Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

1969 Oakland Athletics season

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Record
  
88–74 (.543)

Local television
  
KBHK

Owner(s)
  
Charles O. Finley

Manager(s)
  
Hank Bauer, John McNamara

Local radio
  
KNBR (Monte Moore, Al Helfer)

The 1969 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's compiling a record of 88 wins and 74 losses. With its expansion to 12 teams in 1969, the American League had been divided into two 6-team divisions. In their first year in the newly established American League West, the Athletics finished second, nine games behind the Minnesota Twins. It was the first time they had finished in the first division since 1952. Paid attendance for the season was 778,232.

Contents

Offseason

  • October 15, 1968: Joe Keough was drafted from the Athletics by the Kansas City Royals as the 8th pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.
  • December 2, 1968: Darrell Evans was drafted from the Athletics by the Atlanta Braves in the 1968 rule 5 draft.

    • Regular season

  • Reggie Jackson hit 47 home runs in 1969, and was briefly ahead of the pace that Roger Maris set when he broke the single-season record for home runs with 61 in 1961, and that of Babe Ruth when he set the previous record of 60 in 1927.
  • The club ranked second in the American League Western division. With 13 games left in the season, Hank Bauer was replaced as Field Manager by John McNamara. McNamara compiled a won loss record of 8–5 to help the A's finish with 88 wins and 74 losses. An improved of six wins compared to the past season.

    • Opening Day starters

  • Sal Bando
  • Bert Campaneris
  • Danny Cater
  • Dave Duncan
  • Dick Green
  • Mike Hershberger
  • Reggie Jackson
  • Rick Monday
  • Blue Moon Odom

    • Notable transactions

  • June 5, 1969: 1969 Major League Baseball Draft (June Draft) notable picks:
  • June 14, 1969: John Donaldson was traded by the Athletics to the Seattle Pilots for Larry Haney.

    • Reggie Jackson

    In the offseason, Jackson demanded a salary increase from $10,000 to $25,000. Jackson would settle at $20,000. Reggie Jackson hit two home runs versus the Washington Senators, with President Richard Nixon in the crowd. By July 1, the A's had played in 71 games and Jackson had hit 30 home runs, 62 RBI, .287 batting average and a 1.145 OPS. On July 2, Reggie Jackson would hit three home runs versus the Seattle Pilots to raise his season total to 34 home runs. He was on pace to break the home run record set by Roger Maris eight years earlier. By the end of July, Jackson had 40 home runs but he only hit 5 home runs in August. In September, Jackson was hospitalized with a skin rash and was only able to hit 2 home runs. Jackson still managed to lead the American League with 123 runs scored.

    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

    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

    References

    1969 Oakland Athletics season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA