Boston signs free agent OF Ken Harrelson. Harrelson reportedly receives a $75,000 bonus and salary package for the remainder of this season and for 1968. Harrelson will homer in his first Boston at bat but will hit just .200 for the Sox.
On August 21, 1967, Ken “Hawk” Harrelson of the Kansas City A’s becomes baseball’s first free agent when he is “fired” by team owner Charlie Finley. Harrelson had drawn the wrath of Finley by allegedly referring to him as a “menace” to baseball. Remaining unemployed for only a few days, Harrelson will sign on with…
Kansas City A’s owner Charlie Finley fires manager Alvin Dark
Charlie Finley suspends pitcher Lew Krausse for “conduct unbecoming a major leaguer.”
After other teams back off in their pursuit to sign the outstanding NC high schooler when his little toe is blown off by his brother in a hunting accident, the A’s ink Jim Hunter for $75,000. The youngest of ten children of a family from Hertferd will go on to become a Hall of Fame hurler better known as ‘Catfish’, a name invented by club’s owner Charlie Finley.
On January 16, 1964, American League owners vote down Charlie Finley’s proposed move of the Kansas City A’s to Louisville. The owners, who vote 9-1 against the proposal, also tell Finley the maverick owner is given an ultimatum to sign a lease in Kansas City by February 1 or lose his franchise. Ten days…
On January 6, 1964 Kansas City A’s owner Charlie Finley stuns Kansas City when he announces that he has signed a two-year deal to move the team to Louisville to play at the city’s Fairgrounds Stadium, having the state of Kentucky’s promise to spend a half-a-million dollars on enlarging the 20,628-seat facility by…
On June 19, 1961 – New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris hits a 9th-inning leading off home run off Kansas City’s Jim Archer, his 25th of the year is puts the Yankees up by a run, but the A’s will score twice in the bottom of the frame for a 4-3 victory at Municipal…
1961 – Charlie Finley purchases the outstanding 48 percent of the Athletics stock to become their sole owner.
Charlie Finley douses an old school bus bearing the sign “the Kansas City-to-New York shuttle” with gasoline and sets it on fire in the left field parking lot of Municipal Stadium. As the vehicle becomes engulfed in flames, the new owner of the A’s tells reporters the stunt symbolizes the end of the team sending talented young players to the Yankees in exchange for major leaguers well past their prime, a practice deeply resented by the Kansas City fans.
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