September 4, 2002: Oakland A’s Win 20th Straight, Set AL Record

In 2002, the Oakland Athletics achieved one of the most remarkable feats in Major League Baseball history when they won their 20th consecutive game, setting an American League record at the time. The streak, which captivated fans and sportswriters alike, symbolized the triumph of strategy and resilience over financial limitations, as the A’s operated on one of the smallest budgets in baseball. Under General Manager Billy Beane, the team employed a data-driven approach known as “Moneyball,” focusing on overlooked statistics like on-base percentage to assemble a competitive roster. The 20th win came on September 4, 2002, in dramatic fashion against the Kansas City Royals, with Scott Hatteberg hitting a walk-off home run after the A’s had blown an 11–0 lead. That moment cemented the streak as not just a record, but a defining chapter in modern baseball history.

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The Athletics’ achievement was all the more remarkable because it demonstrated the effectiveness of unconventional thinking in sports management. Their streak captured national attention, proving that success wasn’t always about star power or large payrolls, but about maximizing value from available resources. Although the A’s would eventually fall short in the postseason that year, the 20-game streak left a lasting legacy, later popularized by Michael Lewis’s book Moneyball and its film adaptation starring Brad Pitt. The record stood firm for 15 years until 2017, when the Cleveland Indians surpassed it with a 22-game winning streak, but the Athletics’ run remains one of the most celebrated underdog stories in baseball.

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