Highlighted Year: Reggie Jackson, 1968

Outfielder, Oakland Athletics

Age:  22 (May 18)

2^nd season with Athletics

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 195 

Prior to 1968:

A native of Pennsylvania from the Philadelphia suburb of Wyncote, Jackson excelled in football, basketball, and track, as well as baseball, at Cheltenham High School. After high school he went to Arizona State University on a football scholarship. Fast, tough, and talented, he was starting in the defensive backfield as a sophomore. Jackson tried out for the baseball team and impressed with his batting power. After playing summer ball in Baltimore to sharpen his skills, he became the starting center fielder as a sophomore. Self-confident and charismatic with a flair for the dramatic, as well as an impressive raw talent, he was chosen by the Athletics, at the time located in Kansas City, second overall in the 1966 amateur draft. While tempted to remain in school, he signed with the A’s for a $85,000 bonus. Starting out professionally with the Lewiston Broncs of the short-season Class A Northwest League, he was quickly moved to Modesto of the Class A California League where, in 56 games, he batted .299 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. Promoted to Birmingham of the Class AA Southern League in 1967, Jackson hit .293 with 26 doubles, 17 triples, 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .372 on-base percentage, and a .562 slugging percentage, receiving a late-season trial with Kansas City that amounted to only a .178 average with one home run. Jackson was starting in right field with the A’s, now in Oakland, in 1968.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 154 games

RF – 148, CF – 10, PH – 4, PR – 2, LF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 614 [20, tied with Joe Foy]

At Bats – 553 [17]

Runs – 82 [7]

Hits – 138

Doubles – 13

Triples – 6 [14, tied with four others]

Home Runs – 29 [4]

RBI – 74 [8, tied with Carl Yastrzemski]

Bases on Balls – 50

Int. BB – 5

Strikeouts – 171 [1]

Stolen Bases – 14 [15, tied with Rick Monday]

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .250

OBP - .316

Slugging Pct. - .452 [8]

Total Bases – 250 [7]

GDP – 3

Hit By Pitches – 5 [13, tied with eight others]

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 2 

League-leading batting strikeouts were +28 ahead of runner-up Rick Monday

Midseason snapshot: HR - 13, RBI - 34, AVG - .262, SLG – .430, OBP – .343

---

Most hits, game – 3 (in 3 AB) at NY Yankees 4/16, (in 5 AB) at Boston 5/3, (in 3 AB) at Baltimore 6/7, (in 5 AB) at California 9/1

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) at Detroit 9/14

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 20

Multi-HR games – 1

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Minnesota 7/27

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 2 (.500) with 2 R, 1 RBI & 1 BB

Fielding

Chances – 295

Put Outs – 269

Assists – 14

Errors – 12

DP – 5

Pct. - .959

Awards & Honors:

17^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Brooks Robinson, Balt. (8 points, 3% share)

---

The relocated Athletics went 82-80 to finish sixth in the AL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in hits (1300), stolen bases (147), and batting (.240). The resurgent A’s.climbed as high as third place in June prior to a seven-game losing streak that moved them back into the middle of the pack. Still, they finished with their best record since 1952, when they were still in Philadelphia, which was not enough to save manager Bob Kennedy’s job. Attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a disappointing 837,466, presaging many years of mediocre returns at the gate.

Aftermath of 1968:

