by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

ANAHEIM–Ron “Bergy” Bergman documented and coined the phrase the “Swingin’ A’s” during the 1970’s and the Oakland Athletics dynasty(1972-73-74)winning three consecutive World Series, they are the only team that has done that, winning three World Series in a row aside from the New York Yankees in Major League baseball history. The Yankees won five straight World Series the fifth one being in 1953. Bergman passed away at age 80.

Everybody that knew him called him “Bergy”.he was born in Philadelphia, January 1, 1935. Graduated from Washington High School in San Francisco was the sports editor for Cal-Berkeley of the Daily Californian from 1959-1960, previously served his country in the US Navy from 1955 to 1957. Worked for the Oroville Mercury Register, the Oakland Tribune, the Associated Press, and the San Jose Mercury News.

Today players and co-workers alike expressed their feelings in remembering “Bergy”, and these where some the words most used: skilled, witty, fair, honest, story-teller. Aside from the Oakland Athletics he also covered the Oakland Raiders and the Golden State Warriors. Ron Bergman also covered other stories, aside from sports, like the last Beatles concert which was held at Candlestick Park, San Francisco in 1966.

He was always curious searching for information and every time I spoke with him, in the press box at the Oakland Coliseum he would asked me stuff about Hispanic players and gave me his opinions on many issues, as we chatted and spoke mostly about baseball.

Ron passed this Thursday at Sunrise of Oakland Hills, Oakland, California, of complications from Parkinson’s disease; surviving children are Anne and Adam, his former wife Sally, his brother Jim and two grandchildren. This past March Nick Peters passed, followed in April,by Lon Simmons, they must be building a heck of a league in Heaven.

Rest in Peace Bergy.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for the Angels, the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and does News and Commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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