Finley Ball: How Two Baseball Outsiders Turned the Oakland A's into a Dynasty and Changed the Game Forever Hardcover – March 28, 2016

Nancy Finley, Charlie's niece, provides the scoop on the rise of Charles O. Finley from an insurance salesman to the owner of one of the most dominant teams in MLB history. The book is part character study, part history, and most importantly, a tale of how a young girl experienced the development of a baseball dynasty by a man who never played the game.This book is a baseball fan's delight. It's an easy read, well-written, and packed with fascinating anecdotes from a bygone era. Check it out--you won't be disappointed.

Nancy Finley has captured what went on behind the scenes of the Oakland A's. As an thirty-seven (37) year full season ticket holder (119-23-19) of the Oakland Athletics, I can only say, WOW, now some things now really make sense!!! Back in 1974, I was selected to attend a very private college (MIFS) in Monterey, CA., I had to refuse to renew my season ticket so that I could attend The Monterey Institute of Foreign Studies, my Dad received a call from Charlie Finley, as to why I hadn't renewed, and my Dad told him that I was accepted at the college of my choice. Charlie surprised us and assured my Dad that the A's would ONLY sell tickets for my seat to individuals, so that I could have my seat back when I came back from college. Now, Dad said it was Charlie, but after reading the book, it just as might have been Carl, Nancy's fatherbyy him my Dad had been talking to, eh? I was always treated great by the A's, and yes I was one of the 350 so fans in the stands back in 1979. I remember Carolyn in the A's office, and when I wanted to exchange tickets, I had carte blanche going into the "chicken-wire" room where the tickets were kept. Not bad for a trusted teenager whose face was known by all! I used to go up in the elevator, to the pressbox before each game, and get game notes and the lineups. I served on the Board of Directors of The Oakland A's Booster Club too, and Charlie & Carl sent me a stained green baseball bat, signed in gold by him and all of the 1972 A's World Champs. I'll never forget how they took care of us extremely few season ticket holders! The Haas family did the same during their years, too! Kansas City didn't get it, and now Nancy helps me understand why! When I first had my season tickets, the price of my ticket was $3.50 each, and 75 cents to park!! After 37 years my seat was selling for $37.50 each ........ just a slight increase, ha! Thanks Nancy for a great book, and a great history and most importantly, great memories! I shall NEVER forget !! By the way, I know Carl would remember me, the kid that was always hanging around the pressbox and ticket office. If you want to know what happened behind the scenes of the Oakland A's, this book is a MUST HAVE! Thanks again Nancy! s/Rick

The author's last name is the first clue that this is going to be a different take on the Finley years. While the focus is much more on her dad (Carl) and his important but lesser known role with the club, the portrayal of Charlie Finley is in stark contrast to the numerous other books about this era. Absent are some of the details about his penny-pinching ways. Missing are the stories about various feuds with Reggie Jackson. A lot of the controversy about his ownership remains, but it is really downplayed, or in some cases, refuted (example: the Mike Andrews story). Despite this different and somewhat difficult to believe picture, it was really quite and enjoyable read. Even the toned-down story is outrageous and captivating. And learning about the involvement and significant contributions of Carl Finley was something not covered in most other places..

Not only is this the best baseball book of 2016. It is one of the best sports book that I have ever read. Over the years a lot of negative and erroneous statements have been made about Charlie Finley. In this novel, Nancy Finley pulls no punches and sets the record straight on many controversies. The infamous game 2 of the 1973 World Series is examined in great detail based on the facts and evidence. What make this book so interesting is that Nancy was there behind the scenes during one of baseballs most successful dynasties. The author also goes into great detail about her father, Carl Finley who was Charlie's right hand man serving as both GM and Vice President. Carl ran the organization in Oakland while Charlie ran his insurance company in Chicago. Carl is often a forgotten man in baseball history but he was so revered in his time that in 1976. He was awarded with the coveted MLB Life-Time Pass for his long and meritorious service to major league baseball. After Charlie sold the team to Walter Haas he was valued enough to retain his position as VP until he retired in 1984. After the Haas family sold the team, the new ownership in a inconceivable and petty act would not honor Carl's Life-Time Pass .

This book is the ultimate first person, insider viewpoint of true legends of baseball. You will not be reading the analytical musings of the typical journalistic sports writer. Nancy Finley was actually there, as a young girl and mature woman, to observe the inner workings of team building, both from home and the back office. It is obvious that she loves baseball … and her family … but she pulls no punches in describing both the high and low roller coaster moments in her life, sometimes in heartbreaking detail. The book brought back memories of those outlandish (at the time) green and gold uniforms, the previously unheard of wild promotions (like Charlie-O, the mule), and actual fireworks at a baseball game (both literally and figuratively). Reading this book made me pull out my old baseball cards to reminisce about both the Kansas City and Oakland versions of the A’s. Many people thought Charles O. Finley was absolutely crazy. He was … like a fox. The takeaway of this book is that many of the so-called “wacky” things that the Finley’s did at the time are now standard operating procedure in MLB. The Finley family changed the game … for the better.