Jackson broke out in a big way in 1969 as he hit 37 home runs by the All-Star break, putting him on a record pace. He tailed off thereafter and ended up with 47 homers for the year while batting .275 with 118 RBIs and a league-leading 123 runs scored and .608 slugging percentage in addition to again topping the circuit in striking out with 142 whiffs. Jackson held out in the spring of 1970 and got off to a slow start at the plate that had him publicly feuding with owner Charlie Finley throughout the season, who threatened to send him down to the minors. The result was 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, a .237 average, and a .359 OBP. He played winter ball in Puerto Rico under the guidance of long-time hitting star Frank Robinson to get back on track. The A’s topped the AL West in 1971 and Jackson contributed significantly by hitting .277 with 32 home runs and 80 RBIs. In the All-Star Game he hit a long home run at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium that hit a light stand some 520 feet from home plate. The A’s lost to Baltimore in the ALCS but Jackson hit two home runs in his first taste of postseason action. He had lesser numbers in 1972 while batting .265 with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs. Oakland again topped the division but lost Jackson to a torn hamstring during the ALCS against Detroit, and he was in a cast for the seven-game World Series triumph over Cincinnati. By 1973 he was a three-time All-Star who had received MVP votes in each of the prior two seasons while playing for a championship club. After seeing significant action in center field in 1972, Jackson was almost exclusively a right fielder in 1973 and had an outstanding year as Oakland again won the division. He led the AL in home runs (32), RBIs (117), runs scored (99), and slugging (.531) while batting .293 with a .383 OBP. He was selected as league MVP for his efforts and was also MVP of the seven-game World Series win against the New York Mets by hitting .310 and his two-RBI performance in Game 6 kept the A’s alive in a Series in which owner Finley instigated a near player mutiny by his attempted “firing” of second baseman Mike Andrews after his two twelfth inning errors led to a loss in Game 2. The A’s topped the AL West for the fourth straight season in 1974 amidst turmoil that included Jackson getting in fights with catcher Ray Fosse and outfielder Bill North that resulted in his suffering a shoulder injury that limited his production in the season’s second half. He still batted .289 with 29 home runs and 93 RBIs. The talented but fractious club won the AL pennant and a third consecutive World Series, beating the Dodgers in five games while Jackson hit .286 with a home run. Oakland topped the AL West again in 1975 while Jackson hit 36 home runs and tied for the league lead with Milwaukee’s George Scott. He also batted .253 with a .329 OBP and 104 RBIs. Facing the final year of his contract in 1976, the A’s traded Jackson to the Baltimore Orioles along with LHP Ken Holtzman for three players that included outfielder Don Baylor and RHP Mike Torrez just prior to the season’s start. Jackson held out and missed the first few weeks. He got off to a slow start once he ironed out his contract difficulties and reported to the Orioles. His bat eventually came around and he ended up hitting .277 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs while posting a league-leading .502 slugging percentage. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the New York Yankees for five years and $2.96 million. Jackson was involved in turmoil during the 1977 season, most notably a dugout confrontation with manager Billy Martin after he was removed from a game in Boston in June. Once again finding himself on a winning team with a fractious atmosphere, he batted .286 with 32 home runs and 110 RBIs and tied for eighth in league MVP balloting. The Yankees reached the World Series against the Dodgers. Following a quiet ALCS performance, Jackson earned Series MVP honors by hitting three straight first-pitch home runs in the decisive Game 6 (of a total of 5 homers in the series), thus earning himself the nickname “Mr. October”. The Yankees came from behind in 1978 to end up in a playoff with Boston for the AL East title, which they won. Jackson contributed 27 home runs, 97 RBIs, a .274 average, and a .356 OBP. He hit two more home runs in the ALCS triumph over the Royals to get the club to another World Series against the Dodgers. LA moved out to a two-games-to-none advantage with the most dramatic moment occurring when Jackson was struck out by rookie RHP Bob Welch to cap Game 2. The Yankees battled back and “Mr. October” hit two home runs, one off Welch, in the climactic Game 6 win. The Yanks dropped to fourth in a tragedy-and injury-marred 1979 season. Jackson hit .297 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. The club returned to first place in 1980, while Jackson batted .300 with 41 home runs, 111 RBIs, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .597 slugging percentage. The club was swept by Kansas City in the ALCS. Jackson spent one more year with the Yankees in the strike-shortened 1981 season and ended up hitting .237 with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs. The Yanks lost to the Dodgers in the World Series. A free agent in the off-season, Jackson signed with the California Angels where he joined a veteran-filled lineup in 1982 and topped the AL with 39 home runs while also batting .275 with 101 RBIs. He finished sixth in league MVP voting and homered in the ALCS loss to Milwaukee. His production sagged in 1983 as he turned 37 and he ended up hitting a paltry .194 with just 14 home runs. Jackson rebounded somewhat in 1984, batting .223 with a .300 OBP along with 25 home runs and 81 RBIs while primarily appearing as Designated Hitter in tandem with Brian Downing. He added another 27 home runs in 1985 while hitting .252 with a .360 OBP. One more division-winning season in 1986 was followed by a return to Oakland to close out his career in 1987. Overall, for his major league career, Jackson batted .262 with 2584 hits that included 463 doubles, 49 triples, and 563 home runs. He scored 1551 runs, compiled 1702 RBIs with a .356 OBP and .490 slugging percentage. He also struck out 2597 times. With Oakland he totaled .262 with 1228 hits, 234 doubles, 27 triples, 269 home runs, 776 RBIs, 756 runs scored, a .355 OBP, .496 slugging percentage, and 1226 batter strikeouts.  Appearing in 77 postseason games (32 with Oakland) he hit .278 with 18 home runs and 48 RBIs and was a two-time World Series MVP. A 14-time All-Star (six with the A’s), he finished in the top 10 in league MVP voting seven times, including one win. Better known for his batting prowess than his fielding, he placed second in outfield assists four times and led AL outfielders in errors in five seasons. The A’s retired his #9 and the Yankees retired the #44 that he wore with them, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. A shrewd investor, Jackson enhanced his wealth in retirement, but he also dabbled in broadcasting and acting and served as a hitting coach for the Athletics.

