1959 Kansas City Athletics season
Encyclopedia
The Kansas City Athletics
season was the fifth for the franchise in Kansas City
, and its 59th overall. It involved the A's finishing 7th in the American League
with a record of 66 wins and 88 losses, 28 games behind the AL Champion Chicago White Sox
.
to the Yankees for aging veterans and cash. The cash was used to pay the bills, with the veterans perhaps having star appeal that could improve attendance. One of the great controversies was the Ralph Terry trade. In May 1959, the Yankees sent Jerry Lumpe
and two veteran pitchers to the Athletics for Ralph Terry
. Once "home," Terry became a 20-game winner for New York.
The Yankees had brought the 20-year-old Terry to the majors in , but gave him limited playing time. In June , they traded him to the A's in an eight-player deal. After getting nearly two years of experience facing A.L. batters, Terry was sent back to New York. Other clubs charged that the A’s were little more than a Yankee farm team at the major league level, citing Johnson's pre-existing cozy relationship with Yankees owners Dan Topping
and Del Webb
. A detailed account of this period is The Kansas City A's and The Wrong Half of the Yankees, by Jeff Katz, published by Maple Street Press.
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
season was the fifth for the franchise in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, and its 59th overall. It involved the A's finishing 7th in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with a record of 66 wins and 88 losses, 28 games behind the AL Champion Chicago White Sox
1959 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was the team's 59th season in the major leagues, and its 60th season overall. They finished with a record 94-60, good enough to win the American League championship, five games ahead of the second place Cleveland Indians...
.
Offseason
- October 2, 1958: Chico CarrasquelChico CarrasquelAlfonso Carrasquel Colón, better known as Chico Carrasquel was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Kansas City Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles...
was traded by the Athletics to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Dick WilliamsDick WilliamsRichard Hirschfeld "Dick" Williams was an American left fielder, third baseman, manager, coach and front office consultant in Major League Baseball. Known especially as a hard-driving, sharp-tongued manager from 1967–69 and 1971–88, he led teams to three American League pennants, one National...
.
Notable transactions
- May 2, 1959: Harry SimpsonHarry SimpsonHarry Leon "Suitcase" Simpson was an African American outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for a number of teams. He played in the World Series with the New York Yankees in 1957, where they lost....
was traded by the Athletics to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Ray BooneRay BooneRaymond Otis Boone was an American Major League Baseball player. He batted and threw right-handed.Boone was born in San Diego, California. An infielder, he broke into the major leagues on September 3, , with the Cleveland Indians...
. - May 26, 1959: Ralph TerryRalph TerryRalph Willard Terry is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics , Cleveland Indians and New York Mets...
and Héctor LópezHéctor LópezHéctor Headley López Swainson is a former left fielder and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees from to...
were traded by the Athletics to the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for Johnny KucksJohnny KucksJohn Charles Kucks was a pitcher for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in Major League Baseball. In 1952, he was signed as an amateur free agent...
, Tom SturdivantTom SturdivantThomas Virgil Sturdivant II was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets...
, and Jerry LumpeJerry LumpeJerry Dean Lumpe is a former Major League Baseball second baseman for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers ....
. - August 20, 1959: Ray Boone was selected off waivers from the Athletics by the Milwaukee BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. - August 20, 1959: Ray JablonskiRay JablonskiRaymond Leo Jablonski was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball with an 8-year career from 1953 to 1960. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he played for the St...
was selected off waivers by the Athletics from the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
The Ralph Terry trade
During the Arnold Johnson ownership, any good young players on the Athletics were invariably traded by general manager Parke CarrollParke Carroll
Parke Carroll was an American front-office executive in minor league and Major League Baseball who was perhaps best known, in baseball circles, for his two-year stint as the general manager of the Kansas City Athletics, from 1959-1960.During those two years, he engineered a few trades that sent...
to the Yankees for aging veterans and cash. The cash was used to pay the bills, with the veterans perhaps having star appeal that could improve attendance. One of the great controversies was the Ralph Terry trade. In May 1959, the Yankees sent Jerry Lumpe
Jerry Lumpe
Jerry Dean Lumpe is a former Major League Baseball second baseman for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers ....
and two veteran pitchers to the Athletics for Ralph Terry
Ralph Terry
Ralph Willard Terry is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics , Cleveland Indians and New York Mets...
. Once "home," Terry became a 20-game winner for New York.
The Yankees had brought the 20-year-old Terry to the majors in , but gave him limited playing time. In June , they traded him to the A's in an eight-player deal. After getting nearly two years of experience facing A.L. batters, Terry was sent back to New York. Other clubs charged that the A’s were little more than a Yankee farm team at the major league level, citing Johnson's pre-existing cozy relationship with Yankees owners Dan Topping
Dan Topping
Daniel Reid Topping was a part owner and president of the New York Yankees baseball team from 1945 to 1964. Daniel Reid Topping was the son of Rhea Reid and Henry J. Topping. Rhea Reid, the daughter of Daniel G. Reid, known as the "Tinplate King" for his vast wealth in the tin industry, was the...
and Del Webb
Del Webb
Delbert Eugene Webb was an American construction magnate, real estate developer and sports-team owner, who is most significant for founding and developing the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona.-Early life:...
. A detailed account of this period is The Kansas City A's and The Wrong Half of the Yankees, by Jeff Katz, published by Maple Street Press.
Roster
| 1959 Kansas City Athletics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Avg. | Player | G | AB | R | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 98 | 347 | 32 | 82 | .236 | 1 | 30 | |
| 1B | 113 | 288 | 40 | 73 | .253 | 10 | 39 | |
| 2B | 108 | 403 | 47 | 98 | .243 | 3 | 28 | |
| 3B | 130 | 488 | 72 | 130 | .266 | 16 | 75 | |
| SS | 118 | 352 | 31 | 86 | .244 | 6 | 34 | |
| LF | 125 | 463 | 61 | 132 | .285 | 20 | 87 | |
| CF | 126 | 463 | 74 | 139 | .300 | 7 | 43 | |
| RF | 122 | 433 | 69 | 118 | .273 | 16 | 72 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | R | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 292 | 36 | 84 | .288 | 5 | 31 | |
| 74 | 180 | 27 | 48 | .267 | 2 | 18 | |
| 55 | 162 | 20 | 44 | .272 | 5 | 25 | |
| 35 | 135 | 22 | 38 | .281 | 6 | 24 | |
| 61 | 132 | 19 | 36 | .273 | 2 | 12 | |
| 38 | 123 | 25 | 36 | .293 | 1 | 9 | |
| 58 | 109 | 8 | 27 | .248 | 2 | 19 | |
| 8 | 14 | 1 | 4 | .286 | 1 | 2 | |
| 14 | 7 | 1 | .143 | 0 | 1 | ||
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 216.1 | 16 | 13 | 3.16 | 125 | |
| 32 | 201 | 10 | 13 | 3.71 | 61 | |
| 33 | 151.1 | 8 | 11 | 3.87 | 51 | |
| 9 | 46.1 | 2 | 4 | 5.24 | 35 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 125.1 | 6 | 10 | 4.09 | 65 | |
| 24 | 83.1 | 4 | 3 | 4.97 | 50 | |
| 29 | 81 | 2 | 10 | 4.56 | 54 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4.65 | 57 | |
| 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.08 | 9 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 1 | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.57 | 7 |