By Zane Miller
On Sunday, October 22nd, 1972, the Oakland A’s (now Oakland Athletics) defeated the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati to win the 69th World Series four games to three. It was the sixth World Series championship for the Athletics franchise and the sixth that was won in Ohio. These are the top five players that I felt most stood out during the series.
5. #28 Bobby Tolan (Reds)- CF
Tolan earned game six’s player of the game with two RBIs on two runs and two hits, as the Reds went on to win it 8-1.
4. #43 Jack Billingham (Reds)- P
Billingham pitched his way to player of the game in game three, as he went eight innings while allowing no earned runs on three hits and three walks in the Reds’ 1-0 victory.
3. #13 Blue Moon Odom (A’s)- P
Odom got player of the game honors in game seven, pitching four and a third innings while giving up just one earned run on two hits and four walks, allowing the A’s to win 3-2 and claim the series championship.
2. #27 Catfish Hunter (A’s)- P
Hunter picked up player of the game honors in game two, pitching eight and two-thirds innings while giving up one earned run on six hits and three walks in the A’s 2-1 win.
1. #30 Ken Holtzman (A’s)- P
Holtzman was player of the game in games one and four, as game one saw him go five innings with a pair of earned runs on five hits and three walks as the A’s claimed the 3-2 win, followed by a game four performance where he went seven and two-thirds innings, giving up just one earned run on five hits and no walks as the A’s won 3-2 again.
Players of the Game Breakdown:
Link to stats database: https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1972_WS.shtml
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