Swingin' A's 1974 World Series Gm. 1 vs. Dodgers

In 1974, the A’s sought a new face between Finley and the players, turning to Alvin Dark as their new manager. With Dark at the helm, they tried to become the only franchise other than the Yankees to win three straight titles. This was Hunter’s season to lead the way, as he won the Cy Young Award with another phenomenal season, winning a career-best 25 games.
While the other A’s championship teams sailed through the regular season and had to fight through tough series in the playoffs, this one was the opposite. The A’s lost just twice in nine postseason games, beating the Orioles in the ALCS and then the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Rollie Fingers won the World Series MVP Award, a rare honor for a relief pitcher, after picking up a victory and two saves, working 9-1/3 innings in the series.
The first era of the A’s in Oakland, known as the “Swingin’ A’s,” won three consecutive World Series championships in the early 1970s, something only one other Major League franchise (the Yankees) has ever been able to equal.

[@victorblock3421]

RIP to my favorite pitcher as a kid. Kenny Holtzman died 3 days ago, April 14, 2024.

[@davesmith6146]

Watching Reggie Jackson wearing the Green and Gold is PRICELESS !!

[@ronaldringler1497]

Curt and Vin. Doesn't get any better!

[@ronniewest838]

A great piece of American History.

[@Robster543210]

Those A's were good, real good.

[@romelovesdan]

THANK YOU!!!! More Swingin' A's games PLEASE!!!!!

[@BlackuLaLa]

"Sal Bando" sounds like an evil bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe! I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this game. Than you SO MUCH for putting it up. I'm recovering from a couple operations so if I'm going to be stuck lying down, this is the way to do it. You're the man!

[@charlessmith263]

I had studied the most famous double play in that series by the Dodgers - Joe Ferguson catching on the run a fly ball to retire Oakland's Reggie Jackson, and then immediately fires a long throw from the outfield to home plate, with Yeager of the Dodgers catching the ball in time, and taking the collision with Oakland's Sal Bando but holding on to the ball for the other out, retiring Bando as well - which is a 9-2 DP. The LA fans loved that play so much! It was in the MLB's highlight reels in 1974 for years to come.

[@varrick1226]

I loved the A's so much I live in the Pittsburgh Pirates area in central Pa. and of course I was also a Phillies fan. But the A's always found a way to win which attracted me to them. And Curt Gowdy had the best voice ever loved everything he did.

[@dezertfox3130]

Holtzman is vastly underrated if you look at his lifetime stats

[@MatthewBaumgarten]

Buckner as a dodger, for such an awesome player over all it’s sad he never got a championship and ring

[@smartluck100]

Weekend WS games should be played during the day so little kids can enjoy them

[@rafaelramirez1507]

Curt Gowdy, Tony Kubek and Vin Scully ...... 🌟Priceless🌟

[@zcam1969]

my man Curt Gowdy. Campananis hit 290 that is good for a Short Stop in the 70s

[@Eddie_Schantz]

I had forgotten that Jimmy "Toy Cannon" Wynn had played for the Dodgers for 2 years. There is a video of him hitting the longest homerun ever hit in Crossley Field on

[@user-yg1mh1sz8n]

Saw the As play white Sox at comiskey in 73 Oakland had a killer team

[@GreenHornet1962]

I grew up a Dodger fan but the A's are the first dynasty that I remember. You can't beat having Vin Scully, Curt Gowdy, and Tony Kubec in the booth.

[@justinllamas1]

ironically 2 of the pitchers featured in this game (messersmith for LA, catfish hunter for oakland) played a huge role in the creation of free agency. seitz arbitrated hunter’s case after finley breached his contract in 1974, and then messersmith’s case after he declared that he was a FA after pitching the renewal year in 1975 without signing a contract. seitz ruled in the players’ favor both cases and essentially struck down the indentured servitude in baseball known as the reserve clause.

[@jamesmiller6217]

1:45:49

[@kevindickson2178]

the game moves along....compared to today's 3+ hr games.....much more entertaining.