[Nick Soulis]

Series #227



Hudler’s Heroics Crown Angels
California Outlasts 1919 A’s in Seven-Game Classic



Game 1
At Anaheim Stadium
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 6
1996 California Angels 1
WP: W. Kinney (1-0) LP: C. Finley (0-1) S: W. anderson (1)
HR: T. Walker (1), F. Thomas (1)
POG: Walt Kinney (7.2 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 118 P)

This wasn’t how the script was supposed to read.
Before a chilly Southern California crowd, the 1996 California Angels — armed with a modern roster, power bats, and their ace Chuck Finley on the mound — were supposed to brush aside one of baseball’s weakest historical entries, the 1919 Philadelphia Athletics. Instead, the visitors from another century flipped the narrative, riding the left arm of Walt Kinney to a stunning 6–1 victory Tuesday night at Anaheim Stadium.
Kinney, who won only 10 games in his entire major league career, pitched the game of his life. The southpaw silenced California’s bats for 7 2/3 shutout innings, striking out eight while allowing just five hits. He left to a standing ovation from the smattering of Philadelphia faithful who made the trip west, and even many Angels fans had to tip their caps.
“I just tried to keep it simple,” Kinney said afterward, his uniform still dirt-streaked from a rare slide into first base. “Fastball, curve, change — keep it down, make ‘em earn everything. Tonight it worked.”
The Athletics struck first in the opening inning when Tillie Walker connected on a two-run homer, stunning the crowd and putting Finley immediately behind. From there, the Angels never recovered. The Philadelphia lead held firm until the ninth, when Frank Thomas — the original 1910s corner infielder, not his modern namesake — clubbed a towering three-run shot to left that sealed the upset.
Finley, who threw 102 pitches, surrendered both long balls and six earned runs despite scattering five hits over 8 2/3 innings. “I let a couple of pitches get away,” Finley admitted. “In games like this, you can’t.”
The Angels managed only a lone run in the ninth on a double by George Arias. They stranded eight runners and hit into two double plays, squandering every chance to rally.
“It was a no-nonsense game,” said Philadelphia manager Jim Smith. “We played clean, Kinney gave us a masterpiece, and we got a couple of big swings. That’s how you win.”
For the Angels, the pressure now shifts squarely onto Game 2. A loss would send them to Philadelphia trailing 0-2 against a team many considered incapable of even stealing a game.
“We’ve got to regroup,” manager John McNamara said tersely. “This series is far from over.”
But in a night few saw coming, the ghosts of Shibe Park cast a long shadow over Anaheim. The 1919 Athletics, long dismissed as a footnote in baseball history, suddenly stand one win away from turning this best-of-seven into a genuine fight.

Game 2
At Anaheim Stadium
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 7
1996 California Angels 1
WP: R. Naylor (1-0) LP: M. Langston (0-1)
HR: F. Thomas (2), R. Hudler (1)
POG: Rollie Naylor (8.2 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 121 P)
1919 Athletics Lead Series 2-0

The miracle continues. The 1919 Philadelphia Athletics, one of baseball’s most maligned and forgotten clubs, stunned the California Angels once again on Wednesday night, seizing a 7–1 victory at Anaheim Stadium to take a commanding 2–0 lead in Series #227 of the Field of Dreams tournament.
Right-hander Rollie Naylor, a pitcher who once toiled in the shadows of obscurity, delivered the performance of his life. Naylor held the Angels scoreless until the ninth inning, scattering eight hits, striking out five, and walking just one over 8 2/3 innings. By the time Angels pinch of pride Rod Carew—err, Rex Hudler—hit a solo homer to break the shutout, the damage was long since done.
The Athletics’ offense was opportunistic and fearless. Fred Thomas, the unlikely slugger of this series, belted his second home run in as many games, finishing with two hits and two RBIs. George Burns doubled home two runs in the seventh to break the game open, part of a five-run uprising that sent the 19,073 fans in Anaheim into a stunned silence. “This is baseball,” Naylor said afterward, grinning as he tugged at his old wool uniform. “I had everything working tonight. When you get runs behind you, the game feels easy.”Meanwhile, the Angels looked paralyzed under the weight of expectation. Mark Langston, the staff ace, struggled through 6 1/3 innings, yielding four runs on six hits. Reliever Lee Smith fared no better, surrendering three more runs in a disastrous seventh inning.
The Angels’ hitters fared little better. Tim Salmon, the face of the franchise, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and Garret Anderson stranded key runners in scoring position. Anaheim’s lone bright spot came when Hudler homered with two outs in the ninth, a swing that drew only a sarcastic cheer from the disheartened crowd.
Now, incredibly, the Athletics return home to Philadelphia with a 2–0 series advantage and the chance to clinch before their own fans at Shibe Park.
“We’re just playing loose,” manager Connie Mack said with a twinkle in his eye. “Nobody expects anything from us, and that’s the best way to play the game.”
The Angels, by contrast, stare down a nightmare: the possibility of being remembered forever not for their stars, but for falling victim to one of the greatest upsets in Field of Dreams history.
Game 3 is Friday night in Philadelphia. The A’s are two wins away from rewriting history.

