Philadelphia Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1968 to the present, the Athletics have played in the Oakland Coliseum.

One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1901. Then the Philadelphia Athletics, the team, under the management of former player Connie Mack, proved to be dominant in the league, winning the World Series in 1910, 1911, and 1913 (among other accomplishments). The salad days ended in 1916, and the team spent the next few years finishing in last place. While the team had a second run at glory from 1927-1933, the team's best years in Philadelphia were done. In 1955, the A's moved to Kansas City and became the Kansas City Athletics. Unfortunately, the team faired no better here, and it wasn't until the franchise was moved to Oakland that it again became a winning team for a time.

Oakland Athletics in "The House That George Built"
Very early in George Ruth's career, Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics expressed some interest in purchasing his contract. Ultimately, the deal fell through. Ruth felt that this was one more factor in his failure to become a major league baseball star.

Oakland Athletics in Worldwar
Mickey Mantle was the Kansas City Athletics star player in the 1950s and 1960s.