The Athletics and Phillies once co-existed in Philadelphia. The Phillies became part of the National League in 1883. The Athletics were part of the American Association the same year.
The first “City Series” exhibition game between the two ball clubs was played April 14, 1883, before the start of the season, the Phillies' first game against a Major League team. The Series took place every year until the American Association folded after the 1891 season. The Series resumed when the American League was founded in 1901, placing a team called the Athletics in Philadelphia.
Except for a few years, the Series took place from 1903-54 when the A’s moved to Kansas City. The number of games played each year varied from as many as nine to as few as one. Exhibition games sometimes before, sometimes after and sometimes during the season.
From 1948-54, a midseason exhibition game for the benefit of the Junior Baseball Federation of Philadelphia featured the two teams. The proceeds from the game were distributed for the benefit of amateur baseball to the city's Police Athletic League, Department of Recreation, Fairmount Park, American Legion and the Sandlot Sports Association.
The Phillies and Athletics faced each other for the final time at Connie Mack Stadium on June 28, 1954.
Even though the A's were to begin their first season in Kansas City, they played two preseason games against the Phillies in Wilmington, Del., in 1955.
Interleague Games
The two teams did not play each other for the next 48 years. When Interleague Play began in 1997, it was a matter of time before the Oakland A’s and Phillies would meet.
2003 (Veterans Stadium) ... 2005 (Oakland Coliseum) ... 2011 (Citizens Bank Park) ... 2022 (Open season, CBP) ... 2023 (Oakland) ... 2024 (CBP) ... A series in 2020 (CBP) didn’t happen as MLB’s schedule was reduced to 60 games because of COVID.
This month, three games will be played in Sacramento, Calif., while a ballpark is being built in Las Vegas, the eventual home of the Athletics (2028).
Here and There
Prior to Interleague games, the two teams played in Columbia Park, Recreation Park, Baker Bowl, Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium in the city. Spring Training included West Palm Beach, Fla.; Miami Beach, Fla.; Clearwater, Fla.; Portsmouth, Va., and Wilmington.
But, never in Kansas City.
Sutter Health Park is the current home for the A’s. It is normally the home of the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants of the Pacific Coast League. Capacity is 14,014 including space for 2,566 fans on the Toyota Home Run Hill.
Sacramento Connection
A total of 15 big leaguers from Sacramento have worn a Phillies uniform.
RHP Dan Boitano, SS Larry Bowa, SS Ken Dowell, INF Tommy Glaviano, RHP David Hernandez, 1B Rhys Hoskins, 1B-2B Nippy Jones, LHP Randy Lerch, RHP Brad Lidge, RHP Lowell Palmer, RHP Dick Ruthven, 1B Brock Stassi, 3B John Vukovich, OF Jim Westlake and RHP Vance Worley.
10 Nuggets
According to Baseball-reference.com, 149 players have worn both the A’s and Phillies uniforms.
Hall of Famers include Jimmie Foxx, Nap Lajoie, Elmer Flick, Joe Morgan and Chief Bender.
Dick Allen will join the elite Hall of Fame fraternity posthumously this July 27. His career ended in Oakland (1978), wearing a “Wampum 60” jersey in honor of his hometown and high school graduation year.
Left-handed pitcher Stan Baumgartner was a member of the Phillies pennant winners in 1915 and ended his career with the A’s in 1926. After his career, Baumgartner was a baseball writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Whiz Kids shortstop Granny Hamner pitched in three games for the Kansas City A’s (1962), the end of his career.
2008 World Series champion Phillies who wore both uniforms include OF-PH Matt Stairs, RHR Ryan Madson and RHS Joe Blanton.
1980 World Series champion Manny Trillo was originally signed by Phillies (catcher) out of Venezuela (1968) and a Rule 5 Draft by Oakland (1969).
In addition to Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, the Phillies had a third baseman named Joe Morgan (1960). That Joe Morgan, who is 94 years of age, was with the Kansas City A’s in 1959.
LHP Bobby Shantz, 1952 AL MVP, ended his career with the 1964 Phillies. At age 99, he’s the oldest living alumnus of the Philadelphia A’s, Kansas City A’s and Phillies franchises.
LHP Jesús Luzardo, currently in the Phillies' rotation, pitched for the Oakland A's (2019-21).