The rumors of the Oakland Athletics moving to Las Vegas are about to come true.
The A’s purchased 49 acres of land in southern Nevada and are looking to call Las Vegas their home by 2027 after playing in the Bay Area since 1968.
Despite recent disappointing seasons and poor attendance, the franchise does have a rich history, even in Oakland. Since moving to California, the team has four World Series championships, 17 division titles and six retired numbers.
One of those retired numbers belongs to Dave Stewart, who spent eight of his 16 seasons in Oakland.
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Former Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart speaks to the fans during the retirement of his jersey number by the Athletics prior to a game against the Chicago White Sox at RingCentral Coliseum Sept. 11, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Stewart finished in fourth place or better in Cy Young voting four seasons, all of which came consecutively in Oakland, and he was part of the team that made it to three straight World Series, winning in 1989.
Stewart understands the move but says it’s disappointing.
“My reaction is from a fan’s point, quite frankly, not the guy that wore the uniform. I was a kid that grew up in the Bay Area blocks away from the Coliseum. I saw the first game played at the Coliseum,” Stewart told TMZ Sports.
“It’s just heartbreaking to see this happening. As a fan, as a player in the organization, I just don’t know how the city of Oakland can recover from losing the A’s, losing the [Las Vegas] Raiders and the [Golden State] Warriors.”
However, he understood that it’s a business, and owner John Fisher almost has no choice with a lack of support from city officials.
A general view of play between the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Aug. 6, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
“Even though it’s heartbreaking, sometimes you just have to make the decision that puts you in a position to be successful going forward,” Stewart said.
The Warriors moved back to San Francisco in 2019, and the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020. A city that once had three sports teams will soon have zero.
That’s unfathomable for Stewart.
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“We’ll keep our fingers crossed, and we’ll continue to say prayers that some type of last-minute miracle will keep the A’s in Oakland,” he said.
A’s President Dave Kaval told the Las Vegas Review-Journal a $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark with a partially retractable roof would be built on the land the franchise bought.
Former Oakland pitcher Dave Stewart throws out the first pitch before the Oakland Athletics-Seattle Mariners opening day game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum April 1, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
“For a while, we were on parallel paths (with Oakland), but we have turned our attention to Las Vegas to get a deal here for the A’s and find a long-term home,” Kaval told the Review-Journal Wednesday. “Oakland has been a great home for us for over 50 years, but we really need this 20-year saga completed, and we feel there’s a path here in Southern Nevada to do that.”
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The A’s are 4-16 and on pace for 32 wins this season.
