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1980 Oakland Athletics Season
The 1980 Oakland Athletics season was the team's thirteenth season in Oakland. The A's, under first-year manager Billy Martin, began the season with low expectations following their insipid 1979 campaign. Strong performances from pitchers Mike Norris, Matt Keough, and Rick Langford, along with the brilliant play of breakout star (and future Hall-of-Famer) Rickey Henderson, paved the way for a staggering 29-win increase over the previous year's output. The Athletics, only one year removed from baseball's worst record, swung to a second-place finish behind their 83-79 record. The season also marked the end of the Charlie Finley ownership era. Finley sold the team to Walter A. Haas, Jr. shortly before the start of the 1981 season. The A's would remain under Haas' ownership until 1995. Offseason * March 21, 1980: Jim Todd was released by the Athletics. * March 21, 1980: Joe Wallis was released by the Athletics. Regular season In 1980, Charlie O. Finley hired Billy Martin to m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the West Coast of the United States, west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams. The current champion of this division is the Houston Astros. In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each. Division membership Current members * Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the National League West, NL West (1969–1993) and National League Central, NL Central (1994–2012) * Los Angeles AngelsThe Angels were formerly known as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (born December 25, 1958) is an American retired professional baseball left fielder who played his 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed the "Man of Steal", he is widely regarded as baseball's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunning, baserunner. He holds the major league records for career stolen bases, run (baseball), runs, unintentional base on balls, walks and leadoff home runs. At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time American League (AL) Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in base on balls, walks. In 2009, he was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance. Henderson holds the single-season record for stolen bases (130 in 1982) and is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rich Bordi
Richard Albert Bordi (born April 18, 1959) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played from to . He played for the Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Bordi threw and batted right-handed, was tall, and weighed . He attended Fresno State University. He is currently a scout for the Cincinnati Reds. In 1977, he was drafted in the 5th round (119th overall) by the Minnesota Twins. He opted not to sign. In 1980, he was drafted by the Athletics in the 3rd round, 56th overall. In the same year, he was drafted he made his major league debut (July 16, 1980). He was 21 years old. In that game (and his lone game that season), he pitched 2 innings and gave up only one run. He bounced around between the minors and Majors between 1980 and 1983, finally settling as a full-time reliever in 1984 with the Cubs (to whom he'd been traded along with Porfi Altamirano, Henry Cotto and Ron Hassey for Ray Fontenot and Brian Day ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randy Elliott
Randy Lee Elliott (born June 5, 1951) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in 114 games over parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball spread out over nine years for the San Diego Padres ( and ), San Francisco Giants () and Oakland Athletics (). The native of Oxnard, California, threw and batted right-handed, stood tall and weighed . Elliott became the first, first-round selection in the June amateur draft in Padres' franchise history when he was selected 24th overall during the club's inaugural season, upon graduation from Adolfo Camarillo High School. In 1972, his fourth year in the Padre farm system, Elliott led the Double-A Texas League in hitting (.335) and runs batted in (85), playing for manager and Hall of Fame outfielder Duke Snider. He was the league's Most Valuable Player and led his club, the Alexandria Aces, to the division title. In September, he was called up by San Diego and recorded ten hits, including three doubles and a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stolen Base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out at the next base, but the official scorer rules on the question of credit or blame for the advance under Rule 10 (Rules of Scoring) of the MLB's Official Rules. A stolen base most often occurs when a base runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is pitching the ball to home plate. Successful base stealers are not only fast but have good base-running instincts and timing. Background Ned Cuthbert, playing for the Philadelphia Keystones in either 1863 or 1865, was the first player to steal a base in a baseball game, although the term ''stolen base'' was not used until 1870. For a time in the 19th century, stolen bases were credited when a baserunner reached an extra base on a base hit from another player. For example, if a ru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major league status. