Rollie Fingers
- Style
- Handlebar
- Peak Era
- 1970s
- Born
- 1946
- Hall of Fame
- Inducted 2024
- Fan Votes
- 0 legendary · 0 meh
- Battle Wins
- 1
About Rollie Fingers
Roland Glen Fingers was born in 1946 in Steubenville, Ohio, and became the prototype of the modern relief ace. He debuted with the Oakland Athletics in 1968 and anchored the bullpen of the swaggering "Mustache Gang" A's that won three consecutive World Series from 1972 to 1974, taking home World Series MVP honors in 1974.
After Oakland he pitched for the San Diego Padres (1977–1980) and the Milwaukee Brewers (1981–1985). In the strike-shortened 1981 season he did something no reliever had done before: he won both the American League MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same year. He retired with 341 saves, then the all-time record.
Fingers was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992, and his number is retired by both the A's and the Brewers. He is, without serious argument, the most famous mustache in the history of the sport.
Why the Stach Became Iconic
The waxed handlebar started as a gimmick. In 1972 A's owner Charlie Finley offered $300 to any player who would grow a mustache for a "Mustache Day" promotion; Fingers went full 1890s barbershop and never looked back. Fifty years later the curl is still the visual shorthand for "old-school closer."
It is the rare sports mustache that is both a championship mustache and a comedy mustache, and it somehow made both jobs look easy.
Career Highlights
- Oakland Athletics (1968–1976) — World Series champion 1972, 1973, 1974
- San Diego Padres (1977–1980)
- Milwaukee Brewers (1981–1985) — AL MVP and Cy Young Award, 1981
- World Series MVP, 1974
- Baseball Hall of Fame, Class of 1992
- He reportedly grew the mustache to collect a $300 bonus from owner Charlie Finley in 1972.
- He has said he uses a mustache wax to keep the curl, a ritual he has maintained for decades.
- Fingers was the first pitcher to win the MVP and Cy Young in the same season as a reliever.
- Both Oakland and Milwaukee retired his number 34.
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