1975 American League Championship Series

1975 American League Championship Series
Team (Wins) Managers Season
Boston Red Sox (3) Darrell Johnson 95–65 (.594)
GA: 4+1⁄2
Oakland Athletics (0) Alvin Dark 98–64 (.605)
GA: 7
DatesOctober 4–7
UmpiresDon Denkinger
Lou DiMuro
Bill Kunkel
Ron Luciano
Jim Evans
Hank Morgenweck
Broadcast
TelevisionNBC
KPIX (OAK)
WSBK-TV (BOS)
TV announcersNBC: Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek (in Boston)
Joe Garagiola and Maury Wills (in Oakland)
KPIX: Monte Moore and Bob Waller
WSBK-TV: Dick Stockton and Ken Harrelson
← 1974
1976 →

The 1975 American League Championship Series was a semifinal matchup in Major League Baseball's 1975 postseason between the Boston Red Sox and the three-time defending World Series champion Oakland Athletics for the right to advance to the World Series. The Red Sox swept the series in three games to win their first AL pennant in eight years, which ended Oakland's pursuit of a fourth consecutive World Series title.[1]

Background

During the regular season, the Red Sox posted a 95–65 (.594) record to win their first American League East division title, while the "Swingin' A's" went 98–64 (.605) to take the American League West for the fifth consecutive season.

The Red Sox had experienced players such as Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, and Dwight Evans, and two sensational rookies – Fred Lynn and Jim Rice. Lynn took most of the headlines by playing a flawless center field, hitting .331 with 21 home runs and 105 RBIs, and was the first major league player to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. Despite suffering a broken wrist in late September, Rice finished with a .309 average, 22 homers, and 102 RBIs.

Summary

See also: 1975 Major League Baseball postseason

Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox

Boston won the series, 3–0.

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 4 Oakland Athletics – 1, Boston Red Sox – 7 Fenway Park 2:40 35,578[2] 
2 October 5 Oakland Athletics – 3, Boston Red Sox – 6 Fenway Park 2:27 35,578[3] 
3 October 7 Boston Red Sox – 5, Oakland Athletics – 3 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum 2:30 49,358[4]

Game summaries

Game 1

October 4, 1975 1:00 pm (ET) at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Oakland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 4
Boston 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 X 7 8 3
WP: Luis Tiant (1–0)   LP: Ken Holtzman (0–1)

Boston starter Luis Tiant allowed just one run on three hits to defeat the Athletics, 7–1, in the ALCS opener. Tiant struck out eight and walked three in a complete game effort, retiring the side in order in four innings. Juan Beníquez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Fred Lynn ended 1-for-4 with two RBIs, and Carlton Fisk went 1-for-4 with two runs scored for the Red Sox. Oakland starter Ken Holtzman was saddled with the loss by yielding five hits and four runs (two unearned) with four strikeouts and a walk in 6+1⁄3 innings of work.

Game 2

October 5, 1975 4:00 pm (ET) at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Oakland 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 10 0
Boston 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 1 X 6 12 0
WP: Roger Moret (1–0)   LP: Rollie Fingers (0–1)   Sv: Dick Drago (1)
Home runs:
OAK: Reggie Jackson (1)
BOS: Carl Yastrzemski (1), Rico Petrocelli (1)

Carl Yastrzemski hit a two-run home run to lead the Red Sox past the Athletics, 6–3, in Game 2. Boston starter Reggie Cleveland was solid through five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Rico Petrocelli also homered, Carlton Fisk went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Fred Lynn went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Red Sox. Athletics starter Vida Blue lasted three innings and gave up just three runs on six hits. The win went to Roger Moret, who tossed one scoreless inning of relief, and Dick Drago worked the final three innings to close out the contest. Rollie Fingers took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits over four innings. Reggie Jackson hit a two-run homer and Sal Bando went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a run for the Athletics.

Game 3

October 7, 1975 5:15 pm (PT) at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 5 11 1
Oakland 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 6 1
WP: Rick Wise (1–0)   LP: Ken Holtzman (0–2)   Sv: Dick Drago (2)

After three consecutive championships, the Athletics' dynasty came to an end, as the Red Sox took the third game, 5-3, to sweep the series, their first series win since 1918. Boston starter Rick Wise allowed three runs (two unearned) on six hits in 7+1⁄3 innings of work. Both Denny Doyle and Carlton Fisk collected two hits with one run and an RBI, and Rick Burleson went 2-for-4 with one run scored to pace the Red Sox. On just two days' rest, Ken Holtzman started for Oakland and was tagged for four runs on seven hits in just 4+2⁄3 innings to take his second loss in the series. Dick Drago earned the save for pitching 1+2⁄3 innings of shutout ball for Boston while Carl Yastrzemski made two great defensive plays in left field and collected two hits. Sal Bando went 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Reggie Jackson went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Athletics.[1]

This game, and Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, were the first LCS games ever played at night;[5] both were regionally televised by NBC.

