1974 World Series Game 2

[BatmanFan1966]

Back when World Series games were still played in friggin DAYLIGHT, and baseball fans didn't have to try to stay awake until 12:45 the next blessed morning to see the end....Take a hint MLB, Pick a lane Gert!!!

[JLTURBO70]

AMEN!! Yeager ruled behind the plate. He had an awesome arm and was never given the credit he deserved for blocking the plate before Scioscia

[dadadruma]

Ferguson cutting off wynn on the fly gunning Rudi out to Yeager Epic Yeager was the greatest defensive catcher in the fucking game at least in the 70s can i get an AMEN?

[fuwhocares]

@dadadruma That's Ferguson hitting a 2-run HR in the video

[TRCrews]

@dadadruma AMEN!!!!!!! I love Fergie! He was my favorite Dodger at the time. Hated when the traded him

[dmobile2go]

I was 10 years old and the A's were my hero's! Those players still are. Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Catfish Hunter, Campy Campineras, Ken Holtzman, Billy North, Rollie Fingers, Gene Tenace, Blue Moon Odom and the rest of the Oakland A's of that era are still my heros! I still love these guys! I was their biggest fan. Fuck Free Agency! It ruined my life. My Team! Oakland A's Forever!

[lindenly22]

It is a teeny bit of a shock that at that time, Dodgers Stadium and the Oakland Coliseum in this Oakland A's-LA Dodgers 1974 series are about 40 percent similar. Both stadiums featured two light standards in left-center and right-center field, and under those standards, scoreboard displays. We all know the result of course--The A's got their three-peat with World Series wins in '72, '73, '74.

[ii121]

@lindenly22 You're fucking retarded.

[mowm88]

'74 is another one of the Red Sox 'What if' seasons-5 weeks left, they were up by 7 in the AL East and had played the A's quite well that season. If they could have held on--well who knows? Same for them in '72-would have made for some great playoffs-A's and Sox. I remember what happened in '75.

[swami1]

@mowm88 The Sox were playing on borrowed time that season from the moment Fisk tore up his knee in Cleveland on June 29th.

[Jiltedin2007]

Typical Reggie Jackson Home Run swing at 0:39.

[rockintetster]

Great footage, but may I ask why the creator of this video chose a goofy version of "Witchcraft" to accompany footage from 1974?

[Jiltedin2007]

Going back to the departed A's Players after the 1975 season. Catfish Hunter went to the Yankees along with Ken Holtzman. Billy North later became a Dodger in 1977. Joe Rudi and Don Baylor went to the Angels. The rest, I don't remember.

[Jiltedin2007]

Had it not been for the Players Free Agency Rule which began after the 1974 Season, only God Knows how many more World Series the A's would have won! After Free Agency, A's Owner Charlie Finley started having a Fire Sale on all of his A's Players because he could not afford to pay the High Demanding Salaries that came with Free Agency. Gene Tenace and Rollie Fingers went to San Diego, Reggie Jackson was sent to Baltimore in 1976, we all where he went the following year.

[TheTweeter53]

@Jiltedin2007 I totally agree with you! The A's of the early 70's were a great, great, team. They had timely hitting mixed with excellent starting pitching and a solid bullpen. They probably would have won at least 2 more World Series if not for free agency. It would have been very interesting to see how they would have done against the "Big Red Machine" power house Cincinnati Red teams of 75 and 76. Of course, they beat them in 72, but Cincy wasn't as powerful then.

[Jiltedin2007]

@TheTweeter53 To be honest with you, the A's would have conquered "The Big Red Machine" in 1975. Remember, the Reds were down to the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series at one point 3-0. Then the Reds got 2 in the 7th and 2 more in the 9th to take the 1975 World Championship. The A's would have set down the Reds in 1975. But 1976, that would have been a different story. The '76 Reds dismantled the Phillies and the Yankees en route of the 1976 World Championship.

