1973 Oakland Athletics season


The 1973 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning their third consecutive American League West title with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses. 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

The 1973 A's had three 20-game winners in Jim Hunter, Ken Holtzman and Vida Blue.
The A's were on the receiving end of some milestones as well. On July 3, Nolan Ryan struck out Sal Bando of the Athletics for the 1000th strikeout in his career. On July 30, Jim Bibby threw the first no-hitter in Texas Rangers history as he no-hit the Athletics. The Rangers won the game 6–0.

Opening Day starters

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases
PosPlayerGABRHAvg.HRRBISB
C14349237126.2567522
1B16051083132.25924842
2B1333323387.2623420
3B16259297170.28729984
SS15160189150.25044634
LF12043753118.27012660
CF14655498158.28553453
RF15153999158.2933211722
DH13146461114.24619810

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases
PlayerGABRHAvg.HRRBISB
741922043.2243131
1061821540.2203171
48110522.2000141
361081033.3061110
7571813.183150
4865916.246170
3864512.188040
234288.190290
232813.107030
232516.240020
182114.190000
291904.211010
131433.214020
61404.286010
171203.250030
7812.250110
9500.000000
2201.500000
350160----007

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games played; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERABBSO
40297.121132.9766157
37263.22093.28105158
36256.12153.3469124
30150.15124.496783
1669.2644.392434
12.1017.7123

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games played; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERABBSO
518.2103.8676

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games played; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Bases on balls; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLSVERABBSO
62126.278221.9239110
52996893.094946
47886382.763441
36781523.692833
37.10004.9124

Postseason

ALCS

Game 1

October 6, 1973, at Memorial Stadium
In Game 1, the Orioles jumped on Oakland starter Vida Blue and reliever Horacio Piña for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jim Palmer pitched a 5-hit shutout as the Orioles won, 6–0.

Game 2

October 7, 1973, at Memorial Stadium
In Game 2, the Athletics hit three home runs off Baltimore starter Dave McNally, and won 6–3 behind Catfish Hunter.

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.

Game 4

October 10, 1973, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
In Game 4, the Athletics held a 4–0 lead after six innings, but the Orioles scored four in the seventh off Blue to tie the game; the key blow was a three-run home run by catcher Andy Etchebarren. Baltimore second baseman Bobby Grich broke the tie with a solo home run in the 8th inning, and the Orioles went on to win, 5–4.

Game 5

October 11, 1973, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
In Game 5, Hunter pitched a 5-hit shutout as the Athletics won, 3–0, and took the series 3 games to 2.

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 Sep 1, to be activated.
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, commissioner Bowie 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. Williams was so disgusted by the affair that he announced his resignation as Manager while the Series was still being played. 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.
The A's won the World Series in seven games after rallying from a three games to two deficit.

Summary

Awards and honors