Before the A’s came to town, Oakland had another baseball team to root for -- The Oakland Larks.
Founded in 1946, the Larks played in the West Coast Negro League Baseball Association. Though they only played for one full season, the club built a large fanbase with immediate success, finishing in first place at the time of the WCBA disbandment in 1947.
The Larks played their home games at the Oakland Oaks Club in the nearby city of Emeryville. Stars on the team included pitchers Lionel Wilson, who later went on to become the first African American mayor of Oakland in 1977, and Sam Jones, who reached the Major Leagues in 1951 and earned two All-Star selections and 102 wins over 12 seasons, three of those playing across the Bay for the Giants.
The A’s joined Major League Baseball in celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the Negro Leagues on Sunday, wearing special patches commemorating the centennial for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Giants.
Around baseball, clubs are raising awareness and educating fans on the many great Negro Leagues players who have been overlooked for so long due to not having the same opportunities as white players in their era.
“Some of the great players in baseball history were in the Negro Leagues,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “You’re seeing more documented about it now. It’s incredible to see some of the skill sets of these guys.
“I’ve been to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. It’s an incredible place. I think it’s finally getting a little bit more of its due. That league was an absolutely sensational baseball league with talented players. Years after, you saw the influx into the big leagues. But to go back then and watch some of those games, you see some of the best talent in baseball history.”