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1988 Oakland Athletics Season
The Oakland Athletics' 1988 season involved the A's winning their first American League West title since 1981, with a record of 104 wins and 58 losses. In 1988, the elephant was restored as the symbol of the Athletics and currently adorns the left sleeve of home and road uniforms. The elephant was retired as team mascot in 1963 by then-owner Charles O. Finley in favor of a Missouri mule. The A's defeated the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, but lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, including a dramatic, classic walk-off home run by the Dodgers' Kirk Gibson in game one. 1988 was the first of three straight years the A's would represent the AL in the World Series. Offseason * October 12, 1987: Brian Harper was released by the Athletics. * October 12, 1987: Jerry Willard was released by the Athletics. * December 6, 1987: Ron Hassey was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. * December 7, 1987: Gary Lavelle was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. * Dece ... [...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] |
1988 American League Championship Series
The 1988 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven series that pitted the East Division champion Boston Red Sox against the West Division champion Oakland Athletics. It was the second meeting between the two in ALCS play. The Athletics swept the Series four games to none and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 World Series. Summary Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics Game summaries Game 1 Wednesday, October 5, 1988, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts In an interview conducted before Game 1, José Canseco denied reports in that day's ''Washington Post'' by baseball reporter Thomas Boswell that he had used steroids. Canseco was supported in this denial by former slugger Reggie Jackson. The opening game in Fenway Park pitted Bruce Hurst against Oakland's newfound ace, Dave Stewart. The game was scoreless until the fourth when Canseco, coming off the first 40–40 season in major league history, drilled a homer to give the A's a 1-0 lead. It stayed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Claudino Baptist Read Griffin (born October 6, 1957) is a Dominican former professional baseball player. He played shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams from 1976 to 1993. Playing career Griffin began his career as a member of the Cleveland Indians, who signed him as an amateur free agent in 1973. On December 5, 1978, before having played a full season in the majors, he was traded, along with Phil Lansford (minors), to the Toronto Blue Jays for Víctor Cruz. Griffin made an immediate impact, sharing the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1979 with John Castino. In 1980, Griffin led the majors in triples, tying Willie Wilson of the Kansas City Royals with 15; both Griffin and Wilson set an AL record for most triples in a single season by a switch-hitter. Five years later in 1985, Wilson himself shattered the record that he shared with Griffin by tallying 21 triples. In 1984, Griffin was named to the All-Star team. This was explained by John ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Parker
David Gene Parker (born June 9, 1951), nicknamed "The Cobra," is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right fielder from 1973 to 1991. A seven-time All-Star, Parker won two National League batting titles and was the 1978 National League Most Valuable Player. He was a member of two World Series championship winning teams with the Pittsburgh Pirates in and the Oakland Athletics in . Parker was the second professional athlete to earn an average of $1 million per year, having signed a five-year, $5 million contract in January 1979. Parker's career achievements include 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, 1,493 runs batted in and a lifetime batting average of .290. Parker was also known as a solid defensive outfielder during the first half of his career with a powerful arm, winning three straight Gold Gloves during his prime. From 1975 to 1979, he threw out 72 runners, including 26 in 1977. Early life Parker grew up in Cincinnati near Crosl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of the American Association (19th century), American Association in 1881 before joining the NL in 1890. The Reds played in the NL National League West, West division from 1969 to 1993, before joining the Central division in 1994. For several years in the 1970s, they were considered the most dominant team in baseball, most notably winning the 1975 World Series, 1975 and 1976 World Series; the team was colloquially known as the "Big Red Machine" during this time, and it included National Baseball Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame members Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. Overall, the Reds have won five World Series championships, nine NL pennants, one AA pennant and 10 division titles. The team plays its home games at Great American Ball Park, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tim Birtsas
