40 Years After Three-Peat with A's, Kubiak Talks Rings, Reggie, Catfish and More

It's been 40 years, but Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak recently learned that some things never change.

In late May, the former member of the Oakland Athletics back-to-back-to-back championship team's joined his old teammates in the Bay Area for a celebration reunion.

Reuniting with 16 players that helped the A's capture their third consecutive World Series trophy in 1974, Kubiak -- even with all the years passed -- couldn't help but notice a certain trait in the guys.

"I still hear that drive and that commitment coming out of them," said Kubiak, 72. "It's so refreshing to hear and talk to them again because they're totally different than all other teams I've coached or been with." 

Serving as a utility infielder on those teams, Kubiak and the A's won the '72, '73 and '74 World Series titles to become the only other franchise in MLB history to win three straight (the Yankees did so twice).

"It was a great period of my life," he said. "Great experiences." 

 

Coming Together

Kubiak thinks it just kind of happened to work out.

"I don't think you can purposely put a club together that you think will play well as a group or have camaraderie," he said about the A's early 70's rosters. "But the guys that Finley put together on those teams, everybody had a real deep commitment to playing the game."

Eccentric owner Charles O. Finley bought the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, changed the team colors to green, gold and white in 1963 and then moved the club to Oakland in 1968. 

Throughout the years, he compiled plenty of talent that eventually would win him three titles: Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter and Rollie Fingers, Cy Young Award winner Vida Blue as well as All-Stars Sal Bando, Bert Campaneris, Ray Fosse, Darold Knowles, John "Blue Moon" Odom, Joe Rudi and Gene Tenace.

"A number of us grew up together in the minor leagues," said Kubiak, who came up through the A's farm system beginning in 1961, debuted in the majors in 1967, was traded in 1969 and then rejoined Oakland in 1972. "I think that helped."

Although Finley wasn't the most popular boss, Kubiak couldn't deny his influence, even admitting that Finley "had a lot to do" with Oakland's success.

"We didn't have the best talent. Everybody will agree," Kubiak said. "But one of the big things that I recognize from those clubs is that nobody got a big head about anything. Everybody was still the same even after we won.

"Whether that was because of Finley's doing -- the way he treated everybody in the winter, which was not terrific -- I can't say for sure. But it was just a different group of guys." 

 

1972 World Series: A's vs. Cincinnati

Going into their first World Series appearance, the A's were heavy underdogs against the Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench-led Reds. 

However, Kubiak remembers what -- prior to the series -- gave Oakland an advantage.

"I remember the scouting report we had and sitting in the scouting report meetings," he said. "When we played the Reds, I felt that we had played them all year. The scouting report was that good."

The A's eventually ousted Cincinnati in seven games. Kubiak appeared in four contests off the bench, collecting one hit.

"That was a surprise we won," he said.

 

1973 World Series: Mets vs. A's

Kubiak still clearly remembers the Mike Andrews distraction. 

In Game 2 in Oakland, Andrews replaced Kubiak at second base in the top of the 12th inning with the score tied at 6. He then committed two costly errors as the Mets won, 10-7, to even the series.

"So Finley tried to get him off the roster and it was a big hullaballoo," Kubiak said. "We go to New York and he was trying to put Manny Trillo on the roster -- couldn't do it. Commissioner [Bowie Kuhn] wouldn't allow it. 

"There was just so much going on that nobody was paying attention to the games it seemed like."

The A's won Game 3, but dropped the next two contests as they headed back to Oakland in a 3-2 hole.

"I remember going to the ball park with some of the guys and just thinking we were gonna win," said Kubiak, who once again appeared in four of seven games off the bench. "And we did. The games weren't easy, but we won."

Oakland won Game 6, 3-1, and Game 7, 5-2, to earn back-to-back titles.  

 

1974 World Series: A's vs. Dodgers

Kubiak doesn't care that Los Angeles entered the '74 World Series with a 102-60 regular season record. In his opinion, one thing was -- and still is -- apparent about that Dodgers squad.

"I don't think they had a good club at all," he said. "They just didn't look good to me."

In turn, the A's quickly disposed of LA, 4-1, to capture their three-peat.

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Kubiak was traded from the A's midway through the 1975 season, eventually retiring from the San Diego Padres in 1976. In his ring-filled seven years with Oakland, he played in a total of 469 games while batting .221. Here are a few more memories from his Oakland years:

 

Respect for Finley 

Prior to the Scrappers matchup with Staten Island at Eastwood Field on Monday, Kubiak chatted with Yankees manager Mario Garza. 

"We were talking about the traditions of the Yankees -- short hair, clean shaven, socks and all that," he said. "Mario thinks it came from [legendary New York Yankees owner] George Steinbrenner."

Kubiak then compared his former boss, Finley, who -- on the opposite end of the spectrum -- encouraged his players to grow long hair and facial hair. He also required the team to wear white spikes.

"[Finley] was the same kind of guy [as Steinbrenner] -- wanted to win at all costs," Kubiak said. "He also wasn't a smart baseball man when he got into the game, but he made himself very knowledgeable by using his phone and talking to people."

 

Playing with Mr. October

Remembering his former teammate Reggie Jackson -- one of baseball's most iconic, yet, controversial figures -- Kubiak didn't sugarcoat anything.

"I've been with him when he's done some things that were very embarrassing," he said. "For as good a player as Reggie was, it seemed like the guys never took him serious. I mean, Reggie's different -- you can like him or you can hate him."

So where does Kubiak stand?

"I like Reggie, overall," he said of his teammate of five seasons. "He's a very bright guy."

Jackson was a part of all three A's championships and, for his entire career, he hit .357 with 10 homeruns in five World Series appearances.

Kubiak added that it didn't take long for him and his A's teammates to realize that many things Jackson did could simply be chalked-up to Reggie being Reggie.

"Even at the reunions, the guys still kind of joke with him," he said. "They all know what he's like, but they all respect him for his career, which was outstanding, of course. He ran every ball out hard and he played hard. He wasn't the greatest of outfielders, but Mr. October is Mr. October for a reason."

 

The Great Catfish  

For as loaded as the early-70's A's pitching rotations were -- featuring Ken Holtzman, Vida Blue and Blue Moon Odom among others -- one things was clear to Kubiak.

"[Catfish Hunter] was the mainstay of the staff even though we had all those other guys," he said. "He was pretty special. Strong as an ox -- he was a farm boy. Just a great competitor and a great pitcher and not flamboyant. He did his things, but he was somebody that everybody looked up to."

Hunter was in Oakland for all three titles, going 67-24 in those three years (25-12 in 1974).

"The one thing I can say about Cat is through all the years I was there with him," Kubiak said, " you would never know whether he was starting the game or coming in, like in Cincinnati, in relief. His demeanor on the mound never changed except for one time. 

"And that was because of Reggie."

 

That One Time… 

Although Kubiak couldn't recall every detail of the incident, he remembers he was playing second base late in the game, Catfish was working on a shutout and Reggie was up to his usual antics.

"Somebody hit a fly ball to right field that eventually landed on the warning track," Kubiak said. "Reggie was circling it for Christ sakes like he was after a dead bird or something."

The ball fell, prompting a double for the opposing team. As soon as it happened, Kubiak glanced back at Hunter on the mound.

"It was the only time that I saw him get upset about something that occurred," he said. "So I went in from second base and told him 'Hey, just calm down. You know what he's like out there. Just go back and get your shutout.' 

"And that was it. He got it"

Kubiak, after many years, is in the final stages of writing a book about his life in baseball. Surely, he has many more stories to tell.