MLBN Presents: Swingin' A's Remember Charlie Finley

After winning three straight titles to begin the 1970's, Charlie Finley sells the A's. Members of the team discuss his legacy in the Bay Area.

Hosted by Bob Costas, MLB Network Presents is a series of documentaries and access-driven profiles that air during the off-season on MLB Network.

[donaldzinman]

Finley was committed to fielding a winning team until 1976.

[johnwalker]

It's interesting that Al davis and Charlie Finley had a lot in common I that they both owned professional oakland franchises that were very successful during a period, but both owners interfered in the day to day operations of the team. It's crazy, the A's were in the process of winning 5 straight division titles and 3 consecutive world series, while at the same time the raiders were in the process of going to 5 straight AFC championship games.

[willbergie]

The Oakland A's of the early 1970s are my favorite baseball team.

[straycatttt]

1977: They would start Matt Alexander on the road at “shortstop” batting lead off in the top of the first inning. He could slap singles and steal bases. Then, the A’s would remove Alexander from the game in the bottom of the first inning and replace him with Rob Picciolo, their actual shortstop, for the remainder of the game!

[stonerbellinger]

He might have been an asshole, a cheepskate, and a greedy person but he created the greatest team ever. Long overdue for the hall of fame. R.I.P Charley

[stormbringercoming]

Charlie Finley was equal parts genius and fool. No in between.

[erniner]

Charlie Finley long overdue for Hall of Fame. Created the best all around team in history of MLB.

[michaelleroy]

Vida Blue was traded to the Giants in 1978 for 8 players

[whocares]

He outsmarted all the other owners until free agency came among

[LarryRickenbacker]

After reading a book about Finley back in the Summer of 1980, I concluded that Finley brought most of his criticism upon himself. Finley was a tight-wad and did much to realize free-agency (with his ridiculous low wages) which brought an end to Oakland's dynasty. His players hated him. OTOH, Finely beefed up his scouting in the mid '60s and knew talent when he SAW it. There's no black and white with Charlie-O; only shades of grey..or should I say Polar Bear White, Fort Knox Gold and Kelly green? :)

[jeffstipp]

Just saw a 1976 episode of Johnny Carson featuring Mr. Finley-VERY ahead of his time. If he had kept that team

[pmsfar-outgrooviness]

One thing I hate he did was inventing the DH. Love the colored uniforms though

[cernajr]

I was a kid when I saw the A's in 1972. They were awesome. The closest team ever were the A's from the late 80s with Canseco and McGwire.They were supposed to win also 3 World Series: 88, 89 and 90. But the one against the Dodgers hurt us a lot.

[dtrain]

I’m as big an A’s fan as you’ll find and old enough to have gone to World Series games in the ‘70s. But they weren’t going to win “5 or 6 world championships” They lost a few key guys, true, in ‘75 and ‘76 but they contended and lost. The disaster of ‘77-‘79 began three years after their final World Series win over LA.

[ejslemp]

Where can I find the whole documentary?

[waynejohanson]

Who knows how much more they would have won if they kept the team together. But Finley was to cheap.