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Danny Cater, 1968

First Baseman, Oakland Athletics

Age:  28

3^rd season with Athletics (2^nd complete)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 1968:

A native of Austin, Texas, Cater played football, as well as baseball, at William B. Travis High School. Following graduation in 1958, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a reported $24,000. Starting out with Johnson City of the Class D Appalachian League he played shortstop and was the short-season league’s Player of the Year after leading the circuit in runs scored (70), home runs (14), and RBIs (68). Earning a promotion in 1959 to Bakersfield of the Class C California League, Cater was shifted to second base and batted .308 with 38 doubles, 7 triples, 11 home runs, 99 RBIs, a .364 on-base percentage, and a .451 slugging percentage. Advancing to Williamsport of the Class A Eastern League in 1960, he hit .266 with 33 doubles, 12 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .303 OBP, and a .404 slugging percentage. He also played at first base and led all Eastern League first sackers with a .990 fielding percentage. Remaining with Williamsport in 1961, Cater made another position change, this time to second base, which didn’t bother his hitting as he batted .343 with 28 doubles, 9 triples, 16 home runs, 80 RBIs, a .382 OBP, and a .511 slugging percentage. He was named a league All-Star and in 1962 was promoted to the Buffalo Bisons of the Class AAA International League where he played third base and hit .288 with 21 doubles, 7 triples, 12 home runs, 67 RBIs, a .320 OBP, and a .424 slugging percentage. Low-key and laid back, he was told in the minors that he needed to be more of a “holler guy”, which did not fit his nature. With a high-pitched voice, he was referred to by teammates as the “Texas Tenor”. But his bat and versatility in the field worked in his favor. Staying in the International League with the Arkansas Travelers in 1963, Cater played in the outfield and batted .291 with 23 doubles, 5 triples, 14 home runs, 58 RBIs, a .324 OBP, and a .450 slugging percentage. A line-drive hitter with a closed stance, Cater made the Phillies as a utility player in 1964, seeing most of his action in left field and as a pinch-hitter. He appeared in 60 games and batted .296 as a rookie with 9 doubles, a home run, 13 RBIs, and a .325 OBP, although he missed significant time during the summer due to a broken arm. In the offseason he was sent to the Chicago White Sox as part of a trade for RHP Ray Herbert. Seeing considerable action in left field in 1965, Cater got off to a fast start with his hitting and finished at .270 with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a .316 OBP. His laid-back demeanor got him on the wrong side of new manager Eddie Stanky in 1966. Little used, he was hitting .183 when dealt to the then-Kansas City A’s late in May. Used regularly at first and third base as well as left field, he batted .292 for the A’s and ended up at .278 with 17 doubles, 7 home runs, 56 RBIs, and a .317 OBP.  1967 was a chaotic season for the A’s off-the-field, which led to disappointing results on the field. Cater started the season at first base and eventually split time at third base and left field. Off to a good start offensively, he cooled off and finished at .270 with 17 doubles, 4 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .317 OBP. A beaning ended his season in mid-September. The franchise moved west to Oakland in 1968.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

1B – 121, LF – 19, PH – 16, RF – 2, 2B – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 550

At Bats – 504

Runs – 53

Hits – 146 [15, tied with Willie Horton & Del Unser]

