1975 American League Championship Series

The 1975 American League Championship Series pitted the Boston Red Sox against the three-time defending world champion Oakland Athletics for the right to advance to the 1975 World Series. The Red Sox swept the series 3-0 to win their first AL pennant since 1967, and simultaneously end the A's run of three consecutive world championships.

1975 American League Championship Series
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season Boston Red Sox (3) Darrell Johnson 95–65, .594, GA: 4½ Oakland A's (0) Alvin Dark 98–64, .605, GA: 7
Dates	October 4–7
Umpires	Don Denkinger Lou DiMuro Bill Kunkel Ron Luciano Jim Evans Hank Morgenweck
Broadcast
Television	NBC KPIX (Athletics' broadcast) WSBK-TV (Red Sox' broadcast)
TV announcers	NBC: Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek (in Boston) Joe Garagiola and Maury Wills (in Oakland) KPIX: Monte Moore and Bob Waller WSBK-TV: Dick Stockton and Ken Harrelson

Background

During the regular season, the Red Sox posted a 95–65 record and won the American League East division title, while the A's went 98–64 to win the American League West.

The Red Sox came up with experienced players such as Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, and Dwight Evans, and two sensational rookies – Fred Lynn and Jim Rice. Lynn took most of the headlines by playing a flawless center field, hitting .331 with 21 home runs and 105 RBIs, and becoming the first major league player to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. Rice, despite suffering a broken wrist in late September, finished with a .309 average, 22 homers, and 102 RBIs.

Summary

Oakland A's vs. Boston Red Sox

Boston won the series, 3–0.

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 4	Oakland A's – 1, Boston Red Sox – 7	Fenway Park	2:40	35,578[1]
2	October 5	Oakland A's – 3, Boston Red Sox – 6	Fenway Park	2:27	35,578[2]
3	October 7	Boston Red Sox – 5, Oakland A's – 3	Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum	2:30	49,358[3]

Game summaries

Game 1

Saturday, October 4, 1975 1:00 pm (ET) at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oakland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	4
Boston	2	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	X	7	8	3
WP: Luis Tiant (1–0)   LP: Ken Holtzman (0–1)

Boston starter Luis Tiant allowed just one run on three hits to defeat the A's, 7–1, in the ALCS opener. Tiant struck out eight and walked three in a complete game effort, retiring the side in order in four innings. Juan Beníquez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Fred Lynn ended 1-for-4 with two RBIs, and Carlton Fisk went 1-for-4 with two runs scored for the Red Sox. Oakland starter Ken Holtzman was saddled with the loss by yielding five hits and four runs (two unearned) with four strikeouts and a walk in ​6 ¹⁄₃ innings of work.

Game 2

Sunday, October 5, 1975 4:00 pm (ET) at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oakland	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	10	0
Boston	0	0	0	3	0	1	1	1	X	6	12	0
WP: Roger Moret (1–0)   LP: Rollie Fingers (0–1)   Sv: Dick Drago (1) Home runs: OAK: Reggie Jackson (1) BOS: Carl Yastrzemski (1), Rico Petrocelli (1)

Carl Yastrzemski hit a two-run home run to lead the Red Sox past the Athletics, 6–3, in Game 2. Boston starter Reggie Cleveland was solid through five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Rico Petrocelli also homered, Carlton Fisk went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Fred Lynn went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Red Sox. A's starter Vida Blue lasted three innings and gave up just three runs on six hits. The win went to Roger Moret, who tossed one scoreless inning of relief, and Dick Drago worked the final three innings to close out the contest. Rollie Fingers took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits over four innings. Reggie Jackson hit a two-run home run and Sal Bando went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a run for the A's.

Game 3

Tuesday, October 7, 1975 5:15 pm (PT) at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	1	0	5	11	1
Oakland	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	3	6	1
WP: Rick Wise (1–0)   LP: Ken Holtzman (0–2)   Sv: Dick Drago (2)

After three consecutive championships, the Athletics' dynasty came to an end, as the Red Sox took the third game, 5-3, to sweep the series. Boston starter Rick Wise allowed three runs (two unearned) on six hits in ​7 ¹⁄₃ innings of work. Both Denny Doyle and Carlton Fisk collected two hits with one run and an RBI, and Rick Burleson went 2-for-4 with one run scored to pace the Red Sox. Ken Holtzman started for Oakland and was tagged for four runs on seven hits in just ​4 ²⁄₃ innings to take the loss. Dick Drago earned the save for pitching ​1 ²⁄₃ innings of shutout ball for Boston while Carl Yastrzemski made two great defensive plays in left field and collected two hits. Sal Bando went 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Reggie Jackson went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the A's.

This game, and Game 3 of the 1975 National League Championship Series, were the first league championship series games ever played at night.[4] Both were regionally televised by NBC.

Composite box

1975 ALCS (3–0): Boston Red Sox over Oakland A's

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston Red Sox	2	0	0	4	3	1	6	2	0	18	31	4
Oakland A's	2	0	0	1	0	1	0	3	0	7	19	5
Total attendance: 120,514   Average attendance: 40,171

References

1. "1975 ALCS Game 1 – Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
2. "1975 ALCS Game 2 – Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
3. "1975 ALCS Game 3 – Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
4. "Baseball plans night playoffs". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. August 16, 1975. p. 2B.

External links

• 1975 ALCS at Baseball-Reference