[TheTweeter53]

@Jiltedin2007 You know, I think you are 100% correct in your analysis. The 75 Reds were good, but they could have been beaten by the a team like the A's. On the other hand, the 76 Reds were a real powerhouse. Still, if the A's had kept their team together they would have been real real competitive with the 76 Reds. If I recall, the pitching of the 76 Reds wasn't that great, while the A's had excellent pitching. Good pitching usually beats good hitting. Thanks to Mr. Finley, we won't know!

[Jiltedin2007]

@TheTweeter53 Exactly! And after the Cincinnati Reds of 1975 and 1976, for sure the A's would have conquered the Dodgers again in 1977 and 1978. I bet you that the A's teams of the Early 70's that has won the 3 straight World Series Championships would have stayed together at least until 1980. All the Players were still active long after Free Agency. Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Sal Bando, Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi. Charlie Finley should have owned up to Oakland, and shelled out the money!

[vakkav]

was like 4 years old at this time. where can i see this game in full?

[scottferk]

Ferguson WHO?! That's Vida Blue!

[Ducksrule123]

oakland back to back to back!

[stewielips]

Back when they still played WS day games and my beloved A's were a back-to-back-to back World Champion... The only franchise other than the Yankees to accomplish this.

[landrykkb]

Even with the Yankees 3-peating between 1998-2000,winning just back-to-back has been rare,with the exception of the 1992-1993 Toronto Blue Jays and the 1977-1978 NY Yankees,since this great Oakland A's dynasty of the early 70's.I honestly thought they should have won more than the one World Series in the late 80's/early 90's as well with how deep that team was then.

[LarryRickenbacker]

Ferguson had an arm! The Dodgers had a "lemon" at SS, though. Russell's range was sub-par and his hitting was only slightly above average for a SS. Objectively, L.A. proved themselves the better team during the regular season. I think L.A. was intmidated in the 'Series. Any other explanation?

[giles422]

you know, for some reason, I'm really moved by this

[C1rob]

Parker threw out Rice in the 1979 All Star Game at the Seattle Kingdome.

[mdumas43073]

Love the music. "It's witchcraft...wicked witchcraft..."

[serling]

This world series is known for probably the greatest throw ever, when Joe Ferguson nailed Bando at the plate.

[scalibruh]

I was thinking the exact same thing. That's why I looked it up. It was the greatest throw from outfield in baseball history, IMO.

[freddycupples]

Thats exactly what Reggie Jackson said at the time. It drives me crazy that I cant find a replay of it. I've replayed it in my mind a milion times. Can someone put up more of pre 1990's sports on Youtube?

[SFFOOL76]

Go buy the 1974 World Series Highlights , that play was amazing.

[Soulblackman]

Better than Dave Parker on Jim Rice in the 1977 (or 1978) All-Star Game?

[scalibruh]

Yes, even better than the Dave Parker throws. Ferguson threw a perfect strike from center field,... no bounce or nothing,.. a perfect strike.

[JimAsian1]

Is there any way to get actual video or broadcast of this Wrold Series?

Thanks.

[njdx1]

Yes, MLB Network just aired Game 1, 3, and 4 of the actual NBC broadcast... just aired Sat Sept 5, 2009

[papabear724]

this is hilarious, this does look like something from the 50's...very good!

[rickelz16]

The 1974 A's were managed by Alvin Dark. Williams resigned after the '73 season because he was tired of dealing with Charlie Finley

[psugeog11]

Oakland A' vs. LA Dodgers? Correct?

This was part of the dynasty Charlie Finley built in the mid-70's with stars such as a Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Gene Tenace, Rollie "Mr. Handlebar Mustache" Fingers, and managed, I believe, by Dick Williams.

The last dynasty in the pre-free agency era.

The music and video make it seem like a 1950's home movie even though it's the mid 70s.

[landrykkb]

It seems as if only the NY Yankees can contend year after year for the World Series in this current MLB climate!That just goes to show you what George Steinbrenner's deep pockets can do!