Jan. 27, 1964 - Charles O. Finley (pictured), vowing that “Nobody’s going to take away my franchise,” received an offer today from Oakland to bring his Kansas City Athletics to that city in time for the 1964 baseball season. However, Finley next must get the shift approved by the American League owners, who vetoed his plans to move the A’s to Louisville by a 9-1 margin on Jan. 16. “I called the league this morning to meet and vote on the Oakland offer,” Finley said today. “It’s the fourth time that I’ve asked for a meeting since Jan. 16, when they kicked the tar out of my plans to move to Louisville.” Asked what would happen if the Oakland deal fell through and he didn’t reach an agreement with Kansas City either, Finley said: “There’s not the slightest chance of Charles O. Finley losing his franchise. No one will take my franchise — no one!” The insurance executive arrived in Oakland today for talks with the Oakland City Council, which came up with these proposals:
— The Athletics would move into Frank Youell Field — the temporary home of the Oakland Raiders football club — for a period of two or three years until the planned Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was built. Construction of the Coliseum is bogged down in litigation.
— Finley then would transfer his club to the Coliseum under a 20-year lease, which would include the time that Youell Field was used.
— The tiny stadium, which has a 20,000 capacity, would be enlarged to hold 27,000 for baseball and 30,000 for football. The city would put up $100,000 toward enlarging Youell Field and Finley would put up $300,000 plus rental of $50,000 for each of the two years.
— Finley would get the parking concession revenue and 25% of the other concessions.
Finley said he had visited Horace Stoneham, president of the San Francisco Giants, last spring and was turned down on an offer to rent Candlestick Park while the Oakland Coliseum was being built.
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