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Chicago White Sox faced the Oakland Athletics for opening day at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum on Tuesday, April 8, 1969.
Chicago was a successful team throughout the 1960s and her manager Al Lopez, but the powerhouse of the Yankees kept the White Sox at no better than second place.
As the team began to fade in the late 1960s, the White Sox shuffled through six managers in three years, including the return of Lopez, but the franchise faded into a 95 loss team in 1968.
The Athletics had just finished their first year in Oakland in 1968, having relocated from Kansas City.
They had long been a below average team, having shuffled managers over 10 times in 10 years.
1969 was managed by Hank Bauer in the final season of his managerial career, but owner Charles Finley had the A's on the brink of greatness with a roster full of young talent like Burt Campanaris, Sal Bando, Catfish Hunter, Raleigh Fingers, and of course Reggie Jackson.
This audio recording is from the Oakland Radio broadcast featuring announcers Monty Moore and Al Halfer.
... used to say when the basketball team went out for the first time in college, this is it. This is what they worked hard for all spring.
And Johnny Odom's bound to have a little lump in his throat right now as he wears number 13 on the A's uniform leading off Luis Aparicio, one of the America League's all-time greats.
Here's the first pitch of 69, it's swung on a one-hopper back to Odom. Johnny's got it, he throws the cater away and we're underway.
So Johnny Odom has got a big one out of the way. Here's a left-handed batting rookie by the name of Carlos May. I'd say rookie, actually he was up for a little while last year.
But he had a sensational spring training for the White Sox, so batting only 179 for them last year in a partial season. He had hit 330 at Lynchburg.
A left-handed batter, here's Odom's pitch. Outside, ball one. Ed Runge the plate umpire.
One ball and no strikes to count. The A's and the White Sox, there'll be 162 just like this brought your way by your friendly, rich field dealers of the West.
Here's a pitch, little old ball two. Two balls and no strikes on Carlos May. Bill Melton, the White Sox third baseman, will bat third.
And speaking of White Sox, they have changed their traveling uniform considerably this year. Here's Odom's pitch, way outside, ball three.
The White Sox this year are wearing a gray, trimmed in blue. They do have white socks for a change.
And they're wearing blue sanitary hose and white names and numerals on the back. There's a three-o pitch for a strike, three and one now.
White Sox last year traveled in a powdered blue uniform. For years it's worried me the White Sox didn't wear white socks. I feel comfortable again now.
Here's a three-one pitch. Swing and a mess strike two. And John Odom's thinker seems to be going down pretty well right now.
Full count, three balls, two strikes on left-handed batting, Carlos May, the White Sox. He cocks the bat. Here's the pitch. Swinging, strike three, Odom got it.
Boy, Odom threw one in there that dropped about half a foot. Now there are two down in the first inning and the batter is Bill Melton, the White Sox third baseman.
This guy had 266 in 34 games with Chicago at the end of the season last year. Had two home runs, he's a right-handed batter. The White Sox think he's going to be a great one.
Odom winds, kicks that white shoe in the air. Here's the pitch inside, a low ball one.
Boy, what a good-looking uniform out on the field. Beautiful, beautiful night here in the Coliseum. Here's the one-oh pitch. Breaking ball is outside, it's two balls, no strikes.
Greatest feeling in the world, the start of another Major League Baseball season. Al has been around a lot of them.
Has there ever been an opener, Al, when you didn't feel a little bit more excited than any other game?
I just made that comment, Monty, when you were on your way up from the field. I said you can go through a million of them and dog guns. There was something about this when the Nitey County got through you.
Two-oh pitch, one on a missed strike one.
Well, I think it's the greatest game in the world and to see it getting started here again and playing for real rather than those exhibition games makes you feel good all over.
Two balls and one strike on Bill Melton, two down top of the first, Odom's pitch. Strike two called. Odom is throwing that ball here tonight.
Did you see that gem off that fifth? Two balls and two strikes to count with two down. Melton at the plate. Waggles the bat back and forth a little. Odom winds, kicks and throws.
There's a ground ball headed to right field. It gets through there for a base hit for Melton. Jackson picks the ball up and right throws it back into the infield.
The White Sox have their first hit of the game and it puts Bill Melton on first base. He hits that one right off the fist between first and second on the ground.
Now here's Gale Hopkins, a spring sensation with the White Sox. He hit.324 last year in the minor leagues playing for Evansville.
He had opened the season at Hawaii. Big guy at 20 home runs one season. He's a graduate of Pepperdine College in Los Angeles. Lieutenant Batter, the curve to him is a little high, ball one.
Gale Hopkins, first baseman. He actually signed as a catcher. Was an all-star catcher in the Florida State League. He played at Lodi California and hit.358 in 1967.
Here's the pitch. Strike call on the outside corner. At Lodi he had 12 home runs, 66 runs batted in and a.358 batting average.
The A's of course will have a farm club in Lodi this year. We'll get underway a little later on.
One and one and runner at first base. Odom sets. Here's the pitch. Low. It's two balls and one strike.
Two and one. There are two down and a man on. Top half of the first inning. John Odom sets. Delivers.
There's a foul ball back into the crowd and the first foul souvenir of 1969.
Two balls, two strikes. Gale Hopkins at the plate. Stands with his feet fairly close together and straight away.
Odom's pitch. Bouncing ball out towards second base. Cavanares has got it. Steps on second for the fourth out and the runner coming down and the sign is retired.
Johnny Odom gets his first inning of 1969 out of the way. Harmlessly. No runs. One hit. One man left on. The score of the White Sox nothing and the A's coming to bat.
How would you like to get out one of these nights and take in an Oakland A's ball game? Get the family together and come on out to the ballpark.
Enjoy the excitement and the chatter of the crowds and the hot dogs and the peanuts and the popcorn. Does that sound like a good idea?
It does? Well, wait a minute. Before you go, you'll want to know who's playing and when and where.
And all the answers are found in the official 1969 Oakland A schedule card available free at all Richfield service stations.
All you have to do is stop by and pick one up. You'll have an accurate listing of the opponents and when and where the games will be played.
Oh, and while you're at it, you'll want to fill your tank with the gasoline that'll get you there. Richfield Imperial Boron gasoline.
The big mileage maker with extra mileage in every tank hole. Extra mileage to help you live the little extra at an Oakland A's ball game.
So why not get out and play ball at an Oakland A's baseball game? Stop by a Richfield station. Pick up an Oakland A's official schedule card.
You know it fits right into your wallet. All right, we'll see you at the ball game.
While I was reading that Richfield commercial with so much enthusiasm, the enthusiasm of the crowd here was for the first reaction to the great million dollar animation board.
And a mule hitting a baseball for a long smash. And the crowd loved it. Now Gary Peters, the left hander who's got a long time outstanding record against the Oakland A's is on the mound to pitch to Campi Cavanaugh at the A shortstop.
The first pitch, Campi swings and misses strike one.
Little Campi had a sensational spring batting record. He hit three twenty six this spring.
Here's the one pitch. Campi hits a bouncer at a shortstop. Amparicio digs it out. Throws over to first. Campi is out by a couple of strides. There's one down.
Now here's Reggie Jackson, the A's right fielder. Jackson hit twenty nine home runs last year.
Yaxter knocked in over seventy runs. Bill Nelson plays him shallow at third base.
Peters kicks and fires. Jackson goes around on a slider and misses strike one.
In spring training, Reggie Jackson hit two twenty one, but at five home runs.
Here's the one pitch. There's a drive foul that's going into the crowd over behind third base.
Good to see first base coach Bobby Hoffman back in action. Bobby was felled by a drive off the bat of Sal Bando in Arizona.
He's got a couple of beautiful black eyes there too has he? Boy, he's a very fortunate man really. Bobby got a badly broken nose, swollen eyes, but he realizes how lucky he was.
Ball hit him where it did. Anywhere else in the head he might have just ended it all.
No balls, two strikes, one out. Jackson no matter. Here's the line and down right's the pitch.
Strike three called. Jackson is out looking so there are two down.
We just had a report. The first bases loaded home run of nineteen sixty nine hit over in the National League.
Felix Meon hit one in the sixth inning with the bases loaded to tie up that ball game.
Now here's Mike Hershberger, A's left fielder coming up.
Mike hit two seventy two last year for one of his finest years ever. Right handed batting out fielder. Here's the pitch.
It's the jumper down the right fielder line going for the ball as Buddy Bradford near the foul line and makes the grab and that's off of the A's here in the first inning.
So it's three up and three down for Gary Peters and the score after one inning of play is the A's and the Whitesucks. Nothing, nothing.
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Dwayne Josephson a big catcher for the Chicago Whitesucks will lead it off against John Odom here in the second inning.
Buddy Bradford and Ken Berry will follow in that order.
It's a scoreless game and a lively crowd here in Oakland tonight.
We hope that you're planning to join us for lots of exciting American League baseball as the league is divided into two divisions this year East and West.
The A's will be playing nothing but Western Division teams for quite some time.
About a month of the season so the early games are important ones to the young A's.
Dwayne Josephson right handed batting catcher.
Dwayne had two forty seven for Chicago last year with six home runs he played in one hundred twenty eight games.
Odom winds here's a pitch. Bouncing ball hit towards third. Mando charges it comes up with it throws the first. Got him.
So there's one away in the second inning and Odom has the Whitesucks hitting that ball on the ground.
Here's Buddy Bradford.
Young fellow the Whitesucks have been looking forward to coming up into the big leagues for a long while.
He got his first full shot at it last year playing 103 games hitting two 17 and five homers.
They expect a lot of this guy in the future.
Real good speed a good throwing arm and he indicated pretty good power by hitting 17 home runs in the minor leagues one year.
Odom's pitch to him the slider outside ball one.
No major surprises developed for the A's as far as starting lineup for 1969 was concerned.
Dave Duncan had to go out and prove to it that he could become the number one catcher and he did.
Here's a one hole pitch to Bradford. Swing and a bouncer foul.
One ball and one strike on Bradford one out second inning no score in our game.
The A's and the Whitesucks and they'll be playing here again tomorrow afternoon at 1 30.
Odom pitches again to the plate strike call he hits that inside corner with a hard sinker.
One ball and two strikes.
The moon delivers again curve high to and to the Bradford.
Computerized scoreboard here at the Oakland Coliseum.
What we call a game in progress board is on the right field side high up on the life standards gives up to the minute batting averages of all the players.
There's a swing and a miss.
Strike three Odom retires Bradford for his second strike out of the game.
Outstanding defensive center fielder for the Chicago White Sox.
Ken has been up with the White Sox since 1965 on a full basis and has played at least one hundred and forty seven games in every year.
Last season at two fifty two with seven home runs right handed batter.
Odom's pitch strike gets in there.
No balls in one strike count two down top of the second no score.
One pitch foul ball back into the crowd.
Speaking of the crowd they'll be entertained royally in nineteen sixty nine for every ball game there'll be a strolling Dixieland band on and.
They gave a little bit of an indication of what they're going to be doing down on the field in the pregame ceremony.
We don't know what we're going to name them.
It'll be up to the fans to do that.
Here's the O2 pitch fly ball in the shallow right field.
Reggie Jackson's got excited down it comes and Reggie's got it.
That's all for the White Sox.
In the second inning no runs hits or errors.
Nobody left on and the scores the White Sox nothing in the A's nothing.
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Here we go down to the last half of the second inning.
Sal Bando will lead it off now for the Oakland A's.
What a hot hand this guy had in spring training.