Doubles – 28 [7, tied with Frank Howard]

Triples – 3

Home Runs – 6

RBI – 62 [15, tied with Ken McMullen & Roy White]

Bases on Balls – 35

Int. BB – 3

Strikeouts – 43

Stolen Bases – 8

Caught Stealing – 7 [14, tied with ten others]

Average - .290 [2]

OBP - .336 [15, tied with Joe Foy]

Slugging Pct. - .393 [20]

Total Bases – 198

GDP – 21 [2]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 4 [20, tied with twenty-one others]

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 9, HR - 3, RBI - 24, AVG - .263, OBP - .333

---

Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Boston 7/15, (in 4 AB) vs. Baltimore 8/13, (in 5 AB) at California 9/1, (in 5 AB) vs. Cleveland 9/8

Longest hitting streak – 10 games

HR at home – 2

HR on road – 4

Most home runs, game – 1 on six occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Boston 5/29

Pinch-hitting – 5 for 12 (.417) with 3 R, 3 2B, 1 RBI & 3 BB

Fielding (1B)

Chances – 1058

Put Outs – 985

Assists – 68

Errors – 5

DP – 89

Pct. - .995

Awards & Honors:

19^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Tony Oliva, Minn. (5 points, 2% share)

---

The relocated Athletics went 82-80 to finish sixth in the AL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in hits (1300), stolen bases (147), and batting (.240). The resurgent A’s.climbed as high as third place in June prior to a seven-game losing streak that moved them back into the middle of the pack. Still, they finished with their best record since 1952, when they were still in Philadelphia, which was not enough to save manager Bob Kennedy’s job. Attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a disappointing 837,466, presaging many years of mediocre returns at the gate. Cater became the regular first baseman during May and, in a season dominated by pitching, he challenged for the AL batting title. His .290 average placed second to Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski who won the batting championship with a record low figure of .301. He excelled defensively at first base where his .995 fielding percentage topped all AL first sackers.

Aftermath of 1968:

Cater was unable to sustain a strong start in 1969 and finished at .262 with 24 doubles, 10 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .296 OBP, while again performing well in the field. In the offseason he was traded to the New York Yankees for LHP Al Downing and catcher Frank Fernandez. He primarily started at first base in 1970, but also saw action at third. At bat he was leading the Yankees in batting and RBIs by the end of June and ended up hitting .301 with 26 doubles, 6 home runs, 76 RBIs, a .340 OBP, and a .393 slugging percentage. In 1971 Cater again split time between first and third base and batted .276 with 25 extra-base hits that included 16 doubles and 4 home runs, 50 RBIs, and a .308 OBP. Prior to the 1972 season Cater was dealt to the Boston Red Sox for relief pitcher Sparky Lyle. Playing at first base, he hit a disappointing .237 with 8 home runs, 39 RBIs, and a .270 OBP. He was benched for a time in August. With Lyle starring for the Yankees, Cater became a target of fan disappointment. 20 pounds lighter in 1973, he saw scant action in returning to a utility role but batted a solid .313 with 24 RBIs and a .348 OBP. Following one more insignificant season with the Red Sox in 1974, Cater was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975 to back up young first baseman Keith Hernandez. Seeing scant action and being sent down to Class AAA, he was released in July, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career Cater batted .276 with 1229 hits that included 191 doubles, 29 triples, and 66 home runs. He scored 491 runs and compiled 519 RBIs, a .316 OBP, and a .377 slugging percentage. With the Athletics he batted .277 with 566 hits, 85 doubles, 12 triples, 27 home runs, 236 RBIs, a .319 OBP, and a .370 slugging percentage. Cater never appeared in the postseason and only received MVP votes in 1968. Following his playing career he worked in the Texas comptroller’s office. A versatile player who was typically a decent hitter, he came close to winning a batting championship in a pitching-dominated season.

