called on Knowles-his most consistent relief pitcher this summer-to notch the final two outs. Knowles earned his 10th save, preserving Hunter's staff-leading 17th win.

The only run of the game came in the fifth-at a rather unexpected time. With two outs, no one on, and the eighth and ninth-place hitters scheduled to bat, the A's suddenly awoke offensively. Gene Tenace singled, moved into scoring position, and raced home on Campy Campaneris' single. The lone run made a loser of Indians starter Dick Tidrow, who saw his record fall to .500 at 12-and-12.

A's Acorns: Reggie Jackson laced two hits in three at-bats and also drew a walk… Matty Alou, making his second consecutive start in right field and once again batting third ahead of Jackson, collected one hit in four at-bats.

August 30 , 1972:

Another night-and another nine innings of great pitching from an array of Oakland starters and relievers. Blue Moon Odom, Darold Knowles, and Rollie Fingers combined to shut down the Indians despite allowing seven hits and five walks, pushing the A's to a nailbiting 2-0 victory at the Oakland Coliseum. With the second-place White Sox losing their game in Boston, the A's have now opened up a one-and-a-half game lead in the American League West.

Over the first six innings, Odom and Indians ace Gaylord Perry matched each other by throwing scoreless ball at the opposition. After Odom retired the Indians in the top of the seventh, the A's finally did damage against Perry in the bottom half of the inning. Mike Epstein's 22nd home run of the season gave the A's a 1-0 advantage. The A's doubled the lead the next inning, when Ted Kubiak tripled and came home on a single by Knowles, who had bailed out Odom in the top half of the eighth.

A's Acorns: It's only fitting in a season that has seen nearly unprecedented player movement involving the first-place A's that Charlie Finley has made yet another trade-this one just before the September 1st deadline for freezing post-season rosters. In an effort to make one last move to improve his team for the stretch run, Finley has again turned toward the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals. In a three-player deal, the A's acquire longtime Redbirds shortstop Dal Maxvill for minor league catcher Joe Lindsey and a player to be named later. Although the A's already possess a fine shortstop in Campy Campaneris, they view Maxvill as another option at the troublesome second-base position, which has seen its share of attrition this summer. Dick Green, who is still not 100 per cent, and Larry Brown, who is likely out for the season, have both been sidelined by serious back problems. With Dick Williams' recent trend toward using a revolving-door policy at second base-involving constant pinch-hitting for his second basemen- Maxvill gives the A's another player who can man the pivot, in addition to Green, Tim Cullen, and Ted Kubiak. Although never a threatening hitter, Maxvill still possesses reliable defensive skills as a middle infielder and supplies the added bonus of championship experience from his days with the pennant-winning Cardinals of 1967 and '68… Joe Rudi sat out tonight's game due to fatigue. As a result, ex-Cardinal Matty Alou shifted over to left field and the stronger-armed Angel Mangual took Alou's place in right field. Alou went 0-for-3 at the plate, marking his first hitless game since donning the green and gold.

August 31 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will open up a weekend series tomorrow night against the Tigers. Ken Holtzman, gunning for his 15th win of the season, will oppose right-hander Joe Coleman in the first game at the Coliseum.

September 01 , 1972:

The rest apparently did Joe Rudi well. The A's' All-Star left fielder, who has been arguably their best hitter the past two months, sat out Thursday's game because of fatigue. Apparently refreshed by the day off, and further bolstered by yesterday's scheduled off day, "Gentlemen Joe" banged out a three-run homer in tonight's game to lead the A's to a 4-1 win over the Tigers. Rudi's third-inning shot gave Ken Holtzman an early cushion, helping him pick up his first win since August 1-exactly one month ago.

The newly acquired Dal Maxvill, making his A's debut after coming over in a deadline deal with the Cardinals, started the A's' big rally with a single. Campy Campaneris also singled, putting two men on for Rudi, who responded with his 18th home run of the season.

Holtzman held the Tigers off for the first four innings, before tiring in the next two frames. After allowing a single run in the fifth, Holtzman permitted the first two Tiger batters to reach base in the sixth. Convinced that Holtzman had reached the endpoint of effectiveness, Dick Williams called upon Rollie Fingers. The A's' fireman worked out of the jam while keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard, then proceeded to pitch three more shutout innings. Fingers' four-inning stint, arguably his best of the season, included six strikeouts and earned him his 18th save of the season.

A's Acorns: After struggling through the mid-section of August, the resurgent A's have bounced back to win five straight games. They have also opened up a two-and-a-half game lead on the White Sox, who lost their game to the Yankees… Maxvill enjoyed a memorable debut for the A's. He started the game at second base and batted eighth, but was not removed as part of the Charlie Finley-mandated revolving door at second base, which Dick Williams has been using in recent days. Instead, Maxvill played the entire game; in three plate appearances, he collected two hits and a sacrifice bunt… With roster limits increasing to 40 today, the A's added one player from the minor leagues. They have recalled minor league journeyman Allan Lewis-the so-called Panamanian Express- who is expected to serve as a pinch-runner.

September 02 , 1972:

Once again, the A's received strong pitching efforts from both their starters and their relievers, but they couldn't stave off an extra-inning loss to the Tigers. Dave Hamilton, the only ineffective pitcher amongst a quartet of hurlers, allowed two sole home runs in the 11th inning, as the A's fell this afternoon, 3-1.

The A's scored their only run of the game in the third, taking a 1-0 lead on a walk to Campy Campaneris, a wild pickoff attempt, and a single by the rejuvenated Joe Rudi. Vida Blue kept the Tigers scoreless until the seventh, when he surrendered a double to the light-hitting Eddie Brinkman and a game-tying single to Mickey Lolich.

Bob Locker and Darold Knowles then came on for the A's and held the Tigers at bay through the 10th inning. Hamilton came on to pitch the 11th, giving up a leadoff home run to Bill Freehan. Two outs later, Mickey Stanley touched Hamilton for another home run, giving the Tigers their final margin of victory.

A's Acorns: Rudi went 4-for-4, including his RBI single… Lolich failed in his fifth bid at 20 wins. The one run that he allowed was unearned, the result of his own throwing error on the attempted pickoff of Campaneris… For the first time since Dal Maxvill joined the team, Dick Williams rotated his second basemen. Maxvill started the game and took two turns at-bat before being lifted for a pinch-hitter, rookie Gonzalo Marquez. Tim Cullen then came into the game and took one at-bat before being lifted at the expense of Dave Duncan. Williams used a total of five pinch-hitters on the afternoon… Allan "The Panamanian Express" Lewis made his 1972 A's debut, appearing in the game as a pinch-runner for Don Mincher.

September 03 , 1972:

The last 24 at-bats had failed to yield a single hit for Sal Bando. The last two weeks had failed to produce a single RBI for the A's' captain. Well, Bando ended both droughts tonight, hitting a tiebreaking solo home run in the fifth inning to spearhead a 3-1 victory over the Tigers.

Batting out of the seventh spot in the order against Tiger starter Bill Slayback, Bando ripped his 13th home run to break a 1-1 tie. The A's tacked on another run when Dal Maxvill singled and Catfish Hunter singled, and Campy Campaneris laid down a picture-perfect squeeze bunt.

Hunter allowed only one run by the Tigers, coming on a double by Bill Freehan and a single by Tony Taylor in the second inning. "The Cat" coasted the rest of the way, throwing shutout ball over the next six innings to finish off a complete-game four-hitter. With Vida Blue struggling after his holdout and Ken Holtzman suffering through a second-half swoon, Hunter has emerged as the unquestioned ace of the Oakland staff. His record is now 18-7, putting him within easy range of the 20-win circle, which he first achieved last summer.

A's Acorns: Allan Lewis came into the game as a pinch-runner for Mike Epstein and stole his first base since his recall from the minor leagues. "The Panamanian Express" spent most of the season with the Double-A Birmingham A's … Maxvill went 1-for-2 before being lifted for pinch-hitter Mike Hegan, who then took over for the departed Epstein at first base… After spending much of the season as a backup catcher-first baseman-right fielder, Gene Tenace has emerged as the A's' No. 1 catcher-at least for the time being. Tenace went 1-for-4 in tonight's game, driving in Epstein for Oakland's first run of the game.

September 04 , 1972:

Win or lose, the A's' offense has muddled through too many bouts of dormancy since the All-Star break. In today's opening game of a doubleheader, Oakland hitters looked more like Charlie Finley's self-proclaimed "Swingin' A's," breaking through for eight runs in the first two innings on the way to a 10-5 rout of the California Angels. And then just as quickly, the A's' bats went silent in the nightcap, resulting in a 2-1 loss and a split of the twinbill at the Oakland Coliseum.

In the first game, the A's scored four runs in the first inning and four more in the second, knocking Angels starter Clyde "Skeeter" Wright from the game. During the second-inning uprising, Matty Alou and Gene Tenace each rocked two home runs, with Alou going deep for the first time as a member of the A's. Even Blue Moon Odom entered the home run parade, hitting his second home run of the season to finish out the A's' scoring and support his own pitching effort. On the mound, Odom pitched shutout ball through the first seven innings, before giving up a five-spot in the eighth. Dick Williams let the right-hander work out of the late-inning jam, allowing him to pick up a complete game.

The A's appeared ready to continue their offensive onslaught in the second game, tallying a first-inning run against Nolan Ryan, snapping the flamethrower's streak of 34 consecutive scoreless innings. Then Ryan reverted to recent form, blanking A's hitters over the next eight frames. In the meantime, the Angels nicked A's spot starter Joel Horlen for single runs in the fifth and sixth, with one of the runs resulting from an error by Sal Bando. Horlen pitched well, but took his fourth loss in six decisions.

A's Acorns: Odom is making himself a strong candidate for American League Comeback Player of the Year honors. With the win in the lidlifter, Odom improved his record to 13-and-4. He went only 10-and-12 last year, with an ERA over 4.00… Matty Alou, who batted third and played right field in both ends of the doubleheader, enjoyed his best game since joining the A's. In the opener, Alou went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs… Not known for his defensive abilities and used almost exclusively as a pinch-runner in the major leagues, Allan Lewis received some playing time in the outfield during the latter stages of the first game. With the A's holding a big lead, Lewis spelled Joe Rudi in left field and proceeded to commit an error. Rudi, who is a candidate for the Gold Glove Award, has made only two errors all season long.

September 05 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will open up a critical two-game series against the Chicago White Sox tomorrow night at Comiskey Park. The Sox trail the A's by three games in the American League West.

The A's did announce several player moves during the off day. With rosters now expanded to the 40-man limit as of September 1, the A's have promoted catcher Gene Dusan and pitchers Chris Floethe, Dennis Myers, Don Shaw, and Gary Waslewski from the Triple-A Iowa Oaks. They have also recalled pitchers Chuck Dobson, Gil Marcano, and Pat Tatom from the Class-AA Birmingham Barons. Dobson was expected to make the A's' Opening Day roster this season, but found himself slowed in his spring training effort to come back from off-season elbow surgery.

September 06 , 1972:

Sometimes first-inning results can be a bit deceiving, as they were in this afternoon's showdown between the top two teams in the American League West. The A's failed to score in the top half of the first against White Sox starter Tom Bradley and then watched their own starter, Ken Holtzman, run into the kind of immediate first-inning troubles that have plagued him during the second half of the season. With one man out, Holtzman walked the next batter, allowed a single to American League MVP candidate Dick Allen, and then permitted a two-out RBI single to Carlos May. Fortunately for the A's, Holtzman ended the damage there, retiring Ed Spiezio to douse the rally.

The A's responded well to the early deficit. Reggie Jackson and Mike Epstein started the top of the second by reaching on solid singles. Dick Williams, in a debatable move, then asked the hot-hitting Gene Tenace to lay down a bunt, which he did successfully. With two runners now in scoring position, Sal Bando dumped a double into an outfield seam, giving the A's a 2-1 lead.

Oakland momentum continued in the third-and then some. Campy Campaneris reached base on an error by second baseman Mike Andrews. Joe Rudi followed with a two-run blast-his 19th home run of the season-knocking Bradley from the game. Now facing the hard-throwing rookie Rich "Goose" Gossage, the A's continued the pile-on. Matty Alou singled, Reggie Jackson doubled, and Mike Epstein and Gene Tenace each draw walks, forcing in another run and sending Gossage to an almost immediate exit. Another young reliever, Steve Kealey, issued a third consecutive walk, forcing home the fourth run of the inning. Williams then opted for another piece of unorthodox strategy. Despite holding a 6-1 lead, Williams went for the kill and inserted Don Mincher as a pinch-hitter for Dal Maxvill. "The Mule," who has struggled since joining the "Mustache Gang," delivered one of his most productive hit as an Athletic-a two-run single that capped off the inning. The A's added one more run in the fourth to wrap up the scoring; in the meantime, Holtzman settled down to blank the ChiSox over the final eight frames in posting a 9-1 victory at Comiskey Park. With the win, the A's improve their Western Division lead to four games over the White Sox.

A's Acorns: After pinch-hitting Mincher for Maxvill, Williams elected to keep Ted Kubiak in the game at second base the rest of the way. The A's currently have three second basemen on their expanded roster, including Tim Cullen. Two other second basemen, Dick Green and Larry Brown, are on the disabled list… Jackson went 3-for-5, including a double and his team-leading 23rd home run… Epstein went 3-for-4 and Tenace added a 2-for-4 day, giving the four-five-and six spots in the order a combined eight hits in 12 at-bats… In contrast, Epstein and Tenace played poorly in the field, with each man committing an error. Yet, the miscues did not hurt Holtzman, who earned his 16th win… Holtzman and Epstein, the A's' two Jewish players, each wore black armbands in memory of the Israeli athletes slaughtered at the Olympic Games in Munich. Reggie Jackson, who has no Jewish heritage, also wore an armband in honor of the slain athletes… Bando, who had been slumping, has broken out with two big games in a row. He drove in three of Oakland's nine runs this afternoon… Although the September 1st deadline for freezing postseason rosters has come and gone, Charlie Finley continues to make additional player moves. The A's re-acquired veteran catcher Larry Haney from the San Diego Padres today, sending an undisclosed amount of cash to the National League team. The A's had released Haney in late May before assigning his contract to the Hawaii Islanders, the Padres' top affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. With the addition of Haney, the A's now have four catchers, including holdovers Gene Tenace and Dave Duncan and recent minor league call-up Gene Dusan.

September 07 , 1972:

The A's still hold the advantage in the American League West, but the White Sox hold the likely winner of the AL's Most Valuable Player Award. Dick Allen continued his torrid 1972 season by driving in four of Chicago's runs, as the White Sox defeated the A's, 6-0. Allen's day-highlighted by a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly-supported Wilbur Wood's league-leading 24th win of the season. With the victory, the White Sox salvage a split of their two-game series with the A's and climb back to within three games of the Western Division lead.

The White Sox dented an ineffective Vida Blue for a first-inning run, thanks to singles by Walt "No-Neck" Williams and Mike Andrews, and Allen's sacrifice fly. Blue allowed two more runs in the fourth inning before leaving for a pinch-hitter and turning the game over to the A's' bullpen. In the bottom of the seventh, Allen clubbed a three-run homer against Rollie Fingers, cementing a 6-0 lead. Allen now leads the American League with 33 roundtrippers.

A's Acorns: Matty Alou and Reggie Jackson each had two hits for the A's, but the rest of the lineup did little against the knuckleballing Wood, who scattered seven hits and surrendered only one walk. Wood is now 24-12… Campy Campaneris stole a pair of bases against the combination of Wood and catcher Ed Hermann.

September 08 , 1972:

Mike Epstein is continuing his quest to prove Earl Weaver wrong for not including him on this year's All-Star team. Oakland's outspoken first baseman, whose bat has made sounds as loud as his voice this season, banged out four hits and four RBIs to lead the A's to a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers in tonight's game at Turnpike Stadium.