Sal hit three fifty four with three home runs.
Bando right handed batting third soccer the A's had an outstanding year last season two fifty one batting average.
Here's a pitch to him.
There's a fly ball hit foul down the right field line is going to be out of play.
One strike to count on Sal.
You'll be followed here in the second by Cater and Green.
White Sox lefty Gary Peters delivers to Bando.
Slow curve hits the corner call strike.
Peters had an off year last year due to a little bit of an arm injury.
He was a 20 game winner in 1964.
Here's the best fastball inside two and one.
Gary really knows how to fit.
He's not overpoweringly fast nor does he have an outstandingly big curve ball but he can throw it around where he wants to.
The pitch Bando hits a line at the shortstop.
I got beautifully by Aparicio.
He throws him out at first and there's a great play.
Gary Aparicio nine times the Golden Glover winner award winner as the outstanding shortstop in the American League just showed the fans here why Bando hit a smash to his left.
Louis took it on the short of what the players call the dirty hop and got it anyway.
Here's Danny Cater.
Danny hit three sixty one this spring but what's more important is what he did last year.
The second best hitter in the American League with a two ninety batting average.
Peters misses low ball one.
Danny Cater the first baseman of the A's at the top defensive average in the league last year among first baseman and the second best hitting average among all the players.
Look out he had to skip a little rope to get out of the way of that inside Gary Peters pitch.
Two balls and no strikes.
There's no score.
We're happy to have you with us tonight courtesy of friendly rich field dealers of the West.
You don't have one of those handy bill full size schedule yet for all the A's games and 69.
You can get one from any rich field dealer.
Cater fouls this one away at strike one two and one.
Very attractive looking little schedule fit right into the bill full or the pocket.
I know you can get one a handful of them get them out to all your friends and plan to join us.
Here's a two one pitch.
Cater swings and misses a slow curve.
It's two and two now.
One away last half of the second inning.
Gary's next pitch on the way swinging strike three cut Cater down with a fastball right in on his fist.
So there are two down.
Let's pause for station identification.
This is the Oakland A's baseball network.
Yes.
Remember this is the place KMBR radio 68.
And that of course is in San Francisco.
At the Coliseum in Oakland.
This is Marty Moore along with Al Helper.
Here's Dick Green at the plate batting for the A's with two down.
Curve balls.
Beauty strike call right on the fifth.
Greeny was almost unstoppable in spring training at four thirty one.
Back is a regular second baseman four years he was the A's starting second baseman.
Last year was out of action quite a bit.
Fitch to him.
Swung on a hit up into the air in a shallow right field.
Carlos May is there and he's got it.
So it's three up and three down after two innings of play.
The score is the A's nothing the White Sox nothing.
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The roof that protects you and your car from the hot sun or the drizzling rain.
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This is the new good late neighbor look of the Richfield service station from Atlantic Richfield Company.
We have this new look because we take pride in your community because we take pride in ourselves.
Above all because we want to serve you better.
Come up by a Richfield service station and see what you notice first.
Oh and while you're at it fill up with Richfield Imperial Boron gasoline.
The big mileage maker.
And speaking of Richfield out on the big animation board over the left field wall there's about 150, 200 feet of Richfield Imperial Boron sign right now.
And maybe a little bit later on in the game it will come along sometime I know a tremendous little animation cartoon.
We call them commercials.
But go what you like they entertain anyway.
All right now for the Chicago White Sox.
Sandy Alomar the second baseman will lead off here in the third inning.
John Odom and Gary Peters.
Against each other.
Odom is allowed one hit he has struck out two.
The A's have not had a runner as yet against Gary Peters he has always been tough against the A's.
Sandy Alomar classy fielding fast running little second baseman at the plate the pitch to him is low from Odom ball one.
John Odom kicks that white shoe in the air again and throws a strike from the outside corner.
One ball and one strike.
Odom's pitch outside two and one.
The White Sox finished last year in eighth place in the American League.
Al Lopez the manager of the White Sox took over after the start of the season last year.
Two one pitch there's a roller down the first base line but it kicks off foul.
Two balls two strikes.
Al Lopez fabulous record as a manager in Cleveland and Chicago.
Only one time prior to last year and he can't take the credit for last year and a team of his ever finished lower than second.
And that covers a lot of years.
Managing the White Sox 1960 through 65 they finished second three years in a row.
Two two pitch Alomar line drive to Campanaris he takes it over and hop and guns him out a good play by Caffe.
Alomar hit a rocket right at Campanaris in front of him one of the toughest plays the shortstop has to make though that one did bounce quite a ways out in front of the little guy.
Here's Gary Peters the White Sox pitcher and this guy might be the best hitting pitcher in baseball.
Now the big million dollar scoreboard has tremendous design on it right now that says what a beautiful play and I agree.
And the third year is Gary Peters. Lieutenant batter old bitches to him curve drops in their calls right.
We'll have the scores of all the other major league games the big openers for you very shortly you're out putting them all together right now.
Oh those pitch defeaters the fastball the tails off outside one ball and one strike to cut.
Here's all of one on pitch ball to.
A couple of the expansion teams won their opener today Montreal and Kansas City both one opener.
We have that Kansas City team in here for the weekend Friday night Saturday afternoon and a double dip on Sunday.
Here's a pitch swing and a bouncer left side of the infield Caffe charges it picks it up throws the first.
Boy this playing field is just beautiful. I last year I don't think it ever attained this beauty.
No I don't think so either money well I've toned that red clay down a little bit too and that looks a little bit better and I want you to know that outfield and well the grass here and the entire ballpark is just beautiful and because it comes right up at you doesn't it.
The groundskeepers the Coliseum did a fantastic job when we left to go to Arizona for spring training I took a look at the stadium the last day and it was under about a foot of water.
There's a call strike the playoff man Luis Aparicio little Louis starting the White Sox batting over order over again grounded the pitcher on the first pitch of 1969.
There's no score. Oh the best Louis leans out of the way of a pitch inside it's one and one.
Aparicio had a finger operation after spring training started and there was some doubt as to whether or not he would be ready to play.
But the little guy is here's a one on pitch inside ball to.
The A's are there winning down white uniform Fort Knox gold caps and no white albino kangaroo shoes.
What a sight to one pitch on the way.
It's called to and through that ball ran right across the plate.
Two balls two strikes the count on Luis Aparicio.
He led the American League and stolen bases nine years in a row.
Camp is the one that took it away from him.
There's our ground ball hit out towards shortstop can't be digitized got a hurry throws the first he got him in a good play.
So Campaneras was busy digging out three ground balls in this inning and in the middle of the third the score read the Chicago White Sox nothing the Oakland A's nothing.
Back in the old west and ace in the hole with a man's ticket to a big win or a shootout on Main Street.
Today in the new west in the hole is your ticket to live a little extra.
It's the getaway card.
It's travelers aid when you need it.
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Why don't you keep one up your sleeve.
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Monday the center fielder will lead it off in the third inning. Very pleasant night weather wise here was 70 degrees in the Bay Area today.
Very fine night.
All right Gary Peters is retired sectional will pick down a Rick Monday.
The best Monday ran up on the curve and took it outside ball one.
Rick at two seventy four last year for the Oakland A's raising his batting average from two fifty one some twenty three points he raised it last season.
Here's one old pitch curve over call strike one and one.
One thing you can be pretty well assured of if you beat Gary Peters you're going to do it with a bat. He doesn't walk many.
One on one pitch fly ball hit up into the air off third foul territory.
Bill Nelson right in front of the A's dugout makes the catch and there's one away in the third.
And I hear the A's catcher Dave Duncan San Diego boy who had his best year in professional baseball at Modesto where he crowded forty six home runs one season.
Right handed batter with tremendous power.
There's no score in our game. The A's and the White Sox.
But the Duncan curve swung on and missed like one.
Boy what a hand the Yankee Clipper got tonight.
Joe DiMaggio Hank Bowers greeted royally by the Bay Area fans and by Miss California on right hand.
Oh one bet outside today that's one and one now.
Karen Kate Terrell a very charming little girl and I'm sure will do quite well in representing the state of California in the Miss America contest later on.
One one pitch to Duncan curve ball swung on miss like to.
Now let me see those scores up past those along here are the other games that have been completed in the big leagues as soon as nothing gets on or out.
One to bet little high with a fastball to two and two Montreal beat the New York Mets 11 to 10.
Here's a pitch curve ball duck and yanked it foul way back into the crowd.
Another national league opener today the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies seven to six.
Forty four thousand five hundred forty one in New York for the Mets opener and forty thousand seven hundred ninety six in Chicago for the Cubs opener.
Here's a two to pitch to duck and look out like three on that inside corner.
Gary Peters is looking sharp.
Oh he's moving that ball around like you never saw.
He has struck out three hasn't walked anybody.
No one's gotten on base here.
John Odom.
The Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 10 to 2.
That's it the National League.
Here's a pitch to Odom swing and a miss strike one.
There's one game still underway in the National League the Pirates and the Cardinals are tied up to two in the seventh inning.
No balls one strike the pitch to Odom strikes two call a fastball in there.
The Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins four to three Mo Drabowski the winner over Joe Grisenda.
That one went extra in it pitch Odom takes a curve in the dirt.
Boston beat Baltimore five to four today.
Here's a pitch to Odom.
Curve strike three called and Gary Peters got another one looking and he's got a big looking breaking ball tonight.
After three full innings of play here at the Coliseum in Oakland this one is scoreless.
The White Sox nothing the A's nothing.
Thank you.
Thank you very much Monty.
Thank you for those very kind words.
It's real pleasant to be with you again and you know it.
We're getting ready here in the top half of the fourth inning.
Carlos May is the batter up there now.
He's the left hand hitting left fielder of the White Sox.
Odom tries a soft curve and moves it downstairs for ball one.
Carlos May to be followed by third baseman Bill Melton and then we'll have first baseman Gail Hopkins.
Johnny Odom has given up just one base hit.
We've only had one base runner in the ball game tonight.
Pitch tails off outside about waste time.
That'll be ball two.
Carlos May he stands about three quarters deep for play.
Hugs up tight against the sort of guard that right up on the plate bats from the slight cross and moves that bat nervously back and forth.
Odom's fastball is swung on, ripped down to Danny Kader.
It bounces off Danny Shins.
Green picked it up but there's no play at first base.
So we have a base runner here for Chicago in the top half of this fourth inning.
It'll be a base hit.
That ball was smashed right at the feet of Danny Kader and he didn't have much of a chance to pick it up.
So that'll be hit number two off Odom and runner number two for the Chicago White Sox here tonight.
Coming up now is Bill Melton.
He got the base hit for the White Sox in the first inning with two outs.
Single to right field and was forced to second base as Gail Hopkins hit to shortstop to Campaneras and he stepped on second base to force the man.
Odom checks first base.
Carlos May the runner comes down to the plate with a fastball to a right hand hitter and it's swung on but Melton missed for strike one.
And he definitely chased the low pitch.
Melton batting one thousand for the American League season.
He's had one for one.
I guess that's about as high as you can get.
Carlos May leads off first base.
The pitch to the plate with the runner holding is taken in there for the strike on a checked swing.
No balls and two strikes.
Boy I want you to know this animated scoreboard up here is something.
Just a few minutes ago a great big KNBR sign went up there.
Let the world know about our flagship station.
Odom delivers the plate.
Fastball low and outside.
One ball two strike counts.
We've had but two hits in the ball game.
Both of them belong to the Chicago White Sox.
