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A’s anniversary: The night the baseballs turned orange

On the A’s first Green Friday of the new season we look way back to when their eccentric owner turned a night in the desert to orange.

Today In 1973: Oakland A’s owner Charles O. Finley's orange baseball is used in a spring training game! @UniWatch #Athletics #MLB pic.twitter.com/TqGOLGjcP0

Friday night marks the 46th anniversary of Charlie Finley unveiling his revolutionary orange baseballs during a spring training game. Finley’s theory was that an orange ball would be easier for players to see. Unlike the designated hitter and night games at the World Series, this Finley idea never gained much traction.