KC Royals: Ten Facts All Royals Fans Should Know

Joel Wagler

Kansas City Royals former player George Brett – Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals gained a whole new generation of fans last fall during the 2014 World Series. There might be some interesting things these new fans might not know about their team.

The Kansas City Royals began play in the 1969 season, so they are relative newcomers to the world of Major League Baseball. Only six franchises are newer. Still, the Royals have made their mark on baseball through the years.

Sometimes, it wasn’t always positive.

Early in the existence, especially the first twenty seasons or so, the Kansas City Royals were a very successful team. That they were an expansion team made some of their early accomplishments even more impressive.

While the Royals went through a very long stretch of time without much success, this franchise has a proud history and has seen many fine players grace the roster.

As with any team in any sport, there are several interesting tidbits, both positive and negative, about the KC Royals that all casual and diehard fans should know. Some can be shared in pride, others maybe not so much. Still, they are a part of our team, and as fans, we should know certain things.

(UPDATED – MAY 2017)

10) No-Nos

The Kansas City Royals have had four no-hitters since they began play. Three of these came with in the first nine years of the team’s existence, and those three came within a five-season window.

There have been 295 no-hitters in Major League Baseball history. Conversely, the Royals have only been no-hit twice.

The Royals’ no-hitters were produced by three pitchers:

Steve Busby – 4/27/73
Steve Busby – 6/19/74
Jim Colborn – 5/14/77
Bret Saberhagen – 8/26/91

Did You Know?

The Royals are due another. There have been 57 no-hitters since Saberhagen’s gem nearly 25 years ago. Hideo Nomo, Mark Buehrle, Justin Verlander, Homer Bailey, and Tim Lincecum have watch thrown two since the Royals’ last no-no.

Next: Cycling Through

A general view of Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

9) Hitting For The Cycle

Early this season, Mike Moustakas went four-for-five against the New York Yankees and missed hitting for the cycle by only a couple of feet. His second double of the night came up just a bit short of being a home run.

The Royals do have six cycles in their history, out of only 315 ever produced in the history of the game. Only 29 players have hit for the cycle more than once, and two of them played for the Kansas City Royals.

Can you guess what two Royals did it twice?

Freddie Patek – 7/9/71
John Mayberry – 8/5/77
George Brett – 5/28/79, 16 innings
Frank White – 9/26/79
Frank White – 8/3/82
George Brett – 7/25/90

Did You Know?

There have been a whopping 93 cycles hit since Brett did it in 1990. Like no-hitters, the Royals haven’t contributed to many to this list.

Seven cycles have been hit against the Royals.

Next: The Need For Speed

A general view of Kauffman Stadium – Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

8) Built For Speed

Speed played an integral part of the Royals success last season, but that has been the case since the Kansas City Royals first started playing ball. Speed has played a big part in the team’s history and success.

Since their inception in 1969, the KC Royals have 6,175 stolen bases, the second highest number in that category of all teams. Only the Reds have more in that time frame.

The Royals have four players with more than 200 steals in the home town uniform:

Willie Wilson – 612
Amos Otis – 340
Freddie Patek – 336
George Brett – 201

The KC Royals have returned to their roots. Since 2010, Kansas City has led the majors in stolen bases with 955.

Did You Know?

Willie Wilson had 668 career stolen bases, the fourth-most in the Majors since 1969. His 612 just with the Royals would have ranked him eighth.

Next: The Turning Point

Kansas City Royals former pitcher Bret Saberhagen – Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

7) The Turning Point In Franchise History

As fans, we should know the turning point in franchise history. While many would say the 1985 World Series championship was the turning point, it was the biggest moment more than anything.

From 1969 through 1991, almost exactly half way through the history of the Kansas City Royals, the team was 1903-1753, for a winning percentage of .521. From 1992 through the early parts of 2017, the Royals are just 1817-2203, a winning percentage of .452.

Only the Rays, Diamondbacks, Rockies, and Marlins have won fewer games. All of these teams joined the Majors in the 1990’s/

So, what was that turning point?

In December of 1991, the Royals traded Cy Young winner and two-time 20-game winner Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota to the New York Mets for Kevin McReynolds, Greg Jefferies, and Keith Miller.

