Reggie-led 1967 Birmingham A's memorable for many reasons

[aubiefifty 16,931]

al.com

Reggie-led 1967 Birmingham A's memorable for many reasons

Updated: Apr. 29, 2024, 6:27 a.m.|Published: Apr. 29, 2024, 6:00 a.m.

2–3 minutes

From The Lede

Led by Reggie Jackson, 1967 Birmingham A’s were among most-talented minor-league teams ever

Birmingham A's catcher Dave Duncan, manager John McNamara, and outfielder Reggie Jackson pose together during a team practice at Rickwood Field in Birmingham in 1967. The A's won the Southern League and Dixie Series championships that season, and are widely regarded as one of the most-talented minor-league baseball teams in history. (Birmingham News file photo by Dave Battle)Alabama Media Group

By

Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com

As part of Major League Baseball’s upcoming event at Rickwood Field, AL.com and The Birmingham News will be producing weekly stories that showcase the history of Rickwood Field, and history of baseball in the state of Alabama.

“Rickwood: The legacy of America’s oldest ballpark” takes a deep dive at stories from the Negro Leagues to MLB icons playing at the historic venue, and how things are progressing as “MLB at Rickwood Field” takes place on June 20, 2024 between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.

There’s probably no way to objectively identify the most-talented minor-league baseball team of all time, but any list would likely have to include the 1967 Birmingham A’s.

The Double-A affiliate of the then-Kansas City A’s, Birmingham went 84-55 and won the Southern League championship that season. They then beat the Albuquerque Dodgers of the Texas League in six games in a one-off resumption of the old Dixie Series.

Fifteen members of that Birmingham team went on to play in the major leagues, with two of them — outfielder Reggie Jackson and pitcher Rollie Fingers — making it all the way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Two others — outfielder Joe Rudi and catcher Dave Duncan — were all-stars at the big-league level (as were Jackson and Fingers, obviously).

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[Mikey 16,757]

I saw that team play several times. A's owner Charles O. Finley was from B'Ham and he loaded that team up with the best players the organization had. Many of the regulars on the Oakland A's Major league championship teams of 1972-'73-'74 passed through B'Ham on their way up.

[tomcat 571]

Was an awesome time for baseball in Birmingham. Saw Reggie hit a grand slam OVER the right center field light tower….great stuff!