1973 World Series
Team (Wins) Managers Season Oakland Athletics (4) Dick Williams 94–68, .580, GA: 6 New York Mets (3) Yogi Berra 82–79, .509, GA:1+1⁄2
Dates	October 13–21
Venue(s)	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland) Shea Stadium (New York)
MVP	Reggie Jackson (Oakland)
Umpires	Marty Springstead (AL),Augie Donatelli (NL),Jerry Neudecker (AL),Paul Pryor (NL),Russ Goetz (AL),Harry Wendelstedt (NL)
Hall of Famers	Athletics: Dick Williams (manager) Rollie Fingers Catfish Hunter Reggie Jackson Mets: Yogi Berra (manager) Willie Mays Tom Seaver
Broadcast
Television	NBC
TV announcers	Curt Gowdy Monte Moore (in Oakland) Lindsey Nelson (in New York) Tony Kubek
Radio	NBC
Radio announcers	Jim Simpson Ralph Kiner (in Oakland) Monte Moore (in New York)
ALCS	Oakland Athletics overBaltimore Orioles (3–2)
NLCS	New York Mets overCincinnati Reds (3–2)
← 1972 World Series 1974 →

The1973 World Series was thechampionship series ofMajor League Baseball's (MLB)1973 season. The 70th edition of the World Series, it was abest-of-seven playoff played between theAmerican League (AL) champion (and defending World Series champion)Oakland Athletics and theNational League (NL) championNew York Mets. The Athletics won the series in seven games for their second ofthree consecutive World Series titles and their seventh championship overall. This was the third consecutive World Series to go the full seven games.

The Mets won theNL East division by1+1⁄2 games over theSt. Louis Cardinals, then defeated theCincinnati Reds, three games to two, in theNL Championship Series. The Athletics won theAL West division by six games over theKansas City Royals, then defeated theBaltimore Orioles, three games to two, in theAL Championship Series.

This was the first World Series in which all weekday games started at night. This was the last World Series in which each team produced and sold its owngame programs for its home games.

Reggie Jackson was named the World Series MVP. Jackson batted .310 with seven hits and six RBIs and a home run and scored three runs. Jackson was only the second player to be named league MVP and World Series MVP in the same year.Sandy Koufax was the first in 1963. Koufax was the NL MVP and WS MVP inthat year's World Series.

The 1973 Mets' .509 season winning percentage is the lowest posted by any pennant winner inmajor league history. Injuries plagued the team throughout the season.

The team got off to a promising 4–0 start, and went .600 for the month of April. Before long, however, the team was soon beset with injuries and fell in standing, just as with their previous season. Stumbling through the summer in last place, the Mets got healthy and hot in September, ultimately winning the division with a mere 82 victories,1+1⁄2 games ahead of theSt. Louis Cardinals. This marked the only time between 1970 and 1980 that neither theirrivalPhiladelphia Phillies, nor the Pittsburgh Pirates, won the division.^[1][2]

At 82–79, the 1973 New York Mets had the worst record of any team to play in a World Series. They had only the ninth-best record in the 24-team major leagues, behind theOakland A's, theCincinnati Reds (who they beat in the National League Championship Series), theBaltimore Orioles (who were defeated by Oakland in the American League Championship Series), theLos Angeles Dodgers, theSan Francisco Giants, theBoston Red Sox, theDetroit Tigers and theKansas City Royals (none of whom made the postseason).

The 1973 New York Mets had the lowest winning percentage (now the second-lowest) of any postseason team (theSan Diego Padres finished 82–80 in 2005).1969 holdoversBud Harrelson,Jerry Grote,Wayne Garrett,Tom Seaver,Jerry Koosman, andTug McGraw and Cleon Jones joined forces with the Mets' farm-system alumniJohn Milner andJon Matlack and trade-acquiredRusty Staub,Félix Millán, andWillie Mays, now 42 years old.Don Hahn and Mays alternated in center field, although they both batted right-handed.