Jefferies played just one season in Kansas City, McReynolds just two (and only 219 games), and Miller played parts of four seasons (but only in 157 games total). Saberhagen pitched in 147 more games, won 57, and put up a 3.58 ERA and a 1.154 after the Royals traded him.

The Kansas City Royals never recovered.

Did You Know?

The Royals flipped Greg Jefferies after a year for Felix Jose. The outfielder played three seasons for the KC Royals, in only 257 games, hit 17 total home runs, and put up a .269 batting average.

He had one decent year for the Royals in 1994 when he hit .303 and had 12 homers. His career was over after he played nine games in 1995 for Kansas City.

Greg Jefferies went on to hit .296 the rest of his career, including hitting over .300 in each of the three seasons after the Royals traded him.

Next: Hall-of-Famers

Former Kansas City Royals Manager and Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog arrives with his wife at National Baseball Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

6) Hall-of-Famers Who Played For the KC Royals

The Royals have two Hall-of-Famers of their very own. George Brett, of course, is one of the game’s all-time best.

Did You Know?

According to the Baseball Almanac, Brett was elected with the fifth highest percentage of votes ever at 98.19%. Only Tom Seaver, Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, and Ty Cobb accumulated higher vote percentages.

Check out Brett’s Hall of Fame Induction speech – a must watch for all Royals fans.

Next: Cy Youngs and MVPs

The Kansas City Royals mascot – Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

5) Cy Young Winners and an MVP

Three KC Royals won four Cy Young awards in their franchise history. There have been years the Royals have been utterly awful on the mound – from 1997-2006, the Royals put up a team ERA of 5.22, second worst to the Rockies in that time period.

Still, over the course of 45 years, there have been some great pitching seasons. These are the four Cy Young award years:

1985 – Bret Saberhagen
1989 – Brett Saberhagen
1994 – David Cone
2007 – Zack Greinke

Brett won his Most Valuable Player award in 1980, when he hit .390, and put up an OPS of 1.118. He finished second in 1976 and again in 1985. He finished third in 1979. He also won three batting titles in three different decades – 1976, 1980, and 1990.

Did You Know?

When the Mets fleeced the Royals in 1991, it wasn’t the first time Kansas City was taken to the cleaners by the Mets. In 1987, the Mets traded Ed Hearn, Rick Anderson, and Mauro Gozzo to the Royals for David Cone and Chris Jelic.

Hearn played 13 games for Kansas City, Anderson 28, and Gozzo none. Cone won 85 games over the next seven seasons, 81 for the Mets.

Next: Home Run Outage

A ball and glove on the field at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

4) Home Run Hitters They Ain’t

Since 1969, the KC Royals rank 26th in the Majors in home runs. Only the four expansion teams from the 1990’s have fewer. As of early 2017, the Royals have hit 2,298 fewer than the Yankees, who have the most since 1969.

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George Brett is the only Royal with more than 200 home runs (317), and there are only 14 players with more than 100 round trippers in a Royals uniform.

Only nine times has a Royals player hit 30 or more homers in a season, and no one has done it since 2000.

This is not a team that has ever produced a true power hitter that played significant seasons in Kansas City.

We can only dream about if Bo Jackson would not have gotten hurt playing football. He would have been the one guy who could have possibly shattered some of the home run records for this franchise.

Did You Know?

Steve Balboni holds the record for the most home runs in a season for the KC Royals. He blasted 36 in 1985. The Royals are the only team in the majors with their team record for home runs in a season under 40.

Next: What About Wins

A general view of Kauffman Stadium – Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

3) It’s All About Winning For The KC Royals

The KC Royals have 3,720 wins in their franchise history, upon this writing. That ranks 22th in the majors since 1969. Of the ten teams beneath them, six – Blue Jays, Mariners, Marlins, Rockies, Diamondbacks, and Rays – all started play after the Royals did.

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That leaves four franchises that were around in 1969 that have won less than the Royals – Padres, Brewers (including a year as the Pilots), Cubs, and Nationals (including their years as the Expos). All but the Cubs started play in 1969, as well.

