Rollie Fingers figured in three of the four Oakland victories, posting a win and two saves, and was honored with the World Series Most Valuable Player Award.
The Oakland Athletics, at the height of their dynasty as the "Swingin' A's", had consistently matching their on-field heroics with locker-room meltdowns and intra-squad theatrics for the American League.
After yet another banner year (Catfish Hunter won 25 games, Reggie Jackson knocked in 105 runs, and Billy North stole 54 bases), the team seemed to be winning more attention for its dysfunctional communication patterns than for its superior lineup.
Traumatized former second baseman Mike Andrews was considering legal action for the shabby treatment he received in the previous year's World Series.
And the Series-winning manager of the previous year, Dick Williams was long gone, having had one personality clash too many with the Athletics front office.
AL Oakland Athletics (4) vs. NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1) Reggie Jackson put the A's on the board first with a homer in the top of the second off 20-game winner Andy Messersmith.
The A's added another run in the fifth when starting pitcher Ken Holtzman, batting for the first time all season because of the designated hitter rule, doubled to left, went to third on a Messersmith wild pitch, and scored on a Bert Campaneris suicide squeeze bunt.
Bando reached third on the error, and attempted to score on a flyout to right by Jackson, but right fielder Joe Ferguson gunned him down at the plate.
In the bottom of the ninth, with Rollie Fingers on the mound, Jimmy Wynn hit a homer that just escaped the reach of Joe Rudi and North in left center.
The rally was squelched when Bill North hit into a double play in which first baseman Steve Garvey made an exceptional pickup of a low throw by Russell.
In the ninth inning the A's finally got on the board when Sal Bando led off with being hit by a pitch, Reggie Jackson followed with a double, and Joe Rudi singled both runners home.
Washington was a track star with no baseball experience whom the A's Charles Finley signed solely to appear as a pinch runner in late game situations.
Just after announcer Vin Scully said that Washington better be careful because pitcher Mike Marshall has a good pickoff move, he was promptly picked off first base.
The A's staked Vida Blue to a 2–0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings on a sacrifice fly by Sal Bando and a homer by Ray Fosse.
The Dodgers tied it in the sixth with two runs on a sacrifice fly by Jimmy Wynn and an RBI single by Steve Garvey.
Joe Rudi got what would turn out to be the game-winning RBI when he tagged Dodger ace reliever Mike Marshall with a homer in the bottom of the seventh.