1961 Kansas City Athletics season
Encyclopedia
The Kansas City Athletics
season was a season in American baseball. The A's finished with a record of 61–100, tying the expansion
Washington Senators
for ninth place, last in the newly-expanded 10-team American League
.
's estate. In a highly publicized move, he purchased a bus, pointed it in the direction of New York, and burned it to symbolize the end of the “special relationship” with the Yankees. He called another press conference to burn the existing lease at Municipal Stadium
, where the team played its home games, which included the despised "escape clause."
Finley made numerous renovations to the stadium, including lighting outside, and radio broadcasts in the restrooms. The seats were painted yellow, turquoise and orange, while a picnic area was added behind new bleacher seats in right field. In addition, lights were added to the dugout.
In addition, Finley introduced new uniforms, which had "Kansas City" on the road uniforms for the first time ever and an interlocking "KC" on the cap.
, a veteran baseball man with a reputation as a prolific trader, as general manager
on April 27. However, Lane did not even last through the season, as he was fired on August 22. He was replaced by Pat Friday
, whose sole qualification for the job was that he managed one of Finley's insurance offices. With the firing of Lane in 1961, Finley effectively became a one-man band as owner, president and de facto general manager, and would remain so for the duration of his ownership.
Pocatello affiliation shared with San Francisco Giants
Oakland 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 to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
season was a season in American baseball. The A's finished with a record of 61–100, tying the expansion
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Washington Senators
1961 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators season was a season in American baseball. The team was in its inaugural season, having been established as a replacement for the previous franchise of the same name, which relocated to the Twin Cities of Minnesota following the 1960 season, becoming the Minnesota Twins...
for ninth place, last in the newly-expanded 10-team American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
.
Offseason
On December 19, 1960, Charles "Charlie O." Finley purchased a controlling interest in the team from Arnold JohnsonArnold Johnson
Arnold M. Johnson was an American industrialist, businessman and sportsman, who purchased the storied but financially unsound Philadelphia Athletics baseball club and moved it to Kansas City, Missouri, in the autumn of 1954...
's estate. In a highly publicized move, he purchased a bus, pointed it in the direction of New York, and burned it to symbolize the end of the “special relationship” with the Yankees. He called another press conference to burn the existing lease at Municipal Stadium
Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Kansas City Municipal Stadium was a baseball and football stadium that formerly stood in Kansas City, Missouri. It hosted the minor league Kansas City Blues of the American Association from 1923 to 1954 and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues during the same period...
, where the team played its home games, which included the despised "escape clause."
Finley made numerous renovations to the stadium, including lighting outside, and radio broadcasts in the restrooms. The seats were painted yellow, turquoise and orange, while a picnic area was added behind new bleacher seats in right field. In addition, lights were added to the dugout.
In addition, Finley introduced new uniforms, which had "Kansas City" on the road uniforms for the first time ever and an interlocking "KC" on the cap.
Notable transactions
- January 24, 1961: Whitey HerzogWhitey HerzogDorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog is a former Major League Baseball manager. Born in New Athens, Illinois, he made his debut as a player in 1956 with the Washington Senators. After his playing career ended in 1963, Herzog went on to perform a variety of roles in Major League Baseball, including...
and Russ SnyderRuss SnyderRussell Henry Snyder was an outfielder for the Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers ....
were traded by the Athletics to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Bob Boyd, Al PilarcikAl PilarcikAlfred James Pilarcik was an American professional baseball player. An outfielder, he appeared in 668 Major League games between and for the Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox...
, Jim ArcherJim ArcherJames William Archer is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons with the Kansas City Athletics. He threw left-handed and batted right....
, Wayne CauseyWayne CauseyJames Wayne Causey was an Infielder for the Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Athletics , Chicago White Sox , California Angels and Atlanta Braves ....
, and Clint CourtneyClint CourtneyClinton Dawdson Courtney was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , St. Louis Browns , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Washington Senators and Kansas City Athletics . Courtney batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
. Clint Courtney was returned to the Orioles on April 14.
