1974 Oakland Athletics season

The 1974 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning their fourth consecutive American League West title with a record of 90 wins and 72 losses. In the playoffs, the A's defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS for their third straight AL pennant, and in the World Series, the first ever played entirely on the West Coast, defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to take their third consecutive World Series championship. Paid attendance for the season was 845,693. ^[1] In 1974, owner Charlie Finley tried to sell the team with an asking price of $15 million.^[2]

Offseason

• November 3, 1973: Horacio Piña was traded by the Athletics to the Chicago Cubs for Bob Locker.^[3]
• December 12, 1973: Rico Carty was released by the Athletics.^[4]

Regular season

• June 5, 1974: Outfielders Billy North and Reggie Jackson engaged in a clubhouse fight at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium. Jackson injured his shoulder, and catcher Ray Fosse, attempting to separate the combatants, suffered a crushed disk in his neck, costing him three months on the disabled list.^{[citation needed]}

The pinch runner

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

Season standings

Opening Day starters

• Sal Bando
• Vida Blue
• Bert Campaneris
• Ray Fosse
• Reggie Jackson
• Ángel Mangual
• Billy North
• Joe Rudi
• Gene Tenace
• Manny Trillo^[5]

Notable transactions

• May 10, 1974: Dal Maxvill was signed as a free agent by the Athletics.^[6]
• June 5, 1974: Rick Lysander was drafted by the Athletics in the 19th round of the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft.^[7]
• August 19, 1974: Pat Bourque was traded by the Athletics to the Minnesota Twins for Jim Holt.^[8]

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

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

Other batters

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

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Other pitchers

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

Relief pitchers

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

Postseason

ALCS

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

1974 World Series

Summary

AL Oakland Athletics (4) vs. NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1)

Awards and honors

• Rollie Fingers, World Series Most Valuable Player Award
• Catfish Hunter, P, American League Cy Young Award

All-Stars

1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

• Bert Campaneris, shortstop, starter
• Reggie Jackson, outfield, starter

• Sal Bando, reserve
• Rollie Fingers, reserve
• Catfish Hunter, reserve
• Joe Rudi, reserve

Farm system

References

External links

• 1974 Oakland Athletics team page at Baseball Reference
• 1974 Oakland Athletics team page at www.baseball-almanac.com