1976 Kansas City Royals season
Encyclopedia
The 1976 Kansas City Royals
season was a season in American baseball
. It involved the Royals finishing first in the American League West
with a record of 90 wins and 72 losses. They lost in the 1976 American League Championship Series
to the New York Yankees
, three games to two.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
season was a season in American baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. It involved the Royals finishing first in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
with a record of 90 wins and 72 losses. They lost in the 1976 American League Championship Series
1976 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 9, 1976 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriThe opener was played on a bright Saturday afternoon at Royals Stadium and pitted Yankee ace Jim “Catfish” Hunter against left-hander and ex-Yankee Larry Gura. The Yankees got off to a quick start scoring two in the first...
to the New York Yankees
1976 New York Yankees season
The 1976 New York Yankees season was the 74th season for the Yankees in New York, and the 76th season overall for the franchise. The team finished with a record of 97-62, finishing 10½ games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles to win their first American League East title.In the ALCS, the Yankees...
, three games to two.
Offseason
- November 10, 1975: Harmon KillebrewHarmon KillebrewHarmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
was released by the Royals. - November 12, 1975: Nelson BrilesNelson BrilesNelson Kelley "Nellie" Briles was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles...
was traded by the Royals to the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
for Dave NelsonDave NelsonDavid Earl Nelson is a former Major League Baseball player and one of the current broadcasters for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team on Fox Sports Wisconsin...
. - March 3, 1976: Roger NelsonRoger Nelson (baseball)Roger Eugene Nelson is a former professional baseball pitcher. Nelson pitched all or part of nine seasons in Major League Baseball between 1967 and 1976 with a record of 29 wins, 32 losses, and 5 saves....
was signed by the Royals as a free agent.
Opening Day lineup
- Dave NelsonDave NelsonDavid Earl Nelson is a former Major League Baseball player and one of the current broadcasters for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team on Fox Sports Wisconsin...
, DH - Amos OtisAmos OtisAmos Joseph Otis is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets , Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed....
, CF - George BrettGeorge BrettGeorge Brett , is an American baseball player.George Brett may also refer to:*George Edward Brett , British-born American publisher*George Brett , World War II USAAF general...
, 3B - John MayberryJohn MayberryJohn Claiborn Mayberry is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees from 1968 to 1982.-High school and minor leagues:...
, 1B - Hal McRaeHal McRaeHarold Abraham McRae is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals . Utilized as a designated hitter for most of his career, McRae batted and threw right-handed...
, LF - Al CowensAl CowensAlfred Edward Cowens, Jr. was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Cowens played for the Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners . He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Los Angeles, California, Cowens was a product of the Kansas...
, RF - Fran HealyFran Healy (baseball)Francis Xavier Healy , is a former Major League Baseball catcher best known for his long tenure calling television broadcasts for the New York Mets on the MSG Network and Fox Sports Net New York....
, C - Freddie PatekFreddie PatekFrederick Joseph Patek is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. At 5'5" tall , he was the shortest player of his time.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
, SS - Frank White, 2B
Notable transactions
- June 8, 1976: 1976 Major League Baseball Draft1976 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The 1976 Arizona State University team, considered by many to be the best collegiate team ever, played a major role in the draft. Floyd Bannister was picked number one...
- Bill PaschallBill PaschallWilliam Herbert Paschall is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Paschall pitched in 11 games over three seasons for the Kansas City Royals.-Sources:...
was drafted by the Royals in the 3rd round. - Ken PhelpsKen PhelpsKenneth Allan Phelps, nicknamed "Digger", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman. During an 11-year baseball career, he played from 1980-1990 for six different teams, but he played primarily with the Seattle Mariners...
was drafted by the Royals in the 15th round.