The A's have not had a base runner so far in the ball game and the White Sox have had two.
Their second one is on at first base right now.
Carlos May.
The pitch there goes May.
It's swung on and fouled away.
May had a pretty good jump that time and Melton tried to swing to punch that ball into right field to hit behind the runner and he fouled it away to the right of the plate.
So Carlos May will have to come back and do it all over again.
One ball and two strike counts.
When you come to the Coliseum this year you want to direct your attention to the message board up over the left field bleachers.
The programming on that board will really be something to see.
The pitch to the plate now.
Swung on by Melton.
A soft tap down across the carpet.
It's a short stop.
The only play by Caponaris will be the first base.
He'll get his man but the runner, Carlos May, has been moved over to second in scoring position.
No one out here in the top half of the fourth inning.
Carlos May is the runner at second base on that 6-3 ground out.
And the batter coming up to the plate now is left-handed batting first baseman Gale Hopkins.
It wasn't figured really that Gale Hopkins might make the varsity.
But he came up very well for the Chicago White Sox, Al Lopez was telling me this morning.
And it looks like he has a chance of being a fixture at first base.
Curve ball, a shoulder high outside to Hopkins.
Hopkins stands three-quarters deep at the plate and away from it.
Hopkins has only been around the professional ball since 1965.
He broke in with Sarasota.
That's curve ball.
Drops in there nicely for the strike.
Johnny Edam had that one turned over.
Gale Hopkins out of Pepperdine College in Los Angeles.
Guy at first baseman now but was a catcher by trade when he was signed.
Curve ball hangs a little high, about shoulder high and stays outside.
So the count is two balls and one strike now on Gale Hopkins who last year with the Chicago White Sox
played 29 ball games at 216 for them.
He had no home runs but he can clog the ball.
Odomchek-Skralitz made the runner back at second base, wheels that pitch into the plate and it's swung on
and beaten down into the ground foul.
That's a two ball, two strike count now on Gale Hopkins.
He's batting third here in the fourth inning.
However, his spot in the batting order is clean up, batting fourth.
Hopkins may have fouled that ball off his own toe.
He's sort of hobbling around now like he has a hot foot.
Nick Green into tack to Johnny Odom, then turns and runs back to his position at second base.
Greening will play that position deeper than most second basemen.
He goes back on the rim of the outfield grass particularly with a left-hand hitter up there,
which is the case right now.
The right side of the infield is deep.
Bando is playing the shallowest of all the infield.
He's playing just behind the base fast at third.
Odom checks the runner, Carlos May, delivers the plate, the pitch is swung on and popped foul.
This one will spin back to the crowd and go out of play.
All locked up here in this ball game at 0-0.
Chicago White Sox have a runner on at second base and a person of Carlos May.
He singled off the shins of Danny Kader at first base and it was a hot shot.
Moved over to second on the Bill Melton ground out from Campaneras to Kader.
Fast ball, just a little low to a left-hand batter.
So it's a full count now, three balls and two strikes.
Dwayne Josephson, the White Sox catcher, is on deck to go next.
Johnny Odom leading forward on his knee to get the side from Dave Duncan.
And Gail Hopkins decides that he'd better back away from the plate and get a little dirt.
Odom takes back up and digs in.
Carlos May, who can move pretty well, is the runner at second base.
He's the White Sox left fielder.
Odom over the top of the fast ball, swung on, hit right back to the line.
Odom's got it closed over to Southampton but he throws into the dirt and all hands are safe.
It was the choice of Johnny Odom to play for the runner at third base and as we saw.
The first choice play, which backfired a little, the White Sox now have runners at first and third.
There will be no error charges on the play according to our official score.
So Hopkins becomes a base runner at first on the fielder's choice.
And Carlos May will be the runner at third.
Give the Diffily still, it was a pretty hard play for Johnny Odom.
Actually, he was off-strike and off-balance when he tried to make his play.
And Carlos May was barreling in the third base and Sal Bando had covered the bag all right.
But Johnny Odom, off-strike and off-balance, tried to throw that ball two-thirds and threw it into the dirt
and Sal Bando couldn't come up with it and hit him in the chest.
Now the White Sox have an opportunity with Dwayne Joselson, the right-hand hitter and catcher up there at the plate.
He's 0-1 tonight, lead off the second inning, grounding out to Sal Bando.
Odom fires away and the pitcher swung on a slow kicker down the third base.
Bando charges. His play will go to first.
The run will score, an out is made and Hopkins moves down to second base.
So give Joselson the first run batted in in the ball game and the White Sox are out in front 1-0.
That was a slow-bounding ball down the third base side and the only play that Sal Bando could make
was throwing over to first base to get the batsman.
That he did and did it well.
Now Hopkins is on that second base on that ground out for the second out in the inning.
The White Sox lead it 1-0 and the batter coming up to the plate is Buddy Bradford, the right fielder.
He stands away from the plate, steps into the pitches.
Odom now one run behind, checks his run over at second, comes over the top of the fastball, swung on a miss for a strike.
Bradford was really after that one.
Odom again a check of the runner Hopkins at second base, pitches the plate, fastball, again waved at and missed.
Bradford now has the count of no balls and two strikes.
Pitch the plate, he swung on it right back to the mound.
This time Odom takes plenty of time, throws over to Danny Kader at first base and that retires the side.
So here in the fourth inning the Chicago White Sox break the ice in this 1969 lid lifter.
They pick up one run on one base hit, there were no errors and there was a man left on.
So the score at the end of three and one half inning to play, it's Chicago 1 and the Oakland A's nothing.
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All right, we move now into the last half of inning number four and for the Oakland A's let's step up to pick up the top of the batting order in Campi Campaneras.
Campi has put up one time tonight, he hit a ground ball down to Louis Aparicio and the White Sox shortstop threw him out by about a half try.
Campaneras will be followed by Reggie Jackson and then by Mike Hershberger.
Out of the mound a pretty tough left-hander bending that ball in tonight, Gary Peters.
Despite the fact that he won only four last year and lost 13, he has been a nemesis.
The fastball from Peters is low to Campaneras at the 4-1.
Gary Peters last year had one decision with the Oakland A's and it was right in this ballpark.
He beat the Oakland A's and his year's record with them was 1-0.
The pitch to the plate to Campaneras is high.
Two balls, no strikes.
Campaneras, the American League leader in stolen bases for four years.
The road runner at the plate right now.
Overhand fastball to him is popped in there for the strike.
Two ball, one strike count on Campaneras.
Gary Peters working very carefully with Campy.
Delivers and Campaneras swings on it, loops it out in left field, coming up forward to
Starless May, almost overran the ball.
That finally grabbed it on the line shot for out number one.
The White Sox can't say that they overrun the fly balls because they've been in training
in Arizona where the air is light and the ball takes off.
They did their training in Florida.
Starless May almost overran that ball.
Now here's Red Dejection.
Sidearm fastball to him is swung on, missed right off the face.
That'll be strike one.
No ball and one strike count.
One out, nobody on.
And the back half of the plate to Campaneras is high.
Two balls, no strikes.
Campaneras, the American League leader in stolen bases for four years.
The road runner at the plate right now.
Overhand fastball to him is popped in there for the strike.
Two ball, one strike count on Campaneras.
Gary Peters working very carefully with Campy.
Delivers and Campaneras swings on it, loops it out in left field, coming up forward to
the right side of the plate.
Randy
C objetollo gets that out, and then Coteto gets that out.
He makes Carto brand out when he's being driven by Cottollo, he catches it and of course
K pollens, Strickland.
That's enough for those who don't like to struggle.
Redgie Jackson.
Sidearm pass ball to him, it's swung on, missed right off the face.
It'll be strike one.
No ball in one strike count.
One out, nobody on in the back half of the fourth inning.
And the Chicago White Sox are leading it one to nothing.
Fader over the top of the big curve ball.
Jackson on a check swing takes it in there for the strike.
Nothing and two.
The count on Redgie Jackson.
His first at bat in the 1969 season.
Down swinging, whipping hard, had a curve ball.
There's the slider and it's outside.
Redgie Jackson now has a count of a ball and two strikes and calls for the rosin bag.
Beyond deck circle.
Hirschberger and Bando both kneeling there.
Fired over to him.
Now Jackson moves back to the plate.
Outfield for Jackson, needless to say, is fanned around the right.
They're playing deep.
They're giving him a lot of left field line.
The pitch is swung on and hop back foul into the crowd out of play.
So Jackson is still alive and kicking.
You can just see Jackson taking a look at that wall that's been moved in now, 10 feet.
It's 3.30 down the left and right field lines here.
3.75 to the power alleys.
And 400 to straightaway center field.
Time called for Jackson as he backs away from the plate.
We're in the last half of the fourth inning, one out, nobody on.
As a matter of fact, the A's have not had a baserunner against Gary Peters tonight.
His curve ball is a little high to Jackson this time.
That'll give Reggie the count of two balls and two strikes.
Peters is ready.
Two-two is the plate.
The pitch is swung on by Jackson.
Hit up the power alley in the center field.
Going over for it is the center fielder.
He cannot get it.
Jackson's on his way to second.
He's going to try for three.
He's turning on the heat.
The throw comes in.
He slides.
He's out.
That's third base.
A fine relay play to the third base from Bill Melton.
Reggie Jackson trying to get down to third base where he could be scored on a fly ball.
It's cut down on a headlong slide at third base.
But give him a double.
Hit to center field.
Hit over the head of Ken Berry.
And having thrown out Ken Berry to the relay man on into third base to Bill Melton.
Now Louis Apparicio made another all-star play right there and that relay throw from
the outfield was a short hopper off to his right.
He backhanded the ball and made a perfect pick.
Boy, he certainly did.
Mike Kershberger up there now dribbles the first pitch foul up a third base side.
Well, it's good to see Jackson turning on his team.
After all, he knew that if he were third base that the ball game could be tied up with a
fly ball.
Kershberger could come through with one.
So he took the gamble and this time he lost.
Fastball to Kershberger, smacked in there for the strike.
No ball, two-strike count on Kershberger.
Mike came up in the first inning and retired to side with a fly ball to right field to
Buddy Bradford.
There's a waste pitch on the outside for ball one.
That Apparicio has been around this American League in professional baseball long enough
to know just where to be for those cutoff plays.
Certainly is good to see a guy that knows his position like that father does.
But just hung on, hit off Apparicio's left.
He's over, up with a turn, throws the first base, justifies Mike to have Kershberger.
Well, that Apparicio all over that infield and the short part of the outfield tonight,
no runs, it was one base hit.
Jackson cut down a third so there were no men left on and there were no errors.
The score at the end of four full innings of play, the White Sox won, the Oakland A's
nothing.
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I guess you would want a tighter ball game for an opener that we've got here tonight,
one to nothing, the Chicago White Sox.
Let's pause for station identification.
This is the Oakland A's baseball network.
Yes, and always remember that this is the good life.
KNBR radio, the big one in San Francisco.
All right, in the top half of the fifth inning, Ken Barry up for his second whack at it tonight.
He faced Johnny Odom and became out number three in the second inning with a fly ball to Reggie Jackson on right.
Takes a curve, dropped in there nicely and turned over right under the leathers for strike one call.
Vando up very shallow at third base despite the fact that Barry's a right-hand hitter.
Odom with the fast ball misses the outside corner.
One ball and one strike count.
Odom right back to the plate now with his pitches on the inside corner of the plate right off the fissure called strike.
One ball and two strikes.
