1974 Oakland Athletics season

Updated on Nov 19, 2024

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Record 90–72 (.556) Manager(s) Alvin Dark		Owner(s) Charles O. Finley Local television KTVU
Local radio KEEN(Monte Moore, Jon Miller)

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

Offseason

November 3, 1973: Horacio Piña was traded by the Athletics to the Chicago Cubs for Bob Locker.

December 12, 1973: Rico Carty was released by the Athletics.

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.

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.