What should have been an entirely festive scene before the first A’s game in Oakland 50 years ago Tuesday turned a little ugly back then.
A’s owner Charlie Finley had then California governor Ronald Reagan on hand to throw out the first-ever first pitch. It was not a good day to be Reagan. Not only were many in the state still seething over Reagan’s tax increases, but like Tuesday the A’s home opener in on April 17, 1968 also happened to fall on Tax Day.