Octavio Víctor "Cookie" Rojas Rivas,is a Cuban-American former professional baseball player,coach,manager and current television sports presenter. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman and outfielder from 1962 to 1977,most prominently for the Philadelphia Phillies where he first became an All-Star player,and later with the Kansas City Royals where his veteran experience and leadership played an integral role in helping the young Royals franchise develop into a championship team.
Ruppert Sanderson Jones is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder. He was the first player selected in the 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Freddie Joseph Patek,nicknamed "the Flea" or "the Cricket",is an American former professional baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Kansas City Royals and California Angels. At 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall,he was the shortest MLB player of his time.
John Albert "Buck" Martinez is an American former professional baseball catcher and manager,and is currently the television colour commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Kansas City Royals,the Milwaukee Brewers,and the Toronto Blue Jays. Since the end of his playing career,he has been a broadcaster,working on the Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles radio and television broadcasts,and nationally for TBS and MLB Network. Martinez managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001 to May 2002 and Team USA at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.
Floyd Franklin Bannister is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros (1977–1978),Seattle Mariners (1979–1982),Chicago White Sox (1983–1987),Kansas City Royals (1988–1989),California Angels (1991),and Texas Rangers (1992). Bannister also played for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB),in 1990. Bannister was the first overall pick in the 1976 MLB draft.
Amos Joseph Otis is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1967 to 1984,most prominently as an integral member of the Kansas City Royals team that won the franchise's first American League Western Division championship in 1976,and their first American League pennant in 1980. Although the Royals lost the 1980 World Series in six games to the Philadelphia Phillies,Otis produced a .478 batting average with three home runs in what would be his only World Series appearance.
James Howard Sundberg is an American former professional baseball player,television sports analyst and executive. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1974 to 1989,most prominently as a member of the Texas Rangers where he established himself as one of the top defensive catchers of his era. A three-time All-Star player,Sundberg won six consecutive Gold Glove Awards during his tenure with the Rangers. Later in his career,he won a World Series championship as a member of the Kansas City Royals in 1985. He also played for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs. Sundberg was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2003.
Lynn Morris Jones is an American former professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. He later was a coach for the Royals,Florida Marlins,and Boston Red Sox,and served as a manager in the minor leagues.
Jeffrey Alan Burroughs is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1970 through 1985,for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1970–76),Atlanta Braves (1977–80),Seattle Mariners (1981),Oakland Athletics (1982–84) and Toronto Blue Jays (1985).
John Claiborn Mayberry Sr. is an American former Major League Baseball player who was active from 1968 to 1982 for the Houston Astros,Kansas City Royals,Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. He was a two-time All Star.
Thomas Joseph Beckwith was an American baseball pitcher who played seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals from 1979 to 1986. He threw right-handed and served primarily as a relief pitcher.
Russell Jay Kuntz is an American baseball coach and former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox,Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers between 1979 and 1985. He never appeared in more than 84 games in any season during his playing career. In the final game of the 1984 World Series,Kuntz hit a pop fly to the second baseman that became the deciding run batted in (RBI).
Thomas Erwin McMillan is an American former professional baseball player whose career spanned seven seasons,including one in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners (1977). As a member of the inaugural Mariners team,McMillan,a shortstop,went hitless in five at-bats. The majority of his career was spent in the minor leagues. After he was drafted out of Jacksonville University by the Cleveland Indians during the 1973 Major League Baseball Draft,McMillan made his professional debut that year with the Double-A San Antonio Brewers.
Samuel "Toothpick" Jones was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Cleveland Indians,Chicago Cubs,St. Louis Cardinals,San Francisco Giants,Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles between 1951 and 1964. He batted and threw right-handed.
John Duffield Curtis is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Twice a first-round draft pick,Curtis played baseball at Clemson University and then pitched for several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams between 1970 and 1984. He retired with an 89–97 win–loss record and a 3.96 earned run average (ERA).
Eric Ralph Rasmussen is a former professional baseball pitcher,and current coach in the Minnesota Twins organization.
The 1977 New York Yankees season was the 75th season for the Yankees. The team won the World Series,which was the 21st title in franchise history and the first under the ownership of George Steinbrenner. New York was managed by Billy Martin,and played at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. The season was brought to life years later in the book and drama-documentary,The Bronx is Burning. The Yankees also hosted the 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. To date,this is the most recent time the All-Star Game host team has won the World Series the same year.
The 1977 Kansas City Royals season was their ninth in Major League Baseball. The Royals' franchise-best 102–60 record led the majors and Kansas City won its second consecutive American League West title. Once again,the Royals lost to the New York Yankees in the postseason,falling 3–2 in the ALCS. Hal McRae led the American League in doubles,with 54. Al Cowens set a franchise single-season record with 112 runs batted in.
Ross A. Jones is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played for the New York Mets,Seattle Mariners,and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Michael John Jirschele is an American professional baseball coach who is the current manager of the Omaha Storm Chasers,the Triple-A minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals. He previously served as manager of the Storm Chasers from 1995 to 1997 and from 2003 to 2013. He also played minor league baseball for 13 seasons,and is also a former third base coach for the Royals.
