The Athletics are one of the oldest and most traveled franchises in Major League Baseball. Founded in 1901 as a charter member of the American League, the franchise has called Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland and West Sacramento home. Along the way, the A’s have won nine World Series championships, produced legendary players and managers, and become one of baseball’s most recognizable franchises.
The franchise was known as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-1954, the Kansas City Athletics from 1955-1967, and the Oakland Athletics from 1968-2024. Beginning in 2025, the club began its temporary stay at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, with a planned move to a new Las Vegas ballpark in 2028.
The Beginning: The Philadelphia Athletics
The Athletics began play in Philadelphia in 1901. Connie Mack was brought in to run the baseball operation, while sporting-goods businessman Benjamin F. Shibe became the club’s principal early owner.
The original ownership group included Benjamin Shibe, Connie Mack, Tom Shibe, John Shibe, Sam Jones and Frank Hough. Mack gradually acquired additional ownership and eventually became the dominant figure in the organization.
The Philadelphia Athletics quickly became one of the American League’s premier clubs. They won American League pennants in 1902, 1905, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1929, 1930 and 1931. Five of those pennant-winning teams captured the World Series.
Athletics Home Parks
Columbia Park — Philadelphia 1901-1908
The first home of the Athletics was Columbia Park in North Philadelphia. The park opened in 1901 and originally held about 9,500 fans. Capacity was later increased to approximately 13,600.
Shibe Park — Philadelphia 1909-1954
The Athletics moved into Shibe Park in 1909. It was one of baseball’s first major concrete-and-steel stadiums.
The park was named for owner Benjamin Shibe. In 1953 it was officially renamed Connie Mack Stadium in honor of the legendary manager.
The Athletics played there until leaving Philadelphia after the 1954 season.
Municipal Stadium — Kansas City 1955-1967
After the franchise was sold and moved to Kansas City, the Athletics played at Municipal Stadium.
The stadium had previously been associated with the Kansas City Blues and Kansas City Monarchs. The facility was extensively rebuilt before the Athletics began play there in 1955.
Oakland Coliseum — Oakland 1968-2024
The Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968 and played their first game at the Coliseum on April 17, 1968.
The Coliseum became the longest-running home in Athletics history and witnessed four World Series championships, the 20-game winning streak of 2002,
The Bash Brothers era, the Moneyball era and many other memorable moments.
The final Athletics game in Oakland was played in September 2024.
Sutter Health Park — West Sacramento
2025-2027
The Athletics moved temporarily to Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento beginning with the 2025 season. The agreement calls for the Athletics to play there through 2027, with an option for 2028 if the planned Las Vegas stadium is not ready.
Las Vegas — Planned Future Home The Athletics are planning to move to a new ballpark in Las Vegas for the 2028 season. The Las Vegas facility is intended to become the franchise’s permanent home after the temporary Sacramento period.
Athletics Ownership Through the Years
The ownership history of the Athletics is almost as interesting as the playing history.
Philadelphia Athletics
1901-1921 — Benjamin F. Shibe and Connie Mack, with other original minority owners including Tom Shibe, John Shibe, Sam Jones and Frank Hough.
1922-1936 — Tom Shibe, John Shibe and Connie Mack
1936-1937 — John Shibe and Connie Mack
1937-1950 — Connie Mack and the Mack/Shibe ownership interests
1950-1954 — Connie Mack, Roy Mack and Earle Mack
The Mack family ultimately controlled the club before selling it after the 1954 season.
Kansas City Athletics
1954-1960 — Arnold Johnson
Arnold Johnson purchased the Philadelphia Athletics and moved the franchise to Kansas City.
1960-1980 — Charles O. “Charlie” Finley
Finley became one of the most colorful owners in baseball history. He purchased controlling interest in 1960 and eventually acquired the remaining ownership interests.
Finley moved the team to Oakland in 1968 and was the owner when the Athletics won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 through 1974.
Oakland Athletics
1980-1995 — Walter A. Haas Jr.
