Oakland Athletics: The Top 50 Oakland A’s of All-Time

#20: Ray Fosse

Oakland Athletics broadcaster Ray Fosse was a two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner with the Cleveland Indians, notching the honors in both 1970 and 1971. He was the catching mastermind behind Gaylord Perry’s Cy Young Award season in ’71, and he caught Dennis Eckersley’s no-hitter against the California Angels on May 30, 1977 when they were both playing for the Tribe.

His career as a player for the Oakland A’s was not so illustrious, although he played on two World Championship teams after being traded to the Athletics in 1973. Injuries, including one sustained while breaking up a fight in the clubhouse, kept him from being as effective as he had been with Cleveland. Infamously, he separated his shoulder in a home plate collision with Pete Rose during the 1970 All-Star game, and the lingering effects from that only compounded his other health issues.

But Fosse doesn’t make the top 50 Athletics because of his time on the field. Rather, it’s his work in the booth that makes him a legend. Fosse has been the A’s color commentator either on radio or television since 1986, most recently making the majority of his contributions on the tv broadcast side of things. He was even nominated for the Ford C. Frick Award, which is the highest honor that a baseball broadcaster can win.

While there are some who have grown tired of Fosse after so many years, he’s truly one of the best at his job. After listening to fill-ins like Eric Chavez or Shooty Babitt, honestly, Fosse knows what he’s doing. After 30 years of adding personality and insight to the play-by-play, Fosse has earned himself a place in Athletics history.

Next: Top 50 Oakland Athletics: #19