Word: finley
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...group in Finley's operation that does end up losing is his front-office staff?the smallest in baseball, and probably the most overworked. In 15 years, Finley's autocratic rule has used up five scouting directors, six farm directors (last week the seventh, John Claiborne, quit in disgust), ten publicity managers and 16 broadcasters. He sends the staff scurrying with round-the-clock calls?there is even a telephone in the men's room (located a safe distance from the clubhouse)?and supervises everything from bat orders for the players to food in the press room. Frank Ciensczyk...
...reason Finley keeps a tight grip on the cash is that the A's do not produce much profit. Attendance at modern Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (capacity: 50,000), a few minutes' drive from downtown Oakland, averages only 13,000 per game. Among the reasons: cold, foggy evenings, competition from the San Francisco Giants across the Bay, and Finley's own money-saving cutbacks on promotion. The result last year was a modest profit of $350,000. Much of that came from TV revenue plus play-off and World Series income...
Whatever the state of the team's finances, nothing has ever stopped the lively flow of Finley innovations. No sooner had he bought control of the A's than Finley started agitating for change. At first he turned to gimmicks to pull in crowds and feed his starveling team: greased pig chases before the start of a game; a mechanical rabbit popping up behind the umpire, holding a supply of new balls; half-price tickets for bald men; a mule mascot named Charlie...
...Finley persuaded the league to allow the A's to don multicolored uniforms and white shoes?an unprecedented move in a game that had been played in white and gray. Finley designed the gold, green and white outfits himself. Today baseball is awash with bright reds, blues and yellows. After extended lobbying by Finley, night World Series games were finally adopted in 1972. The designated-hitter innovation, allowing top batters to hit in place of the pitcher, is another change the A's owner helped push through...
...orange baseball is Finley's latest offering, and it is more than a matter of show. "Batters can see an orange ball better, particularly at night," he argues. "If we start using this ball, batting averages will increase. That means more action, and that's what the fans want to see." His own brand, labeled "The Charles O. Finley Baseball," is already being manufactured...