The 1976 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's finishing second in the American League West with a record of 87 wins and 74 losses, games behind the Kansas City Royals. The A's failed to win the division (and make the playoffs) for the first time since 1970. The team set and still holds the American League record for most stolen bases with 341, second in Major League Baseball's modern era (since 1901) to the 1911 New York Giants, who had 347. The Athletics did not eclipse this season's win total until 1988 (104 wins). Nearly all of the team's stars (Sal Bando, Rollie Fingers, Gene Tenace, Joe Rudi, Bert Campaneris, Don Baylor, Phil Garner, Billy Williams, Claudell Washington, and an injury-plagued Willie McCovey) departed after this season. This staggering mass exodus led to a 24-win plunge in 1977 to last place in the standings and attendance. Offseason October 10, 1975: Dal Maxvill was released. December 9, 1975: Ray Fosse was purchased by the Cleveland Indians. April 2, 1976: Reggie Jackson, Ken Holtzman, and Bill Van Bommell (minors) were traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Don Baylor, Mike Torrez, and Owner Charlie Finley stated that he made the trade to obtain more pitching for the He later admitted that he had refused to agree to Jackson's salary April 5, 1976: Ken McMullen was signed as a free agent. Regular season As the season got underway (on April 9 for Oakland), the basic rules of player contracts were changing. It was ruled that baseball's reserve clause only bound players for one season after their contract expired. All players not signed to multi-year contracts would be eligible for free agency at the end of the 1976 season. Finley reacted by trading star players and attempting to sell others. On June 15, Finley sold left fielder Joe Rudi and relief pitcher Rollie Fingers to the Boston Red Sox for $1 million each, and pitcher Vida Blue to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million. Three days later, Bowie Kuhn voided the transactions in the "best interests of baseball." Amid the turmoil, the A's still finished second in the A.L. West, 2.5 games behind the Royals. Fire sale Before the June 15 trading deadline, Finley contacted the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. He had proposed a trade to the Red Sox that would have involved Joe Rudi, Rollie Fingers, Vida Blue, Gene