Born in Slovakia, Elmer Valo immigrated to the United States as a child and would live the American Dream to become a Major League Baseball Player.  Valo would debut with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1940, and as history would tell us was one of the most intense players to don the uniform of the Athletics.

Arriving in the Philadelphia Athletics organization via the Rule 5 Draft for the 1918 season, Jimmy Dykes was an excellent fielder, who was believed to have limited hitting ability.  That was the case in his first two seasons, where he batted below .200 but this would change as he matured into the role of an everyday starter in Major League Baseball. 

While the role of the relief pitcher was nothing new by the late 60s, but when Rollie Fingers emerged as Oakland’s closer, he was one of the first of his kind to be considered a superstar.  Fingers was a starter through most of his minor league career, and when he debuted with Oakland in 1968, he was moved mostly to the bullpen.  By 1971, this was his official role, and it was one that he was born to play. 

Carney Lansford joined Oakland in 1983 two years removed after winning the Batting Title with the Boston Red Sox.

Lansford would not win a Batting Title as an Athletic, but he batted .300 in his first two years in Oakland and would do so again in 1989.  Lansford played good defense at Third Base, and he had a beautiful blend of power and speed, showcasing five seasons of at least 10 Home Runs, peaking at 19 in both 1986 and 1987.  He would also have five straight 16 or more Stolen Base seasons (1986-90) with Oakland, which was surprising considering he went the four years prior without reaching the double-digit mark.