The Rangers took the early lead on Jim Mason's two-run double against Catfish Hunter in the bottom of the second. That score changed two innings later, when Epstein stepped to the plate with two runners aboard and smashed his 23rd home run of the season. The A's then added two more runs in the eighth and one in the ninth, when Epstein doubled against former A's reliever Jim Roland. Dick Williams then gave Epstein the rest of the night off, lifting him in favor of pinch-runner Allan Lewis.

After the early hiccup, Hunter kept the Rangers scoreless over the next four and two-thirds innings. He then gave way to Darold Knowles, who collected the final seven outs of the game to record his 11th save.

A's Acorns: Several former members of the A's' organization played in tonight's game for the Rangers. In addition to Roland, veteran reliever Paul Lindblad pitched two-thirds of an inning, Marty Martinez made a pinch-hitting appearance, and Vic Harris played the entire game at second base… Epstein collected two doubles as part of his four-hit night… Sal Bando and Campy Campaneris each had two hits… The A's used three second baseman in tonight's game. Dal Maxvill started and took two turns at-bat before giving way to pinch-hitter Dave Duncan. Ted Kubiak had one at-bat before being lifted for Angel Mangual, who delivered a pinch-single. Tim Cullen then finished out the game at second base, but did not come to the plate.

September 09 , 1972:

The A's' failure to shut down the running game cost them dearly in tonight's game against the Rangers. Texas stole three bases, including a critical double steal in the second inning, which proved to be the difference in Oakland's 3-2 loss at Turnpike Stadium.

The Rangers nicked Blue Moon Odom for two runs in the first, before padding the lead in the next inning. Odom allowed a double to Dave Nelson and then hit Joe Lovitto with a pitch. The two runners promptly stole bases, putting runners on second and third with less than two outs. Larry Biittner then lofted a fly ball, deep enough to score Nelson with what would prove to be the game-winning run. The A's did score a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but could manage nothing further against a trio of Ranger pitchers. Paul Lindblad and Horacio Pina combined to hurl five innings of scoreless relief, with Lindblad earning the win and Pina notching his 15th save.

A's Acorns: Former A's minor league Don Stanhouse started the game but lasted only four innings, thus disqualifying himself from picking up a victory… The A's managed only two hits against Ranger pitching. Campy Campaneris went 1-for-4 while Dave Duncan went 1-for-3… A strong case can be made for Odom as the American League's Comeback Player of the Year, but not based on tonight's results. Blue Moon lasted only an inning and a third before being lifted by Dick Williams. Dave Hamilton, Bob Locker, and Rollie Fingers succeeded Odom, with each reliever pitching scoreless ball.

September 10 , 1972:

For the second time this year, the A's couldn't "handle" Texas right-hander Rich Hand, but a questionable managerial decision opened the door for a late rally against a pair of former A's minor leaguers-and a 2-1 victory over the Rangers.

Hand held the A's to one run over the first seven innings and enjoyed a 2-1 lead, but Rangers manager Ted Williams elected to pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the seventh. Williams then turned the game ball over to young right-handers Jim Panther and Steve Lawson, who had started spring training as members of the A's' minor league corps. The results soon turned very ugly for the lowly Rangers. Panther allowed four runs in a third of an inning, though in fairness to him, all of the runs were deemed unearned because of infield errors by Toby Harrah and Vic Harris. Lawson allowed a run in only a third of an inning, while Pete Broberg also surrendered a run before finally notching the third out of the fateful frame.

A's Acorns: The top of the A's' order did most of the damage against a quartet of Texas pitchers. Leadoff man Campy Campaneris logged two hits in five at-bats, while scoring a run and driving in another. No. 3 hitter Matty Alou went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, as well… Gene Tenace and Sal Bando committed errors for the A's, but neither miscue resulted in a run scoring for the Rangers… Rollie Fingers, pitching two innings in relief of Ken Holtzman, earned his eighth win against six losses. Bob Locker worked the final two innings, both scoreless, to notch his ninth save… Dick Williams employed two pinch-runners in tonight's game and both stole bases. Blue Moon Odom, pinch-running for Mike Epstein, and Allan Lewis, subbing for pinch-hitter Gonzalo Marquez, each swiped bases against Rangers catcher Dick Billings.

September 11 , 1972:

Most A's fans remember Rich Reese as the pinch-hitter whom Catfish Hunter struck out to finish off his perfect game in 1968. After tonight's doubleheader against Minnesota, some of those fans may harbor far more bitter memories of the Twins' veteran first baseman.

Having entered each game as a defensive replacement for Harmon Killebrew, Reese delivered the game-winning hit in the first game and then worked a bases-loaded walk in the nightcap to force home the winning run. Reese's late-inning heroics sent the A's to a pair of losses, 2-1 and 3-2, at Metropolitan Stadium. In the process, the A's lost a game and a half in the standings to the Chicago White Sox, who won tonight to move within two and a half games of the first-place A's.

In the opener, "Killer" Killebrew gave the Twins an early lead with a first-inning RBI single against Vida Blue. The A's' lineup was held scoreless until the ninth, when captain Sal Bando lofted a solo home run against sidearming right-hander Wayne Granger. In the bottom of the ninth, the Twins struck quickly against the usually effective A's bullpen. Danny Thompson led off the inning with a single and scored all the way from first on Reese's double. That left Rollie Fingers with the loss-and an ugly line of no innings, two batters faced, one hit, one walk, and one run.

In the nightcap, the Twins once again jumped on the A's for a first-inning run. The A's twice rallied to tie the score, making it 2-2 with a run in the top of the eighth. With the bottom portion of the Twins' order coming to bat in the bottom half of the inning, the A's appeared to be in good shape.

This time, Rollie Fingers retired the first two batters he faced before running into trouble. With the bases empty, he walked the speedy Cesar Tovar. Rod Carew then hit a ground ball to the right side, which Mike Epstein mishandled for an error. With two left-handed batters scheduled to follow, Williams hooked Fingers from the game and waved in Darold Knowles. The A's' best reliever this season, Knowles uncharacteristically misplaced the location of the strike zone. He walked both Braun and Reese to force in what proved to be the game-deciding run.

A's Acorns: The A's could place most of the blame for the doubleheader sweep on the shoulders of their flickering offense. Oakland managed 10 hits in the first game, including two by Bando, but left nine runners on base. The offense looked even worse in the second game, scraping only six hits against the curveball offerings of Bert Blyleven, who struck out 10 in forging a complete-game victory. To make matters worse, the "Swingin' A's did too much "swingin" on the night, drawing a grand total of two walks in 18 innings.

September 12 , 1972:

The near-deadline deal that brought Matty Alou to the Bay Area paid major dividends for the A's tonight. Alou enjoyed his best game since joining Oakland in late August, driving in four runs with two singles and a sacrifice fly. Alou's timely hitting sent the A's to an important 7-4 victory over the Twins.

With the game scoreless in the top of the third, Alou strode to the plate and smacked a two-run single to give the A's the lead. Alou's clutch single didn't hold up for long, however, as the Twins doubled the A's' output with a four-run spurt in the bottom of the fourth. Harmon Killebrew highlighted the big inning with a three-run homer-his 24th of the season-against Catfish Hunter.

An unusually ineffective Hunter left the game in the top of the fifth, when Dick Williams decided to play his pinch-hitting cards early. Williams first inserted Gonzalo Marquez as a pinch-hitter for Dal Maxvill; the recent call-up from Triple-A delivered a leadoff single. Williams then replaced Hunter with Don Mincher, who also singled. With runners now on first and second, Williams made another move, substituting Blue Moon Odom as the pinch-runner for Marquez. After a Campy Campaneris groundout forced Mincher at second, Odom came around to score, as did Campy with the tying run, when Joe Rudi rattled a two-run triple. Matty Alou contributed another critical at-bat by lofting a sacrifice fly, scoring Rudi with the go-ahead run.

The A's added another run to increase the lead to two, a margin that seemed like 20 given the effectiveness of Darold Knowles. The A's' unheralded relief ace turned in his longest stint of the season, a brilliant five shutout innings to earn his fifth win in six decisions.

A's Acorns: The top three hitters in Oakland's batting order-Campaneris, Rudi, and Alou-combined to produce six RBIs, four runs scored, and six hits in 13 at-bats. Campaneris also stole two bases… Gene Tenace, batting sixth and catching, had a productive game with two hits and an RBI in five at-bats… Oakland won the game despite committing four errors, all by members of the infield. Campaneris, Tenace, Mike Epstein, Sal Bando stepped forward as the defensive culprits, but the foursome of errors led to only one unearned run.

September 13 , 1972:

The number five came up frequently for the A's tonight. For the first five innings, the A's mustered only a single hit against Minnesota starter Dave Goltz. Then in the sixth inning, the Oakland offense erupted for five runs, breaking a scoreless tie and spearheading an 8-0 victory at Metropolitan Stadium. In the meantime, Blue Moon Odom issued five walks to Twins batters, but managed to sidestep a few rallies and forge a complete-game shutout.

Appropriately enough, leadoff man Campy Campaneris sparked the game-breaking rally. Campaneris singled to start the sixth and moved up to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Rudi. Matty Alou, whose bat has picked up steam in recent days, singled to drive home Campaneris with the first run of the game. Goltz then allowed a single to Reggie Jackson and a walk to Mike Epstein to load the bases. Rattled by the free pass, Goltz committed a balk, permitting Alou to score the inning's second run. Goltz then walked Bando to re-load the bases.

With starting second baseman Dal Maxvill scheduled to bat and Dick Williams sensing the chance for a big inning, the Oakland skipper called on his most efficient pinch-hitter in recent weeks. Impressive rookie Gonzalo Marquez didn't hit the ball hard, but placed it well enough to reach base on an infield single, bringing home another run in the process. Twins second baseman Rod Carew tried to make a play on Marquez at first base, but threw the ball wildly, allowing two more runs to score. The miscue increased Oakland's lead to five runs. The A's then added three more runs in the ninth inning to close out the scoring.

A's Acorns: Epstein went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored before being pulled in favor of pinch-runner Allan Lewis. Mike Hegan then came on to finish the game at first base… Matty Alou, continuing his recent surge after a slow start to his American League career, went 2-for-5… Odom, who improved to 14-and-4 on the year, ranks among the top 10 AL pitchers in ERA.

September 14 , 1972:

The 1972 A's have the day off as they return to the Oakland Coliseum for the start of a homestand. The A's will begin a three-game set with the Texas Rangers tomorrow night. Ken Holtzman will oppose former Athletics farmhand Don Stanhouse (part of the pre-season Denny McLain deal) in the opener of the weekend series.

September 15 , 1972:

For much of September, the struggles of Matty Alou have concerned the A's. In his first 17 games with Oakland, he batted a mediocre .266. Given his lack of power and unwillingness to draw many walks, the A's need a higher average from Alou, their No. 3 hitter against most pitchers. Some writers have reasoned that Alou, a line-drive, ground-ball hitter, misses playing on the artificial turf of St. Louis' Busch Memorial Stadium. For his part, Alou disagrees with such an assessment. "When you've got more than 1,500 hits in your career, you've got to have all sorts of hits," Alou explained to Ron Bergman, "line-drive hits, high-bouncing hits, bunts. There are 300 players over there in the National League, and they don't have that many guys hitting .300, do they?" Furthermore, Alou once won a batting title while playing the majority of his games on natural grass. More than likely, Alou has simply suffered in his transition to the American League because of his lack of knowledge of opposition pitchers.

Perhaps that transition period has come to and end. In tonight's game against the Rangers, Alou batted in four runs with a bases-clearing double and a sacrifice fly, leading the A's to a 12-3 romp of Texas. Making the most of his one official at-bat, Alou helped Ken Holtzman match a career high with his 17th victory of the season.

Mike Epstein also made the most of his one official at-bat, clubbing a three-run homer, his 24th of the season. Oakland's offense made mincemeat of a quartet of Ranger pitchers, including former A's farmhand Don Stanhouse, who have up three runs before departing after an inning and two thirds. Reliever Rich Hinton then gave up seven runs, although all were deemed unearned because of a bevy of errors by the Rangers' infield. Another former Oakland prospect, Steve Lawson, gave up the final two runs against the A's, who pounded out 12 hits on the night.

A's Acorns: In 18 games since joining the A's from the Cardinals, Alou has picked up two four-RBI nights… With his 24th home run, Epstein has overtaken Reggie Jackson for the team lead… Joe Rudi scored four of the A's' 12 runs…. While Lawson and Stanhouse struggled against their former organization, another former A's pitching prospect did well in tonight's blowout. Right-hander Jim "Pink" Panther allowed two hits and no runs in two and a third innings… Holtzman scattered seven hits and issued two walks in notching the complete-game win. The former Chicago Cub has won 17 games twice before in his career, once in 1969 and again in 1970.

September 16 , 1972:

Vida Blue has become the forgotten man of the Oakland pitching staff. After spending much of last season in the national spotlight while threatening the 30-win plateau, Blue has seen himself rendered to the fourth spot in the starting rotation this year-behind the dominant threesome of Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Ken Holtzman, and Blue Moon Odom. Furthermore, Blue hasn't won a game since August 13, leading some to speculate that his immediate future may reside in the bullpen.

Well, perhaps not so fast. In tonight's game against the Rangers, Blue showed that he can still dominate opposing hitters, as much as anyone on Oakland's staff. Blue fired a two-hitter against the Rangers, as the A's earned a comfortable 4-0 win at the Oakland Coliseum.

Unlike other masterful performances in his past, Blue didn't overpower the Rangers with the strikeout pitch. In fact, he fanned only two batters, but his control more than made up for the lack of electricity, as he walked only one Ranger.

The A's gave Blue an early lead in the second, with Charlie Finley's strange merry-go-round at second base paying dividends. After Mike Epstein set the table with a double, Dick Williams pinch-hit for starting second baseman Dal Maxvill. Former Ranger Don Mincher made the strategy look good, driving home Epstein with a deadlock-breaking single. The A's added two more runs in the fourth, one on Epstein's 25th home run of the season and the other on a double by Ted Kubiak, Oakland's second second baseman of the day. The A's finished up the scoring in the eighth, when Reggie Jackson pounded out his 24th home run of the season.

A's Acorns: Campy Campaneris, Allan Lewis, and Mike Hegan (an unlikely candidate) each stole bases for the A's. Lewis entered the game as a pinch-runner after Mincher's RBI single… For the second straight night, the Rangers used four pitchers against the A's. The contingent once again included a former Athletic, as Jim Roland came in to pitch a third of an inning.

September 17 , 1972:

Apparently, Catfish Hunter's 20-win season in 1970 was no fluke. Now firmly established as Oakland's ace, the veteran right-hander reached the victory milestone for the second straight year with a masterful 4-1 victory over the Rangers this afternoon. Buttressed by Hunter's latest clutch performance, the A's now enjoy a five-game lead over the Chicago White Sox, who lost their afternoon game to the California Angels.

In putting forth one of his most dominating performances of 1972, Hunter struck out six and allowed only three Rangers to earn their way on base, one via a walk and two by hits. One of the runners came home to score-in the very first inning. Pesky leadoff man Dave Nelson, who has proved troublesome to the A's all summer long, reached Hunter for a single, promptly stole second, moved up to third on a groundout, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Larry Biittner.

For awhile it looked like the one run might prove costly to Hunter. His counterpart, unheralded right-hander Bill "Go Go" Gogolewski, kept the A's scoreless over the first three innings. After an unsuccessful turn through the batting order, the A's took advantage of Gogolewski the second time around. The A's broke through with a two-run rally in the fourth, then padded the lead with single runs in the sixth and seventh. Gene Tenace accounted for half of the runs with a pair of RBI doubles.