Haas purchased the Athletics from Finley following the 1980 season. During his ownership, Oakland won three consecutive American League pennants from 1988-1990 and the 1989 World Series.
1995-2005 — Stephen Schott and Ken Hofmann
Schott and Hofmann purchased the Athletics in 1995. The team reached the postseason four consecutive years from 2000-2003.
2005-2016 — Lewis Wolff and John Fisher
Wolff, Fisher and a limited partnership group purchased the Athletics in 2005.
2016-present — John Fisher
Fisher became managing partner in 2016 after Wolff stepped down from the position. Fisher remains the Athletics’ owner and managing partner.
The Athletics’ Nine World Series Championships
The Athletics have won nine World Series championships, with titles spread across three different cities.
Year
Opponent
Result
Athletics Series Record
1910
Chicago Cubs
Won
4-1
1911
New York Giants
Won
4-2
1913
New York Giants
Won
4-1
1929
Chicago Cubs
Won
4-1
1930
St. Louis Cardinals
Won
4-2
1972
Cincinnati Reds
Won
4-3
1973
New York Mets
Won
4-3
1974
Los Angeles Dodgers
Won
4-1
1989
San Francisco Giants
Won
4-0
That gives the Athletics an all-time World Series record of 36 wins and 18 losses in their nine championship series.
The nine championships occurred in 1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989.
The Philadelphia Dynasties
The first Athletics dynasty was built around stars such as Eddie Collins, Home Run Baker, Chief Bender and Eddie Plank.
The 1910, 1911 and 1913 Athletics won three World Series championships in four years.
The second Philadelphia dynasty came in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
That team featured:
Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Cochrane. Lefty Grove, Al Simmons, Eddie Collins
Connie Mack
Philadelphia won the World Series in 1929 and 1930 and reached the World Series again in 1931.
The Oakland Dynasty
The greatest modern Athletics dynasty came during the early 1970s.
Oakland won three consecutive World Series championships:
1972 — Cincinnati Reds — 4-3
1973 — New York Mets — 4-3
1974 — Los Angeles Dodgers — 4-1
The club featured stars including Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers, Vida Blue, Sal Bando, Bert Campaneris and Joe Rudi.
Gene Tenace was the hero of the 1972 World Series, Reggie Jackson won the 1973 World Series MVP and Rollie Fingers won the 1974 award.
The 1989 World Champions
The Athletics returned to the top in 1989.
Oakland swept the San Francisco Giants 4-0 in the World Series.
The club was led by:
Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Rickey Henderson, Dave Stewart, Dennis Eckersley, Carney Lansford, Terry Steinbach.
Dave Stewart was the World Series MVP.
The 1989 championship was particularly memorable because the Bay Area was struck by the Loma Prieta earthquake shortly before Game 3.
Athletics American League MVP Winners
The Athletics have produced 11 MVP award winners, with Jimmie Foxx winning twice.
Player
Year
City/Team
Lefty Grove
1931
Philadelphia
Jimmie Foxx
1932
Philadelphia
Jimmie Foxx
1933
Philadelphia
Bobby Shantz
1952
Philadelphia
Vida Blue
1971
Oakland
Reggie Jackson
1973
Oakland
Jose Canseco
1988
Oakland
Rickey Henderson
1990
Oakland
Dennis Eckersley
1992
Oakland
Jason Giambi
2000
Oakland
Miguel Tejada
2002
Oakland
The Athletics’ official awards list confirms all 11 MVP seasons.
Athletics Rookie of the Year Winners
The Athletics have had nine American League Rookie of the Year winners.
Player
Year
Harry Byrd
1952
Jose Canseco
1986
Mark McGwire
1987
Walt Weiss
1988
Ben Grieve
1998
Bobby Crosby
2004
Huston Street
2005
Andrew Bailey
2009
Nick Kurtz
2025
Nick Kurtz became the latest Athletics Rookie of the Year in 2025, joining an impressive list that includes Canseco and McGwire.
