Long before Moneyball and Oakland Athletics’ GM Billy Beane, and even before other noted GMs in Oakland A’s history such as Sandy Alderson and Roy Eisenhardt, the Oakland A’s front office was guided by Carl Finley, cousin of then-owner Charles O. Finley.
Carl Finley was taken on by Cousin Charlie, who had a natural eye for good talent, in 1962 to be his right hand man when the Athletics were still in Kansas City. Though he had gone to law school at SMU, Carl Finley, 37 at the time, was a school principal and was brought aboard to work a number of roles including P.