1974 As a 6 year old, I was a Big Bird! A Big Orange n Black Bird. Oriole fan and after watching those A's end our season 2 years in a row, I tried to hate the A's, but I just couldn't. My uncle would ride up from Virginia and always mess with us. He would always ask me about sports because he knew I loved me some Orioles baseball. He tried to make me hate the A's, but one time I gave him a answer that just messed him all up. He said, those A's are from the American League, the pitchers don't hit, so thats gonna be a 3 automatic outs. I said really loud that its the Oakland pitchers in the previous years playoffs that did the damage, and saved the bix scores to prove it. He was so messed up, but highly impressed that he dug down into his pocket and broke me off with a brand new, crisp, paper cut waiting to happen 20 dollar bill! This was 1974! My Mom took that 20 bucks and put it away. She took me out to the shopping area and I bought my Uncle a Baltimore Oriole pennant. I said to him, I love my Orioles, and you will too, but the A's are the team, until next year. We had a major rivalry with the A's over the years. Espescially durring the 70's til the mid 80's when the A's fell off the cliff.But those A's, 3 time World Champs played beautiful baseball, and just seemed to always have a rally when they needed. Or a big time defensive play when they had to have it. The Orioles and A's were memorable adversaries and if we couldn't win the Pennant, I didn't mind losing it to Oakland who were the West Coast version of the Orioles and I was proud of both teams. Later on I fell in love with the Atlanta Braves. The N.L. version of my Orioles. What beautiful baseball those Braves teams played in the 90's. They really should've had at least a Oakland 3peat at any stretch in the 90's. Such a shame, but they got Atlanta fired up so much they built 2 baseball stadiums in 25 years. Wow! Now, the A's are the only thing Oakland can put its name on, and I hope they can get a new stadium built. Baseball wouldn't be the same if the A's were to move. Would be tragic. The A's are a huge part of 20th Century baseball and I need to see if they can actually win a World Series using analytics and a minuscule payroll. Maybe this could be the year!

Back when MLB played World Series games in the afternoon. Day games rule!

I was there, at Game 5, with my dad. I was 7 years old and we sat right behind the A's dugout. I asked my dad if I could run on to the field. He said, "yes", so I remember going through the little gate next to the dugout and running out to 2nd base where I pulled some grass and grabbed some dirt and put it in my pocket. Years later I went to high school with Vida's son Derek.

Reggie and Catfish 5 World Series championships in 7 years....that's hot !

I can't stand the Dodgers but love Lasorda chirping away here. He was a Wonderful baseball man & made for the perfect villain for the rest of us.

18:54 AL Umpire Ron Luciano going "no" meaning safe and giving time and going "That was the best slide I've seen all year" Steve Yeagar's response: "Not bad for a catcher" love it. When it was a game.

I still say Dick Green was the ACTUAL MVP. He made so many great plays that took away so many key hits.

I clicked on this when I saw Vinny :) Loved all the Tommy footage! Pure gold!

I was at one of those games at Dodger Stadium. Loved that Dodger infield and finally met Ron Cey 3 years ago at a baseball luncheon in Toronto.

It doesn't get any better than that relay from Reggie to Green to Bando. Wow.

There will NEVER be another Vin Scully... R.I.P. Vinnie

The A's never should have gone away from these classic uniforms,

I have to admit, that I am a life-long Athletics fan, and that Tommy Lasorda was the third-most animated manager I have ever seen in my eyes, behind Billy Martin (2nd) and Lou Piniella (1st). I respected both Lasorda and Piniella, but in my opinion, Martin sought trouble whenever he could. This was a great World Series to me in person, and seeing the highlights here only affirm that even more. RIP Tommy and Billy, two of the very best.

Of course, for all of you Oakland A's fans, this film represents the pinnacle of what would lead to the three-peat championship for the team in this 1974 World Series--back-to-back-to-back titles in 1972, 1973, and 1974, which made them a quick dynasty in MLB for a few years after it. The series is filled with exciting plays especially on defense. One example is Game 3 in Oakland as the A's squared against the Dodgers. Might not be the quickest double play but it was short and sweet--LA's Steve Garvey smacks a low screamer off A's Rollie Fingers but A's Dick Green catches it quickly (retiring Steve Garvey) and rockets a throw to Mike Epstein and as Jimmy Wynn was about to slide back to first, the throw was successful and Wynn is out....a 4-3 double play, causing Jimmy Wynn to melt down. The Oakland Coliseum in 1972, 1973 and 1974 may not be like Comiskey Park but it did have the Charles Finley fireworks. In the 1974 series, blasts by Oakland players Holtzman, Rudi, and Bando set off fireworks in the stadium. Bill Veeck would have loved what the stadium did for its homers in these years. Other highlights include the loud-talking Tommy Lasorda, and I think Vin Scully made a cameo appearance at the opening of the video, saying that this series was "the freeway series."

