Champions: The Story of the First Two Oakland As Dynasties and the Building of the Third
by Glenn Dickey
Category: History

The Athletics are one of the proudest franchises in the history of professional sports. After the glory days in Philadelphia and the dog days in Kansas City, they have enjoyed three distinct periods of success in Oakland. The Finley Years (1971-1975) In this free-wheeling era of the self-promoting and always unpredictable Charles Finley, the A's won five straight divisional championships and three straight World Series. It's all here: the "glow-in-the-dark" color uniforms, Rollie Fingers' handlebar moustache, and the drama of Reggie "Mr. October" Jackson's celebrated power in clutch situations. The Bash Brothers (1988-1990) Mark McGwire set a rookie record with 49 homers, and power teammate Jose Canseco pounded out 40 homeruns and stole 40 bases. These two weightlifters terrorized pitchers with their brute force. Then there's "hard cheese" fastballer (as only he can term it) Dennis Eckersley, who threw his three strikes, pumped his fist skyward, and walked off the mound. Billy Beane (1989-present) Ushering in a new "Moneyball" era of team-building and scouting, Billy Beane put together what Baseball America called "the best minor league system in baseball." He is determined to restore the dynasty. Three eras of Oakland greatness are profiled in this book by respected San Francisco Chronicle columnist and author Glenn Dickey.