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The Original Philadelphia Athletics

The PAYSA name is a tribute to the Philadelphia Athletics, who represented the city of Philadelphia in the American League from 1901-1954. The name Athletics originated in the late 19th Century, when sports fans who worked at various Philadelphia Athletic Clubs came together and formed a baseball team called the Athletics. That team joined the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players on March 17, 1871 and played there until the league folded in 1875. The Athletics then played in the inaugural year of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs before being expelled with financial problems. The Philadelphia Athletics did play in what was considered the first game in the history of Major League Baseball on April 22, 1876, losing to the Boston Red Caps 6-5.

In 1901, when Connie Mack was given an American League franchise in Philadelphia to compete with the Phillies, he picked the Athletics name as a tribute to Philadelphia's first professional baseball team.

During their 54-year tenure in Philadelphia, the Athletics made eight trips to the World Series (1905, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1929, 1930,1931), winning the World Championship five times (1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930). They also won the American League Championship in 1902, prior to the start of the World Series in 1903. Notable players include Hall of Famers: Ty Cobb (1927-1928), Mickey Cochrane (1925-1933), Eddie Collins (1906-14, 1927-30), Nellie Fox (1947-1949), Jimmie Foxx (1925-1935), Lefty Grove (1925-1933), Al Simmons (1924-32, 40-41, 44) and Tris Speaker (1928). The Athletics franchise moved to Kansas City in 1954, and then eventually to Oakland in 1968 where they still play today.

Find out more about the history of the Philadelphia Athletics here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philadelphia_Athletics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Athletics_(1860–76)

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/al/philadelphia/phillya_s.html

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/