A's Acorns: Hunter becomes the first pitcher in franchise history since Hall of Famer Lefty Grove-of Philadelphia A's fame-to win 20 games in consecutive seasons… Oakland's late-season acquisitions continue to contribute to the pennant push. Matty Alou, picked up from St. Louis in late August, enjoyed another productive game with a double, a run scored, and an RBI n three at-bats. Backup first baseman Gonzalo Marquez, recalled from Triple-A Iowa in August, drove home a run with a sacrifice fly… A's broadcaster Monte Moore has dubbed Marquez "Mandrake the Magician" for his ability to swat hits to all fields.

September 18 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will return to action tomorrow night, when they begin a critical two-game series against the Chicago White Sox. Blue Moon Odom will oppose right-hander Tom "Fry" Bradley in the first game of the series at the Oakland Coliseum. Led by MVP candidate Dick Allen, the White Sox trail the A's by five games in the American League West. Realistically, the White Sox need to win both games in order to maintain hopes of catching the A's during the final two weeks of the season.

September 20 , 1972:

If the A's go on to win the American League West, they may be able to point to tonight's game as the one that cinched it for them. Coming off the emotional low of a 15-inning loss to the second-place Chicago White Sox, the A's rebounded with a solid 6-3 win at the Oakland Coliseum. With the win, the A's regained their five-game lead in the West-a lead that may be almost insurmountable for the White Sox given the diminishing days on the regular season calendar.

Reggie Jackson and Sal Bando staked the A's to a 3-0 lead by clubbing second-inning home runs against White Sox ace Wilbur Wood, who was seeking his 25th win of the season. Undeterred, the White Sox drew to within one run on back-to-back home runs by Rick Reichardt and Carlos May in the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, the A's put together another rally-this time without the benefit of a home run. Singles by Campy Campaneris, Joe Rudi, and Reggie Jackson, in tandem with an error by first baseman Dick Allen and a wild pitch by Wood, returned the lead to three runs. And when the White Sox countered with a run in the top of the sixth, the A's demoralized them with another run of their own.

Ken Holtzman pitched creditably, allowing only two earned runs in five and a third, but it was Rollie Fingers who saved the day with a yeoman's effort out of the bullpen. Fingers worked out of Holtzman's jam in the sixth, limiting the damage to one run, and then blanked the White Sox over the final three innings.

A's Acorns: Jackson now has 25 home runs, tying him with Mike Epstein for the team lead… Bando, who has gone through several protracted power outages, now has 15 home runs on the season… Incredible, Dick Williams used only reserve player in tonight's game, this after using a record total of 30 players in Tuesday night's loss. Dal Maxvill played the entire game at second base, as Williams decided to forego his recent tendency to pinch-hit for his middle infield spot.

September 21 , 1972:

The 1972 A's are off today. They will continue their homestand tomorrow night against the Kansas City Royals. Vida Blue will gun for his seventh win, opposed by Royals right-hander Dick Drago, an 11-game winner.

September 22 , 1972:

Perhaps the A's suffered a letdown after their crucial two-game series with the White Sox earlier in the week. Allowing four runs during an eighth-inning tie-breaking collapse, Vida Blue and the A's fell to the Royals, 5-3. The A's' loss, coupled with Chicago's win over Texas, reduces Oakland's lead to four games in the American League West.

The Royals took an early 1-0 lead in the third, only to watch the A's respond with a deadlocking run in the fourth on Sal Bando's RBI single. The game remained tied until the top of the eighth, when Blue had to deal with the upper half of Kansas City's lineup. Blue allowed a single to Paul Schaal, a walk to Amos Otis, and an RBI single to Richie Scheinblum. Although Blue appeared to be tiring, Dick Williams opted to keep him in the game against the left-handed hitting John Mayberry, the Royals' massive cleanup man. The result? Mayberry's 22nd home run-a three-run shot-gave the Royals a 5-1 lead and made Oakland's two-run rally in the bottom of the inning rather anticlimactic.

A's Acorns: Bando drove in all three of the A's' runs, bringing home a pair in the eighth with a double against Dick Drago… Gene Tenace has hit well since becoming Oakland's No. 1 catcher, but his defensive play has been lackluster from time to time. He made two errors in tonight's game, leading to an unearned run against Blue… Blue was not sharp in tonight's game, allowing six walks in picking up his ninth loss. The A's' former ace, who won 24 games last season, has won only quarter of that total (6) this summer.

September 23 , 1972:

More than any other major league owner, Charlie Finley believes in the power of having speed off the bench. That explains why a one-dimensional journeyman player named Allan Lewis has enjoyed gainful employment with the A's off and on over the past several years. And it was Lewis who played a small but essential role in leading the A's to a 2-1 victory over the Royals in today's game at the Oakland Coliseum.

The Royals and A's each scored in the fourth inning, with Kansas City's run coming on John Mayberry's 23rd home run and Oakland's tally occurring an RBI double by Reggie Jackson. The game remained tied until the ninth, when Rollie Fingers retired the Royals in the top half of the inning. The A's then went to work against Kansas City starter Paul Splittorff in the bottom half of the frame. Matty Alou, whose name is becoming synonymous with timely hitting as a member of the green and gold, led off with a double. Then, in a surprising move, the speedy Alou left the game in favor of an even faster runner-none other than Allan Lewis. With the right-handed hitting Joe Rudi-a skilled bunter and excellent right-field hitter-now scheduled to bat, the Royals elected to intentionally walk him and bring the lefty-swinging Reggie Jackson to the plate. Dick Williams decided to make another unconventional move and ordered his cleanup man to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Jackson did so, pushing the ball down the third base line. Royals third baseman Paul Schaal, realizing he needed to rush a throw to catch the blazing Lewis at third, threw the ball wildly past Freddie Patek, who had moved over from his position at shortstop to cover the bag. As the errant throw trickled down the left field line, Lewis scampered home with the winning run.

A's Acorns: The A's continue to lead the American League West by four games over the Chi Sox, who won their game against the lowly Rangers… For the first time since his acquisition from St. Louis, Alou batted in the second spot, followed by Joe Rudi. The new order didn't seem to bother Rudi, who went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Prior to today's game, Rudi had always batted second and Alou third… In taking a no-decision, Catfish Hunter was uncharacteristically wild. He issued five walks in seven innings… Rollie Fingers earned the victory with an inning and a third of shutout relief.

September 24 , 1972:

Sometimes good starting pitching isn't enough. Oakland starters combined to give up only two runs in 13 innings during today's doubleheader, but managed only a split against the youthful Royals and saw their divisional lead over the White Sox diminish to three and a half games. Even the split took some doing, with the A's handed a gift of an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth inning of game two.

The Royals took charge in the first game, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh against relievers Darold Knowles and Bob Locker. That gave the Royals a 4-0 lead, which the A's could not fully overcome. The A's did plate a pair of runs in the ninth against a tiring Monty Montgomery, but the Royals right-hander otherwise held Oakland's lineup in check. Despite giving up only one run over six innings, a hard-luck Blue Moon Odom absorbed a 4-2 loss-only his sixth defeat against 14 wins.

In the nightcap, the A's once again failed to hit, mustering only a single run against right-hander Tom Murphy over the first eight innings. In the meantime, up-and-down rookie Dave Hamilton pitched well for Oakland, allowing only run through seven innings.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Matty Alou poked a one-out single. When Reggie Jackson followed with another single, Alou made a costly gamble and raced for third, only to be gunned down for the first out of the inning. Jackson tried to atone for Alou's uncharacteristic baserunning mistake by stealing second, putting himself in scoring position. The Royals then decided to walk Mike Epstein intentionally, but on ball four, an alert Jackson swiped third against an unsuspecting Kansas City defense. With second base now open, the Royals summoned right-hander Ted Abernathy from the bullpen and intentionally walked the next batter, Gene Tenace, loading the bases for Sal Bando. The A's' captain lofted a fly ball to relatively shallow right field, apparently not deep enough to score the winning run. As former Athletic Steve Hovley threw home, Jackson made only a bluff from third, realizing that the ball had not carried far enough for him to score. Maintaining his awareness, Jackson realized that Hovley had made a poor throw, sailing wide of the plate. As the ball eluded catcher Carl "Hawk" Taylor, an alert Jackson raced home with the game-winning run in a 2-1 decision.

A's Acorns: The White Sox defeated the Rangers, 7-4, to pick up a half-game on the A's in the standings… Rollie Fingers pitched two scoreless innings in the nightcap to earn his 10th win of the season. After a midsummer swoon, Fingers has emerged as Oakland's most dominant reliever-ahead of Darold Knowles and Bob Locker… In addition to his astute baserunning in the second game, Jackson collected three hits in eight at-bats over the course of the doubleheader. He scored two runs and drove in another… Matty Alou went 3-for-8 in the two games.

September 25 , 1972:

The 1972 A's were scheduled to play the opening game of a series against the Minnesota Twins tonight, but rains wiped out the matchup. The two teams will try again tomorrow night.

September 26 , 1972:

If the rains don't abate in the Bay Area, the A's may never get a chance to clinch the American League West. For the second straight day, inclement weather prevented the A's from hosting the Twins at the Coliseum; as a result, the two teams will hope to play a doubleheader tomorrow night. Ken Holtzman will oppose Bert Blyleven in the first game, followed by a matchup of right-handers Catfish Hunter and Ray Corbin in game two.

A's Acorns: The A's did make a player move yesterday, purchasing the contract of infielder-outfielder Bill McNulty from the Iowa Oaks.

September 27 , 1972:

The A's took two major steps toward clinching the American League's Western Division tonight, winning a pair of hard-fought, low-scoring games by the tiniest of margins-with both victories coming dramatically in extra innings. The two wins, combined with the Chicago White Sox' loss to Cleveland, drops the A's' magic number for clinching the West to one.

In the opening game, the A's and Twins played scoreless ball over the first 10 innings, as the mound work of Ken Holtzman and Bert Blyleven lived up to the pre-game billing. Holtzman hurled the first eight innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter, while Blyleven needed no help from the bullpen in reaching extra frames.

Batting out of the leadoff spot for the first time since coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals, veteran Matty Alou led off the bottom of the 11th with a double. Uncharacteristically, Campy Campaneris failed to advance Alou with a sacrifice bunt, but Sal Bando-batting third for one of the few times all season-made up for Campy's shortcoming with a game-winning RBI double. Bando's clutch hit saddled Blyleven with a touch-luck loss, while sending reliever Bob Locker to his sixth win in seven decisions.

The two teams matched the dramatics in the nightcap. The Twins took the lead on singles by Rich Reese, Danny Thompson, and Glenn Borgmann in the fifth, but the A's tied the score two innings later, when Catfish Hunter started a rally with a single and then came home to score on Campaneris' RBI single. The score remained 1-1 through regulation, as Hunter and Ray Corbin proved worthy successors to Blyleven and Holtzman's performances in game one.

In the bottom of the 10th, the new-look top of the Oakland order once again entered center stage. Alou again opened an inning with a leadoff hit, this time a single against Corbin. Unlike the first game, Campaneris successfully laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Alou into scoring position and setting up the heart of the lineup. With Reggie Jackson looming in the on-deck circle, Corbin pitched aggressively to Bando. And as he did in game one, Bando came through beautifully, driving home Alou with the winning tally in a 2-1 decision.

The A's now need to win just one more game, or hope for a loss by the White Sox, in order to clinch their second straight Western Division title.

A's Acorns: In addition to scoring the game-winning run in both ends of the doubleheader, Alou collected four hits in nine at-bats as the "new" leadoff man. Bando also responded well to the lineup change, picking up three hits in 10 at-bats as the No. 3 hitter… Dick Williams used two pinch-runners (Allan Lewis and Blue Moon Odom) and four pinch-hitters in the first game. The replacement hitters included the newest member of the A's, minor league call-up Bill McNulty. McNulty, who can play first base, third base, or the outfield, becomes the 47th player to don the green and gold in 2002.

September 28 , 1972:

The way the day started out, it didn’t appear as if the A’s would be doing much celebrating. The A’s buried themselves in an early 7-0 hole, as starter Blue Moon Odom and reliever Bob Locker absorbed a pounding from the Twins’ offensive attack. The A’s pecked away, scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth, three runs in the seventh, and two more in the eighth, to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Twins relief ace Dave LaRoche hit Sal Bando with a pitch to lead off the inning. Dal Maxvill, the fourth second baseman of the game for the A’s, came to bat in the cleanup spot of Dick Williams’ jumbled lineup. Williams instructed Maxvill to bunt, but LaRoche threw three straight balls before finally finding the strike zone. With the count now three-and-one, Williams flashed the hit sign to Maxvill, who surprised the Twins—and perhaps all of the fans in attendance—by ripping a double. Rather than playing it conservatively with no one out, Bando turned the corner at third and chugged home, capping off a dramatic come-from-behind win, eliminating the Chicago White Sox from contention, and clinching Oakland’s second consecutive American League West title.

Moments later, the A’s celebrated their Western Division championship with a variety of beverages. Backup first baseman Don Mincher, who had missed out on the 1971 division title because of a mid-season trade to Washington, dumped water on the head and shoulders of manager Dick Williams. In another corner of the clubhouse, veteran reliever Joel Horlen poured a bottle of wine on star pitcher Catfish Hunter.

A’s Acorns: In a recent critical win over the Chicago White Sox, Maxvill made two exceptional defensive plays. Now, with the A’s having run out of legitimate pinch hitters in tonight’s game, Maxvill turned one of his rare Oakland at-bats into a pennant-winning double. Much like Matty Alou, another one of Charlie Finley’s late-season pickups has played an important role in the A’s’ defense of the West against the White Sox… Rollie Fingers picked up the pennant-clinching victory in relief… In addition to locking up the AL West, the A’s also reached the 90-win plateau. They are 90-60 through their first 150 games. They will play five more games (all on the road) before the start of the playoffs, with three games in Kansas City and two in Anaheim… The A’s don’t yet know whom they will face in the playoffs, as the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers continue to do battle in the AL East. The Red Sox currently lead the Tigers by a game and a half.

September 29 , 1972:

Now that the A’s have clinched their second straight trip to the postseason, Dick Williams can afford to have some fun with his starting lineups. Writing out a lineup card that featured only one 1972 regular in his normal position—Campy Campaneris at shortstop—Williams sprinkled his batting order with mid-season call-ups and trade acquisitions. The end result was a meaningless 9-2 defeat at the hands of the Royals.

Vida Blue took the loss for the A’s, but of the five runs he allowed, only one was earned. The team’s makeshift infield featured backup first baseman Don Mincher and minor league veteran Bill McNulty at third base, each of whom committed errors in back of Blue. After Blue’s departure, Bob Locker entered the game and put forth one of his worst performances of the season, allowing four runs in two innings.

A’s Acorns: After Campaneris, who took his usual leadoff spot in the batting order, all other spots in the batting lineup were occupied by backups or players playing out of position. Pinch-runner Allan Lewis earned his first start of the season in left field and responded with one hit and two RBIs in four at-bats. Rookie George Hendrick batted third and played center field. Dave Duncan, who lost the No. 1 catching job to Gene Tenace earlier in the season, batted cleanup and worked behind the plate. Recent minor league call-up McNulty started his first game for the A’s, playing third base and going 0-for-3. Tenace batted sixth and played right field, followed by Mincher at first base, and the oft-injured Dick Green at second base… Regulars Matty Alou (rf), Reggie Jackson (cf), Joe Rudi (lf), Sal Bando (3b), and Dal Maxvill (2b) all took the day off.

September 30 , 1972:

Ted Kubiak, Mike Hegan, and George Hendrick made like Campy Campaneris, Joe Rudi, and Reggie Jackson in tonight's game against the Royals. The three backup players, occupying the top of Oakland's order, combined for eight hits, six runs, and five RBIs in the A's' 10-5 shellacking of Kansas City.