Game 3
At Shibe Park
1996 California Angels 6
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 2
WP: J. Grimsley (1-0) LP: W. Anderson (0-1)
HR: J. Howell (1), B. Roth (1)
POG: Jason Grimsley (7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 95 P)
1919 Athletics Lead Series 2-1

The California Angels finally showed their fight. Facing a potential 3–0 series deficit, Jason Grimsley and Rex Hudler delivered in the clutch, carrying California past the Philadelphia Athletics, 6–2, before a hushed Shibe Park crowd.
Grimsley, usually a reliever, looked every bit the big-game starter. He worked seven steady innings, scattering six hits and striking out six. His only blemishes came on Braggo Roth’s solo homer in the fifth and an RBI single from Witt in the seventh. Beyond that, he kept the Athletics off balance, forcing grounders and silencing the Philadelphia momentum that had carried them through the first two games.
“I just wanted to attack,” Grimsley said. “This was a must-win, and I wasn’t going to hold anything back.”
The turning point came in the seventh. With two outs and the Angels trailing 1–0, Jack Howell pinch-hit and launched a solo home run to right, tying the score and flipping the atmosphere inside the old park.
One inning later, the Angels broke it wide open. Hudler, quiet all night, punched a two-run single into center to give California a 3–2 lead. The Angels tacked on three more, highlighted by Damon Mashore’s aggressive baserunning and DiSarcina’s double. By the time the dust settled, the scoreboard read 6–2, and the Angels had wrestled momentum back into their dugout.
On the Philadelphia side, starter Jing Johnson was excellent through seven innings, allowing just one run. But reliever Walt Anderson faltered in the eighth, yielding four runs without recording more than a single out.
“We had our chances,” said Athletics manager Connie Mack quietly. “Johnson pitched his heart out. One inning got away from us, and that was the difference.”
For the first time in the series, the Athletics looked human.
The win trims Philadelphia’s lead to 2–1 in the best-of-seven set, with Game 4 scheduled tomorrow night at Shibe Park. The Angels will look to even things behind a recharged lineup, while the Athletics will try to prove their magical start wasn’t a fluke.

Game 4
At Shibe Park
1996 California Angels 7
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 6
WP: J. Dickson (1-0) LP: W. Noyes (0-1) S: L. Smith (1)
HR: R. Hudler (2), G. Anderson (1), J. Dugan (1), G. Burns (1)
POG: Rex Hudler (2-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB)
Series Tied 2-2

