1973 Oakland Athletics season

MLB yearly infobox
name = Oakland Athletics
season = 1973
misc = 1973 AL West Champions
1973 AL Champions
1973 World Series Champions

current league = American League
y1 = 1901
division = Western Division
y2 = 1969
Uniform
ballpark = Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
y4 = 1968
city = Oakland, California
y5 = 1968
owners = Charles O. Finley
managers = Dick Williams
television = KTVU
radio = KEEN
(Monte Moore, Jim Woods, Bill Rigney) |The Oakland Athletics' 1973 season involved the A's winning their third consecutive American league West title with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses. The 1973 A’s had three 20-game winners in Jim (Catfish) Hunter, Ken Holtzman and Vida Blue. [http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/worldseries/1973.html Sporting News: Baseball History of the World Series ] ] The A's went on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS for their second straight AL Championship, and won the World Series in seven games over the New York Mets to take their second consecutive World Championship.

Offseason

*November 24, 1972: Matty Alou was traded by the Athletics to the New York Yankees for Rob Gardner and a player to be named later. The Yankees completed the deal by sending Rich McKinney to the Athletics on December 1. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mckinri01.shtml Rich McKinney page at Baseball Reference] ]
*November 30, 1972: Horacio Pina was traded by the Texas Rangers to the Oakland Athletics for Mike Epstein. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pinaho01.shtml]
* December 18, 1972: Orlando Cepeda was released by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cepedor01.shtml Orlando Cepeda page on Baseball Reference] ]
*January 10, 1973: 1973 Major League Baseball Draft
**Mike Norris was drafted by the Athletics in the 1st round (24th pick). [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/n/norrimi01.shtml Mike Norris page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Warren Cromartie was drafted by the Athletics in the 1st round (10th pick) of the Secondary Phase, but did not sign. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cromawa01.shtml Warren Cromartie page on Baseball Reference] ]
* January 23, 1973: Jerry McNertney signed as a free agent with the Athletics. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcnerje01.shtml Jerry McNertney page at Baseball Reference] ]

Regular season

*On July 3, 1973, Nolan Ryan struck out Sal Bando for the 1000th strikeout in his career. [http://www.smackbomb.com/nolanryan/strikeouts.html]

Opening Day Starters

* Sal Bando
* Billy Conigliaro
* Ray Fosse
* Dick Green
* Catfish Hunter
* Reggie Jackson
* Dal Maxvill
* Billy North
* Joe Rudi
* Gene Tenace

eason standings

Notable transactions

* March 24, 1973: Dave Duncan and George Hendrick were traded by the Athletics to the Cleveland Indians for Ray Fosse and Jack Heidemann. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fossera01.shtml Ray Fosse page at Baseball Reference] ]
* March 31, 1973: Jay Johnstone signed as a free agent with the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/johnsja01.shtml Jay Johnstone page at Baseball Reference] ]
*April 2, 1973: Tim Hosley was purchased by the Athletics from the Detroit Tigers. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hosleti01.shtml Tim Hosley page at Baseball Reference] ]
*May 4, 1973: Jerry McNertney was purchased from the Athletics by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
*June 24, 1973: Steve McCatty was signed by the Athletics as an amateur free agent. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mccatst01.shtml Steve McCatty page at Baseball Reference] ]
*July 7, 1973: Dal Maxvill was purchased from the Athletics by the Pittsburgh Pirates. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/maxvida01.shtml Dal Maxvill page at Baseball Reference] ]
*July 31, 1973: Jesús Alou was purchased by the Athletics from the Houston Astros. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/a/alouje01.shtml Jesus Alou page at Baseball Reference] ]
*September 11, 1973: Rico Carty was purchased by the Athletics from the Chicago Cubs. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cartyri01.shtml Rico Carty page at Baseball Reference] ]

Draft Picks

*June 5, 1973: 1973 Major League Baseball Draft
**June 5, 1973: Floyd Bannister was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 3rd round of the 1973 amateur draft, but did not sign. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bannifl01.shtml]
**Matt Keough was drafted by the Athletics in the 7th round. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/keougma02.shtml Matt Keough page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Craig Mitchell was drafted by the Athletics in the 1st round (1st pick) of the Secondary Phase. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mitchcr01.shtml Craig Mitchell page at Baseball Reference] ]

Roster

[http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/1973.shtml]

Other batters

Relief pitchers

Game 3

October 9, 1973 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

In Game 3, the Athletics won 2-1 when shortstop Bert Campaneris homered to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning.

1973 World Series

The Athletics' victory over the New York Mets in the 1973 Series was marred by Charlie O. Finley's antics. Finley forced Mike Andrews to sign a false affidavit saying he was injured after the reserve second baseman committed two consecutive errors in the 12th inning of the A's Game Two loss to the Mets. This would allow Manny Trillo, ineligible because he was not a member of the team on Sept. 1, to be activated. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/1998/wsarchive/1973.html CNN/SI - 1998 MLB Postseason - 1973 World Series ] ] By demeaning Mike Andrews, Finley brought on open rebellion, the logical progression for a team that has never deluded itself about being a happy ship. The A's worked out at Shea with Andrews' No. 17 taped to their uniforms as a sign of sympathy with him. By then he was back home in Peabody, Massachusetts. When other team members, manager Dick Williams, and virtually the entire viewing public rallied to Andrews' defense, Kuhn forced Finley to back down. Andrews entered Game 4 in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter. As he walked to the on-deck circle the crowd of 54,817 at Shea Stadium spotted his No. 17 and commenced cheering. He promptly grounded out, and Finley ordered him benched for the remainder of the Series. Andrews never played another major league game. As it was, the incident allowed the Mets, a team that went but 82–79 during the regular season, to go seven games before losing to a superior team. Williams was so disgusted by the affair that he resigned after the Series. Finley retaliated by vetoing Williams' attempt to become manager of the Yankees. Finley claimed that since Williams still owed Oakland the last year of his contract, he could not manage anywhere else. Finley relented later in 1974 and allowed Williams to take over as manager of the California Angels.

ummary

Awards and Honors

* Bert Campaneris, Babe Ruth Award
* Reggie Jackson, OF, American League RBI Champion
* Reggie Jackson, OF, World Series Most Valuable Player Award

References

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/1973.shtml 1973 Oakland Athletics team page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1973&t=OAK 1973 Oakland Athletics team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]

succession box
title = AL West Championship Season
years = 1973
before = Oakland Athletics
1972
after = Oakland Athletics
1974

succession box
title = American League champions
years = 1973
before = Oakland Athletics
1972
after = Oakland Athletics
1974succession box
title = World Series champion
years = 1973
before = Oakland Athletics
1972
after = Oakland Athletics
1974