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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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 21, 1973: (L-R) Gene Tenace, Owner Charlie Finley Bert Campaneris, Jesus Alou and coach Vern Hoscheit of the Oakland Athletics celebrate in the locker room after they won Game Seven of the 1973 World Series against the New York Mets October 21, 1973 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Russ Reed/Sporting News via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 21, 1973: (L-R) Gene Tenace, Owner Charlie Finley Bert Campaneris, Jesus Alou and coach Vern Hoscheit of the Oakland Athletics celebrate in the locker room after they won Game Seven of the 1973 World Series against the New York Mets October 21, 1973 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Russ Reed/Sporting News via Getty Images) /

68. 1973 Oakland Athletics

94-68, AL West Champions, Won World Series 4-3 Over New York

The Oakland Athletics rules Major League Baseball in the early 1970s, and the 1973 A’s were the best of the three-time World Championship squads from 1972-74. While the A’s were known for a dominant pitching staff that featured future Hall of Famers Catfish Hunter (21-5, 3.34) and Rollie Fingers (7-8, 1.29 ERA, 22 saves) and also boasted 20-game winners Vida Blue (20-9, 3.28) and Ken Holtzman (21-13, 2.97), it was Reggie Jackson that garnered the most attention in 1973.

The 27-year old slugger hit .293/.383/.531 with a league-leading 32 home runs, 117 RBI, and 99 runs scored, as well as 22 stolen bases in a unanimous MVP season. It was the only MVP season of Jackson’s 21-year Hall of Fame career.

Sal Bando finished fourth in the MVP voting with an impressive .287/.375/.498 slash, 29 home runs and 98 RBI while Gene Tenace (24 HR, 84 RBI) and Deron Johnson (19 HR, 81 RBI) were also major contributors for the AL’s highest-scoring club.

After winning the AL West by six games, the A’s survived a five-game ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles and beat the New York Mets 4-3 in the World Series.

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