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Bert Campaneris, 1968

Shortstop, Oakland Athletics

Age:  26

5^th season with Athletics

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 160 

Prior to 1968:

A native of Pueblo Nuevo in Cuba, Dagoberto Campaneris played in a Cuban Little League at age 11, where he first demonstrated his speed and quickness and later played semipro ball as a catcher. His performance in the 1961 Pan-American Games led to his signing by the Kansas City Athletics, making him one of the last Cuban players to leave for the United States following Castro’s revolution. The ambidextrous Campaneris enthusiastically sought to play at every position but performed primarily in the outfield, first base, and shortstop with Daytona Beach of the Class D Florida State League in 1962 where he batted .290 with 15 doubles, 21 stolen bases, and a .391 on-base percentage. He finished the season with the Binghamton Triplets of the Class A Eastern League where he hit .364 in 13 games. Campaneris was sidelined by a sore arm for the first two months of the 1963 season and ended up appearing in 46 games, split between Binghamton and Lewiston of the Class A Northwest League, batting a combined .293 with a .365 OBP while playing primarily as a catcher and shortstop. He started 1964 with the Birmingham Barons of the Class AA Southern League and was batting .325 with a .389 OBP, 18 doubles, 11 triples, 6 home runs, 40 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases when he was called up to the A’s in July due to an injury to shortstop Wayne Causey. Campaneris homered twice in his first major league game on his way to hitting .257 with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, 22 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, and a .306 OBP in 67 games while playing at short, third base, and the outfield. In 1965, appearing primarily at shortstop, but also occasionally in the outfield, the exuberant “Campy” showed off his speed and daring on the basepaths, leading the AL with 51 stolen bases and 12 triples, to go along with hitting .270 with 23 doubles, 6 home runs, 67 runs scored, 42 RBIs, and a .326 OBP. In one September game, in which he was honored on “Campaneris Night” he played all nine positions, after which a shoulder injury suffered due to a home plate collision while catching in the ninth inning sidelined him for two weeks. Campaneris was installed full-time at shortstop in 1966 and teamed well with second baseman Dick Green. He also batted .267 with a league-leading 52 stolen bases, 29 doubles, 10 triples, 5 home runs, 82 runs scored, and a .302 OBP despite missing 20 games due to injuries. Campaneris again topped the league with 55 stolen bases in 1967 while his average slipped to .248 and his OBP to .297 although he led AL shortstops with 259 putouts. He also hit a record-tying three triples in a game against Cleveland. In the offseason, owner Charlie Finley made good on his desire to move the franchise out of Kansas City, relocating to Oakland.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 159 games

SS – 155, LF – 3, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 707 [1]

At Bats – 642 [1]

Runs – 87 [6]

Hits – 177 [1]

Doubles – 25 [11, tied with Sal Bando]

Triples – 9 [5]

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 38

Bases on Balls – 50

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 69

Stolen Bases – 62 [1]

Caught Stealing – 22 [1]

Average - .276 [7]

OBP - .330 [17]

Slugging Pct. - .361

Total Bases – 232 [12]

GDP – 5

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 8 [11, tied with five others]

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading plate appearances were +12 ahead of runner-up Jim Fregosi

League-leading at bats were +7 ahead of runner-up Del Unser

League-leading hits were +10 ahead of runner-up Cesar Tovar

League-leading stolen bases were +22 ahead of runner-up Jose Cardenal

League-leading times caught stealing were +4 ahead of runners-up Jose Cardenal & Reggie Smith

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 11, 3B – 3, HR - 2, RBI - 17, SB – 26, AVG - .236, OBP - .299

---

Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Washington 8/9

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 1

Most home runs, game – 1 on four occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 at Cleveland 8/4

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 771

Put Outs – 279

Assists – 458

Errors – 34

DP – 86

Pct. - .956 

Awards & Honors:

All-Star

11^th in AL MVP voting (39 points, 14% share)

---

The relocated Athletics went 82-80 to finish sixth in the AL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers, while leading the league in hits (1300), stolen bases (147), and batting (.240). The resurgent A’s.climbed as high as third place in June prior to a seven-game losing streak that moved them back into the middle of the pack. Still, they finished with their best record since 1952, when they were still in Philadelphia, which was not enough to save manager Bob Kennedy’s job. Attendance at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a disappointing 837,466, presaging many years of mediocre returns at the gate.

