[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E536-E537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2018

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary 
of the establishment of the Oakland Athletics baseball team.
  While the team's history extends back all the way to 1901, when it 
was founded in Philadelphia as one of the charter baseball clubs of the 
new ``American League'', this year marks 50 years since the team 
recognized the potential of Oakland and the East Bay, and moved west in 
1968.
  That year on April 17th, the team played its first game in front of 
more than 50,000 fans at the Oakland Coliseum, and quickly put together 
a championship dynasty. Led by Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Catfish 
Hunter, and Rollie Fingers, the ``A's'' became World Series champions 
during three consecutive years: 1972, 1973, and 1974.
  During the 1980's, beginning with manager Billy Martin's 
``Billyball'' system, the A's found new success and developed stars 
such as hometown heroes Ricky Henderson and Dave Stewart, and Dennis 
Eckersley. In 1989, the A's won the ``Battle of the Bay'' World Series 
in a four-game sweep against the San Francisco Giants. Game 3 of that 
series was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake--which claimed the 
lives of 39 people in Oakland and caused the series to be delayed for 
10 days while both cities recovered.
  Breaking tradition, the A's decided against a victory parade out of 
respect for those impacted by the earthquake.
  Following an ownership change in the 1990's and the team's decision 
to hire the legendary Billy Beane as General Manager, Beane instituted 
a system now known as ``Moneyball'' to find undervalued talent in order 
to field competitive teams. Beane's approach was revolutionary, and led 
to the A's outperforming expectations against better funded opponents.
  During this period, the team won multiple American League West 
division titles, and set the then-American League record for the most 
consecutive victories in 2002 when the A's completed ``the Streak'' by 
winning 20 games in a row. This era was led by the ``Big Three'' 
pitchers: Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, and hitters Miguel 
Tejada and Eric Chavez.
  The Oakland Athletics have an impressive history of outstanding 
players, including Hall of Fame inductees, such as: Rickey Henderson, 
the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history; Jim ``Catfish'' 
Hunter, an eight time all-star and five time World Series champion; 
Rollie Fingers, a seventime all-star and one of the first modern 
``closers'', Dennis Eckersley, one of the most dominant relievers in 
history, and Reggie Jackson a six-time all-star selectee, World Series 
Most Valuable Player (MVP), and three-time World Series champion.
  In addition to the team's on-field success, the Athletics have made 
an impact on the community they represent. Throughout the years, the 
Oakland A's Community fund has made it their mission to serve the East 
Bay community by promoting educational programs, health awareness, and 
crime and drug prevention. The team has also provided sorely needed 
athletic fields to Oakland's kids, and held the annual Community Fund 
Golf Classic for the past 35 years, the annual Root Beer Float Day, and 
the annual Breast Awareness Day to raise funds for the American Cancer 
Society and the Cancer Prevention Institute of California.
  I commend the A's for being a valuable part of our Oakland community 
these past fifty years. I extend my congratulations on this important 
milestone to all managers, players, staff, and fans who have 
contributed to the team's rich legacy, and I wish the Oakland Athletics 
continued success on and off the field in the years to come.

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