A chilly October night at Shibe Park turned electric as the California Angels of 1996 fought off a furious charge from the 1919 Philadelphia Athletics to even Series #227 at two games apiece. The Angels escaped with a 7–6 victory, powered by the unlikely bat of Rex Hudler.
With the game tied 3–3 in the fifth, Hudler stepped in against Win Noyes with runners on the corners and two outs. The 35-year-old utility man jumped on a fastball, sending it soaring into the left-field bleachers. The three-run homer stunned the Philadelphia faithful and handed California a 6–3 lead they would never relinquish.
“Doesn’t matter how pretty it looks — a win is a win,” said Angels skipper John McNamara afterward. “And tonight, Hudler gave us the punch we needed.”
Jason Dickson, making his first start of the series, lasted 6.1 innings, scattering eight hits and allowing five runs while walking six. His outing was far from dominant, but it kept California afloat until the bullpen took over. Troy Percival silenced Shibe Park in the ninth, fanning two en route to his first save of the series.
Philadelphia, as they’ve done all series, refused to go quietly. George Burns drilled a solo homer in the seventh and Joe Dugan followed with a two-run blast that cut the Angels’ lead to one. But with the tying run at second, lefty Mike Holtz managed to escape further damage.
“We battled,” Athletics captain Tillie Walker said. “That’s what this team does. But you tip your cap to Hudler. That one swing made all the difference.”
Hudler finished the night 2-for-4 with four RBIs, a stolen base, and the game’s biggest hit. Garret Anderson also homered for California, while Jim Edmonds collected two doubles. For Philadelphia, Burns and Dugan combined for three extra-base hits and four RBIs in a losing effort.
With the series tied 2–2, all eyes turn to tomorrow’s Game 5, also at Shibe Park. The winner will move within a game of advancing, while the loser faces elimination.
“This series has turned into a dogfight,” noted broadcaster Harry Caray as fans filed out into the cool Philadelphia night. “And holy cow, it’s only going to get better from here.”

Game 5
At Shibe Park
1996 California Angels 8
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 3
WP: C. Finley (1-1) LP: W. Kinney (1-1)
HR: R. Hudler (3), T. Salmon (1), J. Edmonds (1), T. Walker (2)
POG: Chuck Finley (8.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 128 P)
1996 Angels Lead Series 3-2

Chuck Finley delivered the performance the California Angels desperately needed. With Series #227 hanging in the balance, the veteran left-hander rose to the occasion, stifling the Philadelphia Athletics in an 8–3 victory at Shibe Park that gave the Angels a 3–2 lead in the best-of-seven set.
Finley, who had been shaky earlier in the series, was brilliant on Sunday night. After surrendering a two-run homer to Tilly Walker in the first inning, he settled into a rhythm that the Athletics could not disrupt. Over 8.2 innings, he scattered just three hits, struck out 10, and carried the Angels to within one win of advancing.
“Game 5 is huge,” Finley said afterward. “We needed this one before going back to Anaheim. I just wanted to go as deep as possible and give our lineup a chance to break through.”
The Angels’ offense did more than that. Rex Hudler, who has been a sparkplug all series, erupted for a triple, a double, and a three-run homer in the sixth inning that blew the contest wide open. Hudler finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and nine total bases. Jim Edmonds added three hits, including a solo shot in the same inning, while Tim Salmon chipped in with a two-run homer in the third.
For the Athletics, the night started with promise but ended in frustration. Walt Kinney, the Game 1 hero, was tagged for four runs on nine hits in just 4.1 innings. Philadelphia mustered only four hits in the loss, with Walker’s first-inning blast providing nearly all of their offense.
The loss is particularly stinging for the Athletics, who had a chance to seize a 3–2 lead in front of their home fans. Instead, they now face elimination on the road in Anaheim. “This is where you find out what you’re made of,” said Philadelphia skipper Connie Mack. “We’ve battled before, and we’ll have to battle again. It’s not over.”
With the win, California moves one step closer to completing a comeback after dropping the first two games of the series. Game 6 will be played Tuesday, October 8, at Anaheim Stadium, where the Angels can clinch

Game 6
At Anaheim Stadium
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 6
1996 California Angels 4
WP: R. Naylor (2-0) LP: M. Langston (0-2) S: W. Anderson (2)
HR: B. Roth (2), T. Walker 2 (4), C. Davis (1), G. anderson (1)
POG: Tillie Walker (2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)
Series Tied 3-3

