1955 Kansas City Athletics season

1955 Kansas City Athletics
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Municipal Stadium (since 1955)
Kansas City, Missouri (since 1955)
Other information
Owner(s)	Arnold Johnson
Manager(s)	Lou Boudreau
Local television	none
Local radio	KMBC (Merle Harmon, Larry Ray)
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The 1955 Kansas City Athletics season was the 55th season for the franchise in MLB's American League, and the first in Kansas City after playing the previous 54 in Philadelphia. The team won 63 games – only the fifth time in 20 years that they won more than 60 games – and lost 91, finishing sixth in the American League, 33 games behind the AL Champion New York Yankees.

Offseason

In 1954, the Mack family decided to sell the Philadelphia Athletics. Charlie Finley made an offer to purchase the team, but was refused.^[1] Clint Murchison also made an offer to purchase the team with plans to relocate to Southern California, but was also refused. On October 12, 1954, the owners approved the sale of the Athletics to Chicago businessman Arnold Johnson, who moved the team from Philadelphia to Kansas City for the 1955 season. Finley would later buy the A's from Johnson's estate in 1960. Murchison's son, Clint Jr., would later become one of the founders of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys franchise in 1960.

In 1955, the new Kansas City Athletics drew 1,393,054 to Municipal Stadium.

Notable transactions

Prior to 1955 season: Bob Davis was signed as an amateur free agent by the Athletics.^[2]

Spring training

The A's and Philadelphia Phillies had played a Philadelphia City Series since 1903. The Kansas City A's returned to Philadelphia at the end of spring training in 1955, and the teams played two games. The A's beat the Phillies in the second game, 10–2, at Wilmington Park, home of the original Wilmington Blue Rocks.^[3] Both games were played at Wilmington Park, Wilmington, Delaware, on April 9 and April 10, 1955, immediately prior to the start of the regular season.

Regular season

Opening game

The first game in Kansas City's Major League history was played at home at Municipal Stadium on Tuesday, April 12, 1955, before 32,147 fans.^[4] Facing the Detroit Tigers, the Athletics broke a 2–2 deadlock in the sixth inning with a three-run rally keyed by pinch hitter Don Bollweg's two-run single, and went on to win, 6–2. The A's other batting star was center fielder Bill Wilson, who collected three hits and a base on balls, scoring three runs, in four plate appearances; one of his hits was the first home run in Kansas City MLB annals, a solo blast in the eighth inning. Left-hander Alex Kellner got the victory, while former Cincinnati Reds star Ewell Blackwell pitched three scoreless innings in relief for the save.^[4]

Starting lineup

7	Vic Power	1B
12	Pete Suder	2B
4	Jim Finigan	3B
30	Gus Zernial	LF
34	Bill Renna	RF
32	Bill Wilson	CF
2	Joe DeMaestri	SS
11	Joe Astroth	C
20	Alex Kellner	P^[4]

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB
New York Yankees	96	58	.623	--
Cleveland Indians	93	61	.604	3
Chicago White Sox	91	63	.591	5
Boston Red Sox	84	70	.545	12
Detroit Tigers	79	75	.513	17
Kansas City Athletics	63	91	.409	33
Baltimore Orioles	57	97	.370	39
Washington Senators	53	101	.344	43

Record vs. opponents

1955 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	8–14	10–12–1	3–19	9–13	10–12–1	3–19	14–8
Boston	14–8	—	9–13	11–11	13–9	14–8	8–14	15–7
Chicago	12–10–1	13–9	—	10–12	14–8	14–8	11–11	17–5
Cleveland	19–3	11–11	12–10	—	12–10	17–5	13–9	9–13
Detroit	13–9	9–13	8–14	10–12	—	12–10	10–12	17–5
Kansas City	12–10–1	8–14	8–14	5–17	10–12	—	7–15	13–9
New York	19–3	14–8	11–11	9–13	12–10	15–7	—	16–6
Washington	8–14	7–15	5–17	13–9	5–17	9–13	6–16	—

Notable transactions

May 11, 1955: Sonny Dixon and cash were traded by the Athletics to the New York Yankees for Enos Slaughter and Johnny Sain.^[5]
May 31, 1955: Clete Boyer was signed as an amateur free agent (bonus baby) by the Athletics.^[6]
May 1955: Al Sima was traded by the Athletics to the Washington Senators for Gus Keriazakos.^[7]
September 10, 1955: Joe Ginsberg was purchased by the Athletics from the Seattle Rainiers.^[8]
September 12, 1955: Glenn Cox was purchased by the Athletics from the Brooklyn Dodgers.^[9]

