Family pushes for recognition of Oakland A's late mascot mule

Wayne Freedman Image
ByWayne Freedman KGO logo
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Family pushes for recognition of A's late mascot mule
A member of the Finley family is pushing the Oakland Athletics for recognition of the team's late mascot named Charlie O. ahead of Turn Back The Clock Day.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Many Oakland Athletics fans weren't born when the team won three consecutive World Series, so that may be the reason why some don't remember Charlie O., the Oakland A's mascot mule in both Kansas City and Oakland.

Owner Charles Finley named the mule after himself. He took Charlie O. to events, restaurants, bars, games and onto the field before every home game.

PHOTOS: Family pushes for recognition of A's late mascot

Charlie O's remains are kept inside a couple of wooden boxes. They're under the care and keeping of Nancy Finley, a cousin of the owning family. Her father worked in the team's front office and she spent plenty of time there, too.

When the Finley family sold the Oakland A's in 1981, they declined to take Charlie O's ashes.

Now, Nancy has them and she's pushing the Oakland A's for recognition. The team will be giving away t-shirts with Charlie's O's picture on them for Turn Back The Clock Day on June 27. This will be the team's first recognition of Charlie O. since 1981, but there is an issue because Nancy claims the rights to the image.

In exchange for the image, Nancy wants the Finley family remembered with a memorial and she wants Charlie O. interred in the outfield of any new stadium.

The Oakland A's didn't release a comment on Monday.

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