In Kansas City Charlie Finley

1 in kansas city

1.1 charlie-o becomes athletics mascot
1.2 k.c. pennant porch
1.3 uniform changes
1.4 beatles
1.5 world series success
1.6 beginning of free agency
1.7 selling s
1.8 marketing

in kansas city

finley first attempted buy philadelphia athletics in 1954, american league owners instead approved sale of team arnold johnson, moved s kansas city 1955 season.

on december 19, 1960, finley purchased controlling interest in kansas city athletics johnson s estate (johnson having died in march of year); bought out minority owners year later. finley started turn franchise around, refusing make deals new york yankees (for athletics had been criticized) , searching unheralded talent. made significant investments in minor league (farm) system first time in franchise s history.

from 1961 onward, finley own general manager, though s had title until 1966.

charlie-o becomes athletics mascot

finley replaced athletics traditional elephant mascot live mule. charlie-o paraded outfield, cocktail parties , hotel lobbies , press room after large feeding annoy reporters. (the mule died in 1976, @ age 20.)

the k.c. pennant porch

after supposedly being told manager ed lopat yankees success being attributable dimensions of yankee stadium, finley built k.c. pennant porch in right field, brought right field fence in kansas city municipal stadium match yankee stadium s dimensions exactly, 296 feet home plate. however, rule passed in 1958 held no (new or renovated) major-league fence closer 325 feet, league officials forced finley move fences after 2 exhibition games. s owner ordered white line painted on field @ original pennant porch distance, , told public address announcer announce have been home run in yankee stadium whenever fly ball hit past line short of fence. practice abandoned after turned out announcer calling more would-be home runs opposition s.

uniform changes

in 1963, finley changed team s colors kelly green, gold, , white. in 1967, replaced team s traditional black cleats white. finley started phasing out team name athletics in favor of s. (when mickey mantle saw s green-and-gold uniforms, jeered, should have come out of dugout on tippy-toes, holding hands , singing, according baseball digest.)

the beatles

when beatles made august/september 1964 concert tour of united states, finley determined bring them kansas city perform @ municipal stadium. seeing 1 open date on tour, finley offered , paid beatles $150,000 concert on september 17, 1964, erasing scheduled off day band in new orleans. tickets read charles o. finley pleased present enjoyment of beatles fans in mid-america, “the beatles” in person on front, , showed photograph of finley wearing beatles wig on quote, today s beatles fans tomorrow s baseball fans. john lennon quoted later saying disliked finley s attempt strong-arm beatles playing longer then-standard half-hour concert set. beatles $150,000 fee concert considered show business record one-night-stand appearance.

world series success

the s (as officially known 1970) moved california in january 1968, new talent amassed on years in minors (such reggie jackson, sal bando, joe rudi, bert campaneris, catfish hunter, rollie fingers, , vida blue) starting gel. during 1970s, once-moribund s became powerhouse, winning 3 straight world series 1972 1974 , 5 straight division titles 1971 1975, in oakland coliseum. though no longer owned team when s won world series again in 1989, tony la russa, managed team , outfielder rickey henderson scouted finley.

the beginning of free agency

in 1974, after winning third straight world series championship, finley lost ace pitcher catfish hunter free agency on contract dispute. s still managed dominate throughout 1975 regular season without hunter, lose boston in playoffs. free agency looming @ end of 1976 season, finley began dismantling ball club. reggie jackson , ken holtzman traded baltimore week prior start of 1976 season. finley attempted sell rudi , fingers red sox , blue yankees. major league baseball commissioner bowie kuhn decided invoke used best interests of baseball clause in order void finley s sales. finley, in turn, hired famed sports attorney neil papiano , proceeded file $10 million restraint-of-trade lawsuit against kuhn , major league baseball. papiano , finley lost case (see finley v. kuhn). court ruled commissioner had authority determine in best interest of baseball. lawsuit recognized 1 of famous, influential , precedent-setting sports-related cases in history of american jurisprudence.

at end of 1976 season, of s stars left team free agents. few remaining stars s dynasty years traded away, exceptions of vida blue , billy north. in 1977, 2 years after winning fifth straight division title , 3 years after winning third consecutive world series, s finished in last place in division, 1 of worst records in baseball. after 1977 season, finley tried sell blue again, time cincinnati reds. kuhn vetoed trade well, saying amounted fire sale, , citing concern if blue joined reds, balance of power in national league tilt disproportionately in favor of reds.

selling s

charlie o. , right-hand man, cousin carl a. finley started scouting new talent in 1977. finleys brought in future stars such rickey henderson, tony armas, mitchell page, mike norris, , dwayne murphy rebuild team. not until 1980 s showed signs of improvement, under manager billy martin. however, after season, finley s wife divorced him , not accept interest in s part of settlement. of finleys money tied in either charlie o s insurance interests or s, finleys forced sell. finleys had been thinking of selling team in event due start of free agency.

in 1980, charlie o. agreed in principle sell businessman marvin davis, planned move athletics denver. however, before finley , davis due sign contract, nfl s oakland raiders announced moving los angeles in 1982. oakland , alameda county officials, not wanting held responsible losing oakland s status big-league city in own right, refused let s out of lease coliseum. forced turn local buyers, finley agreed sell s walter a. haas, jr., president of levi strauss & co. in august 1980, deal finalized before 1981 season. carl asked remain new owners vice president/mentor. due in large part finleys efforts rebuild team, s made playoffs in 1981.

marketing

the finley management effective @ marketing. changed team uniforms green , gold white shoes , gave players fun nicknames. finley organization introduced ball girls (one of whom, future debbi fields, went on found mrs. fields original cookies, inc.), , advocated night games world series increase ability fans attend. finley outspoken advocate of designated hitter rule, advocated until adopted american league. full of new ideas, including:

orange baseballs - tried in few exhibition games, hitters found hard pick spin. week of august 18, 1975, charlie finley on cover of time magazine , orange baseballs featured in article.
a mechanical rabbit pop behind home plate , deliver new balls umpire , named harvey, @ s home ballparks in kansas city , oakland.
hired stanley burrell (who later gain worldwide fame mc hammer) executive vice president when teenager eyes , ears.
offering players $300 bonuses grow moustaches during championships. star relief pitcher rollie fingers, handlebar moustache grew finley became trademark.

despite reputation master promoter, finley had less success marketing team. according baseball writer rob neyer, kansas city native, finley thought sell baseball team sold insurance. after buying s, sent out 600,000 brochures area residents , netted $20,000 in sales. while in oakland, s had radio , television contracts, , practically invisible in bay area. first month of 1978 season, s radio flagship kalx, 10-watt college radio station of university of california, berkeley. year later, s didn t sign radio contract until day before opening day. largely result, s never drew in championship years, , sued city of oakland , alameda county in 1979.

the s have held promotional days throwback uniforms finley years, , have invited former players , play-by-play announcer monte moore attend.