A more familiar face, catcher-turned-right-fielder Gene Tenace, helped the A's open up an early 6-1 lead by belting a two-run homer-only his fifth of the season. The Royals then rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth and one more in the sixth to narrow the gap.

With the A's up by just one run, Hendrick swatted a bases-loaded triple in the seventh inning to open up the game. Hendrick's three-bagger scored Rollie Fingers, Kubiak, and Hegan and capped off a three-hit, four-RBI night for the rookie outfielder.

A's Acorns: Kubiak, playing the entire game at second base, went 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Hegan banged out two hits in four at-bats and played his usual flawless game at first base… Spot starter Joel Horlen allowed five runs in five and a third innings, but still managed to win his third game. Horlen figures to be used exclusively in relief during the postseason… Bill McNulty, who started his second consecutive game at third base, is still searching for his first major league hit. He is 0-for-8 this season, which makes him 0-for-25 during his journeyman career. The right-handed hitting McNulty made his major league debut for the A's in 1969, when he failed to register a hit in 17 at-bats.

October 01 , 1972:

Ken Holtzman won't win 20 games this season, but he's done far more than the A's could have expected when they acquired him from the Chicago Cubs in a deal for Rick Monday last winter. The stylish left-hander improved his final season record to 19-11 with a well-crafted 4-2 win over the Royals. Holtzman allowed four hits and one run in seven innings before giving way to Bob Locker, who saved his 10th game of the year.

Holtzman allowed an early run when Amos Otis drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the first inning, stole second base, and scored on a single by Lou Piniella. Royals starter Tom Murphy maintained the slim lead until the seventh, when his own fielding error allowed the A's to draw even. After Joe Rudi banged out a double, Matty Alou laid down a bunt, which Murphy fielded but then threw wildly down the right field line. As the Royals chased the ball down, Rudi scored all the way from first base.

In the top of the eighth inning, Gene Tenace led off with a single and moved into scoring position on Tim Cullen's bunt. Gonzalo Marquez, pinch-hitting for Holtzman, continued his late-season surge with a solid single, scoring Tenace and putting Holtzman in position to earn the win. Tenace then effectively put the game out of reach in the ninth, when he plated Reggie Jackson and Mike Hegan with his third hit of the night.

A's Acorns: After sitting most of his regulars the last two games, Dick Williams tonight assembled a lineup that he is likely to use during the postseason. Campy Campaneris led off and played shortstop, followed by Rudi in left field, Alou in right field, Jackson in center, Mike Epstein at first base, Sal Bando at third base, Tenace behind the plate, and Cullen at second base… Tenace finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored… Rudi and Cullen each collected two hits…Campaneris took the collar (0-for-5), but stole two bases.

October 02 , 1972:

The 1972 A's made no news today. Charlie Finley didn't make a single player move, while the team enjoyed an off day before beginning the final series of the regular season in Anaheim. Catfish Hunter will oppose California's Clyde Wright in the first of the abbreviated two-game set.

October 03 , 1972:

Dick Williams attempted to get Ken Holtzman his 20th win by using him in long relief tonight, but the A's ended up losing a 3-2 decision to the California Angels.

Having allowed two runs during a five-inning tune-up for the postseason, Catfish Hunter departed the tie game for a pinch-hitter. Holtzman came on to pitch the next two innings, mowing down all six Angels he faced, but the A's' offense failed to give him a lead. Bob Locker then pitched a scoreless inning of relief, but Rollie Fingers faltered in the ninth. With one out, Fingers walked Leo "Chico" Cardenas and surrendered a single to Jack Hiatt, putting runners on first and third. John Stephenson stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter for starting pitcher Clyde Wright and delivered a clean single, scoring pinch-runner Billy Parker with the game-winning run.

A's Acorns: Fingers fell to 11-and-9 with the loss… Campy Campaneris stole two more bases tonight, giving him four in the last two games… Angel Mangual and Gene Tenace each had a pair of hits… With the win, Clyde Wright finishes the season with a record of 18-and-11… The A's will close out the regular season tomorrow night, when Blue Moon Odom tunes up for the playoffs with a start against 19-game winner Nolan Ryan.

October 04 , 1972:

The A's wrapped up the regular season today with a game that meant nothing in the standings, but meant more than a little something to players seeking some individual milestones. In forging a 2-1 victory over the Angels, Campy Campaneris stole his 51st and 52nd bases of the season to win the league's stolen base title for the sixth time in the last eight years. In the process, the A's denied Angels ace Nolan Ryan his 20th win; Ryan allowed only one run in a complete game effort, but fell to 19-16 with the hard luck loss.

With the game scoreless in the top of the fourth, Reggie Jackson drew a walk and then gave way to Campaneris in a rare pinch-running role. The Oakland speedster promptly stole second and third base, giving him 52 thefts on the season, and then came to score on Gonzalo Marquez' RBI single.

The A's added to their lead in the seventh, when Bill McNulty drew a walk, capping off a day that saw him register his first major league hit. Allan Lewis came in to pinch-run for McNulty and moved up to second on a wild pickoff attempt by Ryan. After Lewis stole third, Don Mincher delivered "The Panamanian Express" with a pinch-hit single. The Angels finally dented the scoreboard with a run against reliever Joel Horlen in the bottom half of the inning, but could manage nothing further against Dave Hamilton and Rollie Fingers in the eighth and ninth innings. Fingers picked up his 21st save, successfully holding the lead for starter Blue Moon Odom, who earned his 15th victory of the season. Odom pitched five shutout innings in his tune-up for the postseason.

A's Acorns: Starting the game at third base, McNulty collected his first hit in 10 at-bats this season-and his first hit in 27 career major league at-bats… Gonzalo Marquez earned his first major league start, playing the entire game at first base. He committed an error but went 1-for-4 with an RBI at the plate and surprised everyone by stealing a base… With the win, the A's finish the regular season with a record of 93-and-62. As champions of the Western Division, they will face the Detroit Tigers, who squeezed by the Boston Red Sox for the Eastern Division title, in the American League Championship Series. The Tigers won the division by a mere one-half game; due to a quirk in the scheduling created by the early-season players' strike, the Red Sox played one less game than the Tigers, with that one game proving to be the difference between first and second place.

October 05 , 1972:

The 1972 A's won eight fewer games than their 1971 counterparts-in part because fewer games were played due to the player strike, but also because of a series of obstacles that confronted the A's throughout the season. Without question, the '72 A's had to overcome much more adversity than a year ago: the holdout and subsequent mediocre pitching of 1971 staff ace Vida Blue; the season-long slump of Sal Bando; mid-season injuries to Reggie Jackson and Mike Epstein; and a constant upheaval of personnel that dramatically altered the composition of the starting outfield and the bench.

So how did the A's manage to outlast the surprising Chicago White Sox and capture the American League Western Division flag? Several players stepped up for the A's in their pursuit of the pennant. Left fielder Joe Rudi enjoyed a breakthrough season, batting a team-high .305 with 19 home runs and 75 RBIs. Epstein and Jackson, despite their physical woes, combined for 51 home runs. Catcher Dave Duncan banged out a career-high 19 home runs before slumping in September. On the pitching staff, Catfish Hunter led the way with 21 victories, matching his 1971 total. Ken Holtzman added 19 wins as the rotation's top left-hander, helping to make up for Blue's interrupted season. Blue Moon Odom earned votes for Comeback Player of the Year honors by winning 15 games, losing six, and spinning an ERA of 2.50. In relief, Rollie Fingers, Bob Locker, Darold Knowles, and Joel Horlen comprised the best bullpen in the American League-bar none.

That bullpen, however, now comprises the latest obstacle to Oakland success. In fact, the biggest quandary facing the A's as they prepare for the playoffs involves their relief corps, where Darold Knowles has been their best left-hander-and arguably their best reliever overall. Knowles is out for the entirety of the postseason, the result of breaking his pitching thumb after flying out to left field in a game last week. Knowles hadn't suffered the break during the actual swing; he tripped while running out the ball, falling awkwardly on his left thumb. No matter the details of the mishap, the injury has ended Knowles' season, forcing the A's to find another southpaw reliever.

When Charlie Finley learned that Knowles would not be able to participate in either the Championship Series or the World Series, he summoned Don Shaw, who had pitched miserably with the A's during a brief early-season stint. Finley reached Shaw at the Palace Car Club in St. Louis, where the veteran pitcher was working as a bartender.

The A's must now decide whether to replace Knowles on the 25-man postseason roster with a journeyman pitcher like Shaw, who was ineffective in his A's tenure and has nowhere near the credentials of an accomplished reliever like Knowles. Or do they carry another position player, perhaps someone like Gonzalo Marquez, who has been Oakland's best pinch-hitter during the stretch run? If the A's choose the latter strategy, they may decide to move Vida Blue from the starting rotation to the bullpen and make him the primary left-hander in the late innings. The downside to such a strategy? The A's would be left with a three-man rotation of Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Ken Holtzman, and Blue Moon Odom, each of whom might have to pitch on short rest if the first-round series lasts beyond the minimum three games. Or they would have to press journeyman Joel Horlen into the No. 4 slot in the rotation, an iffy proposition given Horlen's inconsistency as a starter this season. Whatever the case, manager Dick Williams and pitching coach Bill Posedel are facing some tough decisions regarding their pitching staff, with the start of the playoffs just two days away.

A's Acorns: Catfish Hunter will start Game One of the playoffs against the Detroit Tigers. The Bengals will counter with their ace, left-hander Mickey Lolich… The first two games of the ALCS will take place at the Oakland Coliseum. Game Three is slated for Tiger Stadium, which would also hosts games four and five, if necessary.

October 06 , 1972:

Dick Williams and Charlie Finley wrestled with some tough decisions with regard to their 25-man postseason roster, but ultimately have decided that an extra pinch-hitter will prove more valuable than having a ninth pitcher.

The A's' brass has settled on carrying Gonzalo Marquez as the extra position player, instead of the original plan, which was to include left-handed reliever Don Shaw as the injury replacement for Darold Knowles. As part of the roster shift, Vida Blue will be moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen, where he will join Dave Hamilton as one of two left-handed relievers available to Williams.

As a result of the Marquez-over-Shaw decision, the A's will carry only eight pitchers-and a remarkable total of four first basemen-on their roster for the American League Championship Series matchup against the Detroit Tigers. The A's' roster also features a whopping 10 infielders, including four players capable of playing second base, which has been the team's most unstable position throughout the season.

The following is the breakdown, by position, of Oakland's 25-man playoff roster, with the expected starting lineup featured in bold:

Catchers (2): Gene Tenace, Dave Duncan

Infielders (10): Mike Epstein (1b), Dick Green (2b), Campy Campaneris (ss), Sal Bando (3b), Mike Hegan (1b), Gonzalo Marquez (1b), Don Mincher (1b), Tim Cullen (2b-ss), Dal Maxvill (2b-ss), Ted Kubiak (2b-ss-3b)

Outfielders (5): Joe Rudi (lf), Reggie Jackson (cf), Matty Alou (rf), George Hendrick, Angel Mangual

Pitchers: (8) Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Ken Holtzman, Blue Moon Odom, Vida Blue, Dave Hamilton, Joel Horlen, Bob Locker, Rollie Fingers

In the Game One matchup, scheduled for tomorrow at the Oakland Coliseum, Dick Williams has tabbed staff ace Catfish Hunter as his starting pitcher. Hunter will face Tigers left-hander Mickey Lolich, a three-game winner in the 1968 World Series-the last time that he appeared in the postseason.

October 07 , 1972:

For 10 innings, the first game of the 1972 American League Championship Series lived up to expectation—and then the most obscure man on either roster played a key role in deciding Game One between the Oakland A’s and Detroit Tigers. Staff aces Catfish Hunter and Mickey Lolich each surrendered an early run, before pitching shutout baseball over their remaining innings. Hunter lasted eight frames, before giving way to Vida Blue and Rollie Fingers. Lolich kept the A’s off the scoreboard through 10 innings, picking up where he left off in the 1968 World Series, when he pitched the Tigers to a World Championship.

In the top of the 11th, another veteran of the World Series, longtime great Al Kaline, managed to break the tie. Connecting on a solo home run against Fingers, Kaline gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Given Oakland’s lack of offense throughout the afternoon, an A’s comeback seemed unlikely.

Tigers manager Billy Martin elected to stay with Lolich in the bottom half of the inning. Lolich allowed the first two batters, Mike Epstein and Gene Tenace, to reach base safely. Martin reacted by calling on right-hander Chuck Seelbach to relieve his best starting pitcher. Seelbach faced Gonzalo Marquez, Oakland’s 11th-hour addition to the post-season roster and a player whom most fans outside of the Bay Area had probably never heard of prior to today. Marquez continued his late-season hot hitting by roping a single that dropped in front of Kaline in right field. Mike Hegan, pinch-running for Epstein, scored easily to tie the game. In the meantime, Tenace turned the corner at second base and headed for third.

Possessing a strong right fielder’s arm, Kaline attempted to gun down Tenace for the inning’s second out. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Kaline’s throw bounced in front of surehanded third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez, who could not block the ball as it caromed past him into foul territory. Tenace scurried home with the game-winning run, giving the favored A’s a dramatic 3-2 win at home to start the series.

A’s Acorns: Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, and Mike Epstein each had two hits for the A’s… The A’s used three second basemen in the game: Dick Green, Ted Kubiak, and Dal Maxvill. Maxvill left the game in favor of Marquez, the pinch-hitting hero… Fingers, the third of three Oakland pitchers, picked up the win. Fingers relieved Vida Blue, who faced one batter after replacing Hunter in the ninth inning… In Game Two, Blue Moon Odom will face left-hander Woodie Fryman, a key mid-season acquisition for Detroit.

October 08 , 1972:

Given the hard feelings between the two teams during the regular season, an incident was bound to happen during this emotionally-charged playoff series between the A's and the Tigers. And that incident could have severe long-term ramifications on the A's as they continue their quest for their first World Series appearance since the franchise's move from Kansas City to Oakland four years ago.

The A's carried the emotion of the extra-inning victory in Game One into the second game, as they pounded out seven hits in the first five innings, scoring a single run in the first inning and four more in the fifth against Tigers starter Woodie Fryman. The offensive outburst sent Fryman to the showers, forcing Tigers manager Billy Martin to dip into his weak-link bullpen. Meanwhile, Blue Moon Odom dominated the Tiger lineup, holding Detroit to three singles, in forging a 5-0 shutout. In the short term, the victory gives the A's a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-five Championship Series, but the happenings of a volatile seventh inning could haunt Oakland for the remainder of the postseason.

In the bottom of the seventh, A's leadoff man Campy Campaneris faced Tiger reliever Lerrin LaGrow, who had entered the game in the sixth inning. Campaneris had done considerable damage in his first three at-bats: three hits, two runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases. Throughout the game, Tiger pitchers had thrown fastballs in the general direction of Campy's legs, in an attempt to brush him back off the plate, or perhaps even injure the Oakland catalyst. Predictably, LaGrow threw his first pitch-a fastball-down and in on Campaneris, hitting the Oakland shortstop in the ankle.

Most of the Oakland players knew that one of the A's' batters, given the Tiger struggles in the early part of the series, would eventually become the victim of a deliberate brushback pitch. "I was in the on-deck circle," Joe Rudi told a reporter, "and I feel the Detroit pitcher threw at him. Campy had run the Tigers ragged in the first two games, and when [Billy] Martin gets his ears pinned down, he's going to do something about it."

A recent history of ill feeling between the Tigers and A's may have also contributed to today's ugliness. During the regular season, Tiger relief pitcher Bill Slayback had thrown at Campaneris and Angel Mangual back-to-back, prompting Mangual to charge the mound. During the ensuing melee, Mangual punched Slayback, Billy Martin ran after Mangual, Willie Horton decked Mike Epstein, and Duke Sims and Oakland coach Jerry Adair brawled. Another Oakland coach, Irv Noren, found himself injured by Tiger relief pitcher Tom Timmerman. The 15-minute incident, which included fights and pileups, left simmering feelings of hatred between the two teams.

