In the 20th feature of an extensive series, we will take a look at the top 10 home run hitters of every Major League Baseball franchise. Here we feature the Oakland Athletics. The history includes the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901 to 1954, and the Kansas City Athletics from 1955 to 1967.
10) Gus Zernial
The leftfielder from Beaumont, Texas had 191 home runs with the Athletics organization from 1951 to 1957. In that time, he played four seasons in Philadelphia (1951 to 1954), and three seasons in Kansas City. Zernial had a career high 42 home runs in 1953. That was the only season he was an American League All-Star. From May 13-17, 1951, Zernial had seven home runs in a four game stretch. His six home runs in three consecutive games was an American League record at the time.
9) Sal Bando
The third baseman from Cleveland, Ohio had 192 home runs with the Oakland Athletics from 1968 to 1975. He had a career-high 231 home runs as an American League All-Star in 1969, 15 home runs as an All-Star in 1972, 29 home runs in 1973, and 22 home runs in 1974. Bando hit two postseason home runs each in 1973 and 1974, years the Athletics won the World Series. He hit two home runs in game two of the 1973 American League Championship Series, a 6-3 Athletics win over the Baltimore Orioles. Bando then homered for Oakland in a 5-0 win over Baltimore and a 1-0 win over Baltimore in games two and three of the 1974 American League Championship Series. The home run by Bando on October 8, 1974 came off the legendary Jim Palmer.
8) Jason Giambi
The first baseman from West Covina, California had 198 home runs with the Athletics from 1996 to 2001, and 2009. He had a career-high 43 home runs in 2000. That year Giambi was named the American League MVP and an All-Star. He also hit 38 home runs as an American All-Star in 2001.
7) Al Simmons
The Hall of Fame outfielder from Milwaukee, Wisconsin had 209 home runs with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1924 to 1932, and in 1940. He had a career-high 36 home runs in 1930. That year Simmons led the American League with 152 runs scored and a .381 batting average. When the Athletics won the 1930 World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals, Simmons homered in game one, a 5-2 Athletics win, and in game six, a 7-1 Athletics win. When the Athletics won the 1931 World Series over the Cardinals, Simmons homered in game one again. This time a 6-2 Athletics win.
6) Eric Chavez
The third baseman from Los Angeles, California had 230 home runs with the Oakland Athletics from 1999 to 2010. He hit a career high 34 home runs in 2002. That year Chavez won the American League Silver Slugger award at third base.
5) Bob Johnson
The leftfielder from Pryor, Oklahoma had 252 home runs with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1933 to 1942. While with the Athletics from 1933 to 1941, he hit a minimum of 20 home runs each season, becoming the fifth player in Major League history to have 20 home runs nine straight years. Johnson had a career-high 34 home runs in 1934. He then had 28 home runs as an All-Star in 1935, 30 home runs an All-Star in 1938, 23 home runs as an All-Star in 1939, 31 home runs as an All-Star in 1940, and 13 home runs as an All-Star in 1942.
4) Jose Canseco
The outfielder from La Habana, Cuba had 254 home runs with the Athletics from 1985 to 1992. He led Major League Baseball with 42 home runs in 1988 (American League MVP) and 44 home runs in 1991. When Canseco hit 42 home runs in 1988, he became the first player ever to hit 40 home runs, and have 40 stolen bases in the same season, as he had 40 stolen bases. As the American League Rookie of the Year in 1986, he hit 33 home runs. When the Athletics won the 1989 World Series, Canseco hit a home run in game four of the American League Championship Series (6-5 Oakland win over the Toronto Blue Jays) and in game three of the World Series (13-7 Oakland win over the San Francisco Giants). In all, Canseco had seven postseason home runs with the Athletics, the most in franchise history.
3) Reggie Jackson
The Hall of Fame right fielder from Abington, Pennsylvania had 269 home runs with the Athletics from 1967 to 1975 and again in 1987. He led the American League with 32 home runs in 1973 (year he was named American League MVP) and 36 home runs in 1975. One of Jackson’s finest individual seasons came earlier in his career, when he hit a career-high 47 home runs in 1969. Known as Mr. October, Jackson hit a home run in the 1973 and 1974 World Series won by Oakland. His home runs came in game seven of the 1973 World Series (a 5-2 Athletics win over the New York Mets), and in game one of the 1974 World Series (a 3-2 Athletics win over the Los Angeles Dodgers).
2) Jimmie Foxx
The Hall of Fame first baseman from Sudlersville, Maryland had 302 home runs with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1927 to 1935. In that time, he led the Major Leagues with 58 home runs in 1932, 48 home runs in 1933, and 36 home runs in 1935. Foxx’s 58 home runs in 1932 was an Athletics’s franchise record. He was the American League MVP in 1932 and 1933. In 1933, Foxx won the American League Triple Crown. He also led the American League with 163 runs batted in and a .356 batting average. When the Athletics won the 1929 World Series, Foxx had home runs in games one and two against the Chicago Cubs (a 3-1 and 9-3 win respectively). Then when the Athletics won the 1930 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Foxx had a home run in game five, a 2-0 Philadelphia win.
1) Mark McGwire
The first baseman from Pomona, California had 363 home runs with the Oakland Athletics from 1986 to 1997. He led Major League Baseball with 49 home runs in 1987 (named American League Rookie of the Year), and 52 home runs in 1996. When the Athletics won the 1989 World Series, he had one postseason home run. That came in game one of the American League Championship Series, a 7-3 Athletics win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
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