Tim Hudson was with the Oakland A's for the first six seasons of his MLB career.  Hudson was one of the highest regarded pitchers in his time in Oakland, and his 92-39 record there was one of the highest winning percentages in baseball.

It can be argued that this may seem like a very high rank for Jason Giambi, as a lot of his career has been viewed as a disappointment.  It shouldn’t be, as when Jason Giambi played for Oakland, he was one of the best batters in the game.

Mickey Cochrane was sought after by Connie Mack, who pried him from Portland of the Pacific Coast League after the 1924 season.  Mack wasted no time inserting Cochrane as a starter for the Athletics, and he was quickly entrenched as one of the best hitting Catchers of the game.

Let’s forget about some of the things that made Jose Canseco famous (or infamous).  The steroid use.  The admission of steroid use.  Throwing other players under the bus by (accusing) discussing their steroid use.  The boxing.  Madonna.  The baseball that bounced off his head for a Home Run.

Rube Walberg holds the dubious distinction of serving up the most home runs to Babe Ruth with 17.  That might seem like a strange way to open, but remember the Athletics thought enough of him to keep putting him on the mound.

Eric Chavez may not have been chosen for an All-Star team over his long career, but in his prime, he was one of the better all-around Third Basemen in the American League.  That prime was with the Oakland A’s.

When the Chicago Cubs traded Dennis Eckersley in 1987 to the Oakland A’s, this was considered a demotion, or even a last chance of sorts.  “Eck” had been a starter in the Majors since 1975, and he had made two All-Star Games, but his alcoholism was threatening to take him out.  Oakland’s Manager, Tony LaRussa, envisioned him as a set-up man, which Is the role he took until Jay Howell, their existing closer got hurt.  Eckersley took on that new position, and it would eventually put him into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Vida Blue was a unique pitcher in that he was a southpaw who was known for his power.  Blue first cracked the Athletics roster in 1969 but would spend most of that year in 1970 in the minors.  Oakland thought they had something in Blue, who would begin 1971 as a starter.  What happened that year was one of the most incredible campaigns ever for an Athletics Pitcher. 

Jim “Catfish” Hunter received his colorful nickname from his team owner, Charlie O. Finley, who felt that gave his pitcher character.  That was a recurring theme for Finley, who did similar things with other players, but this is the story about the star pitcher for Oakland in the early 70s.

For the first four seasons of his Major League career, Jack Coombs was an average Pitcher at best and did not have any remarkable moments.  He was 35-35, and in 1910, his season started so poorly that he was demoted to the bullpen.  The legend has it that he rediscovered his overhand curve, and he went on a tear that had no equal in Athletics history.

Bob Johnson was a very good player who arguably had the misfortune of playing for the Philadelphia Athletics at a time when they were not that good.  As such, many of his accomplishments went unnoticed, but that is one of the reasons why we are here.

Harry Davis began his pro career in the National League in 1895, and other than leading the league in Doubles in 1897, it was reasonably non-descript as it was spent with four teams (New York Giants, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Washington).  He played for the minor league Providence Grays in 1900 and was ready to call it a career when Connie Mack came calling.  Mack convinced Davis to play for him, and it was a win-win for both parties.

Mark McGwire may have set the single-season Home Run record when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals, but it was in Oakland where he first became a star and would have his greatest overall success.

Reggie Jackson joined the organization in 1967, bringing incredible talent right from the start. He made his debut during the team’s last days in Kansas City and quickly became the heart of the lively "Swingin' A's" era in Oakland. Famous for his powerful, corkscrew swing that either sent the ball soaring for a home run or led to a strikeout, Reggie was truly one of the most captivating personalities in baseball.

Reggie Jackson came up with the A’s when they were still in Kansas City (1967), and he would become a starter the following year when the franchise relocated to Oakland.  That year would show precisely what everyone should forever expect from Jackson.  He went deep 29 times and led the AL in Strikeouts, but he was always a must-watch at bat.

In 1968, during the franchise's first year in Oakland, Jackson achieved a landmark by hitting 29 home runs, marking the arrival of a new kind of superstar who was not only a talented athlete but also a captivating showman. He continued to soar in 1969, delivering an impressive first-half performance that had him on track to challenge the all-time home run record, and he finished the year with 47 home runs and 118 RBIs.

Between 1970 and 1972, Jackson smoothly transitioned from a promising young slugger to a strategic leader guiding a rising powerhouse. Though he missed part of the 1972 postseason due to a high-stakes injury from stealing home in the ALCS, his outstanding regular-season performance, culminating in 25 home runs and 80 RBIs, was the key reason the Athletics made it to the Fall Classic and began their championship journey. By 1973, he had firmly established himself as a top run-producer, blending impressive power with a refined eye for drawing walks, paving the way for his unanimous MVP season.

Jackson achieved his peak in Oakland in 1973, giving us a season that still stands as a proud record for the franchise. He topped the American League in home runs (32), RBIs (117), and slugging percentage (.531), earning him the well-deserved title of American League MVP, chosen unanimously. Following this incredible season, he shone brightly in the playoffs, guiding Oakland to back-to-back championships and earning World Series MVP honors after hitting .310 and smashing a crucial home run in Game 7. He was a key figure in a team that celebrated a historic "three-peat" from 1972 to 1974, showing that his athletic talent was at its best when a championship was at stake.

