Skip to main content

Fingers, Rollie

Biographical/Historical Info
Fingers, Rollie

Inducted to the Hall of Fame in: 1992

Primary team: Oakland Athletics

Primary position: Pitcher

Rollie Fingers had quite possibly the most famous mustache in baseball. But fans didn’t come to the ballpark to see just that. They came to see him close out games with his sinking fastball night after night.

“When he came in, you took a deep sigh of relief,” said former teammate Sal Bando. “You knew the game was in control.”

The 1981 American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner spent 17 years in the big leagues with the Athletics, Padres and Brewers. He set the record for career saves – since broken – with 341. The handlebar mustache was first grown in 1972 because a promotion dreamed up by A’s owner Charlie O. Finley.

Finley offered any of the A's players a $300 bonus as part of the promotion, but the mustache soon became Fingers' trademark.

Born on Aug. 25, 1946 in Steubenville, Ohio, Fingers signed with the Kansas City Athletics in 1964. During nine seasons with the A’s, Fingers led the league in games pitched twice and finished in the top 10 in the league in saves seven times.

Fingers won three World Series titles while with Oakland from 1972-74 and was the MVP of the 1974 Series, earning a win and two saves in four games. Fingers won or saved eight of the A’s 12 World Series victories during their three-year run atop the baseball world.

After the 1976 season, Fingers signed as a free agent with San Diego – where he led the league in saves during his first two seasons, the second of which he posted 37 saves and tied the National League record.

“With Fingers, you know exactly what you’re going to get, just about every time out,” said Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson.

Fingers led the league in saves again in 1981, but this time it was in the American League after a trade to the Brewers. Fingers finished his career with 114 wins, a record 341 saves, 1,299 strikeouts, a 2.90 ERA and 1,701.1 innings pitched in 944 games.

“He’s the master,” said fellow relief pitcher Dan Quisenberry. “Look at his durability and longevity. He always knows how to make the right pitch.”

Fingers began his career as a starter, but found limited success once he reached the big leagues. He credits manager Dick Williams for moving him to the bullpen and turning him into a closer.

“Every organization realizes the importance of relief pitching now,” Fingers said. “Whether I had anything to do with that or not, I’ll leave that up to others to determine.”

Fingers got his answer when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992.

Read MoreRead Less
Sort:
Filters
19 results
Goose Gossage, Juan Marichal, Rollie Fingers, Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Phil Niekro on Field…
Object number: HF-2017-0004-003
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
2017 May 27
Goose Gossage, Juan Marichal, Rollie Fingers, Sammy Fingers, Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Phil …
Object number: HF-2017-0004-004
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
2017 May 27
Goose Gossage, Ozzie Smith, Rollie Fingers, Wade Boggs, Juan Marichal, and Phil Niekro in Dugou…
Object number: HF-2017-0004-002
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
2017 May 27
Moment of Silence for Jim Bunning photograph, 2017 May 27
Object number: HF-2017-0004-0210
Fruth, Jean
2017 May 27
Oakland Athletics Mascots photograph, 2017 June 17
Object number: HF-2017-0004-0755
Fruth, Jean
2017 June 17
Oakland Athletics Mascots Running photograph, 2017 June 17
Object number: HF-2017-0004-0777
Fruth, Jean
2017 June 17
Rollie and Sammy Fingers photograph, 2017 May 27
Object number: HF-2017-0004-0135
Fruth, Jean
2017 May 27
Rollie Fingers bobblehead
Object number: B-2018-0030-153
BDA, Inc.
2005 July 16
Rollie Fingers bobblehead
Object number: B-2018-0030-593
BDA, Inc.
2012 April 21
Rollie Fingers scouting report, 1976 September 05
Object number: BL-2012-00178-0592
Bockman, Eddie, 1920-2011
1976 September 05
Rollie Fingers scouting report, 1976 September 06
Object number: BL-2012-00178-0593
Bockman, Eddie, 1920-2011
1976 September 06
Rollie Fingers scouting report, 1976 September 08
Object number: BL-2012-00178-0594
Bockman, Eddie, 1920-2011
1976 September 08