1979 Kansas City Royals Season
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1979 Kansas City Royals Season
The 1979 Kansas City Royals season was their 11th season in Major League Baseball. The Royals finished second in the American League West at 85-77, three games behind the California Angels and ending Kansas City's run of three consecutive division titles. Darrell Porter tied a single-season franchise record with 112 runs batted in. George Brett led the American League in hits (212) and triples (20). Manager Whitey Herzog was fired following the season. Offseason * January 9, 1979: Mike Bielecki was drafted by the Royals in the 6th round of the 1979 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. * February 26, 1979: Eduardo Rodríguez was purchased by the Royals from the Milwaukee Brewers. Regular season Season standings Record vs. opponents Notable transactions * April 3, 1979: Doug Bird was traded by the Royals to the Philadelphia Phillies for Todd Cruz. * April 27, 1979: George Throop was traded by the Royals to the Houston Astros for a player to be named ...
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American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the West Coast of the United States, west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams. The current champion of this division is the Houston Astros. In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each. Division membership Current members * Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the National League West, NL West (1969–1993) and National League Central, NL Central (1994–2012) * Los Angeles AngelsThe Angels were formerly known as ...
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Mike Bielecki
Michael Joseph Bielecki (born July 31, 1959) is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues for five different teams. Major league career Pittsburgh Pirates After graduating from Dundalk High School, Bielecki attended Loyola College in Maryland for the 1977 –78 academic year. He pitched for the Greyhounds for only one season due to the university discontinuing its intercollegiate baseball program in the autumn of 1978. Bielecki was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round, with the eighth pick of the 1979 amateur draft (secondary phase). He made his debut on September 14, 1984. Bielecki spent the next four seasons with the Pirates, only playing full-time in 1986, finishing that season with a 6-11 record and a 4.66 ERA. Chicago Cubs In 1989, Bielecki won a career high 18 games for the Cubs and finished ninth in Cy Young Award voting. He was nicknamed "BOOM BOOM" Bielecki by Steve Stone for the two-run single he collected against the ...
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Steve Busby
Steven Lee "Buzz" Busby (born September 29, 1949) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Kansas City Royals. He batted and threw right-handed. High school Busby attended Fullerton Union High School in Fullerton, CA. Professional career A bright prospect, Busby won 56 games in his first three full seasons, only to have his career derailed by a rotator cuff tear. Drafted by the Royals in in the second round, the University of Southern California graduate made his debut the following season and stuck in the major leagues for good in , when he won 16 games and on April 27 pitched the first no-hitter in Kansas City Royals history, defeating the Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium 3–0 on April 27. Busby became the first no-hit pitcher who did not come to bat during the entire game, with the American League having adopted the designated hitter rule that year. In a game against the California Angels on September 20, 1972, Busby hit ...
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John Elway
John Albert Elway Jr. (born June 28, 1960) is an American professional football executive and former quarterback who is the president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Elway played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and his entire 16-year professional career with the Denver Broncos. He is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of all time. At the time of his retirement in early 1999, Elway had the most victories by a starting quarterback and was statistically the second most prolific passer in NFL history. He was also a prolific rusher of the ball, being one of only two players to score a rushing touchdown in four different Super Bowls (the other being Thurman Thomas) and the only quarterback to do so."Super Bowl Records: Individua ...
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Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (born September 15, 1961) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a successful college career at Pittsburgh and being named First-team All-American in 1981, Marino was the last quarterback taken in the first round of the quarterback class of 1983. Marino held or currently holds dozens of NFL records associated with the quarterback position, and despite never being on a Super Bowl-winning team, he is recognized among the greatest quarterbacks in American football history. Best remembered for his quick release and powerful arm, Marino helped the Dolphins become consistent postseason contenders, leading them to the playoffs ten times and one Super Bowl appearance in XIX, although a title victory ultimately eluded him during his career. Marino is considered by many to be one of the greatest players to never win a Super Bowl and has the most career victo ...
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Atlee Hammaker
Charlton Atlee Hammaker (born January 24, 1958) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played the majority of his career for the San Francisco Giants (1982–1990). He also played for the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox. During his twelve-year career, he won 59 games, lost 67 games and netted five saves. Early life Hammaker was born in Carmel, California, on January 24, 1958, the son of Miyake and Charles Hammaker. A middle child; he has one older brother, Aldine and one younger sister, Charlene. He is half German and half Japanese. Hammaker grew up living in many different locations due to his father's career in the United States Army, and attended Mount Vernon High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, where he played basketball, football, and baseball. After suffering a knee injury in football his sophomore year, he began focusing on basketball. Hammaker received a full basketball scholarship to East Tennessee State University (ETSU) ...
