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The 1972 World Series was a terrific clash between two rising Major League franchises, the Oakland A's and the Cincinnati Reds. Neither had won the pennant in decades. Twice removed from their original home in Philadelphia and unappreciated in Oakland, the A's quietly played excellent ball, their long hair and mustaches symbols of rebellion. Led by manager Sparky Anderson, the clean-cut Reds--baseball's most conservative club--were becoming a powerhouse and were the favorites entering the Series.
This book chronicles both the A's and the Reds' journeys to the memorable '72 Fall Classic--where six of seven games were won by a single run--with batter-by-batter coverage of the diamond exploits of Bench, Perez, Rose, Rudi, Odom, Tenace, and others.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Authors' Notes viii
Introduction
¿1.¿Labor Dispute: Lost Games, Lost Faith
¿2.¿The Swingin' A's: Unshaved, Unloved ... but Superb
¿3.¿The Cincinnati Reds: The NL's Emerging Powerhouse
¿4.¿The AL East: 1972's Only Competitive Divisional Race
¿5.¿The ALCS: Comebacks, Blown Calls and a Thrown Bat
¿6.¿The NLCS: High Drama and History Made
¿7.¿1972 MLB Esoterica: The Good, Bad, Ugly, and Quirky
¿8.¿Oakland vs. Cincinnati: The Hairs vs. the Squares
¿9.¿Game One: Tenace, Anyone?
10.¿Game Two: Rudi to the Rescue
11.¿Game Three: Slipups
12.¿Game Four: The A's Win in a Pinch
13.¿Game Five: Produce ... and a Gamble That Didn't Produce
14.¿Game Six: The Real Reds Finally Show Up
15.¿Game Seven: 19 Mustaches Win
16.¿Let the Celebrations Begin: Party Time in Oakland
17.¿Under the Knife
18.¿Aftermaths
19.¿Gone Too Soon
20.¿Ranking the Fall Classic: So How Good Was the 1972 World Series?
Appendix A. Team Batting and Pitching Statistics, 1972 World Series
Appendix B. Studs and Duds: The Best and Worst Performers
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
John G. Robertson is a private tutor and sports historian who lives in Cambridge, Ontario. He is the author of numerous books on baseball, hockey and boxing history.Carl T. Madden lives in Welland, Ontario and is the author of multiple books on the history of sports.
