51 Orioles At Athletics, April 17, 1968, Bert Campaneris Can't Stop Stealing

18 September 2023

Album art features the Athletics' Bert Campaneris.

With MLB's changes to the 2023 season has seen a resurgence in aggressive base running and stolen bases. It's not yet back to the levels seen in the seventies and eighties, but a new dimension has returned to the diamond.

Which leads us to the Athletics' Bert Campaneris.

In the eight years between 1965 and 1972, Campaneris led the American League in Stolen Bases for six of those years. When he retired, he was seventh in career steals with 649 and is currently sitting 14th in the all-time table.

Let’s not forget the records he holds at the A's, career games played (1795), hits (1882) and at bats (7180). A true legend.

Today's classic baseball game is early in the 1968 season, a season which would see the Athletics posting their first winning season since 1952. It's mid April as they welcome the Orioles to the Coliseum. Campaneris is happily playing at shortstop at the top of the batting order.

Al Helfer and Monte Moore split commentating duties behind the microphone.

You can find the boxscore here.

This game was played on April 17th, 1968.