A $15.00 (scalped ticked); Right field: I was at the 5th game, and proudly helped Joe Rudi think a bit extra before his 7th inning home run. Helped another kid throw two frizbee's into right center field; this kid taped a pack of firecrackers to each frizbee; I helped light them "I think". This kid had a $20.00 bet with his friend who was watching tv at home, that the frizbee's would be televised; he won his bet, and gave Rudi extra time to think about his at bat. Others threw stuff on the field throughout this game, especially the seventh. After he threw the frizbee, I and others used our bodies to cover him from view. Fun stuff! After the game, we all hopped the fence and partied on the field, i.e. hugged an shook hands. I grabbed a souvenir chunk of grass; great times!

Damn, I thought it was mini-documentary about Lasorda.

I was at the fifth game, up in the nose bleed seats. Great time.

@ 14:18... Did you know? Davey Lopes stole 47 bases in 51 attempts in just 99 games played for the Cubs in 1985. He also hit .284 with 11 HR & 44 RBI in only 275 at bats. Oh and by the way... he was 40 years old that season. Incredible!

1974 was the first all-California World Series (A's-Dodgers), the next all-California World Series would come in 1988, ironically the same teams as 1974 (Dodgers-A's). Tommy Lasorda 1988 - "Nobody thought we would win the division. Nobody thought we would beat the mighty Mets. Nobody thought we would beat the team who won 104 games. But we believed it!"

RIP Bill Buckner.

Lost in all this Dodger-fest is the fact that the Oakland Athletics won this World Series four games to one.

I love how the team was allowed to celebrate in their uniforms at the end instead of being forced into MLB merchandised tees and hats

The Dodgers have always been glorified, but the A's were simply better.

Life long A s fan but when Tommy Lasorda took Team USA & beat Cuba in the Olympics even a Giants fan had to love him

These A's were awesome!!!!!

It makes me want to cry when I think of all the Championships the A's could have won if not for Finley. They were my team and I loved them.

5:10 When Rudy and North cross gloves trying to catch the Jimmy Wynn homer and then North looks in his glove and kicks the wall in frustration, that really feels right out of a movie.

Billy Buck will never be forgotten in Chicago

The A's were the most dominant team in the 1970's.

The most underdog disrespected underrated dynasty in sports history built by one man Charlie Finley

thanks for this post

Ken Holtzman and Billy North both played huge roles for Oakland. They both came over from the Cubs.

The 1974 Oakland Athletics are the best of the best. 😀👍⚾️

@ 12:50... Check it out, a coke for .30 cents. LOL How much are they in 2016? At least $5! This video is so cool. Love the music put in for effect, and Curt Gowdy was an outstanding announcer.

Rest in Peace, Sal Bando.

Never knew Buckner played for the Dodgers. Thought he started wth the Cubs. Bill should ONLY be known for being a gr8 hitter.

The 1970's A's ...Great Team

At 24:32, look who gets hosed at third after Bill North's error. The World Series did not like Bill Buckner at all.

Look how thin Lasorda was.

R.I.P. Ken Holtzman.

The ump @ 16:17 to LaSorda.." Will you stop talkin to yourself!"..lollol

Hey...no highlights of Fergie throwing out Bando at the plate at Dodger Stadium in this same World Series? I can't remember what game it was but what a play... By the way...You've got to love Lasorda's rah-rah attitude! Yup...I'm a life-long Dodgers fan!

1974 3rd Base Umpire: "Soon you'll have a DH!" 2018: Still no DH in the NL lol

I forgot how good Reggie was from a 55 year old As fan

Dodger Stadium was so much nicer back then.

aside from having to listen to Lasagna-mouth, I loved this A's team!

The A's green was so bright your retinas could be burned out it's been toned down now

I’ve always loved how people say Pete Rose “ruined” Ray Fosse’s career, yet here is Fosse hitting a HR in the ‘74 World Series. Hardly a career ruined!!

