George Brett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Brett |
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Brett in 2017
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| Third baseman / Designated hitter / First baseman | |||
| Born: May 15, 1953 Glen Dale, West Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 2, 1973, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1993, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .305 | ||
| Hits | 3,154 | ||
| Home runs | 317 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,596 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1999 | ||
| Vote | 98.2% (first ballot) | ||
George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953) is a famous American former professional baseball player. He played for 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman for the Kansas City Royals.
Brett is known for his amazing hitting skills. He has 3,154 career hits, which is one of the highest totals for any third baseman in baseball history. He is also one of only five players in MLB history to get 3,000 hits, hit 300 home runs, and have a career .300 batting average.
He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 on his very first try. George Brett is the only player in MLB history to win a batting title in three different decades. He also helped the Royals win the 1985 World Series. After retiring, he continued to work with the Royals and even won another World Series ring in 2015 as a team executive.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Start
George Brett was born in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He was the youngest of four brothers, and his family loved sports. His older brother, Ken, even became a major league pitcher. George grew up wanting to play baseball just like his brothers.
His family moved to El Segundo, California, near Los Angeles. George graduated from El Segundo High School in 1971. The Kansas City Royals chose him in the second round of the 1971 Major League Baseball draft.
Playing Career
Minor Leagues
George Brett started his professional baseball journey as a shortstop. However, he soon moved to third base because his strong arm was a great asset there. He played for several minor league teams, including the Billings Mustangs, San Jose Bees, and Omaha Royals. He consistently hit well, getting batting averages of .291, .274, and .284 in these leagues.
Kansas City Royals (1973–1993)
First Years (1973-1979)
The Royals brought Brett up to the major leagues on August 2, 1973. He played his first game against the Chicago White Sox. In 1974, he became the starting third baseman. He got help from the Royals' batting coach, Charley Lau, who taught him how to hit better. This helped Brett improve quickly, and he finished the year with a .282 batting average.
In 1975, Brett hit over .300 for the first time, with a .308 average. He also led the league in hits and triples. Then, in 1976, he won his first batting title with a .333 average. He won it in a very exciting way on the last day of the season! That year, he also made his first of 13 All-Star teams. The Royals won their division three years in a row, often playing against the New York Yankees in the playoffs.
In 1977, Brett started hitting more home runs, with 22 that season. The Royals went to the playoffs again. In 1978, he hit three home runs in one playoff game against the Yankees, which was a rare achievement. He had another great season in 1979, leading the league in hits and triples again, and batting .329.
The Amazing 1980 Season
The year 1980 was one of George Brett's best. He won the American League MVP award. He batted an incredible .390 for the season. People across the country watched closely to see if he could hit .400, a feat not achieved since 1941.
Brett's .390 average is one of the highest since 1941. He also had 118 runs batted in (RBI) in only 117 games, meaning he averaged more than one RBI per game! He started the season slowly but heated up in June, July, and August, hitting over .450 during those three months. He even had a 30-game hitting streak. His average was still above .400 as late as September 19.
More importantly, the Royals won their division and faced the New York Yankees in the playoffs.
1980 Postseason
During the 1980 postseason, Brett led the Royals to their first American League pennant. They swept the Yankees in three games, getting revenge for past playoff losses. In Game 3, Brett hit a massive home run off Yankees closer Goose Gossage.
The Royals then played the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1980 World Series. Brett hit .375 in the series, but the Royals lost in six games.
Pine Tar Incident
On July 24, 1983, in a game against the Yankees, George Brett hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning. This put the Royals ahead 5–4. However, the Yankees manager pointed out a rule about how much pine tar could be on a bat. Pine tar helps hitters grip the bat better.
The umpires measured the pine tar on Brett's bat, and it was longer than allowed. So, they called Brett out, which meant the Yankees won the game. Brett was very upset! The Royals protested the decision. The American League president later ruled that the home run should count, even though the bat was illegal. The game was then finished on August 18, 1983, with the Royals winning.
1985 World Series Champions
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In 1985, Brett had another fantastic season. He batted .335 with 30 home runs and 112 RBI. He also won his only Gold Glove Award for his excellent defense at third base. He finished second in the American League MVP voting.
In the playoffs, Brett was named the MVP of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. He had an incredible Game 3, hitting two home runs and a double. The Royals came back from being down in the series to win!
Then, in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Brett batted .370. The Royals again came back from a 3–1 deficit to win the series. This was the first World Series championship in their history!
Later Years (1986–1993)
In 1988, Brett moved to first base to help prevent injuries. He still had a great season, batting .306 with 24 home runs. In 1990, after a slow start, he had an amazing second half of the season. He ended up winning his third batting title with a .329 average. This made him the only player in MLB history to win batting titles in three different decades!
Brett played three more seasons, mostly as a designated hitter. In 1992, he reached the huge milestone of 3,000 career hits. He retired after the 1993 season. In his very last at-bat, he hit a single. His final game was also the last game ever played at Arlington Stadium.
Hall of Fame
George Brett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. He received 98.2% of the votes, which was one of the highest percentages ever at that time. This showed how much respect he had from baseball writers.
His number 5 jersey was retired by the Kansas City Royals on May 14, 1994. This means no other Royals player will ever wear that number again.
Legacy
George Brett's 3,154 career hits are the second most by a third baseman in major league history. He is considered one of the best third basemen of all time. In 1999, he was ranked among the top 100 greatest baseball players.
He is one of only five players in MLB history to have 3,000 hits, 300 home runs, and a career .300 batting average. He also ranks seventh all-time in career doubles with 665.
Brett was also an excellent hitter in the postseason. In 43 playoff games, he batted .337 with 10 home runs.
A photo of George Brett signing baseballs inspired the New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde's 2013 song "Royals," which won a Grammy Award.
The Mendoza Line
George Brett helped make the phrase "Mendoza Line" famous. This term is used in baseball to describe a batting average below .200, which is considered very low for a major league player. It got its name from a player named Mario Mendoza, who often had a batting average around .200. Brett mentioned the term in an interview, and it was then picked up by ESPN and became widely known.
Post-Baseball Activities
After his playing career, George Brett became a vice president for the Royals. He has also worked as a part-time coach and special instructor, helping young players develop their skills. He runs a baseball equipment company called Brett Bros. with his brothers.
Brett also helps raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He has been involved in charity work since the 1980s.
In 2013, he briefly served as the Royals' interim batting coach before returning to his role as vice president of baseball operations. In 2015, he received an award for his support of U.S. military members.
Team Ownership
George Brett is also involved in owning baseball teams. He is the main owner of the Tri-City Dust Devils, a minor league team. He also co-owns the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and is part of ownership groups for other sports teams.
Personal Life
In 1992, George Brett married Leslie Davenport. They live in Mission Hills, Kansas, and have three children: Jackson, Dylan, and Robin.
See also
In Spanish: George Brett para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
Images for kids
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Brett in February 2009
