The American League in Transition, 1965-1975: How Competition Thrived When the Yankees Didn't - Paperback

by Paul Hensler (Author)

In the years following the decline of the New York Yankees dynasty that ended in 1964, three American League teams endeavored to stake their claim to the Junior Circuit's crown. From 1965 to 1975, the Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Oakland Athletics emerged as the most significant AL clubs, but this trio achieved varying degrees of success.

Through the prism of these three teams, this book examines facets of their dynastic aspirations: the way in which key personnel were assembled into a cohesive roster, the glory that was won by the clubs, and the factors leading to their decline. Drawing on a rich variety of primary and secondary sources, the story is told of vital players from Latin America who made their way to Minnesota, the select few who ventured from the Orioles' training facility in Thomasville, Georgia, to Baltimore, and the collegiate stars selected in the early years of the newly-created amateur draft who went on to help forge a winning combination in Oakland.

Author Biography

Paul Hensler is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society and the author of several essays on baseball published by SABR. He lives in Beacon Falls, Connecticut.