We sincerely hope that all this year long that you're planning to make many trips down to the beautiful Coliseum
to see the Oakland A's in action.
Please remember, you can get A's tickets right here at the Coliseum on the Plaza level.
Pitch called strike three.
Ken Barry is out of there on the called strike three.
Let's see, for Odom that'll be the third one.
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We'll be seeing him supply you with tickets and at all Smith stores in Northern California.
Make your arrangements to be with us all season long and enjoy this great American game.
Hitting left-handed, Sandy Alomar, second baseman.
He was a short the first ground out his first time up.
Campanaris whips over to first and got him.
He takes his pitch high and outside for ball one.
One run, two hits for the White Sox.
No runs but one hit for the Oakland A's.
The one base runner and that was rather briefly Jackson doubling the power alley in left center field
and then being thrown out on the fine relay from Aparicio.
Tavichas flung on.
Plate and trickle foul by Alomar up the first face side.
But it took a good one to get Jackson.
He was really moving.
And Aparicio made that throw to Bill Melton, third baseman.
As Reggie Jackson took a diving slide at first base or at third base.
One ball and one strike.
That's a count here on Sandy Alomar.
Gary Peters to follow.
Odom delivers a fast ball and it's ripped the shortstop.
Campanaris off to his left.
He's got it.
I'll tell you a little bit.
Guy Campanaris to make a believer out of you.
Off to his left that time to haul a fast smash down that was ticketed for the power alley in left center.
Very nice play by Campanaris.
We have two outs here in the tough half.
And the number five that brings on Gary Peters.
A good hitting pitcher.
He's put up once tonight.
Hit one off the end of the bat and rolled up the shortstop and Campanaris threw him out.
Left-handed bat.
Odom works him with a curve ball and then swung on.
Lifted off the right fielder.
There's a well-hit ball.
There goes Reggie Jackson over near the wall.
Can he get it?
He cannot.
It is up over the wall for a home run for Gary Peters just off the flagpole.
Gary Peters, who hit home runs last year, has just hit a home run to put his ball club out in front.
Not a score of two to nothing.
And he poked it over the corner in right field.
So it is now two to nothing, White Sox.
That will be the third hit off Johnny Odom.
Memory serves me rightly, Monty.
Didn't Gary Peters have a faces-loaded home run last year?
Pitch to the plate now to Apparicio.
He's in there for the strike.
Now there could very well be.
He didn't against us, but I can recall several home runs that he's hit against us.
I mentioned earlier he's the best hitting pitcher in baseball, probably.
Last ball, Apparicio is under the knees.
Count.
One ball and one strike.
Apparicio starting the third batting around for the White Sox.
Hasn't hit a ball out of the infield.
He's tapped back to the mound and has been thrown out from shortstop.
Odom works him.
The curve ball stays downstairs.
Two ball, one strike.
Count.
That home run that Gary Peters got was a line hugger all the way.
Pitch is swung on.
There's a high pop-up right back of the mound.
Coming on for it is Danny Cater, the first baseman, and squeezes it for out number three.
Well, here in the fifth inning, the Chicago White Sox pick up another run to make it two.
On one base hit, a home run by their pitcher, Gary Peters.
No no errors and nobody left off.
So the score at the end of four and a half innings of play.
The White Sox two and the Oakland A's have nothing.
Well, here we are, Dave Niles.
Another baseball season with the Oakland A's and good old KMBR.
Hey, you know, Frank, I'm still as confused as I was last year.
I didn't realize it was so brutal.
I mean, so punishing.
Didn't you hear Marty Morse say Rick Mundy died on second base?
I mean, that's incredible.
He was such a healthy young man.
Look, look, Dave, Dave, Dave.
You mean you actually thought he passed away during the game?
That's funny. So did I.
Now, cut that out, Dave.
You keep that up, I'll unplug your TV set on Monday night.
Listen, you do, and I'm going to tell everybody that you get up at 430 in the morning.
Wait a minute. I do get up at 430 in the morning.
That's funny. So does our morning man, Frank Dill.
Skiers, join the KMBR sports club.
There'll be lots of ski prizes, especially for you.
Now to the last half of any number five.
It'll be Sal Bando, the cleanup man in the batting order of the Oakland A's.
He'll be followed by Danny Koehler and then by Dick Green.
Right tough left hander out of the mound.
Gary Peters has two runs to go on.
The White Sox are leading the ball game 2-0.
They have two runs on three hits, including pitcher Gary Peters' home run.
He blasted over the right field wall in the top half of his fifth inning.
Now here's Sal Bando. He'll grind it out to shortstop his first time up.
Taking the pitch on a check swing, and that's low for ball one.
Next day's game tomorrow.
Chicago White Sox, game time 1-30.
We'll be on the air with you 1-10.
Pitch to play, that's low again to Bando. That's ball two.
Johnny McNamara, the Sacramento Squire, coaching a third base, trying to get something started.
He's trying to light a fire under the ball club.
Pitch is swung on, but Bando misses.
Peters showed him the fastball right under the letters on the inside slice.
Two balls and one strike to count down on Sal Bando, leading it off here in the last half of his fifth inning for the Oakland A's.
Peters' fastball is ram fouled on the right field side.
That'll fade over in the crowd for a lot of play.
Gale Hopkins, the first baseman, giving it a long run.
Had no chance to get it.
One thing about the playing surface here at the Coliseum, there's plenty of room to run on the foul line side, the first and third base.
A lot of balls are caught here that would not be caught, perhaps, in other parks.
The two-two pitch to Bando. Curveball and Bando slaps the foul up third base way.
Count stays right on with two balls and two strikes.
Well, you know you hear the women talking about fashion shows.
Got to see these baseball uniforms this year.
A slow tapper down to Woodstock, the Tapericcio, and Melton Clyde.
The ball goes out in the left field, goes between them, and Sal Bando is the baserunner.
It'll be a base hit for Sal Bando.
You're talking about squeezing it through a not hole.
Bando did it that time.
Both Apericio and Melton went for a slowly tapped ground ball, hit toward, or toward the shortstop.
Melton ran into Apericio, and they were both yelling at each other.
But that may have opened the gate here in the last half of his fifth inning.
One of those cleaners, Al, the shortstop and third baseman, both on a suicide mission there,
trying to get that ball knowing they have to go full speed to get it.
And nobody called the other one off that play until it's made, really.
That is known as an off hole knock.
That's really squeezing through the smallest opening you can get it through.
They're lucky nobody got hurt on that play.
You were very right about that.
Well, those two guys really collided down that infield.
Now Gary Peters, with the runner on behind him, has the pitch to Danny Kader,
who slams the first pitch foul off the first base side.
Gale Hopkins after, but he'll never get that one.
That's into the crowd.
No ball, one strike count on Danny Kader.
Let's see, Danny came up in the ball game in the second inning and was called out on strike.
So the number two hitter percentage-wise in the American League last year is without a base hit so far in 1969.
But you can expect Danny to get his share of base hits.
Gary Peters works to win.
Kader takes that pitch as high, up to the peak of the cap.
One ball, one strike count.
What an enthusiastic crowd here tonight, pouring the A's to go, go, go, throw to first base.
Not in time, Bandel is back ahead of it.
Hopkins returns to the mound to Gary Peters.
Peters off the stretch, comes set.
Deliverance, the pitch is swung on.
Kader links it down into the field.
It's in there for the base hit.
Bandel down to second to hold on.
So the A's have a trying run from now if they can work them around.
And it's right up to green right now.
That is the third hit given up by Peters.
And it gives the A's a pretty good start here in the back half of the fifth inning.
That's Sal Bandel and Kader, both pretty good base runners, on at first and second.
Hank Meyers got his first big decision to make in 1969.
Do you butt right here trailing by two with your hottest hitter at the plate?
And a left-handed batter coming up next, or do you let him try to hit?
Well, the animated board here says go, go, go.
And let's see if they'll go, go, go all out with green.
They're expecting to sacrifice, that is the White Sox are.
Both at the corners at first and third, the players,
Melton at third and Hopkins, first baseman, will come crawling up.
They're expecting green to butt.
Let's see whether they have judged it correctly or not.
They have.
There is the butt down the first base side and it goes foul.
It was a perfectly placed butt except it kicked foul by a couple of feet.
It would have gotten the job done all right.
Both players, runners, were on the move.
And they were able to, would have been able to get to their bases.
Al, oddly, though Dick Green has been a long ball hitter for the A's
and has been our hottest hitter average-wise,
he's one of the best bunners the A's ball club has ever had.
I was just going to say, Hank has, with either choice, he makes.
Either choice he makes, he can't be too far wrong because green can do it all.
Now let's see what happens.
They're expecting to bun again.
He squares off, takes the pitch and it's all inside.
Josephson, when he dropped the ball, shook the mask,
expecting the runners might take off, but they did not.
White Sox have their ace sinker ball reliever up in the bullpen right now,
Bob Locker.
And he's in a hurry to get ready.
Up on the animated scoreboard, the writer and the word chart.
Josephson broke a headband on his catcher's mask, Al,
so we're going to have to have another one coming out of the bullpen.
You know, the tools of the catcher's trade are really something, Monty.
They put a lot of store in those, and just one little funny thing can be wrong.
It doesn't have to be broken.
And these guys can tell it right away, feel uncomfortable with it.
But that was, as you said, a complete breakdown of equipment.
Now Josephson has his new mask.
Locker continues to throw down in the bullpen for the White Sox.
Here with nobody out, the ace have runners at first and second.
The pitch is thrown around to green.
Here's a long shot deep to the field.
And there it goes.
The great levelers turn the trick here tonight.
And with one shot by Dick Green out of here, it puts the ace out in front now, 3-2.
Right over the left field wall, Green continues to be a hot hitter.
Here's Rick Monty up there now.
He takes the pitch low and outside for ball one.
I want you to know, it can really be changed in the twinkling of an eye.
And Green twinkled his eye.
Peters delivers.
The pitch is right under the chin of Rick Monty.
That'll be ball two.
So very quickly, Mr. Green has three runs batted in.
And very quickly, the ace are out in front like that, 3-2.
Three runs on four hits.
Rick Monty, the batsman, got one ball and no strikes.
That's the play for Rick Monty in there for the strike.
One ball and one strike.
That home run might well have fired up the Oakland A's considerably.
Peters right back to the plate on the 1-1 count.
Monty beats it down into the ground foul.
Well, it didn't take long, Mr. Moore, for Mr. Finley to get rid of some of those fireworks.
And I did it.
No, one of the greatest understatements of all time.
It's on a million dollar scoreboard right now.
It says, what a beautiful play.
It was beautiful, all right, to see that ball here in this California night sale and out of the park.
Gary Peters ready.
Over the top delivery to Rick Monty.
In there, ball, strike three.
Oh, Rick goes down.
That's the first out here in the fifth inning.
Down away strikeout for Peters.
That'll be his fourth.
Let me check that back again.
Don't want to give you any bad information.
Let's make that five.
Gary Peters now pitching to Dave Duncan, who slaps the first pitch foul.
After a high curve ball.
No ball, one strikeout.
Groud still buzzing about Greeny's home run.
Right over the left field wall.
Peters ready.
Delivers the play.
Duncan takes a slow curve.
That stays outside.
One ball, one strikeout.
One out here in the bottom of inning number five.
Three runs have been scored.
Duncan looks at the pitch.
That's well, that's well too.
I'd give most anything to know what's running through young Dick Green's mind right now.
Two on delivery.