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season, 25 years after the formation of the National League (the "Senior Circuit"). At the end of every season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion; two seasons did not end in playing a World Series (1904, when the National League champion New York Giants refused to play their AL counterpart, and 1994, when a players' strike prevented the Series). Through 2021, American League teams have won 66 of the 117 World Series played since 1903, with 27 of those coming from the New York Yankees alone. The New York ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the last six as the team's player-manager (baseball), player-manager, and finished his career with the History of the Philadelphia Athletics, Philadelphia Athletics. In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the 1936 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, inaugural ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes (98.2%); no other player received a higher percentage of votes until Tom Seaver in 1992. In 1999, the ''Sporting News'' ranked Cobb third on its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players." Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 MLB records during his career. His combined total of 4,065 runs scored and runs batted in (after adjusting for home runs) is still the highest ever produced by any m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955. The award was originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues, but in 1967, after the retirement of Frick, the award was given to one pitcher in each league. Each league's award is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, with one representative from each team. As of the 2010 season, each voter places a vote for first, second, third, fourth, and fifth place among the pitchers of each league. The formula used to calculate the final scores is a weighted sum of the votes. The pitcher with the highest score in each league wins the award. If two pitchers receive the same number of votes, the award is shared. From 1970 to 2009, writers voted for three pitche ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Stone (baseball)
Steven Michael Stone (born July 14, 1947) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player, and current sportscaster and author. Stone pitched for four MLB teams between 1971 and 1981. In 1980, he was the AL Cy Young Award winner and an American League All Star, finishing the season with a record of 25–7 for the Baltimore Orioles. He was WGN-TV's color commentator for Chicago Cubs broadcasts between 1983 and 2004, missing a couple of seasons late in his tenure due to health problems. He worked in radio until 2009, when he became the color commentator for Chicago White Sox television broadcasts. Early life Stone is Jewish, and was born in South Euclid, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb, to Dorothy (a waitress) and Paul Stone (who changed records in juke boxes, and later became an insurance salesman), who were Orthodox Jews. His maternal grandfather, Edward Manheim, lived to see Stone celebrate his bar mitzvah in September 1960. Stone played high school ball at Charles F. Brush ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwayne Murphy
Dwayne Keith Murphy (born March 18, 1955) is an American former player who spent most of his career playing for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder. During much of his time in Oakland, Murphy batted second in the lineup behind hall-of-famer Rickey Henderson. He was one of the best defensive outfielders of his time, receiving six consecutive Gold Gloves from 1980 through 1985. He is currently the minor league assistant hitting coach and outfield coordinator for the Texas Rangers, after previously serving as a coach in the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays organizations. Playing career Oakland Athletics (1978–87) Murphy was born in Merced, California, about 120 miles from Oakland. After graduating from Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California, Murphy was drafted in the 15th round in the 1973 draft by the Oakland Athletics, after turning down a football scholarship from Arizona State University. He came up to the majors for th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Armas
Antonio Rafael Armas Machado (born July 2, 1953) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1976 to 1989. He is the father of pitcher Tony Armas Jr. and the older brother of outfielder Marcos Armas. Armas Sr. was one of the top power hitters in the American League in the early 1980s. Twice he led the American League in home runs, and topped all of Major League Baseball in runs batted in during the season. He was, however, prone to injuries that affected his career. In his major league career, Armas went to the disabled list twelve times, missing 302 games. Career Pittsburgh Pirates Armas debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates' Gulf Coast League affiliate in just shy of his eighteenth birthday. He spent six seasons in their farm system, batting .270 with 69 home runs when he received a September call-up in . He appeared in four games for the Pirates, and collected two hits in six at-bats. During spring trai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Wallis
Harold Joseph Wallis is a retired American center fielder who spent five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics. He was nicknamed ''Tarzan'' because of his penchant for cliff diving. A native of East St. Louis, Illinois, Wallis attended McCluer High School and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. In 1971 and 1972, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was selected by the Cubs in the sixth round of the 1973 MLB Draft. On September 24, 1975, while playing for the Cubs, Wallis broke up Tom Seaver's bid for a no-hitter with two outs in the 9th inning of a game against the New York Mets. The Cubs went on to win the game in 11 innings. On June 15, , Wallis was traded twice on the same day. First, the Cubs traded him to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Mike Vail Michael Lewis Vail (born November 10, 1951) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. St. Louis Cardinals farm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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