Today's incident, however, makes the earlier-season tensions seem far more tame. When LaGrow's fastball struck the bone of Campaneris' ankle, the A's' shortstop staggered for a moment, glared at the Tiger pitcher, and then, in an unusually violent reaction, flung the bat toward LaGrow. Spiraling about six feet off the ground, the bat helicoptered toward the pitching mound. The six-foot, five-inch LaGrow ducked down, barely avoiding contact with the bat, which ended up a few feet behind the mound.

Billy Martin led the charge of Tiger players and coaches from the dugout. Martin ran directly toward home plate, but three of the umpires managed to hold back the Tiger manager, preventing him from completing his assault on Campaneris. Nestor Chylak, the home-plate umpire and crew chief, ejected both Campaneris and LaGrow, while attempting to calm an infuriated Martin. "You bet I was after him," Martin told United Press International after trying to fight Campaneris in a 60-foot area located between the teams' clubhouses. "There's no place for that kind of gutless stuff in baseball," seethed Martin. "That's the worst thing I've ever seen in all my years of baseball… I would respect him if he went out to throw a punch but what he did was the most gutless [thing] of any man to put on a uniform. It was a disgrace to baseball."

After the game, American League President Joe Cronin announced that he is suspending Campaneris for the balance of the playoff series against the Tigers, and added a $500 fine to the punishment. On the matter of Campy's availability for the World Series, Cronin has chosen to defer to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. The commissioner will likely make a decision about Campy's World Series eligibility within the next few days.

In the meantime, the A's know they will be without their starting shortstop and leadoff man for the rest of the series against the Tigers. A's manager Dick Williams will likely turn to one of his two utility infielders-either Ted Kubiak or Dal Maxvill-as the starter at shortstop, but finding a new leadoff man may be a more difficult proposition. Late-season pickup Matty Alou might be the most logical choice to fill the role.

A's Acorns: After Campaneris was ejected from the game, Maxvill took his place on the basepaths and then stayed in the game to play shortstop the rest of the day… Joe Rudi, the A's third-place hitter, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored… The Campaneris incident overshadowed a superb performance by Blue Moon Odom, who allowed only three singles, walked no one, and gave the bullpen the afternoon off. Odom also laid down a sacrifice bunt in three appearances at the plate… The Tigers used five pitchers in today's game: Fryman, LaGrow, rookie Chris Zachary, Fred Scherman, and John Hiller. Zachary was particularly ineffective, throwing two wild pitches and walking the one batter he faced.

October 09 , 1972:

Today is a travel day for the A's and Tigers, who will continue their best-of-five American League Championship Series tomorrow in Detroit. The A's lead the series, two games to none.

Dick Williams has announced that Matty Alou will bat leadoff in the aftermath of the playoff suspension of Campy Campaneris. Veteran infielder Dal Maxvill will take over Campy's position at shortstop and will bat second in the revamped lineup.

The Game Three pitching matchup has 19-game winner Ken Holtzman opposing veteran right-hander Joe Coleman at Tiger Stadium. With the A's starting a left-hander for the first time in the series, the Tigers will use their right-handed platoon and sit down two of their most dangerous left-handed hitters. Utilityman Ike Brown will start at first base over veteran mainstay Norm Cash, while Mickey Stanley will take over center field from power-hitting Jim Northrup.

October 10 , 1972:

Perhaps the Bert Campaneris bat-throwing escapade has turned the tide in a series that the A's appeared on the verge of sweeping. Campy's indiscretion in Game Two removed one of the hottest bats from the Oakland lineup, deprived Dick Williams the services of his regular leadoff man, and may have served as motivating anger for the Tigers, who have managed to extend the playoffs with a 3-0 victory over the A's today.

Trailing two games to none heading into today's elimination game, the Tigers not only could take some comfort in the loss of Campaneris but also in the switch in venues, from the Oakland Coliseum to Tiger Stadium. Even more than home field advantage, the pitching of veteran right-hander Joe Coleman proved to be the difference today. The veteran right-hander pitched a seven-hit shutout, striking out a playoff-record 14 batters along the way. Highlighted by a devastating forkball, Coleman's surprising exhibition of power pitching eclipsed the previous American League playoff record of 12 strikeouts, set by Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles in the 1970 Championship Series against the Minnesota Twins. In the process, only two A's baserunners reached as far as third base against an ultra-effective Coleman.

While Coleman dominated a lineup that no longer has the services of Campaneris, A's starter Ken Holtzman struggled against the right-handed lineup employed by Tigers manager Billy Martin. Facing a lineup that featured only one left-handed hitter (shortstop Dick McAuliffe), Holtzman found himself in a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the fourth inning. Holtzman prepared to face utilityman Ike Brown, a right-handed hitter who had received the start at first base over the more well-known Norm Cash. Martin's confidence in Brown paid off; the journeyman infielder pounded out a two-run single, breaking a scoreless tie.

Bob Locker then permitted an insurance run in the eighth inning, putting Oakland's inconsistent offense in a three-run hole against Coleman. With Coleman's forkball working at peak efficiency, an Oakland comeback of such proportions was simply not going to happen.

A's Acorns: In a sense, the A's couldn't directly blame Campaneris' absence for today's loss. Campaneris' replacement in the leadoff slot performed well; right fielder Matty Alou banged out two doubles and a single in five at-bats and added a stolen base. Joe Rudi also had three hits in four trips to the plate. Unfortunately, the A's couldn't score Alou or Rudi, as they stranded a grand total of 10 runners on the afternoon… Sal Bando managed the only other hit for Oakland… The A's already knew that Campaneris would have to miss the rest of the playoff series with Detroit because of his bat-throwing incident in Game Two, but they know that they will have the services of their sparkplug for the World Series-assuming that they can finish off the Tigers in one of the next two games. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn has announced that Campaneris will have to sit out the first seven games of the 1973 season without pay, in addition to his playoff suspension, but will be eligible for any potential World Series games.

October 11 , 1972:

Two themes have become readily apparent during the American League Championship Series between the A's and the Tigers. Neither team is scoring many runs and Oakland's middle infield is becoming a recurring location for controversy.

The low-scoring theme of the series continued this afternoon in Game Four, as the A's and Tigers each scored only one run through nine innings. With the score still tied at 1-1, Detroit's hard-luck Mickey Lolich left for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers failed to score against Oakland starter-turned-reliever Vida Blue, forcing extra innings for the second time in the series.

In the top of the 10th, the A's scored two runs against the soft underbelly of the Tiger bullpen, this time an ineffective Chuck Seelbach. With a 2-0 lead, the A's closed in on what appeared certain to be the franchise's first American League pennant since the Philadelphia A's of 1931.

Unfortunately for the A's, Dick Williams had already burned his best reliever, Rollie Fingers, who bailed out Catfish Hunter in the bottom of the eighth. Williams followed with Blue, who pitched a scoreless ninth, but then left the game for pinch-hitter Gonzalo Marquez (who stroked yet another hit in the process). Those moves left Williams with a choice of three middle relievers to work the 10th: right-handers Bob Locker and Joel Horlen, or left-hander Dave Hamilton. Although left-handed hitter Dick McAuliffe was scheduled to lead off the inning, Williams selected the more experienced Locker instead of the rookie, Hamilton.

McAuliffe and Al Kaline started the inning with singles, sending Locker to the bench in favor of Horlen. Showing a lack of control against veteran pinch-hitter Gates Brown, Horlen unfurled a wild pitch, moving the tying and winning runs into scoring position. Horlen then proceeded to walk Brown, loading the bases. With the A's playing the infield back, Bill Freehan followed with a grounder to Sal Bando at third base. Conceding the Tigers' second run of the game, Bando opted for what seemed like a sure third-to-second-to-first double play.

The A's, however, were playing the 10th with a second-string infield. With Campy Campaneris suspended, Dal Maxvill started the game at shortstop, before giving way to a pinch-hitter and two utility infielders, Tim Cullen and Ted Kubiak. Starting second baseman Dick Green had also been lifted for a pinch-hitter, and with Kubiak now committed to playing shortstop, Williams chose to use his starting catcher-Gene Tenace-at second base in the late innings.

Tenace ran to cover second base, readying himself to receive the throw that would give the A's a forceout, and perhaps the start of a twin killing. Yet, the novice infielder-who has made only a handful of appearances at second base-bobbled the toss from Bando, allowing the lumbering Gates Brown to reach second base safely. "I think [Tenace] heard my footsteps," offered the 230-pound Brown in an interview with sportswriter Dave Nightingale, "because he got out of there before he had the ball." McAuliffe scored from third, to make it a 3-2 game, while the bases remained loaded. Instead of recording at least one, and possible two outs, the makeshift Oakland infield had come up empty.

Although Horlen was hardly at fault for the botched double play, he left the game in favor of southpaw Dave Hamilton, so that Oakland could take advantage of the matchups against two upcoming left-handed hitters, Norm Cash and Jim Northrup. Perhaps rattled by Tenace's error, Hamilton walked Cash to tie the game. Hamilton then watched helplessly as Northrup lashed a game-ending single to right field, in front of a charging Matty Alou. Northrup's timely hit capped off a dramatic 4-3 comeback win for the Tigers.

For only the second time all season (the A's lost a game in July when Sal Bando made an error while playing out of position at second base), Oakland's strange second-base shuffle has cost the team a game. A playoff loss, however, may prove far more critical than a game in late July.

In all honesty, Williams has never really liked the constant lifting of his second basemen for pinch-hitters, but has agreed to follow Charlie Finley's "suggestion" regarding the revolving door at second base. The bottom line? Williams' decision to use Finley's rotation of second basemen has led directly to an important playoff loss-and to the necessity of playing a decisive fifth game tomorrow at Tiger Stadium.

A's Acorns: Horlen took the loss for the A's, while John Hiller picked up the win after recording the final out in the top of the 10th… Mike Epstein hit a solo home run for the A's, giving them their first long ball of the series… Dick McAuliffe, the Tigers' starting shortstop, went deep for Detroit in the bottom of the third… Matty Alou continued his hot hitting out of the leadoff spot, picking up two doubles in five at-bats. Alou has accumulated four doubles in the two games since replacing Campy Campaneris in the top spot… The Game Five starters will represent a rematch of Game Two; Blue Moon Odom, who pitched a shutout in the second game, will face veteran left-hander Woodie Fryman, who lasted only four and a third innings.

October 12 , 1972:

For the first time in 41 years, the A’s’ franchise—be it in Philadelphia, Kansas City, or Oakland—has won an American League pennant. Without Campy Campaneris for the entire game and without Reggie Jackson for most of the game, the undermanned A’s managed to outlast the Detroit Tigers, 2-1, in the fifth and final game of a memorable Championship Series. The victory launches the A’s into the World Series, where they will meet the Cincinnati Reds, who today defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fifth and final game of their National League playoff series.

The decisive American League matchup pitted a nerve-wracked Blue Moon Odom against a calm Woodie Fryman. The two starters had met in the series’ second game, when Odom spun a shutout. That performance didn’t seem to give Blue Moon any extra confidence prior to Game Five. Odom hardly slept before the final game, perhaps two hours, if that much.

The game started ominously for Odom and Oakland, when the Tigers reached the right-hander for a run in the first inning and the A’s lost their most dynamic position player in the second inning. With Jackson at third base and Mike Epstein leading off first base, Dick Williams called for a delayed double steal. As Tiger catcher Bill Freehan delivered a weak throw to second base, Jackson raced home. Crashing feet-first into Freehan, Jackson beat the return throw home and scored the tying run. Unfortunately for the A’s, the run came at a cost. On the play, Jackson injured his hamstring muscle severely, forcing him to leave the game. The A’s now faced the undesirable situation of having to play the final seven and a half innings without both Jackson and the previously suspended Campaneris.

After Dick Williams and several Oakland players helped a teary-eyed Jackson leave the field for treatment in the trainer’s room, backup first baseman Mike Hegan and relief pitcher Darold Knowles (another injured A’s player) moved Reggie to a spot in the clubhouse where he could observe the remainder of the game on television. Jackson watched his center-field replacement, rookie George Hendrick, reach base in the fourth inning on an error by Dick McAuliffe, the Tigers’ regular second baseman who has been forced to play shortstop because of an injury to Eddie Brinkman. After Sal Bando sacrificed Hendrick to second, Mike Epstein struck out, bringing the slumping Gene Tenace stepped to the plate. Tenace, who was 0-for-15 in the series and one of the principal goats in the fourth game, delivered a sharp single. Hendrick rounded third, fast approaching home plate. The lanky, fleet-footed center fielder slid feet first, away from Freehan’s sweeping glove. As Freehan tried to apply the tag, he bobbled the ball, allowing Hendrick to score the go-ahead run.

Battling his nerves, Odom continued to shackle the Tigers, holding them to just one unearned run through the first five innings. Although Odom appeared fine on the mound, he complained to Dick Williams that he was having difficulty breathing. Odom then asked to be taken out of the game. “Odom couldn’t get his breath in the dugout,” Williams explained to Ralph Ray of The Sporting News. “He told me he felt a little nauseated.”

Williams complied with Odom’s request to leave the game and turned the ball over to Vida Blue to start the bottom of the sixth. The starter-turned-reliever responded with one of his best efforts of the season: four innings, three hits, no walks, and three strikeouts.

As Detroit fans repeatedly hurled debris onto the field, Blue continued to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard. With two outs in the ninth inning and the A’s still guarding a one-run lead, Tigers infielder Tony Taylor lined a Blue fastball to center field. Perfectly positioned, Hendrick made the catch with ease. The dramatic 2-1 victory gave the A’s a three-games-to-two win in the playoffs—and represented wholesale improvement over last year’s Championship Series, when the A’s lost three straight games to the Baltimore Orioles.

A’s Acorns: Williams summed up the pennant-winning victory shortly after the final out. “This was our greatest victory,” said Williams, “and it followed our worst loss. It shows what kind of club we are.”… After the middle infield disaster of Game Four, Williams did not substitute for his second basemen in Game Five, instead leaving the reliable glove of Dick Green in to play the entire game. Green went 0-for-4, but most importantly, did not commit an error. The rest of the A’s also played mistake-free defense… In contrast, the Tigers committed two errors, including the miscue by McAuliffe, which cost Fryman an unearned run… Jackson’s steal of home plate was his second of the game… Without question, pitching dominated the Championship Series. The A’s scored only 13 runs in the entire series against Detroit, but their pitchers allowed the Tigers only 10 runs—or an average of two runs per game.

October 13 , 1972:

Reggie Jackson hoped that he had suffered nothing more than a slight hamstring pull or a severe "charley horse" in the final game of the playoff series against the Detroit Tigers and might still be able to play in his first World Series. Still, as he sat next to his friend, Dave Duncan, on the team flight to Cincinnati, Reggie feared the worst.

Jackson's suspicions have become justified. Jackson will indeed miss the entire World Series because of a serious leg injury. During the playoff game against the Tigers, Jackson had initially pulled his hamstring about 30 feet from home plate. If he had stopped running at that moment, he might have been able to play against the Reds in the World Series. Instead, Jackson kept running and scored a critical run for the A's, but did massive damage to the leg. "I could feel everything tear loose when I went into Tiger catcher Bill Freehan at the plate," Jackson told sportswriter George Vass. "I ruptured my hamstring, pulled it away from the bone, stretched the ligaments in my knee." As gory as Jackson's description sounded, the pain felt worse. "Imagine someone reaching inside your leg," Jackson told Dwight Chapin of the San Francisco Examiner, "and just pulling everything apart."

