Although becoming the fourth greatest strikeout pitcher in major league history, Nolan Ryan failed in his quest for his 20th victory when the Angels lost to the Athletics, 2-1. Ryan fanned 10 to bring his season's total to 320. Sandy Koufax (382 in 1965), Rube Waddell (349 in 1904) and Bob Feller (348 in 1946) were the only fireballers to exceed the Angel righthander's figure.

The A's scored their first run after Reggie Jackson walked in the fourth inning. Bert Campaneris came in to run for Jackson and stole his 51st and 52nd bases of the season to win the league crown for the sixth time in eight years. Gonzalo Marquez singled to score Campaneris. In the seventh, Bill McNulty walked and Allan Lewis, taking over the basepaths, advanced to second on a wild pickoff throw by Ryan. Lewis then stole third and scored on a single by Don Mincher. The Angels counted their lone run in the home half of the seventh on a double by Leroy Stanton and two infield outs. [The Sporting News]



Oakland Athletics 2, California Angels 1
Game Played on Wednesday, October   4, 1972 (Night game) at Anaheim Stadium
A's          0  0  0    1  0  0    1  0  0  -   2  5  2
Angels       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  6  1


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Angels               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kubiak 2b,3b          4   0   0   0     0   2   .205      Alomar 2b             2   0   0   0     2   0   .239
Mangual lf            4   0   0   0     0   3   .246      Berry cf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .289
Alou rf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .307      Pinson lf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .275
Jackson cf            1   0   1   0     1   0   .265      Oliver 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .269
  Campaneris pr       0   1   0   0     0   0   .240      McMullen 3b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .269
  Hendrick cf         2   0   0   0     0   0   .182      Stanton rf            4   1   2   0     0   0   .251
Marquez 1b            4   0   1   1     0   0   .381        Rivers pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .214
Duncan c              2   0   0   0     1   1   .218      Cardenas ss           4   0   1   0     0   1   .223
  Haney c             1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Torborg c             2   0   1   0     0   0   .208
McNulty 3b            2   0   1   0     1   0   .100        Stephenson ph,c     1   0   0   1     0   0   .274
  Lewis pr            0   1   0   0     0   0   .200      Ryan p                3   0   0   0     0   2   .135
  Green 2b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .286
Maxvill ss            3   0   1   0     0   1   .224
Odom p                2   0   0   0     0   1   .121
  Blue p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .044
  Mincher ph          1   0   1   1     0   0   .216
  Horlen p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .176
  Hamilton p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .154
  Fingers p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .316

Totals               30   2   5   2     3  10             Totals               32   1   6   1     2   3

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance:  7,977
Left on Base: A's 4, Angels 6
DP: A's 1, Angels 0
Errors: Marquez, Haney, Ryan
Doubles: Jackson (25), Stanton (15)
Stolen Bases: Campaneris 2 (52), Marquez (1), Lewis (8), Ryan (1)
Caught Stealing: Mincher (3)
GIDP: McMullen (12)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Odom W(15-6)            5     3   0   0   2   2   0  20   2.59
Blue                    1     1   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.80
Horlen                  1     1   1   1   0   1   0   4   3.11
Hamilton                1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.93
Fingers SV(21)          1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   2.51
Totals                  9     6   1   1   2   3   0  34

Angels                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan L(19-16)           9     5   2   1   3  10   0  33   2.28
Totals                  9     5   2   1   3  10   0  33

Passed Balls: Duncan (9)
Wild Pitches: Ryan (18)

Umpires: HP - George Maloney, 1B - Art Frantz, 3B - Merle Anthony


ATHLETICS 1ST: Kubiak grounded out (second to first); Mangual
was called out on strikes; Alou grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 1ST: Alomar flied out to left; Berry flied out to left;
Pinson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0,
Angels 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Jackson doubled to right; Marquez flied out to
left; Duncan walked; McNulty singled to center [Jackson out at
home (center to first to second), Duncan to third, McNulty to
second (on throw to home)]; Maxvill flied out to center; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 2ND: Oliver flied out to left; McMullen grounded out
(shortstop to first); Stanton grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Angels 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Odom struck out; Kubiak was called out on
strikes; Mangual struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0,
Angels 0.

ANGELS 3RD: Cardenas singled to center; Torborg flied out to
left; Ryan forced Cardenas (pitcher to shortstop); Ryan stole
second; Alomar walked; Berry forced Alomar (second unassisted);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 0, Angels 0.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Alou grounded out (second to pitcher); Jackson
walked; CAMPANERIS RAN FOR JACKSON; Campaneris stole second;
Campaneris stole third; Marquez singled to right [Campaneris
scored]; Marquez stole second; Ryan threw a wild pitch [Marquez
to third]; Duncan struck out; McNulty flied out to left; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 4TH: HENDRICK REPLACED CAMPANERIS (PLAYING CF); Pinson
reached on an error by Marquez; Pinson was picked off first
(pitcher to first); Oliver flied out to right; McMullen singled
to center; Stanton forced McMullen (second unassisted); 0 R, 1
H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Angels 0.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Maxvill singled to center; On a bunt Odom forced
Maxvill (third to shortstop); Kubiak forced Odom (center to
second); Mangual struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Angels 0.

ANGELS 5TH: Cardenas struck out; Torborg singled to center;
Duncan allowed a passed ball [Torborg to third]; Ryan was called
out on strikes; Alomar walked; Berry lined to second; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 1, Angels 0.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Alou grounded out (pitcher to first); Hendrick
flied out to center; Marquez grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 6TH: BLUE REPLACED ODOM (PITCHING); Pinson popped to
third; Oliver singled to right; McMullen grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Oliver out at second]; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Angels 0.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Duncan flied out to center; McNulty walked; LEWIS
RAN FOR MCNULTY; Lewis was picked off first but was safe on an
error by Ryan [Lewis to second]; Lewis stole third; Maxvill
struck out; MINCHER BATTED FOR BLUE; Mincher singled to left
[Lewis scored (unearned)]; Mincher was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics
2, Angels 0.

ANGELS 7TH: GREEN REPLACED LEWIS (PLAYING 2B); KUBIAK CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 3B); HANEY REPLACED DUNCAN (PLAYING C );
HORLEN REPLACED MINCHER (PITCHING); Stanton doubled to right;
Cardenas grounded out (second to first) [Stanton to third];
STEPHENSON BATTED FOR TORBORG; Stephenson grounded out (first
unassisted) [Stanton scored]; Ryan struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 2, Angels 1.

ATHLETICS 8TH: STEPHENSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); Kubiak
was called out on strikes; Mangual popped to catcher in foul
territory; Alou was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Athletics 2, Angels 1.

ANGELS 8TH: HAMILTON REPLACED HORLEN (PITCHING); Alomar flied
out to left; Berry popped to catcher in foul territory; Pinson
reached on an error by Haney [Pinson out at second (first to
pitcher)]; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 2, Angels 1.

ATHLETICS 9TH: Hendrick flied out to right; Marquez grounded out
(shortstop to first); Haney was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 2, Angels 1.

ANGELS 9TH: FINGERS REPLACED HAMILTON (PITCHING); Oliver
grounded out (shortstop to first); McMullen popped to second;
Stanton singled to left; RIVERS RAN FOR STANTON; Cardenas
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 2, Angels 1.