Composite box

1975 ALCS (3–0): Boston Red Sox over Oakland A's

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Boston Red Sox 2 0 0 4 3 1 6 2 0 18 31 4
Oakland A's 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 7 19 5
Total attendance: 120,514   Average attendance: 40,171

Series Statistics

Boston Red Sox

Batting

Note: GP=Games played; AB=At bats; R=Runs; H=Hits; 2B=Doubles; 3B=Triples; HR=Home runs; RBI=Runs batted in; BB=Walks; AVG=Batting average; OBP=On base percentage; SLG=Slugging percentage

Player GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG Reference
Juan Beníquez 3 12 2 3 1 0 0 1 0 .250 .250 .333 [6]
Rick Burleson 3 9 2 2 2 0 0 1 1 .444 .500 .667 [7]
Cecil Cooper 3 10 0 4 2 0 0 1 0 .400 .400 .600 [8]
Denny Doyle 3 11 3 3 0 0 0 2 0 .273 .250 .273 [9]
Dwight Evans 3 10 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 .100 .182 .200 [10]
Carlton Fisk 3 12 4 5 1 0 0 2 0 .417 .417 .500 [11]
Fred Lynn 3 11 1 4 1 0 0 3 0 .364 .364 .455 [12]
Rico Petrocelli 3 12 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 .167 .167 .417 [13]
Carl Yastrzemski 3 11 4 5 1 0 1 2 1 .455 .500 .818 [14]

Pitching

Note: G=Games Played; GS=Games Started; IP=Innings Pitched; H=Hits; BB=Walks; R=Runs; ER=Earned Runs; SO=Strikeouts; W=Wins; L=Losses; SV=Saves; ERA=Earned Run Average

Player G GS IP H BB R ER SO W L SV ERA Reference
Reggie Cleveland 1 1 5 7 1 3 3 2 0 0 0 5.40 [15]
Dick Drago 2 0 4+2⁄3 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.00 [16]
Roger Moret 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 [17]
Luis Tiant 1 1 9 3 3 1 0 8 1 0 0 0.00 [18]
Rick Wise 1 1 7+1⁄3 6 3 3 2 2 1 0 0 2.45 [19]

Oakland Athletics

Batting

Note: GP=Games played; AB=At bats; R=Runs; H=Hits; 2B=Doubles; 3B=Triples; HR=Home runs; RBI=Runs batted in; BB=Walks; AVG=Batting average; OBP=On base percentage; SLG=Slugging percentage

Player GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB AVG OBP SLG Reference
Sal Bando 3 12 1 6 2 0 0 2 0 .500 .500 .667 [20]
Bert Campaneris 3 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .083 .000 [21]
Ray Fosse 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 [22]
Phil Garner 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 [23]
Tommy Harper 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 ─ 1.000 ─ [24]
Jim Holt 3 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .667 [25]
Don Hopkins 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 [26]
Reggie Jackson 3 12 1 5 0 0 1 3 0 .417 .417 .667 [27]
Bill North 3 10 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .167 .000 [28]
Joe Rudi 3 12 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 .250 .250 .417 [29]
Gene Tenace 3 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .000 .250 .000 [30]
César Tovar 2 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .500 .667 .500 [31]
Claudell Washington 3 12 1 3 1 0 0 1 0 .250 .250 .333 [32]
Billy Williams 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .125 .000 [33]

Pitching

Note: G=Games Played; GS=Games Started; IP=Innings Pitched; H=Hits; BB=Walks; R=Runs; ER=Earned Runs; SO=Strikeouts; W=Wins; L=Losses; SV=Saves; ERA=Earned Run Average

Player G GS IP H BB R ER SO W L SV ERA Reference
Glenn Abbott 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 [34]
Vida Blue 1 1 3 6 0 3 3 2 0 0 0 9.00 [35]
Dick Bosman 1 0 0+1⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 [36]
Rollie Fingers 1 0 4 5 1 3 3 3 0 1 0 6.75 [37]
Ken Holtzman 2 2 11 12 1 8 5 7 0 2 0 4.09 [38]
Paul Lindblad 2 0 4+2⁄3 5 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 1.93 [39]
Jim Todd 3 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 [40]

