1971 Oakland Athletics season

The 1971 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's finishing first in the American League West with a record of 101 wins and 60 losses (their best record in the Swingin' A's era). In their first postseason appearance of any kind since 1931, the A's were swept in three games by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series.

Offseason

 * January 13, 1971: 1971 Major League Baseball draft (January draft) notable picks:
 * Round 5: Rich Dauer (did not sign)
 * Secondary Phase
 * Round 1: Phil Garner
 * Round 3: Steve Staggs (did not sign)

Regular season
Vida Blue became the first black player in the history of the American League to win the American League Cy Young Award. He was also the youngest AL player in the 20th century to win the MVP Award. During the year, Vida Blue was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Time magazine.

Opening day starters

 * 1B Don Mincher
 * 2B Dick Green
 * 3B Sal Bando
 * SS Bert Campaneris
 * LF Felipe Alou
 * CF Rick Monday
 * RF Reggie Jackson
 * C Dave Duncan
 * P Vida Blue

Notable transactions

 * May 8, 1971: Frank Fernández, Don Mincher, Paul Lindblad, and cash were traded by the Athletics to the Washington Senators for Darold Knowles and Mike Epstein.
 * May 26, 1971: Rob Gardner was traded by the Athletics to the New York Yankees for Curt Blefary.
 * June 12, 1971: Champ Summers was signed by the Athletics as an amateur free agent.

Starters by position
''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Other batters
''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Awards and honors

 * Vida Blue, P, American League Cy Young Award
 * Vida Blue, P, American League Most Valuable Player Award. Sal Bando, second in American League MVP voting
 * Dick Williams, Associated Press AL Manager of the Year

All-Stars
1971 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
 * Vida Blue, pitcher, starter
 * Dave Duncan, reserve
 * Reggie Jackson, reserve

Game 1
Sunday, October 3, 1971, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland

Game 2
Monday, October 4, 1971, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland

Game 3
Tuesday, October 5, 1971, at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California