Oakland's Boys of Summer

Oakland's baseball history runs deep, going back nearly 150 years when the Live Oaks of Oakland played the Eagles of San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day in 1866.

Flash forward more than 120 years later, and you might recall the Oakland Athletics sweeping the San Francisco Giants to win the 1989 World Series. Don't forget Oakland's Negro League-era teams, including the Oakland Larks and the Oakland Black Giants. And we haven’t even mentioned the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League or Charlie Finley’s "Mustache Gang," who were back-to-back-to-back World Series champs in the '70s.

The point is that the East Bay and baseball have been synonymous just about forever. The ball fields of Oakland long have produced athletic pioneers, eccentric mavericks and superstars. So, be sure to check out Baseball Oakland’s "History" Web page, where we will be chronicling all parts of Oakland's legendary baseball players, franchises and ballparks from years past. Click here to find out more.