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The usual emotional earthquake, though, pits the players against some external adversity. There are a few from which to choose. In Charles O. Finley, the A's have baseball's No. 1 madcap owner and general manager (see box page 64). He is responsible for the team's multiplicity of uniforms—the A's wear various combinations of green and gold during the week and an all-white outfit on Sundays—and its multiplicity of managers (13 in 14 years). Every season Finley issues at least one directive that infuriates the team. Last year he decided in the middle of the World Series to fire Second Baseman Mike Andrews for twice booting the ball. His daily phone calls to the manager from his office in Chicago keep the clubhouse humming with rumors about the "Great White Father" or "Rasputin."
Former Fire-Eater. The city of Oakland is another irritant for the A's. For a town that has long looked for some characteristic to distinguish it from San Francisco across the bay, Oakland has been slow to seize on the distinction of the A's. Attendance at games in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, a modern ballpark situated only a few minutes' drive from downtown Oakland (pop. 361,561), averages a meager 6,400 per game. And many of the fans who do show up come from communities half a day's drive away. Annoyed by the lack of support, the A's call their empty stadium "the mausoleum."
Despite the hazards, the A's keep winning. In 1972 and 1973 a key reason was Manager Dick Williams, who encouraged candor in the clubhouse while applying a strong hand on the field. Williams quit after last year's World Series. His replacement is Alvin Dark, who managed the A's for Finley when the team was still in Kansas City.
Dark was once a fire-eater, but several inactive seasons seem to have cooled him to a point of passivity (see box page 65). These days the former N.Y. Giants' shortstop inspires little respect from the players. In fact, earlier this year one pitcher openly defied the manager's orders by walking an opposing batter instead of pitching to him. Dark quietly accepted the affront.
That the A's continue to win—at the end of last week they had a precarious hold on first place—is a tribute to the players' spirit as much as to their skill. "We win because we have guys who love the challenge," explains Third Baseman Bando. "We have a nucleus of gutsy players who don't know how to lose." That nucleus includes Shortstop Bert Campaneris, Leftfielder Joe Rudi, Pitcher Catfish Hunter, Reliever Rollie Fingers, Bando and, of course, Jackson.