Aftermath of 1968:

Campaneris stole another 62 bases in 1969, which was not enough to lead the league again. He missed most of July due to a broken finger on his right hand and finished the season by batting .260 with a .302 OBP in 135 games. He bounced back in 1970 by hitting .279 with 28 doubles, a career-high 22 home runs, and a .321 OBP while regaining the AL stolen base crown with 42. He was again among the league leaders in putouts at shortstop (267) as well as double plays (92). Oakland won the AL West title in 1971 and Campaneris had a substandard year at the plate, batting .251 with a .287 OBP, 18 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs, and only 34 stolen bases. The A’s again topped the AL West in 1972 and went on to win the World Series. Campaneris batted .240 with a .278 OBP, 25 doubles, 8 home runs, 85 runs scored, and a league-leading 52 stolen bases. He also led AL shortstops with 795 chances and 283 putouts. In Game 2 of the ALCS vs. Detroit, Campaneris, who had been running the Tigers wild, was hit in the ankle by a pitch from RHP Lerrin LaGrow causing “Campy” to toss his bat at LaGrow, which led to a near brawl when Detroit manager Billy Martin charged out of the dugout toward him, necessitating three umpires to restrain him. Campaneris was fined and suspended from the remainder of the ALCS as a result, but not the World Series against Cincinnati where he hit only .179 but scored the go-ahead run in the decisive Game 7. Oakland repeated in 1973, and Campaneris hit .250 with a .308 OBP, 17 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 89 runs scored, 46 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases. He missed the first five games of the season due to being suspended for the bat-throwing incident involving LaGrow in the ALCS. His 228 putouts ranked fifth among AL shortstops and his 496 assists ranked third. In the ALCS against Baltimore, “Campy” hit .333 with two home runs and three stolen bases. In the World Series against the New York Mets, he stole another three bases and hit a two-run home run in the decisive Game 7 victory. The A’s made it three straight championships in 1974. Despite missing 15 games during a stretch from late July to mid-August due to a sprained ankle, he batted .290 with a .347 OBP, 18 doubles, 8 triples, 77 runs scored, and 34 stolen bases. He hit .353 and excelled defensively in the five-game World Series victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The A’s topped the AL West once again in 1975 only to fall to the Red Sox in the ALCS. “Campy” hit .265 with a .337 OBP and stole 24 bases. The club dropped to second in 1976 and the 34-year-old Campaneris batted .256 with a .331 OBP and 16 extra-base hits, although he still accounted for 52 RBIs and his stolen base total rebounded to 54 thanks to manager Chuck Tanner emphasizing the running game. With the team’s core either aging or departed, Campaneris joined the exodus as a highly sought free agent in the offseason. He signed with the Texas Rangers for five years and $750,000, a nice raise from his $72,000 salary in Oakland. In a tumultuous season, the Rangers finished a surprising second in the AL West and Campaneris provided veteran leadership as well as hitting .254 with a .314 OBP, 19 doubles, 7 triples, 5 home runs, 27 stolen bases (while being caught stealing a league-high 20 times), and an AL-leading 40 sacrifice hits. He was an All-Star for the last time. “Campy” was also second among AL shortstops in putouts (269) and third in assists (483). His performance dropped off considerably in 1978 to .186 with a .245 OBP, and he was benched in August. Campaneris found himself behind rookie Nelson Norman at shortstop in 1979 and was traded to the California Angels in May. Seeing less action and relegated to a utility role through 1981, after which he failed to catch on with Baltimore and spent a year in the Mexican League. Campaneris spent 1983 with the New York Yankees, performing well in a reserve role in which he batted .322 while appearing in 60 games. He was released by the Yankees following the season, thus ending his playing career. For his major league career Campaneris batted .259 with 2249 hits that included 313 doubles, 86 triples, and 79 home runs. He scored 1181 runs and compiled 646 RBIs, 649 stolen bases, and a .311 OBP. With the Athletics he batted .262 with 1882 hits, 983 runs scored, 270 doubles, 70 triples, 70 home runs, 566 stolen bases, and a .314 OBP. He led the AL in stolen bases six times. Appearing in 37 postseason games, he hit .243 with 3 homers, 11 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. A six-time All-Star, he was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. Following his playing career, he was a minor league bunting and baserunning coach for the Angels and later coached for the Astros and Giants. His legacy with the A’s was probably best summed up by Charlie Finley in 1980, who said “you can talk about Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, and Sal Bando, all those great players, but it was Campy who made everything go.”

---

Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.