Mike Epstein

Lore & Background

Epstein was traded to the Athletics in May 1971 and played for them through the 1972 season, when the team won the World Series. He hit 26 home runs in 1972, finishing third in the American League. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in December 1972 after a clubhouse altercation with Reggie Jackson and a feud with manager Dick Williams.

In Their Own Story

The Coliseum was half-empty by the seventh inning, the October wind off the bay cutting through the stands. A righty from Baltimore was working the corners, painting the black, and the A's were tied at three. Then the count went two-and-one. The pitcher's eyes flicked to Epstein at first, watching him load his weight. The next pitch sat just over the plate. Epstein's hands were a blur, the bat a silver arc, and the sound it made was different from any other crack in the park — deeper, heavier, like a gate slamming shut. The ball hung over the left-field seats, and the Coliseum erupted in a roar that swallowed the wind whole.

Reader's Guide

Epstein was a left-handed power hitter known for his home run ability and high on-base percentage. He led the league in being hit by pitches in 1971 and was second in 1972. His tenure with the A's was brief but productive, though he struggled in the postseason, going hitless in 16 at-bats during the 1972 World Series.

Did You Know?

• Epstein was nicknamed 'Super Jew' by a rival minor league manager.
• He was an All-American at the University of California, Berkeley and holds the school record for career batting average (.381).
• He represented the United States in baseball at the 1964 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport.
• Epstein was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.