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Born Salvatore Leonard Bando in Cleveland, Ohio on February 13, 1944, Bando attended Arizona State University. A standout third baseman at Arizona, he was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics in 1965, which dwelled at the bottom of the American League, which allowed a talented young player to reach the majors that much quicker.
Bando was 22 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 3, 1966, with the Athletics in Kansas City. (In 1968, the team moved to Oakland and began calling itself the A's.) Bando was a key player for 11 seasons with Charley Finley's K.C./Oakland A's, developing into an All-Star third baseman and the emotional leader of the team. He was a pivotal part of Oakland's success in the first half of the 1970s, during which the team ran off five consecutive division championships (1971-75) and won three consecutive World Series (1972-74.)
In the early part of his career, Bando appeared on track for a Hall of Fame career, but like some of his other teammates on the Oakland A's (with the notable exception of Catfish Hunter and Reggie Jackson, his production declined when he was in his 30s. However, he remained a very good player who drew walks, had good power and fielded well at the hot spot. His ability to get on base was his greatest strength, and he had no real glaring weaknesses as a player. In sum, Bando was a solid fielder and though he wasn't fast, he was a smart baserunner. Bando got everything out of his strengths and worked very hard to eliminate his weaknesses. He still ranks as Oakland's All-Time leader in games played (1410) and RBI (789), while ranking second in extra-base hits (422), at bats (4991), and total bases (2107), and third in runs (725).
A great team player who many considered the heart of the A's dynasty of the early 70s, Bando finished second in the voting for the Most Valuable Player award in 1971, behind teammate Vida Blue. In the 1973 World Series, when A's owner Charlie Finley punished second baseman Mike Andrews after he made two errors against the Mets by attempting to release the infielder, Bando wore a black arm band to show his solidarity with Andrews. The rest of the A's emulated Bando, and Commissioner 'Bowie Kukhn' felt the necessity of intervening and forbidding the display. (He also forced Finley to rescind the release.)
Like many of his A's teammates, Bando fled the Finley madhouse as soon as he could, when free agency finally came to major league baseball. A member of the first class of free agents, Bando signed with future Commissioner Bud Selig's Milwaukee Brewers as free agent on November 16, 1976. In his last year with the team (and his last as a pro player), the Brewers won the American League Eastern Division in the second half of the strike-torn 1981 season.
Bando's leadership qualities on the field were apparent when, after retiring as a player, he became a successful businessman and baseball executive. He served eight years as the Milwaukee Brewers Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations. Aside from working with the Brewers, Bando, along with Jon McGlocklin, former Milwaukee Bucks star, founded Bando-McGlocklin Capital Corporation. Their company provides real estate loans to businesses. Because of his role with the Brewers, Sal is no longer involved in the company's day-to-day operations but is on its Board of Directors.
Actively involved in the Milwaukee community, Bando is a member of the Boys and Girls Club and the Advisory Board of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Sal and his wife, Sandy are on the Board of Directors of the Child Abuse Prevention Fund (the Brewers' official charity), the St. Ann Intergenerational Care Center, the Wisconsin Right to Life Veritas Society, and Heartlove Place. Currently residing in Mequon, Wisconsin, Sal and Sandy have three sons: Sal, Jr., Sonny and Stefano.