Swung on and tapped away foul.
So Duncan's count now is two balls and two strikes.
Boy, how he didn't seem to take the real big cut.
But Greeny just has tremendous power and hit that one right on the nose.
It was out all the way.
He's got those good wrist money and he snapped that bat around pretty fast.
Two, two pitch.
Curve ball, swung on a miss, strike three.
Duncan goes down by the strikeout route to give Gary Peters strikeout number six tonight.
John Odom is coming up to the plate.
I imagine John feels a lot better about it.
He was two runs behind.
At the end of the top half of the fifth inning, body teammates went out and not only clawed their way back in the ballgame,
but took the lead away from the White Sox.
I guess you hooked up the plate with us.
We'll tell you how it happened in a second.
Fitz and Johnny Odom outside ball one.
It all started when Bando singled between Aparicio and Melton in the left field on sort of a squeeze-up play.
Ketter then moved him down to second on a single to left.
There's a pitch swung on, hit down to third.
Melton charges up and it goes to first base in time and the inning is over.
And then Green unloaded his home run.
Well, that's how the scoring was done here in this inning, which gives the A's a total of three runs on three base hits.
Nobody left on and the win-all errors.
So the score at the end of the five-point inning is a play now.
It's the Oakland A's three and the Chicago White Sox two.
You know, we've all looked forward to the opening of our baseball season here in Oakland,
and this season the games will be brought to you by your 21 Bay Area Pontiacers.
And what's their pitch?
Well, sir, it's to put you in a new 69 Pontiac.
And to do it, these Pontiacers are going all out to give you the best deal in town.
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So see your nearest Bay Area Pontiac tomorrow.
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If you live near Concord, visit Meridian Motors. In Martinez, John P. Serpa.
In Richmond, it's Ostrand Pontiac.
Across the bay in San Rafael, stop by at Dexter Pontiac.
In South San Francisco, call on Arata Pontiac.
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One more thing your Bay Area Pontiacers agree on, wishing our Oakland A's and their fans a great baseball season in 1969.
Moving in now to the top half of inning number 6, as the message board, the entertainment board above left field, says welcome Al Lopez and the Chicago Palehoes.
Well, the Palehoes are behind right now as we move to the top half of sixth inning.
The score stands 3-2 in favor of open.
Johnny Odom here in the sixth inning will pitch to Carlos May, the left fielder.
Bill Melton, the third baseman. And Gail Hopkins, the first baseman.
Carlos May has struck out and has singled. He hit a rifle shot single off the shins of Danny Kader at first base in the fourth inning.
And he was worked around to be the first to run in the ball game.
May standing forward at the plate now.
Odom over the top with a big curve ball and drops it in there nicely for the strike.
Comes right back to the plate now with a curve. It's low. Count is one ball and one strike.
See you over in the National League where Houston and San Diego have gotten underway and Houston is leading the new expansion.
San Diego team 1-0 at the end of one inning.
Got Wilson and Selma pitching that ball game.
Curve ball is a little bit low.
May, two balls and one strike.
Montreal, the other expansion team in the National League today, defeated the New York Mets 11-10.
Last ball swung on by May and hung out in the very shallow left center field.
Leo Campanera is back. Coming up is Hirsberger. Hirsberger calling for it and it's Hirsberger making the catch.
Oh, May is out of there, flying out to his opposing left fielder, Mike Hirsberger.
That brings on Bill Melton.
Philadelphia, Chicago. It was the Cubs of Leo DeRosha beating the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-6.
Pittsburgh and St. Louis playing tonight there, going into the last half of the 12th inning tied at 2-2.
The San Francisco Giants drop their second ball game of the year, 10-2 to Atlanta.
Last ball swung on by Bill Melton, a high fly ball on the left field.
Hirsberger's got another whack at it, comes up under it, takes the high fly ball for the second up.
Go away, top half of the sixth inning. That puts it up to Gail Hopkins now with two down and the bases empty.
Negros, the winning pitcher for Atlanta in their ball game tonight. Perry lost it for San Francisco.
McCovey hit a home run for the Giants, however, and Phoenix Mehan hit the first bases loaded home run of the current campaign for his ball club, the Atlanta Braves.
Check in on the American League in a minute or two.
Go left-handed better. Odom's fast pitch is low and outside ball one.
Hopkins, in this ball game, has been up a total of twice. He's forced a man and was base runner on the field with short in the fourth inning.
So he's 0-2. Odom delivers to him, the curve ball dropped in there off the fist. One ball, one strike counts.
Boston got underway pretty well today, beating Baltimore 5-4.
Landis winning it in relief, beating Adamson.
Fast ball swung on. There's a hopper hit down to second base. Green charges, snaps his throw over to Kader, and the top half of the sixth inning is all over.
So for the Chicago White Sox, nothing across in the sixth inning, and the score at the end of five and a half now. It is Oakland 3 and Chicago 2.
Well, down below us somewhere, we hear the Dixieland Band that's going to be prevalent at all of the Oakland A's baseball games in 1969 here at the Coliseum.
We don't have a name for them yet, and if any of you would like to come up with a name for our Dixieland Band that's going to be performing here all year long, we'd like to hear from you.
Just write a card or a letter and tell us what you think it should be and send it to the Oakland A's here at the Coliseum.
The winner will be announced after the current home stand is over. In other words, all mail that comes in up through the last day of the current home stand will be eligible for the contest.
And the person who picks the name of the band that is the winner, Charlie Bentley, will give you a pair of tickets, box seat tickets free, for the rest of the 1969 American League season here at the Coliseum.
So if you've got a name for the band that's going to be performing here all year, let us hear about it. Send us some cards or letters, and we'd be liking to hear from you.
Now here at the Coliseum tonight, they've just flashed up a big sign a few minutes ago that for all future games at the Coliseum, kids will be admitted for every ball game for only 75 cents to the bleacher section here at the Coliseum.
From now on, all kids can get in for 75 cents for any game. That's some of the best news we've had in a long time, Monty, and we're glad to know that Mr. Bentley and the Oakland A's want to see the kids in the ballpark.
Come on kids and take advantage of it. Here is Campanaris standing up at the plate. Gary Peters wheels the pitch into him and it's over there for the strike.
Yeah, we're expecting to have a big 1969. We want you to enjoy every bit of it. Flash ball. Campanaris takes this one low and he's counting down the ball on the strike.
Campanaris has been up twice. He has not become a baserunner tonight. So there hasn't been any road running going from Campanaris, but he'll be getting on.
Almost did that time. That pitch was weighing off the hips and almost hit him.
So Campy's counting up on the board. It's two balls and one strike.
See where Kansas City beat Minnesota today. Next inning ball game. Flash ball. Campanaris is outside.
As it took 12 innings before Drabowski for his new ball club expansion, Kansas City Royals, defeated Minnesota, who is figured to be the ball club that will be charging after the A's in the Western Division this year, beat them 4-3.
Flash ball. Campy takes this one. That's pop for the strike. On the count of three and one. Campy bluffing the bunt that time.
Had Bill Melton coming up from third base as though somebody had tried to lasso around his neck and suddenly gave it a big quick pull.
Great two-pitch. Campy swings. It's a boundary shortstop. Aparicio bubbles. Camp pick it up. Campanaris is a baserunner and that on Saturday will cause an error on Aparicio.
Though Campy has become a baserunner for the first time on Aparicio's error at shortstop.
But sometimes that's what will break a ball game wide open for you. However, the A's are leading this one 3-2 and I'd like to get some insurance rounds.
Here's Reggie Jackson now who has doubled and struck out. He's been ordered to bust and fouls the first pitch off into the dirt.
Campanaris couldn't take advantage of moving down although Josephson did not feel the ball.
Strike one. A count on Reggie Jackson. Melton is shove it up at third base. Hopkins holding the corner on Campanaris.
Now let's see what happens with Jackson. He squares off but as he does, Gary Peters flips to first base to keep Campanaris close.
Now look upon the big animation board right now. How do you spell that word? I mean how do you pronounce that B-E-E-BEEP? Great big beep beep up on the board.
There's a throw to first to keep beep beep close.
Reggie Jackson is just showing he certainly learned something in his one here up there batting behind Campy. He's backed out away from the plate to allow Campanaris to get his breath again.
Peters took five shots at him over there with throws. Reggie Jackson back up at the plate. Campanaris the lead.
Down comes a pitch he holds. That bust is attempted but fouled off to the left of the plate by Reggie Jackson.
Reggie Jackson batting at 500 right this minute. We're reading it right off the big scoreboard up behind right field.
It'll keep you advised of the batting averages currently of not only the Oakland A's but also of the ball club visiting.
The pitch is a play to Jackson. Swung on a miss. Reggie was after that one and didn't get it. That's strike three.
Now before we have Hirshberg Rebels pause for station identification. The Oakland A's baseball network.
This is the place KNBR Radio 68 the big one in San Francisco.
All right now let's see what happens with Hirschberger. A pitch out. Campanaris is going nowhere.
Josephson was ready to fire the second base but Caffe just stand there watching him. So the pitch was wasted. The count is ball one on Mike Hirschberger.
Down comes the Fitzgeralds. Campanaris swung on fouled away up the third base side.
They're playing a little run and hit that time.
Mike Hirschberger with the count of a ball and a strike.
Campanaris back to first base. Bobby Locker back up throwing down in the White Sox bullpen down the right field side.
Peters behind in the ball game. Three to two. He's leading the White Sox. Come set throws over to first base.
Instead Campanaris showed a duck hops back in. Bob Hoffman is the first base coach down there.
Campanaris drives away draws another throw so it's very evident that Gary Peters is worried about Campanaris thinking for second base.
I think you'll find out in the American League a lot this year.
They'll be expecting this young club at a run and he will. He's on his own down there. He can do it anytime he wants to.
He holds this time as the pitch is way inside to Hirschberger and almost got him on the hip.
So it's two balls and one strike on Hirschberger who now backs away from the plate and looks around at Johnny McNamara third base to see what kind of sign maybe on.
What on here in the sixth inning the pitch is swung on by her burger and it's a high powerball off the third base side.
There goes Melton over there the fan reaches out. He's got a bat cannot hold it as he runs into the thing.
There'll be no play on it. There'll be no error. The only thing is the result.
The only result will be that her burger retains his life at the plate with a count of two balls and two strikes.
First burger looking for his first 1969 base hit as flagged right in his role to shortstop both times retiring the side.
Campanella weights. There he goes. The pitch is made and taken for the call. It's in the center field. Campanella will go nowhere.
He'll hold right on a second base. So give campaign a steal second base and that really shook up Joseph.
Her burger swing the protector runners struck out. That'll be strikeout number eight for Gary Peterson and give the Caponaris a stolen base his first of the year.
Eight strikeouts now for Gary Peters and he'll be going now to Bando.
If Bando can produce a base hit as he did the last time up it'll mean that Caponaris will get an opportunity to come in with a fourth A's run of the night.
Score standing three to two in favor of the A's over the White Sox right now.
Caponaris pretty good size lead in second. Down comes the pitch swung on and hit down to shortstop.
Aparicio digs it out, throws over the first base and that's all for the A's here in the sixth inning.
Oh it's a 6-3 ground out to retire the side. No runs. There were no base hits.
There was one error. There was a stolen base and one man was left on.
So the score again a six-fold innings of play. It's open three and Chicago two.
You know at the start of this baseball season your 21 Bay Area Pontiacers would like to wish the open days and all their fans a grand slam of a year.
