Why Reggie Jackson Had to Fly Commercial to the World Series

Published on July 16th, 2025 3:58 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


The Oakland A's of the early 1970s were a dynasty. Three straight World Series titles. Stars like Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers. A powerhouse on the field. Chaos off it.

At the center of that chaos? Owner Charles O. Finley.

Finley was brilliant. Also volatile. Also incredibly cheap.

In 1973, after winning the AL pennant, the A's were headed to the World Series to face the New York Mets. Most teams would charter a plane. Treat their players like champions. Not Finley.

He made them fly commercial. No team jet. No private section. Just middle seats and peanuts. Literally.

The team was crammed onto regular flights with the public. Players, staff, trainers - all scattered across the plane. A few reportedly had to sit in coach while businessmen and tourists sat in first class.

This was no isolated incident. Finley routinely slashed expenses. He once tried to fire his manager during the World Series. He offered players bonuses in farm equipment instead of cash. And when Catfish Hunter caught a contract clause error in 1974, Finley refused to pay - and lost him to free agency.

The A's won anyway. They always did. Despite Finley. Not because of him.

Flying coach to the World Series wasn't just cheap. It was demeaning. It reminded players exactly how little their owner thought of them - even at the pinnacle of success.

Other owners saw their players as investments. Finley saw them as replaceable.

That kind of frugality doesn't survive in today's game. But it left a mark. A dynasty defined by dominance - and dysfunction. And one of the most miserly owners baseball has ever known.

Charlie Finley didn't just pinch pennies. He gripped them like a vice - even as his team chased history.