In Sports, There WAS (Much) There In Oakland, California

Now, playing off Gertrude Stein’s “there is no there, there” regarding Oakland, California THERE are no professional sports teams there anymore.

This is sad and despite Thursday past’s, nowhere near enough, but still brightness, as the A’s won, in their last “at Oakland Coliseum” game before a packed house, it does not go away.

Yet away the Athletics franchise, previously moved from Philadelphia where two eras of great Connie Mack managed teams won 5 titles and Kansas City, will go to Sacramento and then in “par for the course,” fashion, eventually Las Vegas, Nevada (as I type, I practice that state’s punctuation).

Today, some memories of the A’s, football Raiders and the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum: My best one and I do have my “calls,” as in the (finally) a title year of 1976, Ken “The Snake” Stabler drove the Raiders from their own 32, seriously aided and abetted by a roughing the passer call (25 years later, in the New England snow, the “sitch” was reversed) and on his gimpy knees dove into the scoring part and Oakland survived the New England Patriots, in a second classic, slot 2, Stabler led drive from his 32, for the decisive TD, in 3 seasons. (In ’74, Madden carried off the field after what was only a “qtrs” win and “Oak” were”semi’d” out by the great Steelers and nearly 19 year old, baby me, wanted to run away from home.)

I will cite two great A’s post-season “Coliseum” wins in the first of their 3 straight title seasons (1972)–(only the Yankees, who did it thrice, 5 straight (’49-’53), 4 straight (’36-’39) and 3 straight under still disrespected by Steinbrenner, Joe Torre (’98-2000), have won as many as 3 straight baseball season crowns.

Game 1 of the 1972 ALCS and T11, the great player Al Kaline, who had led Detroit (Tigers) to the “one fourth/had to finish first,” A.L. East crown (see this year’s Detroit, which having come from the proverbial “dead,” aided by an epic Twins collapse, have stormed into the 12 team baseball tournament) homered and “Det,” with the great (not only is he not in the baseball Hall, his #29 is on the back of certain A.L. Cy Young winner, Skubal’s back and NOT on the bricks along with Ty (rhymes) with Cy) Cobb and other “Tigs” (ode to Ernie Harwell) greats), Mickey Lolich on the mound.

Captain Sal Bando, who advised all, regarding Italian food in the Bay Area, singled and Mike Epstein, who perhaps could have done same, regarding where if anywhere to get good “strami” (Stone’s sick barring me, “turn” hurts though I know he is a truly sick individual), did same. (John “Blue Monn’d/ran for Sal and Mike Hegan the same for Epstein).

Fury “Gene” Tenace (Tenacie, I called his sister Sandi, who had, hopefully alive and well maybe still has an 838 N.Y. exchange, but never dated her) tried to “sac” (not Sacramento), but it resulted in a force out at 3rd and a near D.P.

However, Gonzalo Marquez, almost as prolific in helping the A’s “title,” with two key pinch hits as still unsung, Del Unser (except by Mr. Schmidt who knew the “consequences, as perhaps as unfair as they might have been if Del had not “bailed” Mike out/T8 of #5 ’80 NLCS, still not so arguably the greatest LCS ever, probably the best LCS game, one of baseball’s greatest games period and on a rare Dad talking on what was then tape, he born in 1914, said “Andy this is one of the greatest games I have ever seen”) singled to right, Hegan scored while Fury not exactly Jesse Owens, tried for third and Kaline’s throw short hopped Aurelio Rodriguez (by the way a great fielding 3rd sacker) and went awry, allowing Tenace to score and the A’s to “open” (3-2) in a classic LCS they would win 3 games to 2, holding on (2-1) in the decisive 5th with Monte Moore (think of the great A’s broadcasters in addition to Moore, Bill King, Lon Simmons, Harry Caray, Jon Miller and others including one of the few analysts worth listening to, Ray Fosse) intoning “Vida (Blue in relief of Odom) kicks high” and that Tony Taylor flew out to center, “The Rider,” George Hendrick there to catch it as the great Reggie Jackson was injured, scoring the go ahead run and would miss the World Series (I think Mr. Jackson or is it Mister “some month” had other chances to excel in W.S. play and did he ever!!).

I go on, but with difficulty, get brief.

#4 W.S. down, A’s (2-1) B9, up (2-1) in what had been an all road W.S. vs favored Cincinnati, Eventual W.S. MVP, “Fury” Gene Tenace and 3 “M’ players delivered hits, Gonzalo again, plus Don Mincher and the game winner by Angel Mangual manifested. “Oak” won (3-2), led (3-1), needed 7, but won (3-2) at Cincy (3-1 “THERE”, that word again, in the Series.

I stop with a heavy heart, but great memories of what happened THERE!

Click below to view and hear with Tigers’ broadcasters George Kell (most of it and Kell is one of the few ex players, who became an outstanding broadcaster) and the also very good Larry Osterman (I think it is he for the fateful 11th inning), the Athletics’ great win in #1/1972 ALCS.