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08/28/2008 7:10 PM ET
Oakland Athletics announce 40th anniversary team
Voters select four league MVPs, three Cy Young award winners among honorees
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OAKLAND -- In conjunction with the franchise's season-long celebration of four decades playing in the Bay Area, the Oakland Athletics today announced its 40th Anniversary Team, as voted through fan on-line balloting on the club's web site, www.oaklandathletics.com.
Headlining the list are three members of Baseball's Hall of Fame-pitchers Jim "Catfish" Hunter and Dennis Eckersley and outfielder Reggie Jackson-and other possible future Hall of Fame selections, including outfielder Rickey Henderson, Major League Baseball's all-time leader in runs scored and stolen bases who is eligible for Cooperstown next year.
Mark Ellis, who owns the Oakland record for career home runs (68) by a second baseman and also set a then-Major League record for fielding percentage (.997) at his position in 2006, is the only current A's player to make the team. Tony LaRussa, who piloted the A's to four AL West titles, three league pennants and one World Championship, was voted manager of the team.
The 40th Anniversary Team was announced as follows:
| Position |
Name |
Years in Oakland |
| C |
Terry Steinbach |
1986-96 |
| 1B |
Mark McGwire |
1986-97 |
| 2B |
Mark Ellis |
2002-present |
| SS |
Bert "Campy" Campaneris |
1968-76* |
| 3B |
Carney Lansford |
1983-92 |
| OF |
Rickey Henderson |
1979-84, 1989-95, 1998 |
| OF |
Reggie Jackson |
1968-75, 1987 |
| OF |
Joe Rudi |
1968-76, 1982 |
| DH |
Dave Kingman |
1984-86 |
| P |
Jim "Catfish" Hunter |
1968-74 |
| P |
Vida Blue |
1969-77 |
| P |
Dave Stewart |
1986-92, 1995 |
| Closer |
Dennis Eckersley |
1987-95 |
| Manager |
Tony LaRussa |
1986-95 |
Members of the anniversary team have been invited to participate in a special on-field commemorative ceremony prior to the Athletics' final home game on Sunday, September 21 against Seattle.
Biographies of the Oakland A's 40th Anniversary Team
Terry Steinbach, Catcher -Batted .275 with 132 home runs and 595 RBI in 11 seasons with the A's from 1986-96...is Oakland's all-time leader in games caught (1050)...his 11 seasons with the A's are third most in Oakland history and he also ranks seventh on the Oakland career list in doubles (205), eighth in hits (1144) and batting average (.275), ninth in games played (1199), RBI (596) and total bases (1764) and 10th in home runs (132) and extra base hits (351)...his five career pinch hit home runs tie an Oakland record...played in three All-Star games and was the All-Star Game MVP in 1988...hit a career high 35 home runs in 1996, including an Oakland record 34 as a catcher.
Mark McGwire, First Baseman -Batted.260 with 363 home runs and 941 RBI in 1329 games with Oakland from 1986-97...played more games at first base (1251) than any other player in Oakland history...is Oakland's all-time career leader in home runs (363), RBI (941), slugging percentage (.551) and extra base hits (563)...also ranks among the top 10 in games played (1329; 3rd), runs (773; 2nd), hits (1157; 7th), doubles (195; 9th), walks (847; 2nd), total bases (2451; 2nd) and on-base percentage (380; 3rd)...holds Oakland single-season records for home runs (52 in 1996) and slugging percentage (.730 in 1996)...named the American League's Rookie of the Year in 1987 when he set a major league rookie record with 49 home runs...led the AL in home runs that year and in 1996 (52)...was the AL Gold Glove award winner in 1990...was a nine-time All-Star selection while with Oakland...his 12 seasons with the A's are second most in Oakland history.
Mark Ellis, Second Baseman -Took over as Oakland's everyday second baseman during the 2002 campaign and has made the most appearances (741) at second base in Oakland history, surpassing Dick Green (721) this season...enters tonight's game with a .265 career batting average, 70 home runs and 308 RBI...68 of those home runs have come as a second baseman, which is an Oakland record...led the A's with a .316 batting average in 2005 after missing the entire 2004 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder...set what was then a major league record for fielding percentage by a second baseman in 2006 with a mark of .997.
