The Kansas City Athletics experienced a turbulent existence marked by ownership changes, on-field struggles, and persistent relocation rumors before ultimately moving to Oakland. From their arrival in Kansas City in 1955, following a move from Philadelphia, to their final season in 1967, the team's narrative was often dominated by off-field drama rather than baseball success. This period saw two distinct ownership eras, each with its own promises
and controversies, culminating in the team's departure from the city.
The Johnson Era: Promises and Collusion Rumors
When the Athletics first arrived in Kansas City in 1955, under owner Arnold Johnson, there was an initial surge of enthusiasm. The team drew a record 1,393,054 fans to Municipal Stadium in its inaugural Kansas City season, a figure that surpassed their previous record in Philadelphia and was the third-highest attendance in the majors that year. This initial excitement, however, quickly faded as the team consistently performed poorly. In Johnson's five years of ownership, the Athletics never achieved a winning record, with their best season in Kansas City being 1958, when they finished 73–81, 19 games behind the World Series-winning New York Yankees.
Johnson's tenure was also plagued by rumors of collusion with the New York Yankees. Major League Baseball rules at the time would have required Johnson to pay an indemnity to the Yankees for moving to Kansas City, and also to reimburse them for the costs of moving their minor league team, the Blues, to Denver to make way for the Athletics. However, the Yankees waived these payments, leading to speculation. These rumors intensified due to the Yankees' thinly concealed support for the sale, even reportedly planting rumors in the press to thwart last-minute attempts to keep the A's in Philadelphia. Critics, including other teams and fans, accused Johnson of turning the Athletics into a "Yankee farm team" at the major league level. This perception was fueled by a series of trades where good young A's players, such as Roger Maris, Bobby Shantz, and Clete Boyer, were sent to the Yankees in exchange for aging veterans and cash. Ten players from the 1961 Yankees, considered one of the best teams ever, had come from the Athletics, further cementing this view. Johnson did make some improvements to the farm system, a significant change from the previous owner Connie Mack's approach, but he was reportedly unwilling to pay top dollar for players who could make the A's competitive. Johnson's ownership ended abruptly when he died from a cerebral hemorrhage in March 1960.
The Finley Era: Charisma, Controversy, and Departure
Following Johnson's death, Chicago insurance magnate Charles O. Finley purchased a controlling interest in the team in December 1960. Finley, who had previously tried to buy the team six years earlier, promised a new era for the Athletics in Kansas City. He made highly publicized gestures, such as burning a bus pointed towards New York to symbolize the end of the "special relationship" with the Yankees, and publicly burning the existing lease at Municipal Stadium, which contained an "escape clause." He invested over $400,000 of his own money in stadium improvements, though the city later reimbursed $300,000. Finley also introduced new uniforms that, for the first time, featured "Kansas City" on the road uniforms and an interlocking "KC" on the cap, acknowledging the team's home city. He declared his intention to keep the A's permanently in Kansas City and build a winning club, earning him the reputation of a savior among fans.
Despite his initial promises, Finley's actions soon revealed a different agenda. Almost immediately after his purchase, he began exploring other cities for relocation, despite his public assurances. The lease-burning stunt was later exposed as a publicity ploy, as what actually burned was a blank boilerplate commercial lease, while the real lease, including its escape clause, remained in force. Finley himself later admitted it was a publicity stunt and he had no intention of amending the lease. While the team continued to struggle on the field during the first eight years of his ownership, Finley did lay groundwork for future success by investing significantly in the minor league system, which by 1966 was considered the strongest in the majors. The introduction of the Major League Baseball draft in 1965 also benefited the A's, allowing them to secure top prospects like Rick Monday without competing with wealthier teams. However, Finley effectively became the team's de facto general manager, with appointed general managers like Pat Friday, Hank Peters, and Eddie Lopat serving as mere figureheads.
The Inevitable Relocation
The 1967 season proved to be the final one for the Kansas City Athletics. The team finished tenth in the American League with a dismal record of 62 wins and 99 losses, 29.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox. The paid attendance for the season was 726,639 fans. The relocation process accelerated rapidly in October 1967. During the World Series on October 11, Finley publicly announced Oakland as his desired new home for the team. Just four days later, general manager Eddie Lopat resigned, a position that would remain unfilled in the Athletics franchise until 1981. Three days after Lopat's resignation, on October 18, American League owners granted Finley permission to move the Athletics to Oakland for the 1968 season. This decision officially marked the end of the Kansas City Athletics, concluding their 13-season run in the city and paving the way for the eventual establishment of the Kansas City Royals in the 1969 Major League Baseball expansion.