Regular season
Finley hired Frank LaneFrank Lane
Frank Lane was an American executive in professional baseball, most notably serving as a general manager in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox, St...
, a veteran baseball man with a reputation as a prolific trader, as general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
on April 27. However, Lane did not even last through the season, as he was fired on August 22. He was replaced by Pat Friday
Pat Friday (Baseball executive)
Pat Friday was hired on August 22nd 1961 by the Kansas City Athletics baseball team for the position of general manager. He served this position from 1961 to 1965.-Sources:...
, whose sole qualification for the job was that he managed one of Finley's insurance offices. With the firing of Lane in 1961, Finley effectively became a one-man band as owner, president and de facto general manager, and would remain so for the duration of his ownership.
- Part of the tension between Finley and Lane occurred when Finley advised Lane that he wanted to move the club's spring training facilities from West Palm Beach, Florida to Chandler, ArizonaChandler, Arizona-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
. Lane had negotiated with city officials in Chandler and was prepared to sign a lease. A report on the radio had indicated that Finley reached his own deal with West Palm Beach and signed a five year lease extension.
- On June 14, 1961, the feud between Charlie Finley and Frank Lane worsened as Lane traded fan favourite Bud Daley. Lane stated this was done in an attempt to embarrass the owner. Lew Krausse, Jr. made his major league debut on June 16, 1961 versus the Los Angeles Angels. Krausse had received a bonus of $125,000 to sign with the club. Finley admitted that he had the highly touted Krausse appear in a game so that fans could forget about the Bud Daley trade.
- August 17, 1961: Kansas City Star sportswriter Ernie Mehl had published a story indicating that Charlie Finley was ready to relocate the club to Dallas, Texas. Mabel found out about the proposed relocation because Finley went on a trip to Dallas with the supervisor of American League umpires Cal Hubbard. During the trip, the two visited the Cotton BowlCotton Bowl (stadium)The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...
and Burnett Field. Finley was furious and it led to a long rivalry between the two. Three days later, Finley attempted to publicly humiliate Mehl by having an Ernie Mehl Appreciation Day. Ceremonies for Mehl were held in between a doubleheaderDoubleheader (baseball)A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
with the Chicago White Sox. Finley presented Mehl with a Poison Pen Award in absentia.
Gimmicks
- Finley had a mechanical rabbit named Harvey installed to the right of home plate. Whenever the umpire required more baseballs, Harvey would emerge from a spot in the grass with a cage of baseballs. As the rabbit would emerge, the organist would play Here Comes Peter CottontailHere Comes Peter CottontailHere Comes Peter Cottontail is a 1971 Easter television special made by Rankin-Bass, based on a 1957 novel by Priscilla and Otto Friedrich entitled The Easter Bunny That Overslept. The title of the special is from the Easter song "Here Comes Peter Cottontail", which is also heard in the special....
. - Sheep were on a tall rocky hill beyond the right field fence. Finley had employees dressed as sheep herders, and the employees would ring a bell whenever an Athletics player hit a home run.
Notable transactions
- April 25, 1961: Bert CampanerisBert CampanerisDagoberto Campaneris Blanco , nicknamed "Campy", is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams, primarily the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Athletics. - June 1, 1961: Bill TuttleBill TuttleWilliam Robert Tuttle was a center fielder for three teams during his Major League Baseball career; the Detroit Tigers from 1952 to 1957, the Kansas City Athletics from 1958 to 1961, and the Minnesota Twins from 1961 to 1963...
and a player to be named later were traded by the Athletics to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
for Reno BertoiaReno BertoiaReno Peter Bertoia was an Italian-Canadian professional baseball player, playing infield for the Detroit Tigers , Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Athletics ....