Timothy Dean Birtsas (born September 5, 1960) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Though history remembers the "Nasty Boys" as a trio, according to Rob Dibble, Birtsas' name should be included when talking about the famed World Series winning Cincinnati Reds' bullpen, despite his high ERA for a reliever, and a very high 1.81 WHIP. Early years Birtsas earned All-County and All-League honors pitching for Clarkston High School in Independence Township, Michigan. He also played varsity basketball, but it was baseball that earned him a scholarship to Michigan State University. Under legendary coach Danny Litwhiler, he was a second-team All Big Ten Baseball Team selection in and received the Steve Garvey Sportsmanship Award. He also majored in Recreation and Youth Leadership with an emphasis on children with special needs at MSU. The New York Yankees did not have a first round selection in the 1982 Major League Baseball draft. With the 36th overall pick, in the second round, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
José Rijo
José Antonio Rijo Abreu (born May 13, 1965) is a Dominican former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds (1988–1995 and 2001–2002). Originally signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1980, Rijo made his MLB debut with them in 1984, and also played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics. He pitched and batted right-handed, stood tall, and weighed during his playing career. The most notable success of Rijo's career came as a member of the Reds, where each year as a starting pitcher from 1988−1993, he posted an earned run average (ERA) below 3.00. He won a World Series title in 1990 and that event's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). In 1993, he was the National League (NL) leader in strikeouts and Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at 10.6. He was named to the All-Star Game in 1994. Elbow injuries sidelined Rijo for most of the 1995 season, and from 1996−2000, prevented him from appearing in the m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gary Lavelle
Gary Robert Lavelle (born January 3, 1949) is a retired professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1987. Career Lavelle grew up in Pennsylvania, where he attended Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Lavelle spent the majority of his Major League career with the San Francisco Giants, and also played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics before retiring in 1987. He posted a career high 13 wins in 1978 and accumulated 136 saves in his 13-season career. Lavelle lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia and coaches baseball at the Virginia Beach campus of Bryant & Stratton College. Lavelle previously was the head coach at Greenbrier Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia, earning his 500th victory in April 2014. He retired from Greenbrier Christian after the 2016 season. Personal life Lavelle became a born again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Hassey
Ronald William Hassey (born February 27, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Cleveland Indians (1978–1984), Chicago Cubs (1984), New York Yankees (1985–1986), Chicago White Sox (1986–1987), Oakland Athletics (1988–1990), and Montreal Expos (1991). Hassey is notable for being the only catcher in MLB history to have caught more than one perfect game (the first with Len Barker in 1981 and his second with Dennis Martínez in 1991). Hassey joined Gus Triandos as the only catchers in MLB history to have caught a no-hitter in both leagues. Early life Hassey is the son of Joseph Bill Hassey, a former baseball player in the New York Yankees’ minor-league system. He was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, and attended Tucson High Magnet School where, in 1972, his team went undefeated and won the state championship. Ron was often referred to as the Pride of Tucson. He went to the University of Ari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jerry Willard
Gerald Duane Willard (born March 14, 1960) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1984 to 1994 for the Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and Seattle Mariners. He currently works as a Campus Supervisor for the Oxnard Union High School District and coaches baseball at Adolfo Camarillo High School. Career A 1978 graduate of Hueneme High School in Oxnard, California, Willard was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1979, Willard would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Cleveland Indians on April 11, 1984, and appeared in his final game on May 19, 1994. Willard's career was spent mostly in obscurity. However, he did experience one significant moment of fame. On October 23, 1991, playing for the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 World Series against the Minnesota Twins, Willard made his only series plate appearance in the bottom of the ninth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Harper
Brian David Harper (born October 16, 1959) is an American former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career (-). He most recently served as the hitting coach of the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. Playing career Minor leagues Harper was drafted by the California Angels in the fourth round of the amateur draft before being assigned to the rookie-league Idaho Falls Angels. He would then progress rapidly through the Angels' system, displaying the skills that he became known for in his major league career: an above-.300 average, good plate discipline, but an only average catcher's arm. After stops at Idaho Falls, Quad Cities, El Paso, he reached AAA Salt Lake City in 1981. However his career would soon stall. Despite his first seeing action for the Angels in 1979 and his hitting .350 with 28 home runs and 122 RBI for Salt Lake City in 1981, the Angels were not interested in giving Harper time behind the plate, ... [...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] |
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