Pontiacers located all over the six Bay Area counties will be bringing you the play-by-play account of the action during this and the coming games.
And they extend an invitation to you and yours to come to White Track Town where the new 69 Superforumers are making a truly memorable Pontiac year.
It's the right year and the right time to break away in your new Pontiac because your Bay Area Pontiacers are waiting for you with the lowest prices ever and the highest trade-ins to boot.
So visit your local Pontiacers soon like Allison Pontiac and All-American Pontiac in San Jose, Bridges Pontiac in Hayward, the Julio Pontiac in Fremont,
Dan Day Pontiac in Palo Alto, in Sunnyvale Larry Hopkins Pontiac and down in Los Gatos Collin Wilson Stevens Pontiac.
They're just part of the rooting section of 21 Bay Area Pontiacers who hope you'll have a great baseball season with our Oakland A's.
Join us regularly for the broadcast of the A's games.
Well, Marty, as we move into the top half of inning number seven here Johnny Odom still has one run to go on.
The A's are leading the White Sox 3-2 and of course they want to try to keep it that way and for the White Sox their first batter up here will be Duane Josephson.
He'll be followed by Bradford and then by Barry. So Mr. Moore, go get him.
We've got a good one cooking here. Duane Josephson knocked in the game's only run for the White Sox or the first run for the White Sox before Peters Homer.
He did it with an infield ground out.
John Odom winds here's his pitch. Low and away ball one.
The A's lead it 3-2.
Fans have had lots to cheer about and certainly lots to say when they go out tomorrow to work.
We had a great night at the Coliseum.
Here's the 1-0 pitch. Swing and a mess and a change of curve. It's now 1-1.
They've seen Cavaneras steal a base. We've seen some of the finest defensive shortstop play you've ever seen in one game.
Aprecho's made three great plays. Cavaneras has made one.
Here's the 1-1 pitch. Swinging strike two on an Odom slider.
One ball, two strikes on Duane Josephson, the right-handed batting catcher of the Chicago White Sox.
He'll be here for an afternoon game tomorrow. There's the fastball inside. Odom knocked him back away from the play.
There's a coat or something hanging over the left center field wall and the play-dumped far-head Runge says, let's get it off.
Rick Monday, who catches everything in the ballpark out that way, has gone over to catch a blanket.
Threw it back over.
Boy, I heard a real great public address announcement one night.
Down in Kansas City, they had some fans sitting in what we call the Fennett Fortune right field that put their coats on.
And put them over the front edge of the railing there, I'll tell you in just a minute.
Here's Odom's pitch. Here's a drive in the center field. Monday going back and he's got it.
Well, this enterprising VA announcer was signaled by the umpire to have those fans to get those garments off the fence out there.
So the VA announcer said very loud and clearly so everybody could hear it, the fans, with the fans in the right field bleacher section, please remove your clothes.
Oh, here's Buddy Bradford riding it better. Bowel ball back this way.
I keep telling you, Monday, anything can happen to the ballpark.
No balls, there wasn't a strike to count. The A's are leading the White Sox 3-2 in the 69 opener.
Blue Moon Odom delivers to the plate. Bradford splices it foul off into the crowd, strike two.
Everything off right on schedule tonight. Tremendous pregame show. The A's 69 yearbook is on display in the stands here tonight.
Odom's pitch, strike three. Carlty got him looking at a fastball right across the middle.
Johnny Odom has now struck out four White Sox batters. There are two down in the seventh inning and the batter is Ken Berry.
When I entered this Ken tonight, he ran out on the field, starting center fielder for the White Sox. He yelled to me off to the side,
and you tell him I'm from Topeka. Ken and I had some common ground at Topeka. There's a play ball hit up into the air, left side of the infield.
Capilares is calling for it as it comes down. He's got it, and the side is retired.
No runs, hits or errors, nobody left out. We go to the home half of the seventh. This is stand up and stretch time.
Walk around the chair, everybody. I.R.A.'s are leading the White Sox 3-2.
The very best way to enjoy all of this action of the American League baseball this summer is to have your very own season ticket for a seat at the beautiful Oakland Coliseum,
where the Oakland A's will be battling the 11 other teams of this league in 81 games scheduled on seven degree dates from April the 8th through September the 28th.
Season ticket plans have been devised by the A's management this year, ranging from a seat to each and every game, day or night,
and priced at $255.50, all the way through plan number six called Sundays with the A's, which can be gotten for as little as $45 for a seat for tonight's opener,
for example, in the Memorial Day doubleheader and 13th Sunday date. In all, a total of 23 games.
Call 635-4300, and that's the A's ticket office. For more detailed information, or better still, come on by the office in person and pick the seat and the plan of your choice.
But whatever you do, join us at the ballpark this year. It's going to be a fine 1969, 100th anniversary of baseball.
It's the last half of the seventh inning. Danny Kader comes on for the A's now. Dandy Danny has had one hit tonight.
He'll be followed by Dick Green and Enric Monday. The A's have had four hits. Luckily, they wired three of them right together in the fifth inning, the climax being the jackpot blow by Dick Green.
Gary Bader's a tough left-hander for the White Sox on the mound.
Lyons and pitches to Kader. Little high at it, and he ball one.
Here's the one and oh pitch to Kader. He fouls off a curve ball. One ball and one strike.
Mahalia Jackson came here all the way from Chicago to see this game tonight and to sing the national anthem. What a tremendous job she did, and she is quite a baseball fan.
She didn't come here just to do the national anthem bit. She loves baseball. One-one pitch. Kader takes it a little low, ball two.
One of the great thrills you can have is to see someone from out of the past, when you love the game of baseball as we do, to see a Connie Mack the second. He's here tonight too.
Kader takes a look at a strike. It's two and two.
Connie Mack second and Connie Mack third, both here at the ballpark tonight. The A's dedicated their 69th season to the memory of Connie Mack the first.
Kader slams one in the left center field. Face hit for Kader. Ken Berry comes in to pick the ball, and Kader is on to start the A's winging in the seventh inning.
And now here is the A's second baseman Dick Green who hit a three run home run his first time up.
Out on the big message board. Charge and great animation. Here's a pitch. Green takes a curve inside ball one. He had shortened up that time as if he might be going to bunt the ball.
One ball and no strikes. The score, the Oakland A's three, the Chicago White Sox two.
Been a very, very well played game.
Kader's set here's a pitch to Green. He bunts at the ball and foul-tips it. One and one.
Kader is on to start the A's winging in the seventh inning.
And now here is the A's second baseman Dick Green who hit a three run home run his first time up.
Out on the big message board. Charge and great animation. Here's a pitch. Green takes a curve inside ball one. He had shortened up that time as if he might be going to bunt the ball.
One ball and no strikes. The score, the Oakland A's three, the Chicago White Sox two. Been a very, very well played game.
Peter's set here's a pitch to Green. He bunts at the ball and foul-tips it. One and one.
Dick Green at the plate. Danny Kader is on. There's nobody down. We're the last of the seven.
Here's a pitch. Green squares, bunts his ball out to the mound. It's off the hand of Gary Peters. He falls down. Can't make a play anywhere.
Gary Peters made a Herculean type effort to get a bunt by Dick Green. Green he tried to bunt it past the mound. Peters made a dive after the ball and got his bare hand on it but could not hold on.
It fell right down at his feet and while he was scrambling for the ball, Green was scrambling for first, Kader for second, and they both made it.
Now, two on, nobody down. The batter is Rick Monday.
Gary Peters, the pitcher. There's a guy who hit Monday in the head one time in a ball game in Chicago. Here's a pitch.
Buddy down the third base line. It's going to be a beauty. Peters throws the first base, two-eight, and it hits Monday in the back. Here comes Kader in the score.
Rick Monday, bunts the beauty down the third base line for a base hit. Kader scored on the error.
The A's lead four to two with runners at first and third. What a beautiful bunt by Rick Monday.
Gary Peters picked the ball up. He didn't have a chance to get Monday really because Rick can really fly.
But he took a shot at him through the ball of first base and hopped right over Gail Hopkins. Hit Monday in the back or it would have gone all the way into the bullpen of the White Sox.
Al Lopez is out of the White Sox. That guy's on the mound and Gary Peters is out of the ballgame.
Rick Monday with a bunt single. Kader scored on the error and Green goes to third on the error. Still nobody down.
So we got our first pitching change of the 1969 season and the scoreboard says, talk it to them, talk it to them.
Well that's what we would say that, I tell you. What a great night. This is turning out to be a win or lose.
The fans here have had I think what they're going to have a lot out of this year, tremendous excitement at the Coliseum.
That's action, Monty. I think that's what baseball is going to be all about in this 1969 season and we sincerely hope that the folks listening in tonight,
who could not make it here to the ballpark, will get their tickets and season tickets and join us for all 80 games that will be left after the playing of this one tonight.
And those tickets, as you know, Monty, can be gotten very easily either at any UCB bank, there are 70 of them in the state of California,
and also any of the 18 Smith stores in Northern California, plus right here at the Coliseum.
So we're looking for our friends on many, many occasions this year, Monty, to join in and have the fun that we expect to have in the 1969 season.
And you can order tickets by mail in case you're listening on one of our fine A's radio network stations tonight across the great west.
Just order tickets, $3.50 for lower deck box seats, $3 for all other reserved seats in the house.
It's a dollar and a half for the bleachers, except for kids 12 and under. Kids 12 and under can get into any A's game for just 75 cents.
Now there are also special group nights for kids and group days. For instance, the first kids day here at the ballpark will be April 12.
That's this coming Saturday when the A's play a 1-30 game against the Kansas City Royals, and the Oakland A's are pleased to offer to youth groups in the Bay Area
the opportunity to attend any one of these 13 selected home dates. For information on how you can get the youngsters into ball games for just 50 cents,
call the Oakland A's group sales director, Ron Mahalek, at 635-4300. Kids 16 and under can get in for 50 cents a person in groups.
Now without groups, you can come in for 75 cents to any A's ball game in the bleacher section.
All right, here's Dave Duncan up now to bat against Bob Walker. Tomorrow night, Jim Nash against Tommy John.
Tomorrow afternoon, 1-30. The White Sox pull their infield in. Bob Walker, a right-hander, a good sinker ball pitcher.
Dick Green's at third, Rick Mundy at first, and Dave Duncan is the batter. Locker to the belt. Here's a pitch.
Duck swings and fouls it off, strike one. With that infield drawn in, it would indicate that the White Sox had rather cut off a play at the plate.
Man to go around the horn for the double play right here. That is until nobody's down.
Fly ball to the outfield, could score a run. Duncan has been up twice tonight, struck out twice.
Locker pitches to Duck. Look out, it's a curve ball that's gone away from him, almost hit Dave.
The Oakland A's, four, and the Chicago White Sox, two, and the 69 opener.
Locker pitches, Knocking swings at the fly ball in the center field. That should score Dick Green. Mundy's also tagging. Green tags at third. He's coming to the plate. He scores!
And it's five to two.
Sacrifice fly ball by Dave Duncan. Now here's John Odom up with one away.
Boy, Dave went up there that time with the idea in mind to just get wood on the ball with the infield drawn in. He wanted to get that runner home and he did it.
White Sox pull up, look for the butt now.
Locker's a stretch, throws back over to first to hold Rick Mundy there.
Melton, shallow at third.
Here's a pitch, Odom bunch at the ball and misses for a strike at two and one.
Boy, we've got a pretty good crowd out in our general admissions section here tonight. I think that's one of the finest places to watch the game from in the ballpark anyway.