The Mets' NLCS opponents, an imposingCincinnati Reds squad that posted 99 victories during the regular season, were the favorite to return to the Series for a second consecutive year. (TheReds had fallen to theA's in theprevious year's Series.) The 1973 NLCS went the full five games, and featured a now-famous brawl betweenPete Rose and MetsshortstopBud Harrelson. In the end, the Mets continued their improbable rise and bumped Rose and the rest of the mighty Reds from the playoffs.

Willie Mays recorded the final hit of his career in Game 2. In four World Series (1951,1954,1962, and 1973), Mays did not hit a single home run. He hit only one in the postseason, during the1971 NLCS. In Game 2, Mays slipped and fell while chasing a ball hit by Deron Johnson, allowing him to reach second base.

TheOakland Athletics secured the pennant by overcoming theBaltimore Orioles in the1973 ALCS. The Athletics, defending champions, still possessed a formidable lineup headed by a healthyReggie Jackson, (.293, 32 HR, 117 RBI, 22 stolen bases) who would be named league MVP in 1973. Jackson was joined in the lineup by standouts like third basemanSal Bando, the fine defensive outfielderJoe Rudi, the speedy shortstopBert Campaneris, and the A's catcher,1972 World Series heroGene Tenace. The pitching staff featured three 20-game winners,Ken Holtzman (21–13),Catfish Hunter (21–5), andVida Blue (20–9), withRollie Fingers (22 saves, 1.92) serving as the A's acerelief pitcher.

The Athletics offered entertainment both on and off the field in 1973; their brightly colored uniforms were the perfect metaphor for a team notable for clashing personalities. The stars engaged regularly in conflicts with each other and with ownerCharles O. Finley.

With thedesignated hitter rule in effect for the first time in 1973,American League pitchers seldom batted during the regular season. They were, however, expected to take their turn at the plate during each game of this Series. So it was that a man who had played no offensive role during the regular season came to make a key batting contribution for the Athletics during the Series. With some extra batting practice, A's pitcherKen Holtzman would stroke a double that helped the Athletics to win Game 1 – and another double that helped them secure the deciding seventh game.

This Series was also notable for an incident where Finley attempted to "fire" second-basemanMike Andrews for his errors in Game 2 (see below).CommissionerBowie Kuhn would reinstate Andrews and fine Finley. Despite the hostility of the Oakland players toward the team's owner, the Athletics would be the first to repeat as World Champions since the1961–62 New York Yankees. Oakland managerDick Williams resigned after the Series was over, having had enough of ownerCharles O. Finley's interference.

Oakland relieverDarold Knowles became the first pitcher to appear in every game of a seven-game World Series.

ALOakland A's (4) vs. NLNew York Mets (3)

The Mets and A's opened the Series in Oakland withJon Matlack andKen Holtzman as the Game 1 starters (Matlack, with a 14–16 record during the 1973 season, is one of only four pitchers in history to start Game 1 of a World Series after a regular season losing record).Willie Mays started in place of the injuredRusty Staub and batted third in what turned out to be his final big league start.

In the third, pitcher Holtzman doubled and scored whenBert Campaneris hit a routine grounder that inexplicably bounced between Mets second baseman'sFélix Millán's legs. Campaneris then stole second and scored on a single to right byJoe Rudi. The Mets came up with a run in the fourth on anRBI single byJohn Milner that scoredCleon Jones. Holtzman,Rollie Fingers, andDarold Knowles then shut the door on the Mets offense; Knowles earned the save.

Game 2, eventually won by the Mets 10–7 in 12 innings, set a new record for the longest game in Series history at four hours and 13 minutes. Along with blinding sunshine "turn{ing} every fly ball into adventure" (especially for a 42-year-oldWillie Mays), Curt Gowdy described the contest in the official MLB 1973 Fall Classic highlight film as one of the "longest and weirdest games in World Series history".

Vida Blue opposedJerry Koosman on the mound, but neither pitched well. In the first inning, the A's jumped on Koosman for two runs as the flyball adventures began. With one out,Joe Rudi reached second on a fly ball to left thatCleon Jones lost in the sun as he drifted to the warning track and the ball dropped in front of him. Rudi scored when the next batter,Sal Bando, hit a ball to right center thatDon Hahn misplayed and allowed to bounce to the wall as Bando reached third. AfterGene Tenace walked with two outs, Bando scored on aJesús Alou double. The A's scored again in the second onJoe Rudi's single scoring the ubiquitousBert Campaneris, who had tripled. The Mets gothome runs fromCleon Jones andWayne Garrett in the second and third innings, respectively.