His tenure in Oakland would end when he was due to become a Free Agent, and the A's Owner, Charlie Finley, arranged a trade to the Baltimore Orioles, believing he could not afford to sign him.  Jackson’s overall numbers with the Athletics would see him blast 269 Home Runs with a .496 Slugging Percentage.

Jackson would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 2009, his number 9 was retired by the team.  When the Athletics created their own Hall of Fame in 2018, he was inducted into the first class.

Sal Bando played most of his career with the Athletics, and there was a time when he was considered one of the best Third Basemen in the American League.

Bert Campaneris made his debut with the Kansas City Athletics in 1964, and he would secure the starting Shortstop role for the team, which would be a role he had until he signed with the Texas Rangers after the 1976 season.

Signed by Connie Mack before the 1920 season, Eddie Rommel would find a home in Philadelphia, which would be the only team he would play for in the Majors.

Charles Albert “Chief” Bender signed as a Free Agent before the 1903 Season with the Philadelphia Athletics, and the "City of Brotherly Love" would be his home for the next 12 seasons.  Bender would be considered one of the nicest guys of the American League, but more importantly, he was one of the better hurlers in the game.

In 1906, Eddie Collins arrived in Philadelphia as a collegiate standout from Columbia University, signing under a local alias to protect his amateur eligibility.  By 1909, he had emerged as the tactical brain of Connie Mack’s "$100,000 Infield," a second baseman whose mental acuity was matched only by his physical speed.

1909 was his first full season as a professional athlete, and he made the most of it. Collins achieved a significant milestone by batting .347 and stealing 63 bases. He reached an even more exceptional level in 1910, leading the American League with a career-high 81 stolen bases, becoming the first player in the history of the sport to surpass the 80-steal threshold. He contributed the dynamic energy that propelled the Athletics to three World Series championships in four years (1910, 1911, and 1913), establishing himself as a prominent figure of the Deadball Era, capable of influencing the game's tempo from the basepaths.

In 1914, Collins achieved an extraordinary level of individual recognition by producing an exceptional season that earned him the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. He demonstrated complete mastery of the game by leading the league in runs scored (122) for the third consecutive year and batting .344, thereby guiding the Athletics to their fourth pennant in five seasons. Nevertheless, the chapter in Philadelphia approached a pivotal juncture in 1915; amidst the imminent threat posed by the Federal League’s lucrative contracts, Connie Mack executed a significant transaction, transferring Collins to the Chicago White Sox for the sum of $50,000.

This would not be the end of Collins in Philadelphia.

After spending twelve productive seasons in Chicago, Collins’ return to Philadelphia in 1927 was a localized homecoming that brought his career full circle. Despite being 40 years old, he remained a sought-after professional mainstay, and he chose to reunite with Connie Mack to serve as a veteran player-coach for a rising Athletics squad. While he operated primarily as a tactical reserve, his localized value to the clubhouse was immeasurable as he mentored the next generation of Athletics legends. He reached a historic plateau of team success by serving as a professional mainstay on the 1929 and 1930 World Series championship rosters, making him the only player in franchise history to secure five championship rings with the team. He finalized his playing career after the 1930 season, departing as the only player in MLB history to spend at least 12 seasons with two different franchises.

As an Athletic, Collins compiled 1,308 hits, 337 stolen bases, and a .331 batting average.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 and the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1987.  The Athletics would also induct Collins into their franchise Hall of Fame in 2021.

Al Simmons joined Philadelphia in 1924 after a standout run in the American Association, a right-handed outfielder with a peculiar "bucket-foot" hitting style that saw him step toward third base as he swung. While coaches initially tried to correct his localized mechanics, Connie Mack recognized a natural professional mainstay and let him be.  As often was the case, Mack was right.

Following an impressive rookie campaign, Simmons achieved a historic milestone in 1925 by leading the American League with 253 hits and an exceptional .387 batting average. He concluded the season as the runner-up in the MVP race, solidifying his reputation as a formidable figure of the era who merged refined bat control with considerable power. In 1927, he attained another level of excellence by posting a career-high batting average of .392.

Simmons reached his ultimate peak between 1929 and 1931, establishing a lineup that secured three consecutive American League pennants. He delivered the high-impact performance that contributed to back-to-back World Series victories in 1929 and 1930, batting above .300 with multiple home runs in each Series. During this period, he demonstrated comprehensive mastery of the league, winning consecutive batting titles in 1930 (.381) and 1931 (.390). Over this three-year span, he averaged more than 150 RBIs per season, acting as the strategic centerpiece of a team often regarded by historians as comparable to the esteemed '27 Yankees.

Following the 1932 season, due to the localized economic pressures of the Great Depression. In a move that signaled the end of the dynasty, Connie Mack sold his contract to the Chicago White Sox as part of a $100,000 package deal.  As an Athletic, Simmons would collect 1,827 Hits and belted 209 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .356/.398/.584.

Simmons would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.  Years later, in 1981, Simmons was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame and, in 2021, into the Athletics Hall of Fame.