It's really a good place out there.
Not a bad seed in this ballpark.
One strike to count on Blue Moon.
Locker's pitch.
Ball bonnet right out towards the mound. Locker picks it up, he's throwing to second base. He got Mundy on a fine play.
Odom bonneted what looked to be a pretty good butt.
It was straight towards the mound, but Locker had to come down off there to hurry to get it and the A's had one of their fastest runners going.
Rick Busts had gotten a pretty slow jump off first because Locker got him at second.
So with two down and he's Odom on at first base. Good play by the White Sox pitchers.
Here's Campy Campanera. This little guy has already put his first stolen base up on the board for 1969.
And there'll be lots more where that one came from.
Locker pitches to him. Strike gets in there.
Goin' one.
Remember our first doubleheader of 69 will be here Sunday afternoon.
Here's Betch. Curve in there, calls strike at two and two.
The Kansas City Royals will be in town for Friday night at 730. Saturday afternoon at 130.
And a doubleheader Sunday afternoon.
That's one of seven Sunday doubleheaders the A's will play this year.
O2 pitch to Campanera. Swinging strike three, Locker retires the side.
So the A's in the seventh inning got two runs. Three hits.
There was one error and the A's left him in on.
After seven full innings of play the score is the Oakland A's five and the Chicago White Sox two.
Say this is action time for the Oakland Athletics and all their fans and certainly there's action packed here tonight.
Action time too for your 21-B area Pontiacers.
They'll be bringing you these games throughout the season and they're ready for you with a great lineup of new 1969 Pontiacs.
Right now fans they're really going to bat for you with unbelievably low prices and the best trade ends in town.
Deals that will top all records and let you break away in a new wide track and super former.
There's a Pontiac close by no matter where you live in the Bay Area.
Like Art Bridges Pontiac, Goaz Pontiac and Winters Pontiac in San Francisco.
Lee Adams Pontiac or Doden Pontiac right here in Oakland.
In Berkeley it's Kuna Pontiac or down in San Leandro visit McKissick Pontiac.
They're all part of the great team of Bay Area Pontiacers who can make this your winning season with the best play by the year.
All of those 21 Bay Area Pontiacers are happy to bring you every game of your Oakland A's.
And they wish the athletics and all their fans a most memorable and exciting 69 season dedicated to Connie Mack.
Well Monty I see that the very first special day here at the Coliseum has been put up on the board.
It's that day, Saturday May 10th, game time 1.30 and with the New York game.
Remember how much fun we had last year on that day?
Absolutely Al, it's going to be a big one here again this year.
We've got a little bit of time we can't get it all in but we've got something else to talk about too.
Right here's Sandy Alomar against John Odom.
Swing and a miss strike one.
Alomar left handed batter tonight is grounded to short and lined out to short.
Odom winds, here's the pitch.
Swing and a foul back strike two.
You know I got a big kick tonight out of talking with Connie Mack the second and Connie Mack Jr.
He was talking about what maybe his father would have thought of the colorful uniforms of the A's.
And he said well I want to tell you something about Connie Mack.
He said my father was the only owner who did not ever complain about Bill Vex great publicity stunts.
Here's a pitch outside for a ball.
Back in his days he said Connie Mack was all in favor of color and publicity and promotion.
And everything that could put another fan in the ballpark.
And I thought it was a tremendous thing to hear Al.
Well I'll tell you one thing about Connie Mack.
He lived, ate and slept baseball and anything he thought would help the game he was all for it.
And I can well understand Sandy saying that.
One ball two strikes and Alomar here's the wind the pitch coming.
Swing and strike three the moon cut him down.
Odom has struck out five batters tonight the White Sox have had three hits.
Now here is a pinch hitter Pete Ward coming on the bat for the White Sox.
Ward batting for Bob Locker. I see they have Dan Osinski throwing out of the bullpen.
Ward a left handed batter with good power.
He's played third base first base in the outfield for the White Sox.
Here's a pitch for Odom curveball in on him ball one.
The score here the Oakland A's five and the Chicago White Sox two.
Here's one old pitch outside and high.
Pete Ward pinch hitting for the White Sox.
Two balls and O strike.
Swing and a miss strike one.
Ward last year hit two sixteen for Chicago but he had fifteen home runs.
Here's the pitch swinging strike two.
Odom sinker tonight has been sensational.
Two balls two strikes. This is the top of the eighth inning.
A's leading five to two.
Out comes the right eye of Odom.
The pitch swing and a bouncing ball out through the middle.
Dick Green farther to his right and center field he throws the ball.
First he got him.
Dick Green who knows the hitters in this league like a book was playing Pete Ward about five feet deep on the outfield grass way in the hole to right.
Ward hit the ball through the middle.
Green went to his right and fielded the ball maybe ten feet deep on the center field grass.
I've said before Monty and I think you'll agree with me this Green plays a deeper second base than anybody around the league today and just about as deep as anybody I've ever seen play it.
Here's Luis Aparicio with two down in the eighth inning.
The pitch bowled away for a strike.
The attendance here tonight twenty three thousand six hundred and ten.
One strike to count on Aparicio who's 0 for 3 tonight.
The pitch from Odom.
Bouncer down a third base line and kicks off foul right in front of Tony Cucinello.
The A's resplendently be decked here tonight in a brand new Fort Knox gold cap with a Kelly Green A on it.
Wedding gown white uniforms and snow white albino kangaroo shoes.
How's that grab you Mr. Fashion Plate?
Hey I want you to know something. They can be called the fashion plate of baseball.
I love this uniform.
Yeah how about this one?
Here's Odom's 0-2 pitch.
Outside ball one.
The A's still have their Fort Knox gold uniforms that they'll be wearing.
And on the road their Pacific Ocean Misty Green.
Here's the 1-2 pitch.
Sidearm fastball hit on the ground the third.
Bando digs it out. There's his throw.
He nailed him and that's all for the lifetime.
In the eighth inning.
Up and down they go. 1-2-3 and the score remains.
The good guys in the white shoes five and the white socks two.
Dave Niles.
Frank Dills.
Yes sir Dave I've got an idea. Why don't we pretend you're calling again.
You're the play by play man.
Yep.
So you're out at the Coliseum. The game is about ready to start and you're on the air Dave.
Okay. Hi there sports fans.
Here we are at the old ballpark ready for another disaster.
Wait a minute. Disaster Dave? What do you mean disaster?
You didn't let me finish Frank. I was going to say we're ready for another disaster for the opposing team.
See we're going to destroy them.
Well I think it would be better if you just stick with the facts Dave.
Okay Frank let's do it again.
Hi there sports fans. It's another rotten day out at the old ballpark.
Wait a minute Dave. It's never a rotten day at the ballpark Dave.
It's not? No. Okay. Once again.
Hi there sports fans. It's another beautiful day at the ballpark.
You fans that are being blown out of the seats over there in section G.
Just relax. The tornado will blow over in an hour or so.
Wait. Wait. Wait. Dave. Dave you go ahead and practice. I just remembered I've got an appointment.
I'm getting out of here.
Okay Frank. Hi there sports fans. It's another day at the old ballpark.
Dan Osinski, a right hander, a one time property of the Oakland A's is on the mound as a reliever for the Chicago White Sox.
While he's taking his warm up tosses, let's pause for station identification.
This is the Oakland A's baseball network.
The good life is here on Radio 68, the big one KNBR in San Francisco.
At the Fun Stadium for Major League Baseball in Oakland at the Coliseum.
Monty Moore with Al Helper. We're happy to have with us tonight our big NBC producer, Al Ashby.
Back for another year of fun and frolic and telling us when to break the station.
He shatters the money. Here's a pitch to Reggie Jackson.
High and outside ball one. Dan Osinski's got a real good pork ball. One of the best in the Major League.
Guy's got a good arm. He's been around a lot. He was with the Angels. He was with the A's when they were in Kansas City.
Went over to the National League. Here's a pitch to Jackson. Inside ball two.
Jackson ripped a double up the alley and left center field in the fourth inning and trying for a triple he was thrown out.
On a perfect relay from Ken Berry to Luis Aparicio to Bill Nelson.
What a play that Aparicio made on the one hop relay throw. Two-oh pitch to Jackson. High. Ball three.
I really got a kick out of watching Jackson get that double out for more reasons than one.
There were two strikes on him when he got it. One ball and two strikes and he went to the opposite field.
He just back away from that place and said I'm not going to strike out and he didn't.
Well you're going to find he's a much different batter this year.
Three-oh pitch. Strike call. The A's have Lou Krause throwing out in the bullpen along with Jim Rowland.
Rowland the left-hander. Krause the right-hander. And I see Joe Nacik up throwing the ball around which indicates he'll probably go in for defense.
Here's a three-one pitch to Jackson. Swinging a bouncing ball right side of the infield.
Alomar picks it up. Throws to first. They got him.
Jackson digging hard down that line. He's out number one in the eighth inning.
Now Mike Hirschberger comes on the bat for the A's. Michael for three tonight.
Mike hit that ball hard in spring training. Made a couple of sensational throws.
Oh the A's have got some guns out of that outfield. Hirschberger, Jackson and Munday.
Here's Olsensky's pitch to Mike. Breaking ball in the third outside. Ball one.
In case you're looking ahead to the top of the ninth to see who the Odom must retire if he's going to win this one it's Mae Melton and Hopkins.
Second, third and fourth hitters for the White Sox.
Olsensky delivers. Hirschberger checks his swing. The ball hits the bat and goes foul.
Telling you, Mahalia Jackson jumped up out of her seat down there a little while ago when all that excitement was going on and the A's were scoring.
Tremendous enthusiasm. Here's a one-on-one pitch. Mike fouls it away.
In the right side of the ballpark over into the crowd it goes and somebody among the 23,610 has a souvenir.
Remember that after all of our games in 1969 we'll have our hidden home show talking to one of the players, someone involved in the game who had a lot to do with the game.
Hirschberger breaks the bat, hits a smash off the glove of the pitcher, Alomar retrieves it, throws the first, got his man. And parts of that bat will be picked up for a few days here.
Hirschberger got jammed and hit one back off the glove of Olsensky who gets an assist on it. Alomar also gets an assist over the first.
Now they're two down on the eighth and the Banner is south end who has had one hit tonight and three at bats.
Here's a pitch, wing, and a miss on a sharp breaking slider.
No balls in one strike. Olsensky cranks and delivers. Look out, that's the fastball that tailed in on the right-handed batter.
The score, the A's five and the White Sox two.
Here's a one-on-one pitch. Breaking ball is low, two balls in one strike.
Been an amazing thing in this ball game. Not one base is on ball has been issued.
Pitch, strike, call on the outside corner. Olsensky made a beautiful pitch.
Two balls, two strikes to count. Here's the line and the pitch to Bando.
There's a line into the shortstop left in the center field of base hit.
And there he picks it up. With Bando on, here's Cader coming up.
That's the second hit of the night for the A's clean-up man, Sal Bando.
Cader's already had two. He comes up for his third attempt at a base hit. He struck out in the second inning.
It's five to two, the A's lead with two down, the runner at first base.
Here's the pitch, foul away by Cader's track one.
Gonna be a fireworks display after the ball game here tonight. That'll be a little bit beyond what normally would happen after today's game.
Here's a pitch Cader takes outside. Bando had Olsensky a little bit worried that time.
One ball and one strike count. Olsensky gets set. There goes Bando. Here's a pitch. Cader fouls it off, taking a shot to right field on the play.
