Actors Tom Hanks, MC Hammer, and the city of Oakland express their grief over the demise of the creator of Moneyball's innovation.
The American sports system can be tough, showing no mercy to traditions. A team can emerge and then disappear just as quickly. Currently, Oakland is grieving the departure of all its sports teams. With the final game of the A's, an era in Major League Baseball (MLB) and pop culture comes to a close.
The Oakland Athletics bid farewell to their long-time home in the MLB with a win. In the last game at the packed Oakland Coliseum, the Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 in front of around 47,000 fans. After the departure of the Raiders in the NFL and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA, Oakland is losing its third and final major sports franchise within five years. With the departure of the A's, a significant piece of pop culture also bids its adieu.
While some fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the team owners, others held up signs expressing gratitude or sadness. "Thanks for the memories" read one sign, while another declared: "The soul of Oakland will survive." Another sign simply read: "Today, baseball cries."
After the victory, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay paid tribute to the team's employees and fans on the field. "I am forever grateful to the employees who have dedicated their lives to the Oakland A's, especially those who are not coming with us. I will never forget you," said Kotsay: "And to all of you, on behalf of my staff, myself, this team, all the former players and coaches, everyone who has worn the green and gold - there are no better fans than you."
Tom Hanks' Fury
The Athletics moved from Kansas City to Oakland in 1968 and went on to win the World Series four times in the following 56 years. "When the A's were in the World Series, the world came to Oakland," actor Tom Hanks wrote in an email to "The Athletic". He wasn't even a teenager when the A's moved to California in the late 1960s. "Not San Francisco. Oakland."
Now, the franchise is following the path of the Raiders and moving to Las Vegas, where they are expected to play their first home games in 2028. Until then, the team will play in Sacramento for three years, approximately 137 kilometers from the Coliseum in Oakland. The MLB owners approved the move last November.
Last year, Hanks had already vented his frustration. He couldn't stop them. "First the Raiders, then the Warriors moved to San Francisco, and now they want to drive the A's out of Oakland," he said: "They should go to hell."
How Oakland Revolutionized Sports
In addition to Hanks, rapper MC Hammer (real name: Stanley Burrell) was also a big fan of the A's. The rap star of the early 1990s earned his pocket money, like Hanks, at the Coliseum. While the actor worked as a popcorn vendor, Burrell worked as a batboy. In recent days, he has shared all his memories of the A's on Twitter. After all, he owed his career to them. Because: Some Oakland players financially supported the release of his first album.
Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz also grew up with the A's. Former U.S. President Barack Obama was also a fan before he declared himself a White Sox fan after moving to Chicago. All these names are just some of the names that will now only think of the past, because the A's no longer have a future in Oakland.
The franchise left its mark on sports through the "Moneyball Years". In the early 2000s, they first applied a data-driven strategy on a large scale, which compensated for the financial disadvantages of the A's. In addition to a film with Brad Pitt, the revolution in sports itself also emerged from it. The method is still used in other sports today. Even in football, "Moneyball" still plays a big role.
Despite Hanks' fury and pleas, the Oakland Athletics have agreed to temporarily relocate to Sacramento for the next three years. In the meantime, baseball fans in Oakland continue to miss the thrill of Major League Baseball games, as the city mourns the departure of yet another beloved sports team.
