A's to celebrate 25th anniversary of 1989 World Championship this weekend

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the club's 1989 World Series title-a four-game sweep over their Bay Area rivals, the San Francisco Giants-Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19, against the Baltimore Orioles.

The two-day celebration will feature appearances by players from the 1989 team, including '89 World Series Most Valuable Player Dave Stewart, Hall of Famers Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley and manager Tony La Russa, as well as Jose Canseco, Dave Henderson, Carney Lansford, Dave Parker, current A's coaches Mike Gallego and Curt Young, Lance Blankenship, Todd Burns, Mike Moore, Dave Parker, Ken Phelps, Tony Phillips, and 1989 coaches Merv Rettenmund and Tommie Reynolds.

On Friday, July 18, there will be special '89 autograph sessions in the Eastside Club lower lobby, with various members of the team (Blankenship, Burns, Canseco, Dave Henderson, Lansford, Moore, Parker, Phelps, Phillips, Stewart, Rettenmund, Reynolds). A limited number of tickets priced at $25 will go on sale at 4:35 p.m. on Bleacher Concourse behind Section 142, with the first of four autograph sessions beginning at 6:15 p.m. Fans will be limited to one autograph ticket per session, and players participating in each session will be released at the time of purchase.

Proceeds from all events during the weekend will benefit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation, the preferred charity of Dave Henderson.

On Saturday, July 19, there will be Hall of Fame autograph sessions with Rickey Henderson (6:45 - 7:15 p.m.), Dennis Eckersley (7:15 - 7:45 p.m.) and Tony La Russa (7:45 - 8:15 p.m.). Autograph tickets are $50 per session, with each session lasting 30 minutes and featuring one player. Fifty tickets for each session will go on sale on Bleacher Concourse behind Section 142 at 3:35 p.m. In addition, a limited number of fans who made a donation to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation will take part in a special sold-out meet-and-greet with members of '89 team before Saturday's game.

The celebration continues with a pre-game on-field ceremony honoring the members of the '89 squad beginning Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Fifteen thousand fans in attendance will receive a 1989 Throwback T-Shirt, presented by Sungevity, and Dave Stewart-MVP of the 1989 World Series-will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The Oakland Athletics captured their fourth World Championship in 1989, sweeping the Giants after the infamous Loma Prieta earthquake interrupted play prior to Game 3. That season, the A's won their second of three-straight American League pennants, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays four games to one in the American League Championship Series.

The '89 club finished the regular season with a 99-63 record behind a 33-homer season by Mark McGwire, a pitching staff that featured four players with at least 17 wins-Stewart (21-9), Davis (19-7), Moore (19-11) and the late Bob Welch (17-8)-and a 33-save campaign by Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley. Stewart and Moore each won a pair of games in the World Series, as the A's outscored the Giants 32-14 in the four-game sweep.

Tickets for this weekend's games-along with all A's home games-can be purchased at all usual ticket outlets, including the O.co Coliseum Box Office, online at www.athletics.com/tickets, or over the phone by calling 877-493-BALL (2255). Season, group and suite tickets can be purchased by calling 510-638-GoA's (4627).

More information about the 1989 World Series Reunion can be found online at www.athletics.com/1989.