Max Bishop was one of the better defensive players of his day and had there been a Gold Glove award in his day, and there is a good chance that he would have nabbed a few.

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.

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.

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.

When you are called "Home Run," it would make perfect sense that you would be an individual that won four Home Run Titles.  Although, this was the dead ball era, and the man in question did so with totals of 11, 10, 12, and 9.

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.

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.

Rube Waddell’s reputation of being somewhat of an oddball was known before the Philadelphia Athletics signed him, so they knew what they were getting into.  What they may not have known was just how good he was going to be for them.

Eddie Plank arrived in Philadelphia in 1901, skipping the minor leagues to become a key part of Connie Mack’s famous pitching staff. As the leading left-hander of the Deadball Era, "Gettysburg Eddie" threw with a sidearm style and was known for a cross-fire motion that puzzled batters for more than ten years. Over 14 seasons with the Athletics, he was a central figure during multiple championship periods, setting franchise records for longevity and durability that still stand today.

After a successful 17-win debut in 1901, Plank achieved a historic milestone by recording four straight 20-win seasons from 1902 to 1905. He was the driving force behind the Athletics’ 1905 World Series appearance, demonstrating exceptional skill on the mound despite limited run support; he posted a 1.59 ERA across two complete games and notably faced off against the legendary Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants in one of the most intense pitching duels in baseball history.

Between 1910 and 1913, acting as the veteran anchor for a team that captured three world titles. While localized arm trouble sidelined him for the 1910 postseason, he returned to reach a new plateau in 1911, winning 23 games and securing a vital victory in the World Series to help the Athletics claim the championship. He followed this with a career-high summit of 26 wins in 1912 and another brilliant postseason performance in 1913, where he finally outdueled Mathewson in the World Series clincher to secure his second ring. During this peak, he was a giant of efficiency, leading the American League in shutouts twice and proving that his sidearm curveball was the most reliable weapon in the game.

Following the 1914 season, the organization faced a localized financial crunch and the emergence of the Federal League. After the Athletics were upset by the "Miracle Braves" in the World Series, Plank was released and signed a higher-paying contract with the St. Louis Terriers. Plank compiled a 284-162 record, a 2.39 ERA, and 1,985 strikeouts as an Athletic.

Plank was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 and the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.  Plank was also honored by the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1985.

There were a lot of different players to consider when we were looking at the greatest Athletic of all-time.

Jimmie Foxx came to Philadelphia in 1925 as a 17-year-old farm boy. He was signed by Connie Mack after being recognized as a local sensation in Maryland. Renowned for his extraordinary physical strength and a swing that generated legendary distance, he was considered the most formidable right-handed hitter of his time. During his 11 seasons with the Athletics, he functioned as the primary source of power for the concluding significant Philadelphia dynasty.

In 1929, Foxx achieved a historic milestone by hitting 33 home runs and leading the league with a .463 on-base percentage. His clutch performance drove the Athletics to their first World Series win in fifteen years, notably batting .350 in the Fall Classic against Chicago. Throughout the franchise's two consecutive championships, he demonstrated complete command of the postseason, finishing with a .344 World Series batting average with the A’s.

In 1932, Foxx achieved a peak of personal productivity, delivering one of the most statistically impressive seasons in sports history. He topped the American League in home runs with a career-best 58, just missing the single-season all-time record, while also leading in RBIs (169), slugging percentage (.749), and OPS (1.218). This exceptional display earned him his first MVP Award, an honor he secured again in 1933 after achieving a Triple Crown with a .356 batting average, 48 home runs, and 163 RBIs. At this height, he was a formidable power hitter, combining raw strength with a strategic approach that enabled him to lead the league in both batting and slugging.

If there was a weakness with Foxx, it was that he struck out a lot and led the league in that less-than-desirable metric five times as an Athletic.

Due to budgetary reasons, the First Baseman was traded to the Boston Red Sox after the 1935 season, and he would continue to be a great player, winning the AL MVP for the third time in 1938.  As an Athletic, Foxx would post a sick Slash Line of .339/.440/.640 with 1,492 Hits and 302 Home Runs.

Foxx would enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951, and was chosen for the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1979.  Decades later, in 2021, Foxx was elected into the Athletics Hall of Fame.