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Keith Drumright
Keith Alan Drumright (October 21, 1954 – August 7, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He played parts of two seasons in the major leagues. He played for the Houston Astros in 1978 and the Oakland Athletics in 1981. Drumright attended Hillcrest High School in Springfield, Missouri, where he was part of a state championship team. He went on to attend the University of Oklahoma, where he was an All-American second baseman. Career On June 6, 1972, Drumright was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 18th round of the 1972 amateur draft, but did not sign with the team. On June 8, 1976, he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 4th round of the 1976 amateur draft, and signed a contract with the team. On October 13, 1977, he was traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Houston Astros for Al Javier. He was called to the Houston Astros in September 1978, after spending the earlier part of the season in the minors. He had five hits in his first 10 at-bats, then went ...
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Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after spending their first 51 seasons in the National League (NL). The Astros were established as the Houston Colt .45s and entered the National League as an expansion team in along with the New York Mets. The current name, reflecting Houston's role as the host of the Johnson Space Center, was adopted three years later, when they moved into the Astrodome, the first domed sports stadium and the so-called "Eighth Wonder of the World." The Astros moved to a new stadium called Minute Maid Park in 2000. The Astros played in the NL West division from 1969 to 1993, then the NL Central division from 1994 to 2012, before being moved to the AL West as part of a MLB realignment in 2013. The Astros posted their first winning record in 1972 and made the ...
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George Throop (baseball)
George Lynford Throop (born November 24, 1950) is a retired American professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, Throop appeared in 30 games — all in relief — over parts of four Major League seasons between and . He was listed at tall and weighed . Throop was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 16th round of the 1972 Major League Baseball Draft First round selections The following are the first round picks in the 1972 Major League Baseball draft. ''*'' Did not sign Other notable selections ''*'' Did not sign Background The Montreal Expos had perhaps their best draft in franc ... after attending Pasadena City College and California State University, Long Beach. He spent nearly his entire career with the Royals organization. However, about half of his career appearances in the Major Leagues, and more than half of his 42 MLB innings pitched, came after a trade to the Houston Astros in April 1979. He allowed 41 hits and 25 bases on balls ...
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Todd Cruz
Todd Ruben Cruz (November 23, 1955 – September 2, 2008), was an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between and with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners, and Baltimore Orioles. He batted and threw right-handed. Early years Of Mexican American descent, Cruz was born in Highland Park, Michigan, in Metro Detroit and was raised in Mexicantown in Detroit. He attended Western High School in Detroit. Early baseball career Cruz was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies out of Western High School in the second round (26th overall) of the MLB amateur entry draft in June 1973, immediately signing a contract later that month. He finally made his major league debut five years later, playing only three games in September 1978 with the Phillies. With Larry Bowa established as the everyday shortstop, Cruz was traded to the Royals for Doug Bird on April 3, ...
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Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citizens Bank Park, located in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Founded in 1883, the Philadelphia Phillies are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in all of American professional sports. The Phillies have won two World Series championships (against the Kansas City Royals in and the Tampa Bay Rays in ), eight National League pennants (the first of which came in 1915), and made 15 playoff appearances. As of November 6, 2022, the team has played 21,209 games, winning 10,022 games and losing 11,187. Since the first modern World Series was played in , the Phillies have played 120 consecutive seasons and 140 seasons since the team's 1883 establishment. Before the Phillies won their first World Series in 19 ...
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Doug Bird
James Douglas Bird (born March 5, 1950) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the third round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase. During his career, Bird was used in a variety of pitching roles, frequently shifting from the bullpen to the starting rotation and back. Bird appeared in six postseason games from 1976 through 1978, all with the Royals, and each time against the New York Yankees, posting a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 innings pitched. After good work in the 1976 and 1977 playoffs, Bird is most known for surrendering a two-run homer to Thurman Munson in the eighth inning of Game Three during the 1978 American League Championship Series The 1978 American League Championship Series was a best-of-five playoff pitting the New York Yankees against the Kansas City Royals for the American League pennant and the right to represent the American League in the 1978 World Series. The Yanke .... External links Doug Bir ...
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