George C. Scott in a Movie as Charlie O. Finley.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Decades before Hollywood brought to the screen Moneyball in 2011, a non-fiction book by Michael Lewis about the 2002 season under Oakland Athletics manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) the Oakland A’s almost had a movie made depicting the live and success of A’s owner Charlie O. Finley by actor George C. Scott.

The Oakland A’s are one of only two teams to have won three or more consecutive World Series in history The New York Yankees who won a total of a record 27 World Series, had these consecutive titles: 1936-39 (4) 1949-53 (5) and 1998-2000 (3). The Athletics won in 1972-73-74. Nobody (including the Yankees) have won more than 3 consecutive World Series since 2000.

According to Nancy Finley, whose uncle was Charlie O Finley, Charlie was informed that George C. Scott was going to play him in a 1977 film depicting the great success of the “Swinging A’s” of the early 70’s dynasty. However by 1977 when Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States, there was high inflation and slow economic growth in the country, and like Nancy Finley told me “funding for this movie was rescinded”.

Actor George C. Scott (1927-1999) was a great actor who won numerous awards and nominations in the US and internationally. Nominated in 1959 for Anatomy of a Murder, 1961 for The Hustler, won in 1970 for his great portrayal of US Army General George C. Patton and was nominated in 1971 for the movie The Hospital.

George C. Scott did not have a great concept of Hollywood. As a matter of fact asked that his name be withdrawn and never accepted the Oscar he won for Patton. He was a Hollywood outcast who called the Oscars (quote) “a two hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons” and (quote) “I respectfully request that you withdraw my name from the name of nominees”.

In the photo George C. Scott doing some ‘acting’ with a face showing displeasure as next to him Charlie O. Finley presented him with a small replica of an Oscar with a baseball. Who knows, Scott might have won another Oscar if he was nominated and won for the Charlie O. Finley A’s movie. Obviously we will never know and even if he had won it he would probably have not accepted.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s on flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com