Rollie Fingers

Roland Glen Fingers grew up in Cucamonga, California, where his father George, a former Cardinals minor leaguer who once roomed with Stan Musial, worked at a steel mill after the family drove west from Steubenville, Ohio, selling the house for $1,500 and sleeping in bags along the roadside. Fingers saved 341 games across 17 seasons, won the 1974 World Series MVP, earned the 1981 AL MVP and Cy Young Award in the same season, appeared in 16 of 19 World Series games across three consecutive Oakland championships, and grew a waxed handlebar mustache that became inseparable from his identity as a pitcher and from the game's identity as a sport that could still surprise you. Alvin Dark, who managed Fingers in Oakland, summarized his value in one sentence. "A fellow has to have faith in God above and Rollie Fingers in the bullpen." The BBWAA elected Fingers to the Hall of Fame in 1992 on 81.2 percent of the ballot.

Cucamonga

Fingers was born on August 25, 1946, in Steubenville, Ohio. His father pitched four years in the Cardinals system and moved the family to California when Rollie was young. The Athletics signed Fingers on Christmas Eve 1964, and on minor league opening day 1967, while pitching for Birmingham in Double-A, a line drive shattered his cheekbone and jaw and knocked out teeth. His jaw was wired shut for five weeks. He married his high school sweetheart Jill nine days before the injury.

Fingers debuted with Oakland on September 15, 1968, and manager Dick Williams converted him to full-time relief in 1971. The result was immediate. From 1972 through 1974, the Athletics won three consecutive World Series championships, and Fingers appeared in 16 of the 19 games, compiling two wins, six saves, and a 1.35 ERA across the three Series. In the 1974 World Series against the Dodgers, he earned one win and two saves, including two scoreless innings to close out the decisive Game 5, and won the Series MVP. He threw that final game with pain shooting through his arm. "I was getting tired," Fingers said. "The back of my arm hurt so I couldn't get a breaking ball over."

The Mustache

The mustache began as a dare. Reggie Jackson showed up to 1972 spring training with facial hair, and several teammates grew their own, expecting management to enforce the clean-shaven standard by Opening Day. Instead, owner Charlie Finley offered a $300 bonus to any player sporting a mustache when the season started, and the club became known as "the Mustache Gang." Fingers patterned his after 19th-century ballplayers, waxing the tips into curled points, and won the team's best-mustache competition against Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman. He wore it for the rest of his career and the rest of his life.

After Finley's era ended, Fingers signed with San Diego as a free agent and saved 108 games across four Padres seasons, accounting for more than half the team's 69 victories in 1977 with 35 saves. On June 7, 1980, he broke Hoyt Wilhelm's career saves record with save number 228. He moved to Milwaukee for the 1981 season and produced the finest year of his career, going 6-3 with 28 saves and a 1.04 ERA, allowing just nine runs in 78 innings for a strike-shortened season. He saved 45 percent of the Brewers' 62 victories and won both the AL MVP (the first American League reliever to earn the award) and the Cy Young.

The Mustache Again

The following September, Fingers tore a forearm muscle in a doubleheader against Cleveland and missed the 1982 World Series, which the Brewers lost to the Cardinals in seven games. Tendinitis cost him the entire 1983 season, and a herniated disk required surgery in August 1984. He came back for 23 saves in 1984 and retired after the 1985 season at 38.

After his release from Milwaukee, the Cincinnati Reds offered Fingers a contract for 1986 under manager Pete Rose. Owner Marge Schott enforced a clean-cut appearance policy and told him to shave the mustache. "Well, you tell Marge Schott to shave her Saint Bernard," Fingers said, "and I'll shave my moustache." He retired instead, with 341 saves, then the most in the history of the game. Both the Athletics and the Brewers retired his number 34.