April 13, 1968 Washington Senators (vs. Oakland Athletics) Last Out Baseball - First Win in as Oakland A's!

Presented is an extraordinary game-used baseball from one of the most significant contests in Oakland Athletics history: the final-out ball from the club’s first-ever victory as the Oakland Athletics, a 7-3 win over the Washington Senators on April 13, 1968. The Athletics’ relocation from Kansas City to Oakland prior to the 1968 season marked the beginning of a new chapter for the franchise, and this early-season victory represented an important milestone for the newly relocated club. The offered ball was used to record the final out of that historic game, permanently linking it to the Athletics’ first victory representing their new home city.

The baseball is accompanied by a one-page, handwritten letter of provenance from John Donaldson, second baseman for the Athletics, dated July 16, 2026. In it, he writes, in full: “I hereby guarantee the authenticity of this game used baseball from the Oakland Athletics very first win in franchise history. The date was April 13 1968. Ron Hansen hit a pop fly and I caught it for the last out of the game for our first win of 1968. John D. Donaldson.” Donaldson has added a number of contemporary notations to the panels of the baseball, including “Hit by Ron Hansen SS Senators,” “Caught by John Donaldson 2nd. Base,” and “Oakland 9 Senators 7.” He has also recently signed the baseball across the sweet spot, directly above the date “April 13th 1968,” which appears in vintage ink and dates from the period.

The 1968 season proved to be a turning point for the organization, as a talented young roster featuring future stars Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Joe Rudi, and Catfish Hunter began laying the foundation for the dynasty that would capture three consecutive World Championships from 1972 through 1974. Donaldson, who appeared in 127 games for Oakland that season, was himself an important member of that young club, making his firsthand provenance particularly noteworthy. Few artifacts can offer such a direct connection to the very beginning of that celebrated era.

Game-used baseballs tied to specific historic events are among the most evocative pieces of baseball memorabilia, and an actual final-out ball preserved by the player who recorded that final out carries an especially compelling provenance. More than half a century later, this remarkable baseball survives as a tangible piece of Athletics history from the very beginning of the franchise’s Oakland era and would make a superb addition to any advanced collection of Oakland Athletics, game-used, or historic baseball memorabilia.