Jackson's injury will leave the A's severely shorthanded in the outfield, and will force Dick Williams into inserting unproven rookie George Hendrick or sophomore jinx victim Angel Mangual into the center-field spot. On the bright side, the A's will be getting their infield back to full strength. The A's have regained the services of starting shortstop Campy Campaneris, who had been suspended for the last two games of the Championship Series. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, against the wishes of some writers and fans, has deemed Campaneris eligible for all World Series games against the Reds. Campaneris is expected to bat in his customary leadoff spot, with Matty Alou returning to the No. 2 position in the order.

A's Acorns: Even in their pennant-winning victory over the Tigers, the A's could not escape controversy. During the post-game celebration, Vida Blue chided Blue Moon Odom, his best friend on the A's, for leaving the game early because of nausea and hyperventilation. According to United Press International, Blue snapped at Odom. "Hey man," said Blue, "Why didn't you go nine?" Odom explained that the tension of the situation had caused him to gag, almost to the point of vomiting. "Oh man, I know why you didn't go nine," Blue said, answering his own question. Blue then held his hand up to his neck and mouthed a few more words. "I know why." The insinuation of "choking" infuriated Odom, who retreated to his locker momentarily before making a move toward Blue's locker. Joe Rudi intercepted Odom, preventing him from completing his charge toward Blue. Moments later, Blue apologized to his ally, explaining that he was only kidding… Blue was also involved in another minor newsmaking episode. According to an article in the San Francisco Examiner, Blue charged owner Charlie Finley with "trying to destroy my career." When Blue asked an attendant to give him a bottle of champagne during the playoff celebration, the clubhouse man refused, telling him that the bottle was reserved for Finley's wife, Shirley. "What did she do?" Blue responded sarcastically, according to an article by sportswriter Dick Young. After wondering out loud about what the owner's wife had contributed to the playoff victory over the Tigers, Blue turned his wrath toward Dick Williams, who had elected not to use him as a starter during the playoffs. Rather than tell Blue directly that he had planned to use him as a reliever during the Championship Series, Williams had instructed pitching coach Bill Posedel to relay the message. By the way, Blue is expected to continue pitching out of the bullpen during the World Series… Ken Holtzman will make the start in Game One at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium, opposed by the Reds' ace right-hander, Gary Nolan.

October 14 , 1972:

When one thinks of home run hitters on the A's roster, the names of Reggie Jackson, Mike Epstein, and Sal Bando are usually the first names to come to mind. That thought process might have to change now, considering the exploits of Gene Tenace in Game One of the 1972 World Series. In each of his first two Series at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds, Tenace lofted a Gary Nolan offering deep into the left-field bleachers at Riverfront, thus becoming the first player in major league history to homer in his first two Fall Classic at-bats. The two-run blast and solo shot gave the A's a 3-0 lead on the way to a nailbiting 3-2 win in Game One of the World Series.

"I never hit two home runs in one game before," Tenace revealed to Joe Durso of the New York Times. "The first one was on a fastball out over the plate. The second was on a hanging curve." Tenace had taken advantage of a pair of mistake pitches-both thrown in poor locations by Nolan, the Reds' starter and loser in Game One. "No scout in the world could help you on those [pitches]," Reds manager Sparky Anderson told the New York Times, defending the Reds' scouting report and pitch selection against Tenace. Prior to the Series, Anderson had told his pitchers to throw the patient Tenace strikes and not walk him-under any circumstances.

In the meantime, the Reds hit A's starter Ken Holtzman fairly well, collecting four hits in the first five innings, while scoring single runs in the second and fourth frames. Holtzman struggled in each inning, but avoided further damage by stranding eight Cincinnati baserunners. In the sixth inning, A's skipper Dick Williams allowed a teetering Holtzman to face the leadoff batter. When Johnny Bench doubled against the right-field fence, Williams called upon his best reliever, Rollie Fingers, who had actually begun warming up during the second inning. The Oakland fireman fanned Tony Perez and Denis Menke and retired Cesar Geronimo on a line drive to Joe Rudi, quickly cutting off a budding Reds rally.

In the seventh inning, the Reds tried to mount another rally. Dave Concepcion grounded a leadoff single to left field. With pinch-hitter Ted Uhlaender at the plate, Concepcion took off for second base. Anticipating the play, the A's called for a pitchout, but Gene Tenace threw high to Campy Campaneris, who arrived late in covering the bag. Campy applied a sweeping tag that appeared to miss the runner. Second base umpire Mel Steiner saw the play differently, calling Concepcion out.

Concepcion briefly protested what seemed like a questionable call. Steiner pointed to Concepcion's head, indicating where Campaneris had placed the tag. "[He] never touched me on that play at second base," Concepcion told reporters after the game. Television replays, utilizing a ground-level camera angle, fully supported Concepcion's contention. Since Campaneris had arrived at the bag late, and had been forced to reach for the high throw, he had been left with only once choice: the sweep tag. Campaneris had come up empty, missing both Concepcion's shoulder and head. The proper call would have allowed Concepcion, the potential tying run, to remain at second base with no one out.

After striking out Uhlaender, Fingers walked Pete Rose on four pitches and gave way to Vida Blue, who will begin the Series by coming out of the bullpen. The unhappy left-hander, previously offended by the manager's refusal to use him as a starter, hurled shutout ball the rest of the way to preserve the 3-2 win and give the A's the early edge in the Series. "He was told the other day that he'd pitch relief," Williams told the New York Times. "He volunteered for it today." Perhaps reluctantly, Blue had indeed offered his services to Williams as a Game One reliever. "Pitching is my job," Blue said tersely. "And when I throw the ball, I'm contributing more than anybody else."

A's Acorns: Although Blue pitched superbly in picking up the save, his role apparently will change later in the Series. Williams plans to rest Blue for games two and three and use him as a starter in Game Four… Holtzman, making his World Series debut, earned the victory… The A's decided to replace Reggie Jackson (out with a torn hamstring muscle) on the 25-man roster with journeyman minor leaguer Allan Lewis. Although Lewis is technically listed as an outfielder, he is expected to be used exclusively as a pinch-runner in the late innings. The rest of Oakland's roster remains the same as it was during the playoff series against Detroit… Speaking of Jackson, he was introduced to the capacity crowd at Riverfront Stadium crowd the traditional pre-game introductions of the A's players. Wearing civilian clothes, Jackson was given permission to sit in the A's' dugout during Game One… As expected, the previously suspended Campy Campaneris returned to his customary leadoff spot in the Oakland batting order. Campaneris was jeered loudly by the Riverfront Stadium fans each time he stepped to the plate. "I expected it," said Campaneris to a reporter, "but it didn't bother me."… Matty Alou, who filled in brilliantly as the leadoff man during the final three games of the League Championship Series, will now bat second, followed by Joe Rudi in the three-hole and Mike Epstein in the cleanup spot… Heading into the Series, Alou was one of only four A's with previous World Series experience. The other three-Mike Hegan, Dal Maxvill, and Don Mincher-are all backup players for the A's. Hegan played in the 1964 Series with the New York Yankees; Mincher appeared in the 1965 Fall Classic with the Minnesota Twins; and Maxvill participated in both the 1967 and '68 Series with the St. Louis Cardinals.

October 15 , 1972:

The A's could not have drawn up a plan any better for the first two games of the World Series. They would have been satisfied to leave Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium with a split, but thanks to some miraculous defensive maneuvers in the ninth inning, the A's captured a thrilling 2-1 win in Game Two and now own a two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven Series.

Youthful left-hander Ross Grimsley took to the mound for the Reds and encountered early trouble against an Oakland lineup heavily loaded with capable right-handed bats. In the second inning, Sal Bando, Dick Green, starting pitcher Catfish Hunter, and leadoff man Campy Campaneris massaged four singles around a pair of outs, to give the A's their first run. One inning later, Joe Rudi reached the seats for the first time in his post-season career, connecting on a solo home run on a "thigh-high" fastball that Grimsley left over the inside third of the plate. "I was surprised how he had developed into a real good hitter," Reds advance scout Ray Shore told the New York Daily News in describing Rudi. "Two years ago I didn't think Joe Rudi would be a good player." Rudi's reputation would grow even further a new innings later.

Having held the Reds scoreless through the first eight innings with a mix of surprisingly live fastballs and hard sliders, Hunter remained on the mound to start the ninth. He promptly surrendered a leadoff single to Cincinnati's powerful first baseman, Tony Perez. Denis Menke followed with a line drive toward left field. The ball carried well, appearing to have a chance to clear the wall for a game-tying home run. As Rudi raced back, he tried to flip his sunglasses into position. Nearing the wall, he peeked over his head toward the flight of the ball. With his back to the infield, Rudi climbed the wall in spider-like fashion. His left arm fully outstretched and his right hand braced against the wall, Rudi leapt for the Menke drive. His legs hovering several feet above the ground, the six-foot, two-inch Rudi attempted a backhanded snare for the ball. Once his glove grasped the ball, Rudi pulled his glove back as quickly as possible, for fear that the ball might pop loose if the glove made contact with the wall. When Rudi's feet returned to the warning track turf, he held the ball up to the umpires, proving that he had robbed Menke of an extra-base hit.

"It was as great a catch as you'll ever see," gushed Dick Williams in an interview with Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle. If Rudi had not caught the ball, Perez likely would have scored from first and Menke would have coasted into second base. Instead, the disappointed players in the Reds' dugout had to watch Perez, who had already rounded the second base bag, scurry back to first with one man out.

Onlookers at Riverfront Stadium immediately compared Rudi's leaping catch to heroic defensive plays in earlier World Series. "I'd put it ahead of two other World Series catches that have been written about a lot," Williams said definitively to a reporter from the Associated Press. "The one by Al Gionfriddo of the Dodgers against Joe DiMaggio in 1947 and the one Willie Mays made off Vic Wertz in 1954."

The next batter, Cesar Geronimo, laced a screeching line drive to the right of Hegan, who had been inserted for defensive measures three innings earlier. Hegan dove to his left to field Geronimo's shot. Hegan caught the ball momentarily, then watched it pop out when his glove smacked the ground. Retrieving the ball with his bare hand, Hegan scrambled on his hands and legs toward first base, tagging the base with the ball for the inning's second out.

Although Rudi's play against Menke received more attention, some in attendance at Riverfront Stadium claimed that Hegan had actually executed a more impressive play. Dick Williams praised Hegan effusively in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, calling him "the best left-handed fielding first baseman in all of baseball, and that includes Mr. [Wes] Parker."

Williams certainly has ample reason to believe in Hegan's credentials. During the regular season, Hegan set an all-time major league record for first baseman by playing in his 164th consecutive game without making an error. In addition to sure, reliable hands, Hegan possesses cat-like range to either side. Unlike slower first baseman, Hegan feels equally comfortable playing on either grass or artificial turf, where batted balls tended to travel faster and skid more often.

Although the Oakland defense had brought the A's within one out, Hunter had allowed several hard-hit balls in the ninth. Sal Bando walked to the mound from his position at third base, urging Hunter to finish the game off. As Hunter tried to prepare himself mentally for the next Reds' batter, Sparky Anderson called back his No. 8 hitter, Darrel Chaney, replacing him with pinch-hitter Hal McRae. The backup outfielder grounded a single to left, scoring Perez to make it a 2-1 game.

Recognizing that the last three batters had hit the ball solidly, Dick Williams walked to the mound to remove a tiring Hunter from the game. "I wanted to finish," Hunter told the Chicago Daily News. "I begged to finish." Williams refused to listen and called on his relief ace, Rollie Fingers. The Oakland fireman faced pinch-hitter Julian Javier, the former Cardinals' second baseman who had played for the Redbirds' championship teams in 1964, '67, and '68. The right-handed hitting Javier weakly popped up a Fingers slider along the first-base line. Hegan ran into foul territory, planted himself squarely in the first-base coaching box, and nestled the ball into his glove for the game's final out.

A's Acorns: Game Two attracted the largest baseball audience in the history of Cincinnati. A crowd of 53,224 fans, standing room only, watched Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The 53-year-old Robinson spoke eloquently of his desire to "see a black face managing in baseball." Commissioner Bowie Kuhn then assisted a nearly sightless Robinson to his seat along the first-base line. [Editor's Note: Only nine days later, Robinson would die from a heart attack caused by the effects of diabetes.]… In addition to his fielding gem in the ninth, Rudi banged out two hits and scored one run in three at-bats. Second baseman Dick Green, far better known for his defensive play, also picked up a pair of hits… Hunter and Mike Epstein each committed errors, but the miscues did not result in any of the Reds' runs… Reds relievers Pedro Borbon and Tom Hall combined to pitch four scoreless innings in relief of Grimsley, who took the loss.

October 16 , 1972:

Today is a travel day for the A's and Reds, who will continue the 1972 World Series tomorrow afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. The Game Three matchup will feature Comeback Player of the Year candidate Blue Moon Odom against Jack Billingham, the former Houston Astros hurler, in a battle of veteran right-handers.

A's Acorns: Controversy never seems to stray too far away from the A's. In the aftermath of Game Two, Catfish Hunter told a group of reporters that several of the Reds' hitters might have underestimated the speed of his fastball, which featured late movement within the strike zone. When Cincinnati's Pete Rose heard about Hunter's public comments, he erupted. "I don't want to make any excuses, but it's just that we put so much into that series with Pittsburgh," Rose told the San Francisco Chronicle, referring to the National League Championship Series against the Pirates. "Now he [Hunter] goes and says we were underestimating his fastball." Sensing Rose's anger at Hunter, a reporter asked the Reds' left fielder if he would characterize the Catfish as a "super" pitcher. "No, I wouldn't," Rose responded tersely to the Chronicle. "He's a good pitcher, but hell, I'm not gonna make him out to be a super pitcher because he's not." Rose offered an uninspiring comparison of Hunter to two lesser-known National League pitchers. "He reminds me of Rick Wise," Rose informed the writer, referring to the veteran right-handed pitcher with the Cardinals. "That's about how hard he throws, or maybe like Jim McAndrew [of the New York Mets], but he certainly is no Tom Seaver or Bob Gibson." Rose then extended his criticism to the entire Oakland pitching staff. "Don't tell me their pitching is that much better than Pittsburgh's," Rose told the Chronicle, in offering a comparison to a Pirates staff regarded by several scouts as only slightly better than average. In the space of a few paragraphs, Rose may have supplied the A's with sufficient bulletin board material to last the remainder of the Series… Reds manager Sparky Anderson has also contributed to the Oakland bulletin board by making a bold prediction. "I'm not a betting man," the Cincinnati skipper informed the Chicago Daily News, "but even if the Las Vegas people make us 20-1 underdogs now, I still bet we'll win the Series in seven games." Anderson did concede some concern, however. "I'm not going to panic just yet," Anderson told Red Smith of the New York Times, "but I'm close to that."… Although the A's have a two-games-to-none lead in the Series, Dick Williams has faced his share of criticism. Some members of the national media have questioned his on-field strategy, criticizing him for making too many pitching changes and substitutions during the first two games of the Series. "I've overmanaged two in a row now," Williams said sarcastically in an interview with Dick Young of the New York Daily News, "and I'm tickled pink!"… Yet, Williams did second-guess himself over his handling of his pitchers in Game Two. "I left Hunter in two hitters too long," Williams told sportswriter Al Hirshberg in assessing his decision to allow Hunter to face Denis Menke and Cesar Geronimo in the ninth inning. "[Joe] Rudi and [Mike] Hegan took me off the hook. But they shouldn't have to. I made a mistake." Rudi and Hegan both turned in spectacular defensive plays to stave off a budding rally by the Reds and preserve victory in Game Two.

October 17 , 1972:

The A's and Reds will have an unanticipated extra day off before the World Series resumes with the staging of Game Three. The recent dreary weather- the ninth consecutive day of rain in the Bay Area-has forced postponement of today's third game. There are even reports that the Series might be shifted to San Francisco's Candlestick Park, which features artificial turf, although Commissioner Bowie Kuhn has not yet made official any public declarations regarding the matter. If the Series is able to resume tomorrow, John "Blue Moon" Odom will oppose Jack "Bone" Billingham at the Oakland Coliseum. The A's lead the best-of-seven two games to none.

