Monte: Moore inducted into A’s Hall of Fame | Photos

SACRAMENTO – Fingers, Campaneris, McGwire, Canseco, LaRussa – Moore.

Porterville’s Monte Moore took his rightful place among the legends of one of Major League Baseball’s most illustrious franchises when he was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park.

The A’s are now playing in Sacramento through 2027 until their new ballpark in Las Vegas is ready. Moore was inducted into the hall along with the A’s “Big Three,” Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson, the three pitchers who were the heart of the A’s starting rotation. They were with the team from 2000-2004 and led the A’s to four straight playoff appearances.

Whether it was a coincidence or not the ceremony took place before the A’s played the Cincinnati Reds, which was fitting since the Oakland A’s beat the Reds in seven games for their first World Series title in 1972. Of course Moore was behind the mic for those games.

The ceremony began with the current Hall of Famers taking their place on the field. There was Rollie Fingers and Bert Campaneris, who were members of the A’s teams who won three straight World Series from 1972-1974 and of course Moore broadcast for those teams.

There was Dave Stewart, who played for the A’s World Championship team in 1989. Moore was also a broadcaster for that team so he broadcast for four World Championship teams.

Moore also called Dave Stewart’s no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in 1990 for the television broadcast. Moore’s call of Stewart’s no-hitter was featured during a montage honoring Moore on the Big Screen during the ceremony.

Stewart said Moore gave the scorecard he kept of that game to him a couple years ago. “Monte is one of my all-time favorites,” Stewart said. “I love Monte.”

There was also Tony LaRussa, who was the manager for the 1989 World Series title A’s team. And Mark McGwire, Carney Lansford, Jose Canseco and Terry Steinbach, all also members of that 1989 squad.

Current A’s broadcaster Ken Korach, who served as the master of ceremonies for the ceremony, began by saying “we’re inducting four very special people.”

Moore was the first to be inducted and Korach mentioned how Moore was part of the NBC national television broadcasts with Curt Gowdy for those three World Series from 1972-1974, saying he “represented the A’s so well on those broadcasts.”

Korach said Moore was “very instrumental to me,” calling him a “source of information and a source of inspiration.”

Moore began his speech by commenting on how impressed he was with his first trip to Sutter Health Park. “It’s a very, very nice facility,” he said.

Moore then talked about how then A’s owner Charlie Finley hired him to become the A’s announcer. In 1962 Moore was the broadcaster for the American Basketball League’s Kansas City Steers who were playing the Cleveland Pipers for the ABL title. The Pipers, by the way, were coached by 1944 Porterville High graduate Bill Sharman, who led the Pipers to the title.

Finley was listening to Moore’s broadcast and so impressed was Finley he decided to hire Moore. Moore went on to be the A’s radio play-by-play announcer from 1962 to 1977, first in Kansas City and then moving with the team when it came to Oakland in 1968.

Moore remained with the team even after buying KTIP radio and moving to Porterville as their television announcer from 1978-1980. He returned to become the A’s television broadcaster from 1988-1992.

About those 1972-1974 World Series teams, Moore said, “those teams were amazing to say the least.” He also acknowledged the widow of Ray Fosse, Carol Fosse, and his family. Fosse played for the A’s 1973 and 1974 World Series title teams and went on to be Moore’s broadcasting partner on televised A’s games. “He was an all-star player, an all-star broadcaster and an all-star person,” Moore said.

He also acknowledged the Big Three, saying, “it’s an honor to be inducted with you three guys.”

In addition Moore talked about one of his proudest accomplishments, broadcasting more than 3,000 straight games with the A’s.

“We love you Monte,” yelled out one fan as Moore was talking.

After Moore was done, Korach noted Moore is 95 years old. “He could still broadcast right now,” Korach said.

During his speech Hudson said, “Barry, Tim, Monte, congratulations. I couldn’t be prouder to be up here with the three of you.”

Zito also acknowledged his fellow members of the 2025 A’s Hall of Fame Class, saying “Mark, Tim, Monte, thank you for just being a part of this. This will be remembered forever.”

After the four were done it was time for them to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and Moore at 95 threw a strike, albeit, needing one bounce. “A pretty good throw,” said Monte’s son, Donnie Moore, city of Porterville assistant city manager.

The Porterville connection to the Hall of Fame ceremony was also demonstrated through Lansford, whose grandparents lived in Porterville. Lansford also knows 1974 Monache graduate Rance Mulliniks well as they were teammates with the California Angels.

During the broadcast of the game, a past broadcast showing Moore with Fosse was featured with Moore displaying a bell, representing his call of “dinger” when the A’s hit a home run.

Moore came up with the term after A’s pitcher Darold Knowles kept using the term when Moore interviewed him. The term became one of Moore’s signature calls and fans would bring bells to the Oakland Coliseum to ring whenever the A’s hit a home run.