- Bill Paschall
Roster
| 1976 Kansas City Royals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 161 | 594 | 138 | .232 | 13 | 95 | |
| 2B | 152 | 446 | 102 | .229 | 2 | 46 | |
| 3B | 159 | 645 | 215 | .333 | 7 | 67 | |
| SS | 144 | 432 | 104 | .241 | 1 | 43 | |
| CF | 153 | 592 | 165 | .279 | 18 | 86 | |
| DH | 149 | 527 | 175 | .332 | 8 | 73 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 209 | 55 | .263 | 2 | 25 | |
| 78 | 153 | 36 | .235 | 1 | 17 | |
| 64 | 114 | 28 | .246 | 1 | 15 | |
| 8 | 24 | 3 | .125 | 0 | 1 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 259 | 17 | 10 | 3.51 | 150 | |
| 35 | 220.1 | 15 | 11 | 3.06 | 80 | |
| 26 | 158.2 | 11 | 8 | 3.97 | 59 | |
| 19 | 99.2 | 5 | 6 | 2.89 | 45 | |
| 13 | 71.2 | 3 | 3 | 4.40 | 29 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 197.2 | 12 | 10 | 3.37 | 107 | |
| 44 | 141 | 8 | 14 | 2.49 | 65 |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 2.08 | 92 | |
| 55 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2.32 | 38 | |
| 31 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4.45 | 25 | |
| 20 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2.30 | 22 | |
| 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.75 | 11 | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 3 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.23 | 2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.08 | 4 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | |
Game 1
October 9, 1976 at Royals StadiumKauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 0 |
| Kansas City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| W: Catfish Hunter Catfish Hunter James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter , was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees... (1-0) L: Larry Gura Larry Gura Lawrence Cyril Gura is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from to . He went to Arizona State University and spent 16 years in the Major Leagues. He played for the Chicago Cubs of the National League, and the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals , both of the American League... (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: None | ||||||||||||
Game 2
October 10, 1976 at Royals StadiumKauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 5 |
| Kansas City | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| W: Paul Splittorff Paul Splittorff Paul William Splittorff Jr. was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who spent his entire career with the Kansas City Royals. Listed at 6' 3", Splittorff batted and threw left handed.-Early years:Splittorff was born in Evansville, Indiana... (1-0) L: Ed Figueroa Ed Figueroa Eduardo Figueroa Padilla , is a former Major League Baseball player. He holds the distinction of being the only pitcher from Puerto Rico to win twenty games in a season.-USMC:... (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: None | ||||||||||||
Game 3
October 12, 1976 at Yankee Stadium| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| New York | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| W: Dock Ellis Dock Ellis Dock Phillip Ellis, Jr. was a professional baseball player who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, among other teams in Major League Baseball. His best season was 1971, when he won 19 games for the World Series champion Pirates and was the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star... (1-0) L: Andy Hassler Andy Hassler Andrew Earl Hassler was a Major League pitcher for the California Angels , Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates and St... (0-1) S: Sparky Lyle Sparky Lyle Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977... (1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: NYY: – Chris Chambliss Chris Chambliss Carroll Christopher Chambliss is a former Major League Baseball player who played from to for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves... (1) |
||||||||||||
Game 4
October 13, 1976 at Yankee Stadium| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| New York | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 0 |
| W: Doug Bird Doug Bird James Douglas Bird was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase.... (1-0) L: Catfish Hunter Catfish Hunter James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter , was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees... (1-1) S: Steve Mingori Steve Mingori Steven Bernard Mingori was an American left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals... (1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: NYY: – Graig Nettles Graig Nettles Graig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best... 2 (2) |
||||||||||||
Game 5
October 14, 1976 at Yankee Stadium| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| New York | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 1 |
| W: Dick Tidrow Dick Tidrow Richard William Tidrow was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and New York Mets from 1972 to 1984. He was primarily known as a setup man, or pitcher before the closer; however, on occasion he would also start games... (1-0) L: Mark Littell Mark Littell Mark Alan Littell , is a professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1973-1982 for the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Littell had a lifetime ERA of 3.32 and saved 56 games from 1976 to 1981... (0-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: KCR: – John Mayberry John Mayberry John Claiborn Mayberry is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees from 1968 to 1982.-High school and minor leagues:... (1), George Brett George Brett George Brett , is an American baseball player.George Brett may also refer to:*George Edward Brett , British-born American publisher*George Brett , World War II USAAF general... (1) NYY: – Chris Chambliss Chris Chambliss Carroll Christopher Chambliss is a former Major League Baseball player who played from to for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves... (2) |
||||||||||||