A's Acorns: Even in victory, the A's are finding more and more sources of controversy. The win in Game Two apparently left Dick Williams and 24 of the 25 A's happy, with the lone exception being first baseman Mike Epstein. The left-handed slugger was furious with Williams because of his decision to remove him from the game, taking him out for pinch-running specialist Allan "The Panamanian Express" Lewis in the sixth inning. Known as a below-average defensive player, Epstein claimed that he could have pulled off the same kind of play that Mike Hegan had made against Cesar Geronimo, a contention that most baseball scouts would find disagreement with-and vehemently.

On the flight from Cincinnati to Oakland, Epstein rose from his seat and walked to the front of the plane, where Williams usually sat. Epstein seated himself next to Williams, politely admonishing his manager for taking him out of a World Series game. Williams listened patiently to his frustrated first baseman, who did his best to calmly explain his feelings.

According to Williams, Epstein then issued him a kind of warning, instructing the manager to never take him out of a game again. "I just feel you don't appreciate the way I've been busting my tail," Epstein told Williams, according to a story by Dwight Chapin that appeared in the San Francisco Examiner. "I don't want this to happen again." Williams, who moments ago might have been feeling some sympathy for Epstein, was probably now ready to strangle his first baseman. Williams exhibited unusual courage in shouting at Epstein, an oversized man once described by former A's backup catcher Curt Blefary, a rugged man himself, as being so strong that "he could pinch my head off."

Thankfully, the exchange between the first baseman and manager did not reach a physical stage. Epstein and Williams exchanged angry words for the next few moments before finally settling down. Just imagine if the A's had lost the first two games of the Series.

October 19 , 1972:

The Oakland A’s are just one win away from their first World Championship since moving to the Bay Area four years ago—and the first for the franchise since the Philadelphia A’s’ title in 1930. Thanks to arguably the most experienced bench in baseball, the A’s staged a dramatic ninth-inning comeback on their way to a 3-2 win in Game Four of the World Series. The A’s now lead the Series, three games to one.

In the fourth game pitching matchup, Cincinnati skipper Sparky Anderson chose hard-throwing left-hander Don Gullett to face Oakland’s 19-game winner, Ken Holtzman. With the game again scheduled to be played during the twilight hours, Anderson hoped that A’s hitters would have difficulty seeing Gullett’s quick, rising fastball and hard slider. “The twilight here is hell for hitters,” Dick Williams told the New York Daily News, in describing one of the most distressing hitting features of the Oakland Coliseum.

While Gullett overpowered Oakland batters with his 90-mile-per-hour fastball, Holtzman kept the Reds off balance with an excellent curveball. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Gene Tenace measured a Gullett fastball, pounding it over the left field wall. The solo home run by the newly discovered World Series hero, who now has three home runs in four Series games, gave the A’s a 1-0 lead heading into the late innings.

In the eighth inning, Reds shortstop Dave Concepcion bounded a leadoff grounder between short and third. Campy Campaneris made a fine, backhanded pickup, but had no chance to throw out his fleet-footed counterpart. Instead of allowing Gullett to attempt a bunt, Anderson inserted veteran Julian Javier as a pinch-hitter. An experienced handler of the bat, Javier softly bunted the ball toward Sal Bando at third base. Bando threw to first for the sure out, allowing Concepcion moved up to second. Pete Rose followed by smashing a pitch up the middle. The ball deflected off Holtzman’s glove toward Dick Green, who fielded the misdirected drive and retired Rose at first. The 1-4-3 putout enabled Concepcion to advance to third.

With two left-handed hitters scheduled to bat and Holtzman still pitching well, Williams walked to the mound. The A’s’ manager surprised several observers on press row by asking for the ball from Holtzman and summoning Vida Blue from the bullpen.

Blue walked Joe Morgan, the most patient of the Reds’ hitters, and one of the National League’s fastest and smartest baserunners. Bobby Tolan followed by stroking a clean double down the right-field line. By the time Matty Alou retrieved the ball in the corner and returned it to the infield, both Concepcion and Morgan scored. Williams’ unorthodox decision to use Blue over Holtzman had backfired. “The decision was mine,” Williams emphasized to reporters. “I’ll live and die with it.” The Reds now led, 2-1, and would continue to hold the advantage as they entered the bottom of the ninth.

Reliever Pedro Borbon faced backup first baseman Mike Hegan, who had once again replaced Mike Epstein for defensive purposes. Hegan grounded weekly to Denis Menke at third base for the first out. Williams then pinch-hit for George Hendrick, calling upon late-season sensation Gonzalo Marquez, nicknamed “Mandrake the Magician” by A’s broadcaster Monte Moore. The Reds’ scouting report, compiled by superscout Ray Shore, indicated that Marquez usually hit ground balls up the middle. Strangely, shortstop Dave Concepcion, who previously played with Marquez in the Venezuelan Winter League, positioned himself several strides to the left of second base. Using a compact swing, Marquez chopped the ball—up the middle. The high-hopper was not hit hard, but managed to elude both Concepcion and Morgan for a one-out single.

Pinch-runner Allan Lewis, the “Panamanian Express” who has been used almost exclusively on the base paths, entered the game for Marquez. Anderson told Borbon to check Lewis at first base, but not to throw over. Borbon ignored the order, tried to pick Lewis off of first base, and then ran the count to two-and-one on Tenace. Annoyed by Borbon’s lack of concentration, Anderson decided to bring in his best reliever Clay Carroll. Tenace responded with a ground single to left, pushing Lewis to second. With the oft-injured Dick Green representing the next scheduled batter for the A’s, Williams instructed his most seasoned pinch-hitter to make his way to the plate.

Don Mincher had struggled after his mid-season acquisition from Texas, batting a mere .148 in an Oakland uniform. When incumbent Epstein had been forced to the sidelines with an eye problem, Mincher filled in at first base and failed to drive in a single run. “The Mule” ultimately returned to the bench, where he failed to hit a single home run and managed only five RBIs. Mincher finished the season with a career-low .216 batting average.

Anderson resisted the urge to play the percentages in Game Four and chose not to call upon hard-throwing left-hander Tom Hall, who was already warming up in the bullpen. Anderson instead decided to stay with Carroll, who has handled left-handed hitters with regularity throughout the regular season.

Mincher had not swung a bat in a game since the regular season finale. Although he had been used as a pinch-hitter in the playoffs against Detroit, Mincher had taken three pitches—all called strikes. Williams reminded Mincher to be more aggressive in this at-bat against Carroll. “I told him to go up there swinging,” Williams said after the game in an interview with sportswriter Dave Nightingale.

The advice not withstanding, Mincher took the first pitch for a ball. With the count one-and-oh, Carroll threw a fastball over the middle of the plate. Mincher’s uppercut swing enabled him to lift the ball over the infield. Mincher’s golf shot into the alley scored Lewis with the tying run and sent Tenace, representing the potential game-winning run, to third base.

Having done his job, Mincher now left the game for a pinch-runner, Blue Moon Odom. In the meantime, Williams called on his third pinch-hitter of the inning, Angel Mangual, as a replacement for Rollie Fingers at the plate. The youthful outfielder represented an interesting choice for Williams, given the manager’s displeasure with Mangual’s frequent failures to advance runners during the regular season. With the Cincinnati infield drawn in, Mangual hacked at the first pitch, sending a routine grounder toward the right side of the infield. Playing a shallow second base, Joe Morgan couldn’t reach Mangual’s dribbler, which squeezed through the infield, giving the A’s their most dramatic win of the Series. The three pinch-hitters, all summoned by Williams during the ninth-inning comeback, had each come through against Cincinnati pitching.

A’s Acorns: Unbelievably, Williams’ ninth-inning maneuvering received a smattering of second-guessing in the Oakland Coliseum press box. “Dick Williams keeps making mistakes, and he lucks out every game,” said one National League manager, according to a story by Larry Claflin in the Boston Herald. Exactly what mistakes by Williams was the unnamed manager referring to? In the ninth inning, Williams had used three pinch-hitters, all of whom delivered, and two pinch-runners, one of whom scored. If Williams had managed any less aggressively, the A’s might not have won… In addition to Marquez and Mincher, another late-season acquisition helped the A’s to their third win of the World Series. In the fifth inning, right fielder Matty Alou robbed the Reds of a certain double when he one-handed a Pete Rose drive and crashed into the outfield wall. One inning later, Alou made another fine one-handed catch when he raced in and snared Johnny Bench’s sinking line drive… Oakland pitching has played a critical role through the first four games, shutting down the front three of the Reds’ intimidating lineup. The first three Cincinnati hitters—Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Bobby Tolan—have combined to produce four hits in 34 World Series at-bats. As a result of Oakland’s concerted pitching efforts against Rose, Morgan, and Tolan, the Reds’ fourth and fifth-place hitters have enjoyed few run-scoring opportunities. Bench and Tony Perez have teamed up on 12 hits, but have not a single RBI.

October 20 , 1972:

If the A’s somehow how go on to lose the World Series, they may look back at Game Five as the turning point. A questionable baserunning decision in the ninth inning suddenly ended the fifth game, with the Reds securing a needed 3-2 win to stay alive in the best-of-seven matchup. The Reds now trail the World Series, three games to two.

Regardless of the eventual outcome of the Series, the A’s knew that they would be playing their final home game of 1972. A packed house filled the Oakland Coliseum on a beautiful Friday afternoon, with Catfish Hunter facing Reds starter Jim McGlothlin in what appeared to be another major pitching mismatch for the A’s. Yet, the Reds’ offense quickly did its best to remove the advantage. Pete Rose led off the game against cracked Hunter’s first pitch over the 375-foot marker in right-center field.

The A’s eclipsed the 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the second inning, scoring three runs on Gene Tenace’s record-tying fourth home run of the Series. Tenace, who hit all of five home runs during the regular season, matched the all-time mark for most home runs in one World Series.

The Reds and A’s traded runs in the fourth, before Cincinnati closed to within one run in the fifth. Yet, Hunter failed to last the minimum five innings needed to claim the win for himself. He gave way to the Oakland bullpen, which continued to preserve the lead.

With Rollie Fingers on the mound in the eighth and the A’s just six outs away from the title, Joe Morgan walked, stole second, and scored the tying run on Bobby Tolan’s single to right. Tolan eventually made it to third base with two outs, but was left stranded when Fingers fanned Denis Menke.

Fingers remained in the game to pitch the ninth, surrendering a leadoff single to Cesar Geronimo. Sparky Anderson decided not to pinch-hit for Ross Grimsley, instead allowing the relief pitcher to attempt a sacrifice bunt on his own. Grimsley popped the ball in the air, a few feet in front of the mound. Instead of catching the ball for a sure out and attempting to double Geronimo off first, Fingers allowed the ball to drop. Fingers hesitated for a moment, then fumbled the ball, realizing he had no chance to retire Geronimo, who had already started running toward second. Fingers then recovered and threw to first, but his toss sailed wide of Ted Kubiak. The throw pulled Kubiak into foul territory, but the acrobatic second baseman managed to tag Grimsley out. At worst, the A’s should have recorded one out and held Geronimo at first. At best, they might have turned a critical double play. Unfortunately, they had done neither.

Another mistake soon followed. Dave Concepcion hit a ground ball to third, but Sal Bando bobbled the ball for an error, with Geronimo holding at second base. Rose then laced a single to center field, scoring Geronimo with the go-ahead run.

For the first time on the afternoon, the A’s found themselves trailing. Anderson left Grimsley in to start the ninth, but the erratic left-hander walked Tenace to start the inning. Playing for the tie, Dick Williams elected not to hit for Kubiak. The second baseman squared to bunt, but popped up to Tony Perez at first for an easy out. Williams then decided to insert pitcher Blue Moon Odom as a pinch-runner for Tenace, and sent up backup catcher Dave Duncan to pinch-hit for reliever Dave Hamilton. Anderson countered by bringing in sinkerballing right-hander Jack Billingham, usually a starter, to relieve Grimsley. Duncan, the forgotten man of the post-season but an accomplished low-fastball hitter, lined a single down the left field line. By the time Rose retrieved the ball, Odom had reached third base. Billingham now prepared to face the righty-swinging Campy Campaneris, who had gone hitless in four at-bats.

Campaneris walked down the line to talk to third base coach Irv Noren, lending credence to press box speculation that a squeeze bunt might be in order. Yet, the strategy session turned out to be nothing more than a decoy; Campaneris was swinging away. Falling behind in the count at 0-and-2, Campy weakly punched a short pop-up down the right-field line, not far beyond the first base bag. Morgan, with the best angle toward the ball, drifted into foul territory. About 10 feet past first base, Morgan called off Perez, and with his back to home plate, guided the ball into his glove for the inning’s second out.

Even though Morgan made the catch only a few feet behind the bag, Odom sprung from third base and began an all-out dash for home plate. Stumbling momentarily on the wet grass, Morgan fell to one knee, and then propped himself back onto his feet. Morgan threw a strike to Johnny Bench, who blocked the plate and applied his glove to Odom as he crossed home.

Home-plate umpire Bob Engel, down on one knee, his mask off, and his eyes pointed directly toward the plate, fired his right arm into the air. “Out,” Engel bellowed, ending the game. Odom immediately yelled at Engel, enraged by the call. Odom sprung himself from the dirt and bumped into Engel, who had stationed himself in a low crouch near home plate. Odom’s protest did nothing to change Engel’s mind—and couldn’t reverse a heartbreaking loss for the stunned fans watching at the Coliseum.

A’s Acorns: As he sat at his locker, bandaging a bleeding right knee, Odom initially refused to answer questions from the media. After showering, the angry pitcher finally agreed to talk. “I was safe,” Odom insisted an interview with United Press International. “I know I was.” Television replays showed otherwise. Bench, who had blocked Odom from the plate and tagged him before he touched home, questioned the pitcher’s decision to run in the first place. “He was dead,” Bench said flatly to the Associated Press. “It wouldn’t even have been close if the guy [Morgan] hadn’t slipped.” Dick Williams, who agreed that the umpire had made the right call, contradicted Bench’s criticism of Odom. “Anytime you get a ball like that down the foul line,” Williams said to the New York Times, “even though short, you’ve got a chance. We had both men tagging up and when Morgan slipped, Odom kept going.” Odom, however, hadn’t noticed Morgan’s brief fall. “I didn’t actually see him slip,” Blue Moon admitted. “I was going all the way because he had difficult position catching the ball and because he doesn’t have the strongest arm.” Yet, Morgan delivered a perfect throw to Bench… Later, when questioned by the media, Williams explained his decision to use one of his pitchers as a pinch-runner, a strategy not favored by many managers. “I hated to do it and usually don’t, but we had already used [pinch-running specialist] Allan Lewis,” Williams reasoned. “You have to take the chance. Odom loves to run the bases and knows how. He took a calculated risk and nearly got away with it.”… After Tenace hit his latest home run, the scoreboard at the Oakland Coliseum flashed the message that the A’s’ catcher had equaled a record shared by Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Duke Snider, and former Yankee slugger Hank Bauer. Coincidentally, Bauer managed the A’s during their years in Kansas City… Even though the Reds won the game to stave off elimination and draw closer in the Series, they were clearly upset by the quality of umpiring in Game Five. Both Pete Rose and Clay Carroll flashed first base umpire Bill Haller the choke sign during the game. Haller ejected Carroll in the ninth inning, one inning after he had already been taken out of the game by Sparky Anderson. Haller allowed Rose to remain in the game, thereby averting a near riot from the Reds… The Reds are also anxiously anticipating a ruling from Bowie Kuhn on Odom’s bumping of umpire Engel at the end of the game. “I wonder what the commissioner will do about that?” pondered Reds general manager Bob Howsam in an interview with Cincinnati sportswriter Earl Lawson. The Reds are hoping that Kuhn will suspend Odom for the rest of the Series, making him ineligible to pitch in a potential Game Seven matchup.

