1983 Kansas City Royals season
Encyclopedia
The Kansas City Royals
season was a season in American baseball
. It involved the Royals finishing 2nd in the American League
West with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.
The Pine Tar Game refers to a controversial incident that took place in an American League
baseball
game played between the Kansas City Royals
and New York Yankees
on July 24, 1983.
Playing at New York's Yankee Stadium, the Royals were trailing 4-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth and U L Washington
on first base. In the on deck circle, George Brett
was heard remarking to a teammate, "Watch this baby fly" as he shook his bat. He then came to the plate and connected off Yankee reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage
for a two-run home run
and a 5-4 lead. As Brett crossed the plate, New York manager Billy Martin
approached home plate umpire Tim McClelland
and requested that Brett's bat be examined. Earlier in the season, Martin and other members (most notably, third baseman Graig Nettles
, who as a member of the Minnesota Twins
, recalled a similar incident involving Thurman Munson
) of the Yankees had noticed the amount of pine tar used by Brett, but Martin had chosen not to say anything until the home run.
With Brett watching from the dugout, McClelland and the rest of the umpiring crew inspected the bat. Measuring the bat against the width of home plate
(which is 17 inches), they determined that the amount of pine tar
on the bat's handle exceeded that allowed by Rule 1.10(b) of the Major League Baseball rule book, which read that "a bat may not be covered by such a substance more than 18 inches (457.2 mm) from the tip of the handle."
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 2nd in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
West with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.
Offseason
- December 8, 1982: Tim IrelandTim IrelandTimothy Neal Christopher Ireland is a former professional baseball player. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, appearing in 11 games in 1981 and 1982. He has also managed 12 seasons at various levels of the minor leagues.Ireland was originally...
was released by the Royals. - February 5, 1983: Cecil FielderCecil FielderCecil Grant Fielder is a former professional baseball player who was a noted power hitter in the 1980s and 1990s. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . He played with the Toronto Blue Jays , Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , Anaheim Angels and Cleveland Indians...
was traded by the Royals to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for Leon RobertsLeon RobertsLeon Kauffman Roberts is a former major league outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros , Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Kansas City Royals...
.
Regular season
- April 20, 1983: George BrettGeorge Brett (baseball)George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
had 7 RBI in one game versus the Detroit Tigers1983 Detroit Tigers seasonThe Detroit Tigers finished in second place in the American League East with a record of 92-70 , six games behind the Orioles. The Tigers outscored their opponents 789 to 679...
.
Notable transactions
- April 1, 1983: Bombo RiveraBombo RiveraJesus Manuel "Bombo" Rivera Torres is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. At the age of seven, his youth baseball manager started calling him “Bombo”, which meant “fly ball,” and the nickname stuck. Aside from baseball, Rivera also excelled in track and field. He ran the 100 meters and...
was released by the Royals. - July 6, 1983: Gaylord PerryGaylord PerryGaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
was signed as a free agent by the Royals. - July 22, 1983: Melido PérezMelido PérezMélido Turpen Gross Pérez , is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher from through for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees. He made his major league debut for the Kansas City Royals on September 4, 1987. In that game, Pérez pitched seven innings of shutout...
was signed as an amateur free agent by the Royals. - August 2, 1983: Eric RasmussenEric RasmussenEric Ralph Rasmussen is a retired professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of eight seasons in the majors, between and...
was purchased by the Royals from the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. - August 5, 1983: Vida BlueVida BlueVida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...
was released by the Royals.
Pine Tar Game
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
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...
game played between the Kansas City Royals
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...
and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
on July 24, 1983.
Playing at New York's Yankee Stadium, the Royals were trailing 4-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth and U L Washington
U L Washington
U L Washington is a former Major League Baseball player from 1977 to 1987 for the Kansas City Royals, Montreal Expos, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also was the manager of Pittsburgh's minor team the Welland Pirates in 1989...
on first base. In the on deck circle, George Brett
George Brett (baseball)
George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th...
was heard remarking to a teammate, "Watch this baby fly" as he shook his bat. He then came to the plate and connected off Yankee reliever Rich "Goose" Gossage
Rich Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
for a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and a 5-4 lead. As Brett crossed the plate, New York manager Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
approached home plate umpire Tim McClelland
Tim McClelland
Timothy Reid McClelland is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the American League from 1983 to 1999 and throughout both leagues since 2000. He has called many important games, from post-season games to the George Brett "Pine Tar" game in...
and requested that Brett's bat be examined. Earlier in the season, Martin and other members (most notably, third baseman 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...
, who as a member of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, recalled a similar incident involving Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
) of the Yankees had noticed the amount of pine tar used by Brett, but Martin had chosen not to say anything until the home run.
With Brett watching from the dugout, McClelland and the rest of the umpiring crew inspected the bat. Measuring the bat against the width of home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
(which is 17 inches), they determined that the amount of pine tar
Pine tar
Pine tar is a sticky material produced by the high temperature carbonization of pine wood in anoxic conditions . The wood is rapidly decomposed by applying heat and pressure in a closed container; the primary resulting products are charcoal and pine tar.Pine tar consists primarily of aromatic...
on the bat's handle exceeded that allowed by Rule 1.10(b) of the Major League Baseball rule book, which read that "a bat may not be covered by such a substance more than 18 inches (457.2 mm) from the tip of the handle."
Roster
| 1983 Kansas City Royals roster | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | George Brett George Brett (baseball) George Howard Brett , nicknamed "Mullet", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th... |
123 | 464 | 144 | .310 | 25 | 93 |
| SS | U L Washington U L Washington U L Washington is a former Major League Baseball player from 1977 to 1987 for the Kansas City Royals, Montreal Expos, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also was the manager of Pittsburgh's minor team the Welland Pirates in 1989... |
144 | 547 | 129 | .236 | 5 | 41 |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leon Roberts Leon Roberts Leon Kauffman Roberts is a former major league outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros , Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Kansas City Royals... |
84 | 213 | 55 | .258 | 8 | 24 |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaylord Perry Gaylord Perry Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average... |
14 | 84.1 | 4 | 4 | 4.27 | 40 |
| Eric Rasmussen Eric Rasmussen Eric Ralph Rasmussen is a retired professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of eight seasons in the majors, between and... |
11 | 52.2 | 3 | 6 | 4.78 | 18 |
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Huismann Mark Huismann Mark Lawrence Huismann is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Huismann pitched in all or part of nine seasons in the majors for six different teams from until . Mainly used as a relief pitcher, Huismann started just one game out of 152 total games pitched... |
13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5.58 | 20 |