Bert "Campy" Campaneris, Shortstop -Began his career with the Kansas City A's in 1964 and spent nine seasons in an Oakland uniform from 1968-76, when he batted .263 with 52 home runs and 391 RBI in 1295 games...is Oakland's games played leader at shortstop (1272)...ranks second on the Oakland career lists in at bats (5159), hits (1355), triples (39) and stolen bases (398)...led the A's in stolen bases in each of his first five seasons in Oakland (1968-72) and topped the American League in 1968, 70 and 72...was an AL All-Star five times with Oakland, including four straight years from 1972-75...was a member of all three of the A's World Championship teams from 1972-74...led the AL with 177 hits in 1968.
Carney Lansford, Third Baseman -Batted .288 with 94 home runs and 548 RBI in 1203 games with the A's from 1983-92...the batting average is third best in Oakland history, as are his 1317 hits...also ranks fourth on the Oakland career list in stolen bases (146), tied for fifth in triples (23) and eighth in games (1203), runs (617), doubles (201) and total bases (1846)...his 1096 games played at third base are third most in Oakland history...led the A's in batting four times, including 1989 when he had the second best single season average in Oakland history and the second best mark in the American League (.336)...led AL third basemen in fielding in 1987, 88 and 90...was named to the AL All-Star team in 1988.
Rickey Henderson, Outfielder -Batted .288 with 167 home runs, 648 RBI and 867 stolen bases in 1704 games in an Oakland uniform over four separate stints from 1979-98...is Oakland's all-time leader in games, at bats (6140), runs (1270), hits (1768), doubles (289), triples (41), walks (1227), total bases (2640) and stolen bases...spent 14 seasons with the A's, which is the most in Oakland history, as are his 1592 games in the outfield...set a major league record with 130 stolen bases in 1982 and led the A's in stolen bases 12 times...also led the A's in walks nine times, runs scored eight times and batting, hits and doubles five times...led the league in stolen bases nine times as an Athletic and topped the circuit in walks and runs four times...was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1990 after hitting .325 with 28 home runs, 61 RBI and 65 stolen bases...was named ALCS MVP in 1989 after hitting .400 with two home runs, five RBI, eight runs, eight steal and seven walks in seven games...then hit .474 in the World Series sweep of San Francisco...was named to six AL All-Star teams as a member of the A's...won a Gold Glove in 1981...is Major League Baseball's all-time leader in runs scored (2295) and stolen bases (1406).
Reggie Jackson, Outfielder -Batted .264 with 268 home runs and 770 RBI in 1311 games over two stints with Oakland from 1968-75 and 1987...his 1162 games in the outfield are third most in Oakland history...ranks second on the Oakland career list in home runs (268) and extra base hits (521), third in runs (743), doubles (230) and total bases (2287), fourth in games (1311) and RBI (770), fifth in walks (623), stolen bases (144) and slugging percentage (.501), tied for fifth in triples (23) and sixth in hits (1207)...was named American League MVP in 1973 after leading the league in runs (99), home runs (32) and RBI (117)...named to the AL All-Star team six times while playing for Oakland, including five straight years from 1971-75...was a member of all three of the A's World Championship teams from 1972-74 and was World Series MVP in 1973...led the A's in home runs and runs scored five times, RBI four times and batting average and doubles twice...set an Oakland record with 123 runs scored in 1969 and his 47 home runs that year are third most in Oakland history...elected to the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Joe Rudi, Outfielder -Batted .273 with 116 home runs and 539 RBI in 1088 games in two stays with Oakland (1968-76, 82)...appeared in 846 games in the outfield, which is fifth most in Oakland history...his batting average is tied for ninth best in Oakland history...also ranks third in triples (32), fifth in doubles (214), eighth in extra base hits (362), ninth in hits (1079) and 10th in games played (1088)...was a three-time All-Star with the A's (1972, 74 and 75)...won three consecutive AL Gold Gloves from 1974-76...led the A's in batting, hits and doubles in both 1972 and 74...topped the AL in hits (181) and triples (9) in 1972 and doubles (39), extra base hits (65) and total bases (287) in 1974...was a member of the A's three straight World Championship teams from 1972-74.
