Kansas City Royals - The Reagan Years (1980-1989)

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1980

1983

1987

Decade

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Titles:

Top Royals Players of the Eighties

1980 - Won AL title (Beat Yankees in ALCS, Lost to Phillies in World Series)

1984 - Won Division (Lost to Tigers in ALCS)

Pitchers:

1985 - World Champs (Beat Blue Jays in ALCS, Beat Cards in World Series)

Dan Quisenberry (24.7) - 70

Bret Saberhagen (32.12) - 63

Ballpark:

Mark Gubicza (26.31) - 53

Royals Stadium

Charlie Leibrandt (23.01) - 50

Lary Gura (11.19) - 49

Team Name:

Dennis Leonard (8.97) - 35

Royals

Bud Black (12.86) - 26

Danny Jackson (10.45) - 21

Owner:

Paul Splittorff (3.94) - 21

Ewing Kauffman

Steve Farr (6.78) - 11

General Managers:

Catchers:

Joe Burke (1980-1981)

John Wathan (3.95) - 23

John Schuerholz (1982-1989)

Bob Boone (2.43) - 11

Managers:

First Basemen:

Jim Frey (1980-1981)

Willie Mays Aikens (7.08) - 24

Dick Howser (1982-1986)

Steve Balboni (1.04) - 16

Mike Ferraro (1986)

Billy Gardner (1987)

Second Basemen:

John Wathan (1987-1989)

Frank White (24.08) - 46

Hall of Famers:

ShortStop:

George Brett

U.L. Washington (8.14) - 26

Kurt Stillwell (5) - 11

Rookie of the Year:

Lou Piniella (1969)

Third Base:

George Brett (47.67) - 86

MVP

Kevin Seitzer (13.16) - 20

George Brett (1980)

Outfield:

No Hitters:

Willie Wilson (32.88) - 112

None

Bo Jackson (3.53) - 24

Hal McRae (10.35) - 24

Cy Young:

Amos Otis (4.01) - 22

Brett Saberhagen (1985)

Danny Tartabull (7.43) - 15

Brett Saberhagen (1989)

Lonnnie Smith (3.36) - 15

Notable Events:

1980 - Kansas City enters the Eighties on a roll having had won

Division titles in '76-'78 and finishing second in '79.

1983 - The Pine Tar Game. George Brett hits a game winning home run

The group was young enough to carry the Royals forward in the Eighties.

against the Yankees only to have it disallowed because of an illegal

At the plate, the core of George Brett, Willie Wilson, Hal McRae

amount of pine tar on his bat. The umpries correctly uphold the Yankees'

and Frank White would still be around for KC's title run in '85

protest that there is more than 18 inches of pine tar on the bat.

And Brett, Wilson and White would still be key members of the club

Brett childishly goes ballistic at the ruling and has to be restrained from

at the end of the decade, 1989, when KC finished second.

the umpires by several players. The Royals protest the ruling and the

On the mound , the big three of Gura, Splittorff and Leonard would

Commissioner's Office upholds the Royals protest of the protest in an

carry the Royals for three more seasons before getting old simultaniously.

incredibly moronic and short sighted decision.

However, after a down 1983, new GM John Schuerholz would have

The commissioner' s ruling undermined the umpires, who were absolutely

brought in a new set of young aces to last KC thru the end of the

correct in their decision. This was just another example of the lack of

decade including a World Title in '85

support that the Commissioner's Office in the Bowie Kuhn era had for

the umpires and it led to a militant movement within the umpire's

1980 - George Brett emerges as a superstar, flirting with .400 all

association causing all sorts of problems with and for umpires down

season before finishing up at .390

the road for years to come culminating in a number of veteran umpire

firings in the nineties due to their belligerent on field attitudes fomented

1980 - The Royals finally beat the Yankees in the ALCS, sweeping

by the lack of support by the Commissioner. It can't be overstated how

them, before losing to the Phillies in the World Series.

bad this decision was for the game's umpire relations

1981 - In a strike torn season, the Royals win the second half title,

1984 - Submariner Dan Quisenberry saves a record 44 games.

but lose to Billy Martin's A's in the playoff for the Western title.

1985 - The Royals finally win a World Series in their sixth post season

1981 - Righthander Mark Gubicza, 21, is selected in the 2nd round

try beating their Missouri rival, the Cardinals, and Whitey Herzog,

of the draft.

Royals ex-manager.

1982 - John Schuerholz takes over as GM as Joe Burke is kicked

1986 - Manager Dick Howser falls ill to a brain tumor and dies the

upstairs to President to make room for him.

following season.

Schuerholz would become one of the best General Managers of all time,

keeping the Royals afloat for the rest of the decade before

1986 - Third Baseman Kevin Seitzer, 24, is a rookie. He was an eleventh

moving on to the Braves and helping build their dynasty in the Nineties.

round pick in the 1983 draft.

Schuerholz knew pitching, as he restocked the Royals rotation with

aces before presiding over one of the greatest staffs in baseball

1986 - Outfielder Bo Jackson, 23, is selected in the fourth round of the

history in Atlanta.

free agent draft. Bo was a superstar running back with the Oakland Raiders,

but going by the great athlete theory, the Royals wanted to give him a shot

1982 - Twenty year old lefty, Danny Jackson, is selected in the first

at baseball - the baseball Acadamy thing obviously hadn't completely left

round of the draft. He is a rookie in '83

their minds. Anyway, it was a huge success as Bo was a bonafide superstar

with the Royals. Jackson would suffer a career (both football and baseball)

1982 - Lefthander Bud Black, 25, is acquired from Seattle for

ending degenerative hip injury in 1991 playing football.

Manny Castillo

A great loss for everybody involved in both sports.

1982 - Righthander Bret Saberhagen, 18, is selected in the 19th round

1987 - Slugging outfielder Danny Tartabull, 24, is stolen from Seattle

of the draft. He is a rookie in '84

in a five player deal.

1982 - Willie Wilson is batting champ and Hal McRae is RBI champ

1987 - Catcher Mike MacFarlane, 23, is a rookie.

He was a fourth round pick in the 1985 draft

1983 - Lefthander Charlie Liebrandt, 26, is stolen from the Reds in

exchange for Bob Tufts. He comes up to the Royals in '84

1988 - Righthander Tom Gordon, 20, is rookie.

He was a 6th round pick in the '86 draft

1988 - Reliever Jeff Montgomery, 26, is obtained from the Reds in a

trade for journeyman Van Snider

1989 - Righthander Kevin Appier, 21, is a rookie.

He was the ninth overall selection in the 1987 draft