Franchise Timeline

1901 - The Philadelphia Athletics baseball club was founded as part of the brand new American Baseball League. Connie Mack managed the A's for 50 years, (1901-1950). During their 54 year stay in Philadelphia, they produced such Hall of Famers as: Frank Baker, Chief Bender, Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Eddie Collins Sr. Jimmie Foxx, Nelson Fox, Lefty Grove, George Kell, Nap Lajoie, Connie Mack, Eddie Plank, Al Simmons, Tris Speaker, Rube Waddell, and Zack Wheat. Some of them are better known for their play with other teams but all were A's at one time.

1902 - New York Giants Manager John McGraw dismissed the A's with contempt, calling them "The White Elephants," Mack defiantly adopted the White Elephant as the team insignia, and in 1902, the A's won the American League pennant. Rube Waddell joins Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in 1902 and goes 24-7, leading the AL in strikeouts for the first of six straight seasons.

1905 - A's are American League Champions again but in one of baseball's best postseason performances, Christy Matthewson shuts out the Athletics in Games One, Three, and Five, allowing only 14 total hits.

1906 - Shorthanded because of injuries, Chief Bender is put in Left Field in the 6th inning in a game against the Boston Pilgrims. Bender hits 2 HRs, both inside the park.

1909 - Mack forms his famous "$100,000 Infield" of Stuffy McInnis, Eddie Collins, Jack Barry, and Frank Baker. Those four led the team to World Series wins in 1910, 1911, and 1913. Philadephia's Shibe Park is dedicated as a record crowd of 31,160 sees 18-year-old John "Stuffy" McInnis make his ML debut at SS. Eddie Plank pitches the A's to an 8-1 win over Boston.

1910 - With sore-armed Eddie Plank unavailable, Connie Mack will squeeze 5 complete games out of 2 pitchers in the WS. The Athletics take the series and defeat the Chicago Cubs, 4 games to 1.