AL West: White elephant in the room

Oakland A’s

Ever wonder what that white elephant logo on the left sleeve of A’s unis is all about? John McGraw, legendary manager of the New York Giants, leveled the phrase “white elephant” as an insult to the Philadelphia A’s at the turn of the previous century. The expression means a waste of money on something expensive yet utterly useless. The A’s owner and manager, Connie Mack, turned that harsh bit of negging around and appropriated the symbol for his team. It was embraced by fans en route to a sustained level of success that saw the A’s win three World Series all before the Kaiser and his royal cousins got frisky over the unfortunate ventilation of Archduke Ferdinand.

There are many ways one could level that same...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From PT Tomorrow

Injuries are piling up in Seattle's rotation, so who's next if they need more help?
May 13 2025 3:05am
Sandy Alcantara and his fellow Marlins SPs try to weather their early-season tempest. Plus: 3B in WAS; SS in PHI & ATL; Baty going batty at NYM; more.
May 12 2025 3:06am
What will the Cubs' top pitching prospect's role be with the club?
May 10 2025 3:06am
Both Logan Allen and Jackson Jobe are off to rough starts, but do their respective teams have better options?
May 9 2025 3:05am
Kershaw nearing a return to LA rotation; ARI bullpen update; players close to returning from injuries for COL, SD and SF
May 8 2025 3:10am

Tools