The A's were still up 3–2 going into the sixth when things got even more strange. With one out and two on,Horacio Piña relieved Blue and promptly hitJerry Grote with his first pitch, loading the bases.Don Hahn then drove homeCleon Jones with an infield hit andBud Harrelson followed with an RBI single to put the Mets ahead 4–3.Jim Beauchamp then pinch-hit for relieverHarry Parker and hit a comebacker to the mound.Darold Knowles, who had relieved Pina, fielded the ball but lost his balance hurrying the throw home and threw wildly pastRay Fosse on the attempted force play. Two more Mets runs scored for a 6–3 lead.

Reggie Jackson had an RBI double in the seventh to make it 6–4. In the ninth,Deron Johnson, batting forBlue Moon Odom, lifted a fly ball to center thatWillie Mays lost in the sun and fell down while chasing. Johnson reached second.Allan Lewis pinch-ran and scored on a single by Jackson afterSal Bando walked.Gene Tenace singled in Bando to tie it.

The Mets threatened in the 10th when Harrelson led off with a single.Tug McGraw bunted for a sacrifice andRollie Fingers threw to second, but Harrelson ran with the pitch and was safe. McGraw was retired on the relay to first. Harrelson went to third when Garrett bounced a high grounder to Tenace at first and reached when Tenace's throw pulled Fingers off the bag. Harrelson then tagged and attempted to score on aFélix Millán fly to left. Harrelson appeared to have sidestepped Fosse's tag at the plate (and replays from NBC's broadcast clearly showed Fosse missed him), but he was called out by umpireAugie Donatelli, prompting a heated outburst from Harrelson, on-deck batterWillie Mays, and managerYogi Berra.

The game stayed knotted at 6–6 until the top of the 12th. Harrelson led off with a double and went to third when McGraw reached first on a bunt thatSal Bando overran. With two outs, Mays drove in Harrelson with a single that would turn out to be the final hit and RBI of his storied career. It gave the Mets a 7–6 lead.

After Jones walked to load the bases,John Milner grounded to second basemanMike Andrews, but the ball went through his legs. McGraw and Mays scored to make the lead 9–6. The next batter, Grote, hit another grounder to Andrews, but his throw to first pulled Tenace off the bag (though NBC replays showed Tenace kept his foot on the bag). Jones scored to make it 10–6.

The A's added a run in the bottom of the inning when Jackson reached third as Mays lost yet another fly ball in the sun and Alou singled him home, but Andrews' errors proved too much to overcome. McGraw, who pitched six innings total, earned the win, andGeorge Stone the save and the Mets evened the series.

A's ownerCharlie Finley was furious at Andrews' 12th-inning miscues; he proceeded to punish Andrews (and further alienate A's managerDick Williams) by forcing Andrews to sign a false affidavit saying he was injured, thereby sidelining him for the remainder of the Series.

Game 3 matched upTom Seaver andCatfish Hunter. Hunter had trouble early on whenWayne Garrett homered to right andFélix Millán scored on a wild pitch, but then found his rhythm. Seaver kept the A's off the board until the sixth, whenSal Bando andGene Tenace broke through with consecutive doubles that delivered a run and cut the Met lead to 2–1.Joe Rudi came up with another clutch hit in the eighth when he singled inBert Campaneris to tie the game. In the bottom of the tenth,Willie Mays would make his final appearance in an MLB game, unsuccessfully pinch-hitting forTug McGraw. Campaneris delivered the game-winning RBI in the 11th when he singled offHarry Parker to scoreTed Kubiak.Rollie Fingers got the save.

In this game, managerDick Williams and the A's players wore a piece of athletic tape with the number 17, which wasMike Andrews' uniform number, affixed to their uniforms in protest ofCharlie Finley's actions in the previous game concerning Andrews.

Prior to this game, MLB commissionerBowie Kuhn orderedCharlie Finley to re-instateMike Andrews to the active playoff roster, citing his illegal actions after Game 2.

