Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics’ are a professional baseball team located in Oakland, California. They are a member of the Western Division of the American League. **Stadium**Since locating to Oakland in 1968, the Athletics have played in McAfee Coliseum.**Nickname**The “Athletics” got their name due to the popularity of athletic clubs in the late 1880s, in particular the Athletic of Philadelphia. They aretypcially called the A’s, however. Their mascot is an elephant, in reference to then New York Giants’ manager John McGraw’s calling the team a “white elephant,” believing it could never turn a profit for its owners.**History**The Athletics are one of the American League’s eight charter franchises, founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1901. Then the Philadelphia Athletics, the team moved to Kansas City in 1955 and became the Kansas City Athletics. In 1968 the team moved to Oakland.**Record By Decade**‘1968-1969 Bob Kennedy coaches the A’s to an 82-80 season in his first year. He was then replaced by Hank Baur, who lasted half a year, and then John McNamara. They finished with an 88-74 season.

1970-1979 McNamara continued to coach and had a winning season in 1970, but was then replaced by Dick Williams who coached for three years before being replaced by Alvin Dark. After Alvin Dark’s three year tenure, the A’s coaches had a revolving door, none lasting more than a single season.

1980-1989 Billy Martin coached the team for three years, then was replaced by Steve Boras for two, and then Jackie Moore for two. Tony LaRussa took over the team in 1987 and brought it three winning seasons and the World Series in 1989.

1990-1999 LaRussa continued to coach the A’s until 1995, but after three losing seasons in a row was replaced by Art Howe. Howe also had three losing seasons in a row, but turned 1999 into a winning season.

2000-2008 Howe continued to coach until 2003 - winning two division championships and losing in the World Series in 2002. Then, Ken Macha took over for four winning seasons before being replaced by Bob Geren, who has had two losing seasons.