Roster

1955 Kansas City Athletics

Roster

Pitchers

26 Charlie Bishop

36 Ewell Blackwell

18 Cloyd Boyer

27 Moe Burtschy

19 Art Ceccarelli

8 Glenn Cox

15 Walt Craddock

28 Art Ditmar

24 Sonny Dixon

17,29 Marion Fricano

37 Tom Gorman

14 Johnny Gray

26 Bill Harrington

17 Ray Herbert

20 Alex Kellner

27 Gus Keriazakos

29 Mike Kume

25 Arnie Portocarrero

16 Vic Raschi

14 Johnny Sain

21 Bobby Shantz

31 Lou Sleater

29 Bob Spicer

23 Bob Trice

15 Ozzie Van Brabant

16 Lee Wheat

Catchers

11 Joe Astroth

10 Eric Mackenzie

33 Jim Robertson

22 Billy Shantz

Infielders

1 Hal Bevan

3 Don Bollweg

12 Clete Boyer

2 Joe DeMaestri

4 Jim Finigan

46 Alex George

6 Spook Jacobs

8 Dick Kryhoski

9 Jack Littrell

1,10 Héctor López

7 Vic Power

6 Jerry Schypinski

12 Pete Suder

Outfielders

6 Don Plarski

34 Bill Renna

3 Tom Saffell

36,38 Harry Simpson

33 Enos Slaughter

31 Bill Stewart

35 Elmer Valo

32 Bill Wilson

30 Gus Zernial

Manager

5 Lou Boudreau

Coaches

41 Harry Craft

43 Burleigh Grimes

42 Ski Melillo

40 George Susce

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
1B	Power, VicVic Power	147	596	190	.319	19	76
2B	Finigan, JimJim Finigan	150	549	135	.255	9	68
3B	López, HéctorHéctor López	128	483	140	.290	15	68
LF	Zernial, GusGus Zernial	120	413	105	.254	30	84

^[10]

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Wilson, BillBill Wilson	98	273	61	.223	15	38
Slaughter, EnosEnos Slaughter	108	267	86	.322	5	34
Boyer, CleteClete Boyer	47	79	19	.241	0	6
George, AlexAlex George	5	10	1	.100	0	0
Mackenzie, EricEric Mackenzie	1	1	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games played; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Kellner, AlexAlex Kellner	30	162.2	11	8	4.20	75
Cox, GlennGlenn Cox	2	2.1	0	2	30.86	2

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Ditmar, ArtArt Ditmar	35	175.1	12	12	5.03	79
Ceccarelli, ArtArt Ceccarelli	31	123.2	4	7	5.31	68
Boyer, CloydCloyd Boyer	30	98.1	5	5	6.22	32
Craddock, WaltWalt Craddock	4	15	0	2	7.80	9
Keriazakos, GusGus Keriazakos	5	11.2	0	1	12.34	8

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Gorman, TomTom Gorman	57	7	6	18	3.55	46
Harrington, BillBill Harrington	34	3	3	2	4.11	26
Sain, JohnnyJohnny Sain	25	2	5	1	5.44	12
Fricano, MarionMarion Fricano	10	0	0	0	3.15	5
Burtschy, MoeMoe Burtschy	7	2	0	0	10.32	9
Bishop, CharlieCharlie Bishop	4	1	0	0	5.40	4
Blackwell, EwellEwell Blackwell	2	0	1	0	6.75	2
Dixon, SonnySonny Dixon	2	0	0	0	16.20	0
Wilson, BillBill Wilson	1	0	0	0	0.00	1

Awards and honors

All-Star Game

Jim Finigan, third baseman, starter
Vic Power, reserve

^[11]

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Columbus Jets	International League	Nick Cullop
A	Savannah Athletics	Sally League	Clyde Kluttz
B	Lancaster Red Roses	Piedmont League	Hank Biasatti
C	Hot Springs Bathers	Cotton States League	Joe Lutz and Mickey O'Neil
C	Burlington A's	Provincial League	Vince Plumbo
D	Welch Miners/Marion A's	Appalachian League	Herb Mancini
D	Seminole Oilers	Sooner State League	Charles Hopkins and Al Evans

References

↑ Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, pp. 27, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
↑ Bob Davis page at Baseball Reference
↑ Peterson, John E. (2003). Kansas City Athletics: A Baseball History, 1954–1967. McFarland. p. 52. ISBN 0-7864-1610-6. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
1 2 3 Retrosheet box score: 1955-04-12
↑ Enos Slaughter page at Baseball Reference
↑ Clete Boyer page at Baseball Reference
↑ Al Sima page at Baseball Reference
↑ Joe Ginsberg page at Baseball Reference
↑ Glenn Cox page at Baseball Reference
↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCA/1955.shtml
↑ http://baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1955as.shtml

External links

1955 MLB season by team

American League	Baltimore Boston Chicago Cleveland Detroit Kansas City New York Washington

National League	Brooklyn Chicago Cincinnati Milwaukee New York Philadelphia Pittsburgh St. Louis

1955 All-Star Game 1955 World Series

Oakland Athletics

Formerly the Philadelphia Athletics and the Kansas City Athletics
Based in Oakland, California (Bay Area)

Franchise

Ballparks

Spring training: Barrs Field; Terry Park Ballfield; Wilmington Park; McCurdy Field; Connie Mack Field; McKechnie Field; Rendezvous Park; Scottsdale Stadium I; Phoenix Municipal Stadium; Hohokam Stadium

Culture

Lore

Rivalries

Key personnel

Owners: John J. Fisher & Lewis Wolff
President: Michael Crowley
Executive vice president: Billy Beane
General manager: David Forst
Manager: Bob Melvin

Important figures

Hall of Fame members	Home Run Baker Chief Bender Mickey Cochrane Eddie Collins Dennis Eckersley Rollie Fingers Jimmie Foxx Lefty Grove Rickey Henderson Catfish Hunter Reggie Jackson Nap Lajoie Connie Mack Eddie Plank Al Simmons Rube Waddell Dick Williams

Wall of Fame members	Sam Chapman Jack Coombs Jimmy Dykes George Earnshaw Ferris Fain Bob Johnson Eddie Joost Bing Miller Wally Moses Rube Oldring Bobby Shantz Eddie Rommel Elmer Valo Rube Walberg Gus Zernial

World Series
Champions (9)

American League
Championships (15)

AL West Division
Championships (16)

AL Wild Card (2)

2001
2014

Minors

AAA: Nashville Sounds
AA: Midland RockHounds
A Adv.: Stockton Ports
A: Beloit Snappers
Short A: Vermont Lake Monsters
Rookie: AZL Athletics; DSL Athletics

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