Two strikes to count with two down and a runner at first base.
And two on Danny Cader. That's reacting to the big animation for Olsensky pitching. Inside and high. Two balls, two strikes.
The umpiring crew here tonight, I don't know if we ever got it. Ed Runge is behind the plate. Cal Drummond at the umpire at first base, Jim Odom at second, and a rookie with the name of Barnett is the umpire at third base here tonight.
First year in the American League. Jim Barnett. Two and two count, throwback over to first base, holding Bando there. Stadium organist here at Coliseum in Oakland, Lloyd Fox.
Lloyd's a veteran of the baseball wars, entertaining in that area. Something's holding the game up there. Looks like maybe the fence is falling down in our left field.
Might not be falling down, might have been certainly coming apart. I guess it's just the gate out there that came open and didn't close.
Two and two count on the A's. First baseman Danny Cader who wears number two, and early in the season we're going to be trying to give you all the numbers of the A's players over the air.
A lot of fans like to know numbers. Pitch to Cader, a base hit in the center field. Bando goes to second and holds on as Tim Berry comes in after the ball.
And that Bando and Cader have been bashing the ball all the night. They have five hits between them, but here's Dick Green who has two, including a three run homer.
Now there are two out and two on, and the swinging A's of Oakland leading five to two.
And remember Friday night, the Kansas City Royals come to town. The A's will be ready to give them a royal greeting and beating they hope.
It all starts at 730. There'll be a Saturday afternoon game at 130. And a big double hitter here on Sunday afternoon.
So double your pleasure and double your fun at the Coliseum on Sunday.
Two to count. Osinski's pitch. Green pops it up behind the plate.
Dwayne Josephson getting under the ball, makes the grab, and that retires the side.
So the A's don't score here in the eighth. It's hold'em Blue Moon Odom time as we go to the top of the ninth to score the A's five and the Sox two.
Just a few moments ago you were talking about something that reminded me, Monty, that the new Oakland A's yearbook has just come out the presses and it is a beauty.
One of the finest we've seen in a long, long time. There's very fine pictures in that yearbook of all of the players, montages of them in action, plus a very fine thumbnail sketch of each and every one of them and their record.
Also, you'll find the Oakland A's family in there and just how they are on and off the field. It's something that you'll want. You'll want to check the records of the players.
You'll also want to check your rosters of the Oakland A's and you can do it with this fine yearbook.
Now, you folks listening in can obtain your yearbook for the price of $1 for the book and 25 cents for handling and mailing.
Or a total of $1.25 you can have this yearbook and then when you're listening to the broadcast or you're chatting with your friends about who's up and what he's done and so forth, you'll have all this information right at your fingertips.
So remember, $1.25 gets you the Oakland A's yearbook by mail.
Johnny Odom goes into the top of the ninth inning now. It is Carlos May. The left fielder to lead it off. He'll be followed by Bill Melton and Gail Hopkins, second, third and fourth men in the batting order.
There goes the throw down of second base to Dick Green. Around the horn it goes and back over to number 13, John Odom.
Tomorrow afternoon, Jumbo Jim Nash will pitch against the White Sox starting at 130. We'll be in the air with our broadcast at 10 minutes past 1 o'clock with on deck.
Carlos May, a big wide shoulder left-handed batter up at that plate. There are the Dixielanders down underneath us. The pitch is low for ball one. The crowd gives them a fine round of applause. He's got a big tuba player there and he's got more hair than most folks.
Here's the one-oh pitch in there for a called strike. Guys all got white straw hats on. See a tuba, see a saxophone, a trumpet, a trombone and a banjo.
Here's a one-on-one pitch. Fly ball up in the air to shallow left field. Joe Nasik out in left now for the A's, runs cabiners out of the way and Joe makes the catch.
Joe Nasik playing left field for open. One out in the ninth inning and the batter now is Bill Melton, the third baseman.
Melton a right-handed batter. Here's Odom's pitch. It's a little low for ball one. Remember to stay tuned now after the broadcast of the game itself we'll have our hit and home show coming up very shortly with an interview with one of the players.
And scores of all other major league action today. Here's a one-oh pitch inside and high ball two. It's two balls and no strikes. The score here in the ninth inning five to two Oakland leading.
Lou Cross and Jim Rowland continue to throw in the bullpen as Odom throws two and O down the middle of call strike two and one now.
Here's the pitch strike two call on the inside corner. The count two balls two strikes on Melton one out in the ninth inning.
Odom delivers to the plate sidearm fastball swing and it fell off the foot of the ladder. Odom has not gone that sidearm route too often tonight.
Melton had a pretty good cut at that ball but he hit over the top of it and fouled it right down off his foot.
Chicago White Sox. New traveling uniforms this year. Their numbers are in white on the back of their uniforms. I can't say that I like that too much. They're hard to see even though they are somewhat illuminated.
Two-two pitch skirt ball hit foul outside of third.
Odom getting another baseball thrown out to him.
Melton hanging in there pretty tough with two strikes on him keeping the pressure on Odom to throw strikes. Here's the line and the right hander delivers swinging strike three.
Now the ball was foul tipped and Duncan could not hold on. The Empire had run he had to run around in front of the plate to see if Duncan had the ball.
Odom got that one by Melton but it was foul tipped downwards and Duncan didn't have much of a chance to get it.
He came across low to start with. Here's a pitch. Mouser foul Odom has thrown five straight strikes to this guy and he's fouled off four of them.
Two balls, two strikes to count.
Here's Odom's pitch. Mouser foul again and Melton is a tough customer. Bill Posdell the A's pitching coach standing next to Hank Bauer in the A's dugout.
That's where he'll be operating this year. He'll be watching very closely the pitchers out of that mound. His decision will help Hank Bauer make many.
Two-two pitch to Melton. Low ball three. Can't throw strikes all day and Melton's kept the pressure on Johnny. So it's gone full now at three and two.
Odom gets his sign from Duncan. Here's the pitch. Ball four at the first man he's walked tonight and what a battle it was.
Odom walks the man and that is the first walk issued in the entire ballgame.
Now there's one out and one out and here's the left-handed batter Gail Hopkins.
Boy Odom threw enough strikes right then to retire the side. Two innings and he threw them all to one guy. Just kept fouling them away.
The pressure is on the pitcher of course. He's the man who's got to initiate the action by throwing a strike and when that batter keeps fouling them off it's in his favor that sooner or later the pitcher's going to lose it.
Here's Odom's pitch to the left-handed batter inside and low ball one. Dave Duncan is on his way out to talk to Odom now. Maybe to slow him down a little bit.
He had to make a lot of pitches and maybe just wants to give him a little bit of rest here.
Pretty good talking to you about throwing strikes.
Here's a one and O pitch. Call strike and a curve. It's one and one.
One one count. Strike two call. Odom threw a hard sinker that time. The bottom fell out of that one.
One and two count. Odom sets throws just outside ball two. Danny Kader the age first baseman playing behind the runner at first. The White Sox trail by three runs. They're not have to do a lot of running right here.
Sal Bando age third baseman in talking to Odom from long range. Two balls and two strikes to count. Hopkins cocks the bat at the plate. The pitch swinging strike three. Odom got him.
Oh what a sinker ball that kid throws. Six strikeouts for Moon tonight. And now with two out here is Duane Josephson right handed batting catcher of Chicago.
Odom mops his brow right underneath that beautiful Fort Knox gold new cap the age are wearing. Oh that really does top off this uniform with a gold sanitary hose.
Here's Odom's pitch. Outside and it gets away from Dave Duncan comes back to the backstop. That's got to go to the fastball I believe.
How they call it a wild pitch. We weren't trying to second guess. It just looked like it hit Duncan's mitt.
And came back to the backstop and Dave slung his mask down very very unhappily. So there's a runner at second base now.
Got a one and oh. There's a pitch. That's low ball too. Here in the ninth inning. Maybe the pressure of putting it away is bothering Odom just a little bit here.
Thinking how close he has come now. Here's pitch. Low and outside ball three. Buddy Bradford is on deck.
Odom's got to come up with some strikes now. He has two down. A runner at second base. He doesn't want any more traffic out there.
This is the first inning of the game where he's showing any sign of control problem. I'm sure he's getting tired. Here's a three oh pitch strike. He got it over there.
And he did it with a breaking ball. Now Odom takes a deep breath.
Looks in to Dave Duncan who's been trying to talk him through this the ninth inning. Odom has said he winds he fires. Strike two ball and another curve ball.
Dave Duncan the young catcher has found what Odom's pitch is and he has stayed right with it.
Now the big pitch of the game maybe right here. Full count three balls two strikes on Dwayne Josephson. Two down a runner at second.
Odom brings his hands together. Kicks. Fires. There's a drive to Cavanares. He's left. He makes a stop. He throws a boot. He got it. A sensational play by Cavanares.
And the A's win.
The final score of the ballgame is Bob Preston Air and the gold cap Oakland A's are bombing Cavanares and Johnny Odom.
The final score of the A's five and the White Sox two.
Today travel is fast.
Getting faster.
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Mass production enables products to reach us with speed and efficiency.
And news travels fastest of all. Sometimes so rapidly and factually that the significance of these events in our constantly changing world is obscured by the sheer volume of fact.
This is Chuck Huntley and to help digest this flow of information I'll be with you each day with my perspective on the news.
Daily perspective will focus on a variety of topics from the war on Vietnam to our domestic problems here at home.
We'll attempt to get a clearer picture of these events and how they affect our world today.
Join me for perspective on the news weekdays on NBC radio.
Well that's it. A fantastic 1969 major league opener. The A's win it by a score of five to two.
Well I'll tell you one thing Monty. It's been a long time since I've seen an opener this great and generated so much enthusiasm as this one has generated here tonight.
And the folks that are leaving the ballpark here tonight will be along talking about the young A's who came from behind in this ball game, refused to be beaten and came out on top with a line score of five runs, nine hits and no errors.
And as far as having men left on they had only four.
And the beating Chicago White Sox two runs, three hits, they committed two errors afield and would you believe it or not they left only two men on here tonight.
That means that Peters will lose the first ball game in the American League season this 1969 and the one approaching is Johnny Odom who went all the way.
And that home run by Green he really turned the trick in the fifth inning with two mates aboard. Green uncorked his first home run in 1969. I guess that was just about the size of the ball game, wasn't it?
Yeah I guess it was and I'll tell you the last play of the ball game was fantastic stop by Campi Campanaris. That ball was hit awfully hard to his left.
It took a hop and Campi while his back was almost turned to the plate snared the ball.
I think we saw more fine defensive plays in this game tonight by short stops and I've seen in a game in the big leagues in a long time by short stops.
Amparicio made three sensational plays, Campanaris made two and well the timely hitting, good pitching, exciting evening.
I'm glad I came. Yeah I'm glad I came too, Monty. I'm glad we're able to say we won the lid lifter for Hank Bauer, for Charlie Finley, for the Oakland A's and for the fans of the Bay Area.
The final score again of this ball game was Oakland 5, the Chicago White Sox 2. We hope you enjoyed our broadcast of the game and that you'll join us again tomorrow when the A's are due to play the Chicago White Sox in an afternoon ball game.
The airtime for our on deck show will be at 1 10, 1 10. Now this is Al Helper speaking for Monty Mauer, our executive producer Hal Ashby and our engineer Mr. Bennett reminding you that just a few moments from now we'll be back with our head and home show over the Oakland A's radio network.
Thank you.