Athletics World Series MVP Winners
Tenace hit four home runs and One of Four Athletics players have won World Series MVP while playing for the club:
Player
Year
Opponent
Gene Tenace
1972
Cincinnati Reds
Reggie Jackson
1973
New York Mets
Rollie Fingers
1974
Los Angeles Dodgers
Dave Stewart
1989 San Francisco Giants He drove in nine runs in the 1972 World Series.
National Baseball Hall of Famers Associated With the Athletics
The Athletics have had an extraordinary number of Hall of Fame players pass through the organization. Because some Hall of Famers spent only a portion of their careers with the Athletics, the list is broader than players who wore an Athletics logo on their Hall of Fame plaque.
Philadelphia Era
Hall of Famer
Hometown
Home Run Baker
Trappe, Maryland
Chief Bender
Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Ty Cobb
Narrows, Georgia
Mickey Cochrane
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Eddie Collins
Millerton, New York
Jimmy Collins
Oyster Bay, New York
Stan Coveleski
Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Elmer Flick
Bedford, Ohio
Nellie Fox
St. Thomas, Pennsylvania
Jimmie Foxx
Sudlersville, Maryland
Lefty Grove
Lonaconing, Maryland
Waite Hoyt
Brooklyn, New York
George Kell
Swifton, Arkansas
Nap Lajoie
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Connie Mack
East Brookfield, Massachusetts
Herb Pennock
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Eddie Plank
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Al Simmons
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Tris Speaker
Hubbard, Texas
Rube Waddell
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Zack Wheat
Hamilton, Missouri
The Athletics’ Philadelphia history includes many of baseball’s greatest early stars. MLB specifically identifies numerous Hall of Famers connected to the Philadelphia Athletics, including Baker, Bender, Cochrane, Collins, Foxx, Grove, Mack, Plank, Simmons and Waddell.
Kansas City Era
Hall of Famer
Hometown
Luke Appling
High Point, North Carolina
Lou Boudreau
Harvey, Illinois
Whitey Herzog
New Athens, Illinois
Tommy Lasorda
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Satchel Paige
Mobile, Alabama
Enos Slaughter
Roxboro, North Carolina
Oakland Era
Hall of Famer
Hometown
Dick Allen
Wampum, Pennsylvania
Harold Baines
Easton, Maryland
Orlando Cepeda
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Dennis Eckersley
Oakland, California
Goose Gossage
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Rickey Henderson
Chicago, Illinois
Catfish Hunter
Hertford, North Carolina
Reggie Jackson
Wyncote, Pennsylvania
Tony La Russa
Tampa, Florida
Willie McCovey
Mobile, Alabama
Joe Morgan
Bonham, Texas
Dave Parker
Grenada, Mississippi
Mike Piazza
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Tim Raines
Sanford, Florida
Don Sutton
Clio, Alabama
Frank Thomas
Columbus, Georgia
Billy Williams
Whistler, Alabama
Dick Williams
St. Louis, Missouri
Dick Allen and Dave Parker were the newest Hall of Famers in this group, entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2025. Allen played for Oakland in 1975-76, while Parker played for Oakland in 1988-89.
Athletics Hall of Fame
The club also operates its own Athletics Hall of Fame, which is different from the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 2018.
Its inaugural class included:
Dennis Eckersley
Rollie Fingers
Charlie Finley
Rickey Henderson
Catfish Hunter
Reggie Jackson
Dave Stewart
Later classes added legends including Vida Blue, Bert Campaneris, Mark McGwire, Tony La Russa, Home Run Baker, Chief Bender, Mickey Cochrane, Eddie Collins, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Connie Mack, Eddie Plank, Al Simmons, Rube Waddell, Sal Bando, Eric Chavez, Joe Rudi, Jason Giambi, Gene Tenace, Jose Canseco, Miguel Tejada and Dick Williams.
The 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class includes Dave Henderson, Mark Ellis, John “Blue Moon” Odom and Sandy Alderson.
