The recent call up of Oakland Athletics rookie third baseman Ryon Healy reminded me of the A’s great legacy of third sackers from their inception in Oakland in 1968.
One common factor to all the Athletics’ winning teams in their history is they had players at third base that were superior hitters and fielders. Bando, Carney Lansford, Eric Chavez and Josh Donaldson all played significant roles for those championship teams.
Along with Arizona State University teammates Reggie Jackson and Rick Monday on the A’s 1968 roster, Bando at the ripe age of 24 immediately took charge in the A’s lineup playing in all 162 games.