The Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, currently named RingCentral Coliseum, is the only remaining stadium to share home games with both an MLB and NFL team. It appears that those days are numbered, with the planned move of the Raiders to Las Vegas next year. So, let’s revisit some noteworthy October events with the Oakland Coliseum.
1) On October 17th, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit just before the start of Game three of the World Series, the “Battle of the Bay,” between the A’s and Giants. The World Series stopped for ten days. The A’s had won the first two games, held at the Coliseum. Who was the MVP for the (finally) winning Oakland A’s on October 28th?
2) On October 24th, 1976, the Raiders were in the middle of the season that would bring them their first Super Bowl victory. They defeated the Green Bay Packers 18-14. John Madden was coaching the Raiders, of course, and opposite him was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, who one year later would make it to the Hall of Fame. Name that coach.
3) One of the peaks of the rock band “The Who” was their 1976 tour. They played at the Coliseum on the 9th. Who was the drummer, who would be dead less than a year later?
4) Opening for “The Who” that October day was a band that still holds the record for most concert appearances in the Coliseum. Name that local band.
5) On October 13th, 1973, the Oakland A’s were on their way to their second consecutive World Series victory, this time over the New York Mets. Who started in place of Rusty Staub for the Mets that day? It was his final major league start.
6) On October 26th, 1980, the Oakland Raiders defeated the Seattle Seahawks 33-14 at the Coliseum. What Raiders quarterback threw multiple touchdown passes that day, on his way to becoming Super Bowl MVP?
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