RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
Hal McRae's journey in professional baseball began when he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth round of the 1965 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut with the Reds in 1968, but it wasn't until he was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 1972 that his career truly began to flourish. McRae became
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1977 ALCS G2 - Kansas City Royals vs New York Yankees - Radio Broadcast
On October 6, 1977, the New York Yankees faced the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium. Ron Guidry took the mound for the Yankees, while Larry Hassler started for the Royals. The Yankees were in pursuit of their 23rd American League pennant, coming off a strong season under manager Billy Martin. Key players like Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson led their lineup. The Royals, on the other hand, were making their first postseason appearance after winning the AL West, with stars such as George Brett and Hal McRae at the forefront of their campaign.
The game began slowly, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. The Royals struck first in the third inning when Freddie Patek's sacrifice fly put them ahead 1-0. The Yankees responded in the fifth inning as Chris Johnson hit a home run to give them the lead. The sixth inning proved pivotal for the Yankees, who scored three runs, aided by a critical error from George Brett that allowed two unearned runs to score. As the game progressed, the Yankees' lineup depth shone through, with Thurman Munson and Willie Randolph contributing significant hits, while the Royals struggled to match their offensive output. The Yankees ultimately won the game 6-2, taking a commanding lead in the ALCS.
The 1978 season for the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox was marked...
Kansas City Royals vs Chicago White Sox - Harry Caray - Radio Broadcast / The 1978 season for the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox was marked by differing fortunes for the two teams. In August, both teams were in the thick of the competitive American League West division race.
The Kansas City Royals had a strong season, led by star players like George Brett, Hal McRae, and Amos Otis. In August, they showcased their offensive prowess, with Brett leading the charge as he went on a hitting spree. The Royals' lineup proved to be a formidable force, and they managed to maintain a solid record during the crucial month of August, positioning themselves as contenders for the division title.
On the other hand, the Chicago White Sox faced a more challenging season, struggling to find consistency in both their hitting and pitching. While they had some bright spots, such as the performance of Lamar Johnson, the team faced difficulties in August that hampered their chances of making a serious push for the playoffs.
Overall, August served as a pivotal month for both teams, with the Royals consolidating their position as playoff contenders and the White Sox encountering obstacles that made their postseason aspirations more challenging to achieve. The season rivalry between the two teams continued to unfold, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive end to the 1978 baseball season.
The decisive Game 5 of the 1977 American League Championship Series featured the New York...
1977 ALCS G5 - New York Yankees vs Kansas City Royals - Radio Broadcast / The decisive Game 5 of the 1977 American League Championship Series featured the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals at Royals Stadium. The Yankees were on the brink of another World Series appearance under the leadership of manager Billy Martin, while the Royals, managed by Whitey Herzog, were determined to break through to their first-ever World Series. The Yankees sent left-hander Ron Guidry to the mound, who had been reliable throughout the season, while Kansas City countered with their veteran southpaw Paul Splittorff. Both teams were in fine form, with Kansas City relying heavily on George Brett and Hal McRae, and New York banking on their power-laden lineup, led by Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson.
The Royals took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, courtesy of a triple by George Brett that scored Hal McRae. Kansas City added another run in the third, with Al Cowens driving in McRae to make it 3-1. The Yankees battled back, with a key RBI single from Thurman Munson in the third inning and a clutch RBI from Reggie Jackson in the eighth inning to close the gap to 3-2. In the ninth inning, New York rallied for three runs, capitalizing on a defensive error by Brett and a critical single from Mickey Rivers. Sparky Lyle came in to shut down Kansas City's final attempts, and the Yankees secured the victory to advance to the World Series.
#NewYorkYankees #KansasCityRoyals #RonGuidry #GeorgeBrett #ThurmanMunson #ReggieJackson #ALCS1977 #PaulSplittorff #SparkyLyle #MickeyRivers
On October 8, 1977, the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals faced off in...
1977 ALCS G4 - New York Yankees vs Kansas City Royals - Radio Broadcast / On October 8, 1977, the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals faced off in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Royals Stadium. The Yankees, under manager Billy Martin, were aiming for another World Series appearance and sent Ed Figueroa to the mound. The Royals, managed by Whitey Herzog, were looking to keep their season alive, with Larry Gura starting for Kansas City. New York had been powered all season by key players like Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson, while Kansas City relied heavily on George Brett and Hal McRae to drive their offense.
The game opened with a fast pace, as Mickey Rivers led off the game with a double, eventually scoring to give the Yankees an early lead. New York built a 4-0 advantage by the third inning, but the Royals quickly answered back in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, with Freddie Patek and Frank White delivering key hits to narrow the deficit to 5-4. Both teams’ offenses quieted down after the early scoring bursts, as the game turned into a battle of the bullpens. Sparky Lyle came in for the Yankees and shut down the Royals' bats, while Kansas City's bullpen, led by Marty Pattin, kept the Yankees from extending their lead.
In the top of the ninth inning, New York added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly from Thurman Munson, and Lyle closed out the game in the bottom half, securing a 6-4 victory.
#Yankees #Royals #ALCS #MickeyRivers #GeorgeBrett #ThurmanMunson #FreddiePatek #SparkyLyle #BillyMartin #HalMcRae
On May 1, 1973, the New York Yankees hosted the Kansas City Royals at Yankee...
1973 Kansas City Royals vs New York Yankees - Radio Broadcast / On May 1, 1973, the New York Yankees hosted the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium in an evening matchup that featured Steve Kline for the Yankees against Ken Wright of the Royals. Both teams were looking to gain footing early in the season, with the Yankees aiming to rebound from a disappointing fifth-place finish in the AL East in 1972. The Royals, still a relatively young franchise, were continuing to build their team identity and improve upon their performance in the AL West.
The game began with both pitchers holding the line, but the Yankees broke through in the second inning, scoring two runs facilitated by a sequence of hits and a fielding error by the Royals' catcher, Fran Healy. The Royals managed to cut the deficit in the third inning when John Mayberry drove in Freddie Patek, but that would be the extent of their scoring. The pivotal moment came in the seventh inning when the Yankees, led by Bobby Murcer's three-run homer, extended their lead significantly, capitalizing on reliever Tom Burgmeier's struggles to seal the game's fate.
The Yankees won the game 6-1, illustrating their capability to execute in key moments, a theme that would resonate throughout their 1973 season as they fought for, and eventually won, the AL East title.