October 21 , 1972:

The first five games of the World Series provided high drama, all games hanging in the balance until the ninth and all decided by the minimum of one run. Game Six, however, took on a far different tone, as the Reds routed the A's, 8-1, to force a decisive seventh game at Riverfront Stadium.

Vida Blue, originally scheduled to start Game Four, lasted only five and two-thirds innings in his first start of the postseason. Rookie reliever Dave Hamilton allowed four runs in less than an inning. For the Reds, Bobby Tolan and Dave Concepcion teamed up to steal three bases against the ragged tosses of A's catcher Gene Tenace, whose awkward release and throwing motion have appeared both strained and painful throughout the Series. In the meantime, the A's' offense managed only seven hits against a quartet of Reds pitchers. Angel Mangual typified the A's' ineptitude when he beat out a ground ball to third base for an apparent infield single, only to be called out for overstepping the first base bag. The gory details added up to a blowout win for the Reds, who have suddenly gained the momentum in a Series they appeared on the verge of losing.

A's Acorns: The A's did not take the Game Six drubbing lightly. As Campy Campaneris walked to the plate in the eighth inning of the blowout loss, he sounded a message to Reds catcher Johnny Bench. "We never lose three in a row," Campy told the future Hall of Famer, according to a report by the Associated Press. Bench gave the A's' shortstop a quick reply. "You've never faced the 'Big Red Machine.' "…The "Machine" handled one of Oakland's best starting pitchers with ease. Prior to the game, Blue annoyed some of the Reds with what they interpreted as degrading comments. "Vida's a fine pitcher, I'm sure," Joe Morgan told the Associated Press after collecting two hits in the seven-run rout. "But we faced Steve Carlton [a 27-game winner with the Philadelphia Phillies] all through the year, and he's the best left-handed pitcher in baseball."…While Blue's statements to the media upset the Reds, the A's came away from Game Six burning with resentment toward Cincinnati's players. In the seventh inning, with the Reds already leading by five runs, Bobby Tolan had decided to steal second base. The Reds had stolen at will throughout the Series, party because of Gene Tenace's subpar throwing arm and partly due to the inability of Oakland pitchers to hold Cincinnati baserunners close to first base. Yet, several A's considered Tolan's stolen base unnecessary and unsportsmanlike, given the one-sided score. Later in the inning, Tolan reached third base. Tenace tried to pick him off by firing quickly to Sal Bando, who drove his leg and arms into Tolan. Bando claimed that he tripped and fell onto Tolan, but the Reds didn't believe him. And the Reds offered no apologies for their aggressive baserunning in the late innings. "We're out to win a World Championship," Joe Morgan told the Associated Press in defending Tolan's late-game stolen base. "You never have enough runs."… The only good news the A's received during the game involved the apprehension of a person who had placed a threat on the life of Tenace prior to Game Six. Police arrested a 32-year-old Louisville, Kentucky man who possessed a loaded gun and a bottle of whiskey. "It's terrible something like that has to happen," a stunned Tenace told the AP. "It's terrible people can't go to a ballgame and enjoy the game without that kind of thing." Although the threat has clearly shaken him, Tenace has no plans to sit out Game Seven. "It scares me, but I'll play tomorrow," Tenace vowed. "I'm a little scared, but what can I do, tell the manager not to play me?"… Even in the face of death threats and arrests, the A's attempted to deflect the situation with morbid humor. As Tenace fielded questions from writers in the clubhouse, Reggie Jackson offered him some twisted encouragement. "If you got to go, Gene," Jackson said, according to the Associated Press, "at least it will be on national television." Another Oakland slugger felt somewhat left out, with Tenace continuing to receive attention as the target of a deranged man. "No one would even bother shooting me," said Mike Epstein, who is hitless in 16 Series at-bats and has failed to fill the left-handed power void in the absence of the injured Jackson.

October 22 , 1972:

When Charlie Finley assumed control of the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, they were the dregs of the American League, a perennial doormat whose main purpose seemed to be that of serving as an unofficial farm team to the mighty New York Yankees. A little more than a decade later, Charlie Finley's team now calls itself the Oakland A's-and can now call itself the World Champions of baseball, as well. Such an honor has deservedly come to the Green and Gold, who managed to escape Cincinnati with a razor-thin 3-2 victory in a most dramatic seventh game of the World Series.

Heading into Game Seven, the A's might not have had much reason to be optimism about gaining a victory. They had had blown a two-game lead in the Series, forcing themselves into having to win a decisive and ultimate game on the road. The Reds had momentum, home field advantage, and one of their hottest starters, Jack Billingham, in their favor heading into the finale. In contrast, Dick Williams had to rely on his third-best starter, Blue Moon Odom, who was not suspended for his bumping of umpire Bob Engel in Game Five.

Prior to the game, oddsmakers liked Cincinnati's chances of winning a third consecutive game, rating the Reds as 3-to-2 favorites to capture the seventh game. If the oddsmakers had been right, the Reds would have become the first team in major league history to capture a World Series after losing the first two games at home.

Williams, who has already placed his stamp on the Series with his incessant visits to the pitching mound, prepared several lineup changes for Game Seven. Ever the strategist, Williams wanted to leave nothing to chance in his quest for his first World Championship. Concerned about the Reds' success in stealing six bases over the last two games of the Series, and 11 in 13 attempts over the duration of the Series, Williams inserted Dave Duncan as his catcher and moved the weak-throwing Gene Tenace to first base. Williams also installed Angel Mangual as his center fielder. The flurry of moves resulted in the benching of regular first baseman Mike Epstein, who was hitless over the first six games of the Series.

The news did not please Epstein, who felt he had swung the bat well throughout the Series. "I've been hitting the ball hard," Epstein insisted to Murray Chass of the New York Times. "I've hit seven good shots on the nose, but they've been caught." The absence of Reggie Jackson had placed extra pressure on Epstein to produce left-handed power. With Jackson unavailable, the Reds had pitched carefully to Epstein, throwing him off-speed pitches just off the outside corner. For his part, Williams didn't care why Epstein hadn't been hitting; he preferred examining bottom-line results.

After cloudy skies and light rain threatened Game Seven, the weather cleared moments before gametime. A paid crowd of 56,040 fans-including 5,000 standing-room-only customers-streamed into Riverfront Stadium, eclipsing the Reds' franchise mark set earlier in the Series. The record gathering reluctantly witnessed two small doses of good fortune for the A's in the first inning. With one out, Angel Mangual hit a medium-depth line drive into right-center field. Center fielder Bobby Tolan misjudged the liner, first running in, then trying to retrace his steps backward. Tolan leapt, the ball caroming off of his glove for a critical three-base error.

After the Tolan error, Joe Rudi flied to shallow left field, with Mangual holding at third. Gene Tenace then hit a chopping grounder to third baseman Denis Menke. The veteran infielder readied himself to field the routine grounder on a large carom, then watched the ball bounce high after hitting a seam in the artificial turf. The ball nicked the top of Menke's glove before rolling into short left field. The bad-hop single gave the A's an early 1-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Williams' seventh-game defensive changes paid a critical dividend. Joe Morgan drew a one-out walk. Having been burned by Reds base stealers throughout the Series, Odom threw over to first base seven times. Undeterred by the extra attention, Morgan broke for second two pitches later. Duncan snapped quickly out of his crouch and hurled a high but strong throw toward second base. For the first time in the Series, the A's had thrown Morgan out on a stolen base attempt.

Odom held the Reds scoreless until the fifth. Tony Perez doubled down the left field line and moved up to second on a one-out walk. Odom then ran the count to two-and-one on Dave Concepcion. Playing it like the seventh game of the World Series that it was, Williams pulled Odom and replaced him with his best starting pitcher, Catfish Hunter. Catfish completed the walk by throwing two more balls to Concepcion. With the bases now loaded, Hunter allowed two long fly balls to Mangual in right-center field, the first one scoring the tying run.

Reds skipper Sparky Anderson paid a price for tying the game in the fifth, however, since he used Hal McRae as a pinch-hitter for Billingham, his most effective starter in the World Series. With Billingham out of the game, Pedro Borbon entered and allowed a leadoff single to Campy Campaneris. After a sacrifice bunt by Mangual, Rudi grounded out to second, as Campy advanced to third. With two out and two bases open, Borbon faced Cincinnati primary nemesis, "Tenace the Menace."

Curiously, Anderson decided not to intentionally walk Tenace, who had already driven in eight runs on the strength of four home runs in the Series. Tenace promptly lined a Borbon delivery into the left-field corner to score Campaneris with the go-ahead run. Williams then made a curious move of his own by inserting Allan Lewis as a pinch-runner for Tenace at second base, a decision that upset the Oakland World Series hero. Although Lewis had successfully stolen six bases in six late-season tries, Tenace considered himself the fifth fastest runner on the team, trailing only Lewis, Campaneris, Reggie Jackson, and Matty Alou. "Look, I'm not a slow runner," Tenace pointed out later in an interview with Phil Elderkin of the Christian Science Monitor. "I scored plenty of times from second base during the regular season and I could have done it again."

Tenace's protestations aside, Sal Bando followed with a soaring fly ball toward deep center field. When Tolan reached the warning track in pursuit of the drive, his left leg collapsed underneath him, the result of pulling a hamstring. The ball landed on the track, bounced off the wall, and into the glove of the injured Tolan, who did his best to return the ball to the infield. Oakland now led 3-1. The A's eventually threatened to put the game away when they loaded the bases with two outs, but reliever Clay Carroll fanned Dick Green to end the threat.

In the sixth inning, the Reds put runners on second and third with two outs before Hunter retired Menke on a fly ball to short right field. In the seventh, Hunter retired the Reds in order. Hunter's effectiveness that inning convinced Williams to let him start the eighth, with the top of the Reds' order scheduled to bat: Pete Rose, Morgan, and George Foster, who had replaced the hobbled Tolan.

Rose bounced a grounder up the middle past Hunter into center field. With the left-handed Morgan set to bat, Williams replaced Hunter with another starter, Ken Holtzman, who opened up Game Four. The lefty-lefty strategy did not work. Morgan doubled to right field, advancing Rose to third base. When Morgan's liner bounced off the corner wall away from right fielder Matty Alou, Reds third-base coach Alex Grammas momentarily waved Rose home, then changed his mind. Several Reds players believed that Rose would have scored easily had Grammas not told him to retreat.

Anderson then sent up the veteran Julian Javier to pinch-hit for Foster, an inexperienced backup who has played sporadically in 1972. Williams countered with his ace reliever, Rollie Fingers, making his sixth appearance in seven Series games.

Three days earlier, Fingers wouldn't have believed that he could pitch in Game Seven, having complained of a dead arm. With an off day for travel and no need to pitch in the Game Six rout, Fingers now felt rejuvenated for the Series' decisive matchup.

Anderson called Javier back to the dugout and sent up the lefty-hitting Joe Hague to face Fingers. The backup first baseman popped up harmlessly to Campaneris, who made the catch in short left field. Williams instructed Fingers to intentionally pass Johnny Bench, in order to set up a double-play opportunity. The intentional walk strategy seemed dubious, since it put the go-ahead run on base and brought up Cincinnati's hottest hitter, first baseman Perez.

Hitting over .400 in the Series, Perez once again hit the ball well, but his long fly ball found Alou in right field. Rose scored on the sacrifice fly, bringing the Reds within one run. After Bench surprisingly stole second, Fingers induced Denis Menke into hitting a routine fly ball to Rudi in left.

The A's had stopped the Reds' rally just in time, preserving an uncomfortable one-run lead. Williams allowed Fingers to bat in the ninth, not wanting to remove his best reliever. In the bottom half of the inning, Fingers retired Cesar Geronimo on a pop-up and Dave Concepcion on a grounder. Having already used up his best pinch-hitting options, Anderson sent up the weak-hitting Darrel Chaney to bat for pitcher Tom Hall.

Much to the displeasure of Williams, Fingers hit Chaney with a pitch. That enabled the Reds to bring Pete Rose to the plate. "Charley Hustle" was batting only .220 in the Series, but had powered a home run while batting left-handed to lead off Game Five.

Batting out of his severe left-handed crouch, Rose intensely eyed Fingers and drove a letter-high fastball to left-center field. The ball was hit well and appeared to have a chance of splitting the gap, though well short of home run distance. Still, if the ball eluded both Rudi and Mangual, Chaney would be able to score the tying run from first base.

The most reliable of the A's defensively, Joe Rudi calmly took several short strides toward left-center, stopped in front of the warning track, and prepared to make a careful two-handed catch. Rudi gleefully clutched the ball in his glove, finalizing the A's' assault on the Bay Area's first World Championship.

Fingers hugged catcher Dave Duncan, while Sal Bando jumped on the A's' relief ace from behind. The rest of the A's piled onto the field from the dugout and the bullpen. In the meantime, Dick Williams ran across the third-base line and headed toward first baseman Mike Hegan, who readied himself for an embrace with his manager.

After Hegan, Williams, Duncan, Bando, Fingers, and the rest of the A's completed their on-field jumping and back-slapping, the A's moved their celebration to the clubhouse. In the clubhouse showers, Campy Campaneris, Dick Green, Joel Horlen, and Don Mincher sang a strange rendition of the National Anthem under the guidance of conductor Vida Blue. Another group of A's-Bando, Duncan, Rudi, and Mike Epstein-poured champagne over their own heads in front of a movie camera. Outside of the clubhouse, several of the Oakland wives chanted, "We're No. 1! We're No. 1."

Near the lockers, a West Coast baseball writer poured champagne over the head of Charlie Finley. "This is the greatest day in my life," Finley cried out to a reporter. "None of you can appreciate what this means to me." A reporter asked Finley about the second greatest occurrence in his life. "That was when my wife accepted my [marriage] proposal," Finley gushed. "But wait a minute. You better make this my second biggest thrill. My wife might not like it the other way." Two of Finley's children, 17-year-old Martin and 15-year-old Luke, joined their father as he held court with the media. When one of his sons tried to answer a reporter's question, the elder Finley instructed him otherwise. "You nod, I'll answer the questions," the owner said in typically Finley-esque manner.

Finley did the talking-but only after Gene Tenace had done most of the hitting during the Series. Within a few moments, Tenace received word that he had been named the World Series' Most Valuable Player by Sport Magazine, which would reward him with a new car. "How the hell can you win a car, Gino?" shouted injured reliever Darold Knowles, needling Tenace about being removed for a pinch-runner in the sixth inning of Game Seven. "You can't even go nine innings."

What Tenace had done was impressive. In a Series that has been criticized for a lack of hitting by both teams, Tenace tied a Fall Classic record by powering four home runs, and also drove in nine of Oakland's 16 runs. The catcher-first baseman also established a new Series record with a .913 slugging percentage, bettering the marks of Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Tenace modestly discussed his role in beating the Reds. "I don't feel like a hero," Tenace told reporters, while overlooking the fact that he had mauled Cincinnati pitching at a .348 pace. "There was no one hero on this club," Tenace insisted. "There were 25 heroes." The statistics told another story. Other than Tenace, no other Oakland player drove in more than one run in the Series.

In another section of the clubhouse, Dick Williams talked to members of the national media. One writer asked Williams to compare the '72 A's to the Boston Red Sox' team he had guided to the pennant in 1967. "This is a much better club than we had in 1967," Williams told The Sporting News without hesitation. Williams cited the depth of the A's as far superior to that of the Red Sox. Williams then compared the A's to the Brooklyn Dodgers' teams he had played for two decades earlier. "This club is even better than the Dodgers of the fifties," Williams proclaimed. Few fans in Oakland will argue that point-now that Tenace,