Dave Kingman, Designated Hitter -Batted .239 with 100 home runs and 303 RBI in 449 games with the A's from 1984-86...holds the Oakland career record for home runs as a designated hitter with 98...his 428 games at DH are also an Oakland record...led the A's in home runs in all three of his seasons with the club, tallying 35, 30 and 35...topped the club in RBI in 1984 and 1985...finished second in the AL in home runs in 1984 and 86.
Jim "Catfish" Hunter, Pitcher -Was 131-77 with a 3.00 ERA in 266 games, 260 starts, in an Oakland uniform from 1968-74...is the Oakland career leader in wins and ranks second in innings (1886.1), games started, complete games (96) and shutouts (24), third in strikeouts (1139), fourth in winning percentage (.630), seventh in ERA and ninth in games...won the American League Cy Young award in 1974 when he was 25-12 with a 2.49 ERA...was named to the AL All-Star team four times with Oakland (1970, 72-74)...led the A's in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched four times and topped the club in ERA and complete games twice...had four straight 20-win seasons from 1971-74...holds the Oakland single season record for innings pitched (318.0) and games started (41), both in 1974...tossed the only perfect game in Oakland history on May 8, 1968 against Minnesota...was a member of all three of the A's World Championship teams from 1972-74...was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987.
Vida Blue, Pitcher -Was 124-86 with a 2.95 ERA in 273 games, including 262 starts, with the A's from 1969-77...is the Oakland career leader in strikeouts (1315), games started, innings pitched (1946.0), complete games (105) and shutouts (28), ranks second in wins, fifth in ERA, eighth in games and ninth in won-loss percentage (.590)...won both the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Awards in 1971 when he was 24-8 with a 1.82 ERA...led the AL in ERA and shutouts (8) that year...set Oakland single season records in ERA, strikeouts (301) and shutouts in 1971...was named to the AL All-Star team in 1971 and 75...led the A's in strikeouts six times (1971, 73-77) and topped the club in wins, ERA, complete games and innings pitched four times (1971, 75-77)...had three 20-win seasons...was a member of all three of the A's World Championship teams from 1972-74...tossed a no-hitter on September 21, 1970 against Minnesota and was part of a four-pitcher no-hitter on September 28, 1975 against California.
Dave Stewart, Pitcher -Was 119-78 with a 3.73 ERA in 257 games, 245 starts, over two stints with the A's (1986-92; '95)...ranks second on the Oakland career list in strikeouts (1152), third in wins, innings pitched (1717.1) and games started, seventh in complete games (49) and shutouts (9) and eighth in winning percentage (.604)...was named to the American League All-Star team in 1989...had four straight 20-win seasons from 1987-90 and topped the club in wins three straight years from 1987-89...also led the A's in innings pitched five times (1987-91), strikeouts four times (1987-88, '90, '92), complete games four times (1987-90) and ERA three times (1987-88, '90)...led the AL in wins in 1987 and topped the league in games started each year from 1988-91...was World Series MVP in 1989 and ALCS MVP in 1990...compiled an 8-3 record and a 2.22 ERA in 14 postseason starts for the A's...tossed a no-hitter on June 29, 1990 at Toronto.
Dennis Eckersley, Closer -Saved an Oakland record 320 games from 1987-95 while compiling a 41-31 record and a 2.74 ERA in 525 games...his games pitched are also an A's record and his ERA is the lowest in Oakland history among pitchers with 400 or more innings...led the team in saves in each of his nine seasons as an Athletic and had four 40-save seasons...won both the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award in 1992 when he set an Oakland record with an AL leading 51 saves...was 7-1 with a 1.91 ERA that year...also led the AL in saves in 1988 (45)...was a four-time AL All-Star with the A's (1988, 90-92)...walked just three batters in 1989 and four in 1990...was named ALCS MVP in 1988...won the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award in 1988 and 1992...elected to the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Tony La Russa, Manager- Managed the A's from 1986-1995...his teams posted a 798-673 (.542) record during his 10-year tenure, winning four American League West titles, three AL pennants and one World Championship...his win total ranks first in Oakland history while his winning percentage ranks third...was named AL Manager of the Year in 1988 and 1992.
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