The 1967 season marked a pivotal and ultimately final chapter for the Kansas City Athletics. It was the 67th season for the Athletics franchise in the American League and their 13th and last in Kansas City. This year was characterized by a struggling team on the field and a swift, decisive series of events off the field that culminated in the team's relocation to Oakland for the following season. The 1967 season thus serves as a poignant endnote to the Athletics'
time in Kansas City, setting the stage for a new era for the franchise and for baseball in Kansas City.
On-Field Performance and Attendance
During their final year in Kansas City, the Athletics did not provide much for their fans to cheer about. The team finished tenth in the American League, placing them at the very bottom of the standings. Their record for the season was a disappointing 62 wins against 99 losses, putting them a significant 29.5 games behind the American League Champion Boston Red Sox. This poor performance was a continuation of the team's struggles throughout much of its time in Kansas City, where it never achieved a winning record under either of its owners.
Despite the team's dismal performance, a considerable number of fans still came out to support them. The paid attendance for the 1967 season was recorded at 726,639 fans. While this figure was a far cry from the record-breaking attendance of over 1.3 million in their inaugural 1955 season in Kansas City, it still represented a loyal base of support for a team that was consistently at the bottom of the league. This attendance figure would be the last recorded for the Athletics in Kansas City before their departure.
The Swift Relocation to Oakland
The decision to move the team to Oakland unfolded with remarkable speed in the fall of 1967. The first public indication of the impending move came during the World Series on October 11, when owner Charles O. Finley announced Oakland as his team's new desired home. This declaration set off a rapid chain of events that would seal the fate of the Kansas City Athletics.
Just four days after Finley's announcement, Eddie Lopat, who had been serving as general manager, resigned from his position. This role would remain vacant within the Athletics franchise until 1981, highlighting the centralized control Finley exerted over the team. A mere three days after Lopat's resignation, on October 18, the American League owners officially granted the Athletics permission to relocate to Oakland for the 1968 season. This formal approval definitively marked the 1967 season as the last for the Kansas City Athletics, bringing an end to their 13-year presence in the city and precipitating the events that would lead to the enfranchisement of the Kansas City Royals in the 1969 Major League Baseball expansion.