The Philadelphia 1919 Athletics are not done yet.
Behind two towering home runs from center fielder Tillie Walker and a gritty performance from Rollie Naylor, the A’s staved off elimination with a 6–4 victory over the California 1996 Angels on Tuesday night at Anaheim Stadium. The win evened the best-of-seven series at 3–3, setting up a decisive Game 7.
Philadelphia wasted no time putting the pressure on Angels starter Mark Langston. In the very first inning, Braggo Roth opened the scoring with a solo homer, and Walker quickly followed with a two-run shot to right-center. Red Shannon capped the five-run outburst with a two-run single that silenced the crowd of 18,920. Langston, battered for five runs in just two innings, took his second loss of the series.
“Getting out front early was everything,” said Philadelphia manager Jim Smith. “We knew Langston would attack the zone, and our guys didn’t miss.”
The Angels got a spark from Garret Anderson, who homered in the second, but Walker struck again in the fifth, driving a Doug Springer offering into the seats for his second home run of the night and fourth of the series. California rallied late as Chili Davis belted a solo homer in the ninth and Anderson added an RBI, but the comeback fell short. Reliever Walter Anderson induced the final out to preserve the win after Naylor’s strong 8.1 innings.
Walker finished the night 2-for-4 with two homers, two runs, and two RBI. He now owns a .304 average with four homers and eight RBI in the series.
Rollie Naylor improved to 2–0 in the series, striking out seven and scattering eight hits over 122 pitches. “He gave us everything,” said Smith. “That’s what you want from your guy in an elimination game.”
For California, Anderson and Davis combined for four hits and three RBI, but the Angels could never fully recover from the early deficit.
“We didn’t match their intensity early,” Angels skipper John McNamara admitted. “We’ve still got a chance in our ballpark tomorrow, but we need to play cleaner baseball from the start.” The stage is now set for Game 7 at Anaheim Stadium on Wednesday night — a winner-take-all battle to decide who moves on and who goes home.

Game 7
At Anaheim Stadium
1919 Philadelphia Athletics 3
1996 California Angels 6
WP: J. Grimsley (2-0) LP: J. Johnson (0-1) S: T. Percival (1)
HR: None
POG: Garret Anderson (3-3, 2 RBI)

The roar that shook Anaheim Stadium on Wednesday night marked the birth of a champion. The 1996 California Angels, a franchise with no postseason pedigree in the real annals of baseball, claimed their first-ever Field of Dreams series title with a 6–3 victory over the 1919 Philadelphia Athletics in the deciding Game 7 of Series #227.
The A’s struck first, pouncing on starter Jason Grimsley with two runs in the opening frame. Tillie Walker’s ringing double and Fred Thomas’ hot bat gave Philadelphia an early edge. The underdog Athletics, a club remembered in history for finishing last in the American League, looked poised to complete a Cinderella run.
But the Angels, resilient and relentless, answered inning after inning.
Tim Salmon delivered an RBI single to pull California within one in the third. Rex Hudler, the series’ surprise star, tied the game with a double in the sixth, his 12th RBI of the series. Then it was Garret Anderson who seized the spotlight, lining clutch RBI singles in both the sixth and eighth innings to give the Angels breathing room. By the time Troy Percival struck out Tillie Walker for the final out — the closer’s third strikeout of the ninth inning — 43,000 fans in Anaheim were on their feet, celebrating a piece of history.
“These guys never quit,” said manager Marcel Lachemann, beaming after the final out. “They believed in each other every step of the way. To fight through seven games and win it here at home, it’s something we’ll never forget.” Grimsley earned the win with six hard-fought innings, scattering seven hits and three runs. Left-hander Mike Holtz calmed the middle innings with two spotless frames, and Percival slammed the door shut in dominating fashion. The Athletics, for all their fight, were undone by stranded baserunners. They left 11 men on, including repeated chances with two outs. Fred Thomas finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Walker doubled and drove in one more, closing an outstanding series in defeat.
In the end, the night — and the series — belonged to Hudler. The fiery first baseman, known more for his clubhouse energy than his bat, was named Series MVP after hitting .419 with 3 home runs and 12 RBIs across the seven games.
“We’ve got grit, baby!” Hudler said, clutching his MVP trophy. “Nobody gave us much of a chance, but this group just kept swinging. We love each other, and we love this game. That’s how you win.”
For the 1996 Angels, it was a triumph of persistence and unlikely heroes. For the 1919 A’s, it was heartbreak — but also validation that even baseball’s forgotten clubs can rise to October glory in the Field of Dreams.

1996 California Angels Win Series 4 Games to 3

Series MVP:

(.419, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 7 R, 3 2B, .871 SLG, 5 SB, 1.308 OPS)