A's Captain, Sal Bando, Passes Away

The A's former Captain, Sal Bando, passed away on Friday

Sal Bando, the A's Captain and third baseman for the World Series winning 1972-1974 squads has passed away at the age of 78 after a five-year battle with cancer, his family announced. 

A statement from the Bando family. pic.twitter.com/vAi9wYdwjF

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) January 21, 2023

Bando was selected in the sixth round by the A's, then in Kansas City, in the first-ever Draft in 1965. Only two players that were selected before him accumulated more bWAR in their careers than Bando's 61.5, and those players were Johnny Bench (75.1 WAR), a second round selection by the Reds that would go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989, and Graig Nettles (68.0), a fourth round selection by the Twins that went on to become known for his time with the Yankees. 

From 1969 to 1973 Bando's WAR (33.6) was the highest in baseball--higher than the other greats of the era: Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson, and Joe Morgan. 

Bando would debut with the A's in 1966, getting into eleven games, and then another 47 games in 1967. When the A's moved out west to Oakland, he became the team's everyday third baseman. The following year he made his first All Star team with the A's and slugged 31 home runs while hitting .281 with a .400 OBP. 

Bando credited Yankee legend, Joe DiMaggio, then working with the A's, on his breakout in 1969. The former Yankee outfielder had suggested that Bando close his stance and keep his head down to generate more power in the box. 

From 1971 to 1974, he would finish 2nd, 30th, 4th, and 3rd in the American League MVP voting, averaging 153 games played, slashing .260/.362/.438, and 22 home runs with 93 runs batted in per season. 

The early 70's A's had their issues off the field with one another, but on the field, Sal Bando was the glue that kept everyone working towards the same goal. That's why he was deemed the Captain of the A's during those runs. 

When Charlie Finley tried to have Mike Andrews declared medically unfit to continue on in the 1973 World Series against the Mets after Andrews committed two errors in Game 2, it was Sal Bando that led the revolt against the team's owner in defense of his teammate. 

Bando hit free agency on November 1, 1976, and was pursued by the Giants, Pirates, and Brewers, but it was Milwaukee that would end up landing the Captain. He went on to play five seasons with the team and was even asked to be their manager after he retired, but he declined, feeling that he was too close with the players. 

Bando would go on to be the Brewers' GM from October 1991 to August 1999.

The A's inducted Sal Bando into their Hall of Fame in 2022, in a class that also included Ray Fosse, Eric Chavez, Joe Rudi, Keith Lieppman, and Steve Vucinich. 

His number six has been worn by a number of players since he left Oakland, but the last player to wear number six had been Travis Buck from 2007-2010. This upcoming season, new addition Jace Peterson is currently listed as number six on the A's roster, and he is likely to get a good amount of playing time at Bando's old spot, third base, in the same ballpark Bando created so many memories for A's fans.