, Paul GielPaul GielPaul Robert Giel was a football and baseball player from Winona, Minnesota.Giel attended the University of Minnesota, where he was a star quarterback for the Gophers. His career totals were 2,188 yards rushing, 1,922 yards passing...
and a player to be named later. The Athletics completed the deal by returning Paul Giel to the Twins in exchange for cash on June 10. - June 8, 1961: Marv ThroneberryMarv ThroneberryMarvin Eugene Throneberry was an American Major League Baseball player, best remembered as the starting first baseman for the 1962 New York Mets, a team which set the modern record for most losses in a season with 120....
was traded by the Athletics to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Gene StephensGene StephensGlen Eugene Stephens was an Outfielder for the Boston Red Sox , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Athletics and Chicago White Sox...
. - June 10, 1961: Ray HerbertRay HerbertRaymond Ernest Herbert was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. He won 20 games with the White Sox in and was selected to play in the All-Star game. The following season, he led...
, Don LarsenDon LarsenDonald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
, Andy CareyAndy CareyAndrew Arthur Carey is a former major league third baseman for the New York Yankees , and three other major league teams from 1960 to 1962...
, and Al PilarcikAl PilarcikAlfred James Pilarcik was an American professional baseball player. An outfielder, he appeared in 668 Major League games between and for the Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox...
were traded by the Athletics to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Wes CovingtonWes CovingtonJohn Wesley Covington , was a left fielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Stan JohnsonStan JohnsonStanley Lucius Johnson is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball, for the Chicago White Sox and for the Kansas City Athletics...
, Bob ShawBob Shaw (baseball)Robert John Shaw was a Major League Baseball pitcher.His career lasted a decade, and he pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics, Milwaukee Braves, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs. He won 18 games with the American League pennant-winning White...
, and Gerry StaleyGerry StaleyGerald Lee Staley was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who excelled both as a starter and reliever. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the Minor League draft. He pitched regularly from 1947 on, then was traded to Cincinnati for the 1955 season...
. - July 2, 1961: Wes Covington was traded by the Athletics to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Bobby Del GrecoBobby Del GrecoRobert George Del Greco was an Outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Cardinals , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Athletics .Del Greco grew up in Pittsburgh's Hill District and was signed by the hometown Pirates...
. - August 2, 1961: Gerry StaleyGerry StaleyGerald Lee Staley was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who excelled both as a starter and reliever. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the Minor League draft. He pitched regularly from 1947 on, then was traded to Cincinnati for the 1955 season...
and Reno BertoiaReno BertoiaReno Peter Bertoia was an Italian-Canadian professional baseball player, playing infield for the Detroit Tigers , Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Athletics ....
were traded by the Athletics to the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for Bill FischerBill Fischer (baseball)William Charles Fischer is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher for five American League teams in his nine-year career . He later was a longtime pitching coach for three MLB clubs...
and Ozzie VirgilOzzie Virgil, Sr.Osvaldo José Virgil broke the color barrier for Detroit in 1958. He served in the U.S. Marines from 1950 to 1952...
.
Roster
| 1961 Kansas City Athletics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 104 | 312 | 86 | .276 | 8 | 49 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 120 | 29 | .242 | 0 | 13 | |
| 25 | 84 | 22 | .262 | 0 | 8 | |
| 35 | 60 | 12 | .200 | 1 | 9 | |
| 26 | 48 | 11 | .229 | 0 | 9 | |
| 11 | 21 | 3 | .143 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 205.1 | 9 | 15 | 3.20 | 110 | |
| 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12.00 | 3 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 170.2 | 11 | 11 | 4.69 | 74 | |
| 16 | 63.2 | 4 | 8 | 4.95 | 36 | |
| 12 | 55.2 | 2 | 5 | 4.85 | 32 | |
| 20 | 54 | 0 | 5 | 5.67 | 19 |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5.18 | 46 | |
| 15 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3.86 | 12 | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.45 | 6 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.80 | 1 |
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: LewistonPocatello affiliation shared with San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....