Aftermath

On June 15, 1976, Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley, with the dawn of free agency looming and looking to tear his dynasty apart, sold Rollie Fingers and Joe Rudi to the Red Sox and Vida Blue to the Yankees over the course of twelve days. In the words of Sports Illustrated writer Ron Fimrite, it was "the biggest sale of human flesh in the history of sports."[41] The deals would first be frozen, then overturned by MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn, citing the his "best interests of baseball" powers. Ultimately, Finley got nothing as most of his players left for free agency that summer.[42]

After the 1976 season, the A's lost Gene Tenace, Rollie Fingers, Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, Don Baylor and Bert Campaneris to free agency.[43] This, combined with the loss of Catfish Hunter two years earlier and the trade of Reggie Jackson and Ken Holtzman to the Baltimore Orioles for Mike Torrez, Paul Mitchell and Don Baylor, stripped the team of almost all of the talent from the 1972-1974 World Series-winning teams. The final nail in the coffin was the trade of pitcher Vida Blue to the San Francisco Giants for seven players and $300,000 just before the start of the 1978 season. The A's did not make the postseason again until 1981, which was the year after Finley sold the team for $12 million.[44]

After his trade to Baltimore in 1976, Jackson had not signed a contract and threatened to sit out the season; he reported to the Orioles four weeks later,[45] and made his first plate appearance on May 2, nearly four weeks after the start of the season.[46] Orioles' ace pitcher Jim Palmer later wrote on Jackson's lone season in Baltimore, "I would say Reggie Jackson was arrogant. But the word arrogant isn't arrogant enough."[47] Jackson later signed the largest free-agent contract at the time with the New York Yankees after the season and helped lead New York to back-to-back championships in 1977 and 1978; Catfish Hunter was also on these Yankees teams.

This was the first of four Athletics-Red Sox playoff match-ups. The Red Sox won in 1975 and 2003, while the Athletics swept the Red Sox in 1988 and 1990.

References

  1. ^ a b "Bosox end Oakland reign". Lawrence Daily Journal-World. Kansas. Associated Press. October 8, 1975. p. 24.
  2. ^ "1975 ALCS Game 1 – Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  3. ^ "1975 ALCS Game 2 – Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  4. ^ "1975 ALCS Game 3 – Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  5. ^ "Baseball plans night playoffs". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. August 16, 1975. p. 2B.
  6. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Juan Beniquez". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  7. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Rick Burleson". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Cecil Cooper". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  9. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Denny Doyle". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  10. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Dwight Evans". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  11. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Carlton Fisk". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  12. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Fred Lynn". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  13. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Rico Petrocelli". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  14. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Carl Yastrzemski". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  15. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Reggie Cleveland". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  16. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Dick Drago". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  17. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Roger Moret". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  18. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Luis Tiant". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  19. ^ "The 1975 BOS A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Rick Wise". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  20. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Sal Bando". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  21. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Bert Campaneris". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  22. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Ray Fosse". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  23. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Phil Garner". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  24. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Tommy Harper". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  25. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Jim Holt". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  26. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Don Hopkins". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  27. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Reggie Jackson". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  28. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Bill North". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  29. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Joe Rudi". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  30. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Gene Tenace". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  31. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Cesar Tovar". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  32. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Claudell Washington". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  33. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Batting Splits for Billy Williams". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  34. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Glenn Abbott". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  35. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Vida Blue". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  36. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Dick Bosman". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  37. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Rollie Fingers". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  38. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Ken Holtzman". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  39. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Paul Lindblad". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  40. ^ "The 1975 OAK A League Championship Series Pitching Splits for Jim Todd". Retrosheet. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  41. ^ Hickey, John (June 15, 2020). "12 Days That Shook MLB: Finley Sells Fingers, Rudi, Blue Only to be Overruled by Kuhn". Athletics On SI. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  42. ^ "A's Sell Blue to Yanks for $1.5 Million, Rudi, Fingers to Boston for $2 Million (Published 1976)". The New York Times. June 16, 1976. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  43. ^ Blum, Ronald (December 22, 2025). "It's been 50 years since a lawyer's decision unlocked free agency in MLB and changed sports forever". www.ksl.com. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  44. ^ "Finley Agrees to Sell A's; Plan to Stay in Oakland". The New York Times. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  45. ^ "Reggie agrees to join Orioles". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. UPI. April 30, 1976. p. 3D.
  46. ^ "Reggie finally plays and all is forgiven". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. wire services. May 3, 1976. p. 2B.
  47. ^ Palmer, Jim; Dale, Jim (1996). Palmer and Weaver: Together We Were Eleven Foot Nine. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-8362-0781-5.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_American_League_Championship_Series