Catfish Hunter was allowed to go to NY as FA at the end of the season

3 in a row!!!!

Lasorda and Luciano were great. I can't stand the Dodgers but Lasorda was a riot

A classic case of a team that hadn't been there yet vs. a team that had been there done that in the crucible of October

Back when professional sports was not commercialized like it is today.

Godspeed Vida Blue

Garvey was a stud hitter

Oakland and Cincinnati would have been in the World Series every year of it wasn’t for the free agent rule in 75

The mantra in 1974 was, "One More in 74". In 1975 it was, "Stay Alive in 75", but that didn't happen.

Interesting to see Bill Buckner playing for the Dodgers because I associate him more with the Cubs and Red Sox. I associate Steve Garvey more with the Padres and Reggie Jackson with the Yankees and Angels.

Love the suicide squeeze with a pitcher on third. Think they’d call that play today? I really don’t like being the ‘old days were better guy’ but here we are…

caught a glimpse of Dick Allen....of course that was footage from later than 1974....

17:12 Ron Luciano would eventually be proven correct with the NL adopting the DH. Even if it took nearly 50 years!!!

The next to last World Series highlight film (1977) Curt Gowdy would narrate

Finley didn't seemed to care all his stars left after 76 Jackson and Hunter earlier

"Fuck the DH" - Tommy LaSorda 1974

24:33, Bill Buckner makes a critical baserunning mistake. Only notable World Series misplay Buckner would have in his career.

The A's should have won more World Series than the 3 consecutive they did. Too bad Charlie Finley broke up the team at their peak.

26:06 very reminiscent of “swing and a ground ball stabbed by Foulke he has it”

They were 5 tough ball games, but it really wasn't that close A's all the way

NL still saying no o the DH...... guess that ump wasn't as wise as he thought he was.

26:08

Bill Buckner was out by an "eyelash," What if he had been declared "safe?" If he had been ruled "safe" the 1974 WS may have gone seven games.

During these Championship seasons the A's drew only 1 million once (barely) 73

Reggie was kind of a reckless player, it’s a surprise he wasn’t injured more.

0:48 Was that Karl Malden?

Why wasn't Dick Williams the skipper of the '74 Oakland team? Was he fired or did he quit after winning two straight series?

Game 1: OAK 3 LAD 2 Game 2: OAK 2 LAD 3 Game 3: LAD 2 OAK 3 Game 4: LAD 2 OAK 5 Game 5: LAD 2 OAK 3

Cant tell that he KNEW he was "mic'd" during this series - Lasorda's WS antics are actually considered mickey mouse shit at the pro level - too much Tommy may he RIP

Geeeeez Tommy Lasorda screaming the whole episode was extremely annoying, the producers basically used him as the narrator

How many HOF'S on the Dodgers? Don Sutton? Steve Garvey should be

How can they leave Oakland?

Buckner screwed up the Dodgers....too!

Boy, that Tommy was so full of $#it!

The A' had the better unis

God gave the baseball cities that were hurting and depressed the most something to smile about. Case in point.City of St.louis was horrible place in 67.and God gave them a Championship Detroit city was horrible place after riot previous year and in 68 God gave them championship. New York city was horrible place in 69 and God gave the championship.City of Baltimore was horrible place in 1970 and God gave them championship. City of Pittsburg was horrible place in 71 and God gave them Championship.city of Oakland was horrible and depressed place in 72 and 73 and 74 and God gave them three Championships.God gave all the worse and depressed cities those years something to smile about.by giving them Championship. That's not coincidences.

Will you stop talking to yourself, Tommy LaSorda?!

23:54. Arrogance

Imagine Tommy Lasorda on coke. Your ears would fall off from excessive gabbing...

the dodgers, especially bill buckner, were more interested in running their mouths about how great they were, while the A's went out and proved it on the field. buckner and ferguson continued to run their mouths the entire series, even as the A's had their easiest World Series victory of their 3 early seventies triumphs. on a side note, it's sad that MLB allowed their disdain for Charlie Finley taint their world series highlilght video, a person may have thought the dodgers had won watching this. and seriously, so much attention paid to a loud mouthed third base coach? really? Lasorda was a blowhard and a crybaby. just take a look at his immature attack on the Phillie Phanatic years after this.

Baseball was still great then.... unwatchable today

Where is Lasorda's chatter when Buckner stupidly goes for 3rd?