In 2013-2015, the Royals won more than 81 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since they did it three years in a row in 1987, 1988, and 1989.

They did have back-to-back campaigns over .500 in 1993, and the strike shortened 1994 campaign.

Did You Know?

From 1975 through 1985, the Royals won 951 games, the fourth most in the Majors over that time. Only the Orioles, Yankees, and Dodgers had more.

In these 11 years, they won seven American League West titles, went to two World Series, and were the World Champions in 1985.

Next: Take Two

A general view of the hat and glove of a Kansas City Royals players – Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

2) Hitting Doubles

The Royals may not have a history of hitting home runs, but they have been extremely successful producing extra base hits.

Since their initial campaign in 1969, only the Red Sox and Twins have hit more doubles than the KC Royals. The team has produced 12,939 two-base hits through the years, taking advantage of their great ballpark.

It should come as no surprise that the biggest doubles hitter in team history is George Brett. Since 1969, only Craig Biggio has hit more than Brett’s 665, and even then Biggio only topped Brett by three.

Several former Royals are on the top 100 doubles list since 1969, including:

All of these players contributed at least somewhat to the Royals lofty doubles over the years.

Did You Know?

Not only is George Brett the best doubles hitter in Royal’s history, but he is sixth on the all-time list. Only Tris Speaker, Pete Rose, Stan Musial, Ty Cobb, and Biggio have more in baseball history.

Next: Looking For Three

Kansas City Royals former player George Brett – Credit: Charlie Neibergall/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

1) Triple Your Fun

As good as the Royals have been in hitting doubles, they are even better at legging out triples. Since 1969, the Royals have hit more triples than any other franchise in the Majors, and it’s not even close.

The Royals have 2,038 triples; the Pirates are second with 1,900. With nearly 140 more triples than the next highest, the Royals may never be overtaken in this category.

The Royals boast the top two triples hitters in the Majors since 1969. Somewhat surprisingly, George Brett has the highest total of triples for the franchise with 137. Willie Wilson, who has the most in the Majors in this time frame with 147, hit 133 triples for the Royals.

These former Royals contributed to the team’s three-base totals over the years – all are in the top 100 triples hitters since 1969:

Johnny Damon
Carlos Beltran
Jose Offerman
Al Cowens
Hal McRae
Amos Otis
David DeJesus

The Royals probably will never be able to afford a big slugger, unless they can develop their own, but they can always look for players who can hit the gaps and use speed to build up their doubles and triples totals.

Did You Know?

Brett is ranked 68th all-time in triples; Wilson is 55th. They are two of only 11 players who played a bulk of their career after World War II that are on the top 100 triples list of all time. Between the two of them, they won eight triples titles, and they each hit 20 or more in a season, which has been done only seven times since 1950.

Next: Great Moments and More

Former Kansas City Royals star Bo Jackson – Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The KC Royals Have An Interesting History

The Kansas City Royals have had a very interesting first 47 years. They went from one of the most successful franchises in the Majors to one of the worst for a long stretch.

Things turned around for this franchise. Not only did the Royals make it to Game Seven of the 2014 World Series, but they won the Fall Classic in 2015.

The excitement surrounding this team is evident, seeing the great crowds they are drawing at Kauffman Stadium for every home game.

If you love the KC Royals, check out these all-time great lists. They are fun and full of great videos and information. See if your favorite players or memories make the cut.

Enjoy these lists, and enjoy the Kansas City Royals as they strive to win the AL Central and to represent the American League in the 2015 World Series. Wouldn’t it be great to see another World Series Champion in Kansas City?

Now you know a little pertinent information about your Kansas City Royals that all fans should know.

Thanks, as always to Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs for all of their great stat tools.

Next: Top 10 Greatest Royals Moments Ever

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Joel Wagler

Joel has been covering the NFL, MLB, college football and basketball, and even some entertainment topics for over 11 years. He's written for KC Kingdom, Arrowhead Addict, Kings of Kauffman, Yanks Go Yard, Toro Times, and Winter is Coming. Joel is currently the Senior Sports Director FanSided, part of the Minute Media family.