Fansided

Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 22: Members of the Oakland Athletics celebrate after winning Game 7 of the 1972 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds on October 22, 1972 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The A’s defeated the Red 3-2. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 22: Members of the Oakland Athletics celebrate after winning Game 7 of the 1972 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds on October 22, 1972 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The A’s defeated the Red 3-2. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

84. 1972 Oakland Athletics

93-62, AL West Champions, Won World Series 4-3 Over Cincinnati

The impact of the 1972 Oakland A’s can still be felt today. Under the direction of team owner Charley O. Finley, the A’s made a fashion statement with brightly colored green and gold jerseys, as well as white cleats and mustaches during a team in which the vast majority of Major League Baseball teams wore white at home, gray on the road, and were by and large clean-shaven.

Of course, Oakland also happened to be the best team in the big leagues in 1972 (as well as the two following years) – winning the first World Championship for the franchise since the Philadelphia Athletics in 1930 with a 4-3 World Series victory over the powerful Cincinnati Reds.

Hall of Fame pitcher Catfish Hunter posted a 21-7 record (the first 20-win season of his career) and a 2.04 ERA. Every A’s starter had an ERA of 3.00 or better, with Ken Holtzman (19-11, 2.51), Blue Moon Odom (15-6, 2.50) and Vida Blue (6-10, 2.80) doing much of the heavy lifting. Hall of Fame reliever Rollie Fingers posted a 2.51 ERA and had 21 saves in 111.1 innings across 65 appearances.

Mike Epstein led the A’s powerful lineup in home runs (26) while Reggie Jackson was close behind with 25 of the team’s league-leading 134 long balls. Shortstop Bert Campaneris swiped 52 bases to lead the AL.

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