A's starterKen Holtzman couldn't make it out of the first inning afterRusty Staub smashed a three-run homer to left-center.Blue Moon Odom relieved and gave up a two-run single to Staub in a three-run Mets fourth.Jon Matlack got the win by pitching eight innings of three-hit ball.Ray Sadecki pitched the ninth and got the save.

Andrews entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, prompting a standing ovation from the Mets' home crowd, in a display of defiance toward Finley. Andrews grounded out in what would be his last major league at-bat.

Game 5 was a rematch up ofVida Blue andJerry Koosman. This time, both pitchers threw well.John Milner had an RBI single in the second, andDon Hahn's triple to center field scoredJerry Grote with the second Mets run in the sixth. Koosman pitched well and got the win, with a save fromTug McGraw.

The A's won, thanks to the clutch pitching ofCatfish Hunter (who outdueledTom Seaver), who was pitching on short rest, and the timely hitting ofReggie Jackson. Jackson doubled and drove inJoe Rudi in the first inning and doubled inSal Bando in the third to give Oakland a 2–0 lead. In the eighth inning, the Mets threatened, knocking Hunter out of the game afterKen Boswell singled in a run. RelieverDarold Knowles put out the fire by striking outRusty Staub on three pitches with two men on base. In the bottom half of the inning, the A's added an insurance run when Jackson singled, advanced to third on center fielderDon Hahn's error, and scored onJesús Alou's sacrifice fly.Rollie Fingers got the save in the ninth inning to force a seventh game.

Ken Holtzman outdueledJon Matlack in a rematch of the Game 4 starters. The third inning proved to be the difference, as Holtzman lined a one-out double off Matlack to left, his second of the Series after not batting at all during the season. Matlack then surrendered a two-run opposite-field homer toBert Campaneris (Oakland's first home run of the series), and then another two-run blast toReggie Jackson later in the inning, giving the A's a 4–0 lead and Holtzman all the runs he needed. The Mets came back with two runs after Oakland increased their lead to 5–0 in the fifth inning, but it was not enough. Campaneris snagged aWayne Garrett pop fly to end the series; and Jackson was named the World SeriesMVP.^[10]

In the third inning,Gene Tenace walked for the 11th time tying the Series record set byBabe Ruth of the Yankees in 1926. In the seventh inning,Wayne Garrett struck out for the 11th time tying the Series record set byEddie Mathews of theMilwaukee Braves in 1958 (later broken in 1980 whenWillie Wilson of the Royals struck out 12 times).Darold Knowles got the save and became the only pitcher to appear in all seven games of a seven-game World Series untilBrandon Morrow in the 2017 World Series.^[11]

The final out was recorded at 4:07 p.m. Pacific Time, making this the last World Series (through 2021) to end in daylight.

Vern Hoscheit, a coach with the A's in 1973, would win a World Series with the Mets as a coach in1986.

1973 World Series(4–3):Oakland A's (A.L.) overNew York Mets (N.L.)

This was the third consecutive year in which the World Series went a full seven games and the champions were outscored; this occurred again two years later in 1975.

• 1973 Japan Series

• Cohen, Richard M.; Neft, David S. (1990).The World Series: Complete Play-By-Play of Every Game, 1903–1989. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 345–350.ISBN 0-312-03960-3.
• Reichler, Joseph (1982).The Baseball Encyclopedia (5th ed.). Macmillan Publishing. p. 2191.ISBN 0-02-579010-2.
• Forman, Sean L."1973 World Series".Baseball-Reference.com – Major League Statistics and Information.Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. RetrievedDecember 9, 2007.

• 1973 World Series atWorldSeries.com viaMLB.com
• 1973 World Series atBaseball Almanac
• 1973 World Series atBaseball-Reference.com
• The 1973 Post-Season Games (box scores and play-by-play) atRetrosheet
• History of the World Series - 1973 atThe Sporting News. Archived fromthe original in May 2006.
• Mutiny and a Bounty at SI.com
• The 1973 Oakland Athletics at baseballlibrary.com
• The 1973 New York Mets at baseballlibrary.com

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