Some of the Greatest Athletics Players
Connie Mack
Connie Mack is arguably the single most important person in Athletics history.
He managed the club from 1901 through 1950 and remained an owner for the entire Philadelphia era.
His Athletics won five World Series championships and nine American League pennants. His 3,582 managerial victories remain the most in Athletics history.
Jimmie Foxx
Foxx was one of the most feared hitters of the 1930s.
He won consecutive MVP awards in 1932 and 1933 and won the Triple Crown in 1933.
Lefty Grove
Grove was the ace of Philadelphia’s great teams.
He won the American League MVP award in 1931 and helped the Athletics win consecutive World Series championships in 1929 and 1930.
Reggie Jackson
Jackson became one of the greatest postseason hitters in baseball history.
He won the American League MVP in 1973 and World Series MVP that same year.
Rickey Henderson
Henderson is widely regarded as one of baseball’s greatest leadoff hitters and baserunners.
He won the 1990 AL MVP and helped Oakland win the 1989 World Series.
Dennis Eckersley
Eckersley became one of the most dominant relief pitchers in baseball.
He won both the AL MVP and Cy Young Award in 1992.
Mark McGwire
McGwire hit 49 home runs as a rookie in 1987 and won the Rookie of the Year award.
He remained one of the most feared power hitters of the late 1980s and 1990s.
Jose Canseco
Canseco won Rookie of the Year in 1986 and MVP in 1988.
In 1988 he became the first player in Major League history to hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 40 bases in the same season.
The Athletics and Their 2002 Miracle
One of the greatest regular-season accomplishments in Athletics history came in 2002.
Oakland won 103 games and finished with one of the most memorable stretches in modern baseball history.
The Athletics won 20 consecutive games, a streak that remains one of the defining achievements of the franchise.
Miguel Tejada was the 2002 American League MVP, while Barry Zito won the Cy Young Award.
Athletics Awards Summary
American League MVP Awards
11
Rookie of the Year Awards
9
Cy Young Awards
5
Vida Blue — 1971
Catfish Hunter — 1974
Bob Welch — 1990
Dennis Eckersley — 1992
Barry Zito — 2002
World Series Championships
9
American League Pennants
15
The Athletics’ franchise record includes nine World Series championships and 15 American League pennants.
The Athletics’ Four Great Eras
The franchise can roughly be divided into four great championship periods.
Philadelphia Dynasty I — 1910-1913
Three championships in four years.
Philadelphia Dynasty II — 1929-1930
Back-to-back championships with Foxx, Grove, Cochrane and Simmons.
Oakland Dynasty — 1972-1974
Three consecutive World Series championships.
Oakland Championship — 1989
A dominant Oakland club swept San Francisco.
These four eras account for all nine Athletics World Series championships.
From Oakland to Sacramento
The Athletics played 57 seasons in Oakland before leaving following the 2024 season.
During their Oakland era, the club won:
4 World Series
6 American League pennants
17 division titles
21 postseason appearances
The franchise then began its temporary Sacramento era in 2025.
The move represents another major chapter in the long history of a franchise that has already moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City and then Oakland.
The Athletics Legacy
Few MLB franchises can match the Athletics’ history.
They have played in four major home cities, won nine World Series championships, produced numerous MVPs and Rookie of the Year winners, and developed or employed some of the greatest players and managers in baseball history.
From Connie Mack and Eddie Collins, to Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove, to Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter, to Rickey Henderson and Dennis Eckersley, and finally to modern stars such as Nick Kurtz, the Athletics have continually added new chapters to their history.
The future will bring another major change when the Athletics are scheduled to move to Las Vegas. But wherever the franchise plays, its history remains rooted in the great Athletics teams of Philadelphia, Kansas City and Oakland.
Nine World Series championships. Fifteen American League pennants. Generations of Hall of Famers. One of baseball’s most historic franchises — the Athletics.
Artie Fischal
