KC Royals history: 8 best games of Hall of Famer George Brett

Not many franchises have a clear-cut greatest player in their history. The KC Royals, to their benefit and detriment, do not have a debate about whether third baseman George Brett is the Royals GOAT. Rather, they can debate if the franchise cornerstone should have more MVP trophies on the shelf.

KC Royals legend George Brett had plenty of special games in his career.

The West Virginia native has played for or been around the Royals for most of his life, starting when the Royals drafted him 29th overall in 1971. He broke some records and made some history—you know, normal George Brett things. He currently serves as the Royals Vice President of Baseball Operations, a position he started after retiring following the 1993 season. The Hall of Fame has his place in Cooperstown's hallowed halls, earning a better voting percentage than legends like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Stan Musial. That is pretty great company to be ahead of.

Brett's 88.6 career WAR ranks 31st all-time among position players and is more than any active position player. That speaks to a great career, but there are some games that would blow today's fans away to see in Kauffman Stadium. Let's look back on those games and what made them special.

May 28, 1979: Royals beat Orioles, 5-4

Win Probability Added: 1.127 (Royals record) 
Stats: 8 PA, 5 H, 3 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 1 IBB

If fans want to remove any narratives behind a player's individual performance, WPA is a great tool to utilize. This game against the Baltimore Orioles at Royals Stadium was a banger to start the work week off with. The 16-inning affair lasted nearly five hours, with 34,677 fans in attendance. Brett gave fans their money's worth by coming a single shy of the cycle. A single was the only hit he didn't record; that is how good Brett was this night.

He hit two home runs, both at crucial junctures in the game. His first homer came in the bottom of the eighth against Dennis Martinez. His two-run shot turned a 2-3 deficit into a 4-3 lead, scoring Steve Braun from first. The Orioles tied the game again in the ninth, kicking off the extra innings. Then, Brett hit the walk-off homer against Sammy Stewart, sending Kansas City to sleep happy.

This game was the second multi-homer game of Brett's career, en route to 17 total performances. Also, Brett had four extra-base hits against the Orioles, the only time he has ever had that many in one game. The extended game certainly helped this performance, but Brett muscled the Royals to a win in incredible fashion this night.

August 26, 1980: Royals beat Brewers, 7-6

Win Probability Added: 0.125
Stats: 5 PA, 5 H, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 K

The 1980 campaign was incredibly special for Brett in cementing his Royals legacy. He won his first and only league MVP after sniffing the accolade for years. He led the league with a .390 batting average, .664 slugging percentage, and a 1.118 OPS. His walking 58 times compared to only striking out 22 times boggles my mind to this day. It is a season MLB fans will rarely see again, and Royals fans will likely never see it in Kansas City.

On August 26, the Royals clinched a series win over the Milwaukee Brewers. This particular game was never very close, as the Royals took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Bret himself scored one of those innings, and he went a perfect five for five against Milwaukee pitchers Bill Castro and Mike Caldwell. It was an impressive performance, even if the Royals were heavy favorites over the Brewers. Kansas City was 82-44 following the game, while the Brewers floated above .500 at 67-61. The Royals ended that season in the World Series, losing after six games to the Philadelphia Phillies.

That 5/5 game from Brett was another season milestone for the legend. When the game ended, Brett sported an impressive .407 batting average on the season. That late peak marked the highest batting average Brett had that season, and the chase for .400 was on. He would not end the season above that mark after a relatively slow September. But on that day, the feat certainly seemed possible.

1985 ALCS Game 3: Royals beat Blue Jays, 6-5

Win Probability Added: 0.485
Stats: 4 PA, 4 H, 4 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR

I was not around for the 1985 World Series, but the roster and season preceding the championship are remembered fondly amongst Royals fans. That is a deserved mark on the fanbase that has only seen two World Series wins in the team's history. Imagine debating whether any of a number of championship-winning squads in franchise history were better. I'm looking at you, Yankees and Cardinals.

Without Brett at the plate, the 1985 World Series may have ended in an embarrassing ALCS sweep rather than a Cinderella story. The Royals went to Toronto and lost the first two games to the Blue Jays. The Royals returned to Kansas City in a 2-0 hole with the real possibility of being swept in Royals Stadium. But Brett saved the day in spectacular fashion. His home run in the bottom of the sixth swung the game in the Royals' favor. Before he came to the plate, the Blue Jays had a 68% chance of winning. After Brett and Willie Wilson finished trotting in, Kansas City had a 58% chance of winning.

This Game 3 was a very competitive affair, but Steve Farr performed marvelously on the mound to close out the game. The Blue Jays still held a 2-1 series lead, but that first win was the catalyst the Royals needed to win the 1985 ALCS in seven games. The Royals may not have won without Brett's performance in this game, and that outcome could have large ramifications for the Royals, that season, and how fans remember it.

July 24, 1983: Royals beat Yankees, 5-4

Win Probability Added: 0.780
Stats: 5 PA, 3 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR

I remember growing up a Royals fan with the notion that Kansas City served as the New York Yankees farm team. Not literally, but it seemed that several good Royals players would end up in pinstripes sometime in their careers. This was likely not as egregious as my juvenile mind thought, but I could not stand the Yankees growing up. I imagine that sentiment echoes older fans as well, considering how many competitive series the Royals and Yankees had in the 1980s.

Well, educated fans will know this game by the date alone: The Pine Tar Incident happened in the series-deciding game against the Royals and Yankees. Let's approach this as if Brett did not charge the field and the game actually finished nearly a month later. Considering all that, it was still an amazing game from Brett.

It was another multi-hit game from Brett, but his final one shot his WPA through the roof. The Royals had a measly 8% chance of winning when Brett came to the plate with U.L. Washington standing on first. Yankees All-Star closer Rich Gossage had two outs on the Royals, with anything but a Brett hit ending the game. In a moment many dream about as kids, Brett smashed a home run to right field, scoring him and Washington to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. We all know what happened after that home run.

Grett was certainly not a spring chicken anymore when 1993 rolled around. He still appeared in 145 games for the Royals, staying as a designated hitter the entire season. Familiar fans will notice that 1993 was Brett's final season with the Royals and that squad at least sent Brett off with a winning record despite a negative run differential.

The next two games mark a litany of lasts for the legend. These moments reminded fans of Brett's glory days when those were long behind the 21-year veteran.

September 26, 1993: Royals beat Angels, 9-8

Win Probability Added: 0.838
Stats: 6 PA, 3 H, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR

This game marks several lasts for Brett. His final multi-hit game, multi-home run game, the last extra-innings game he played in, but there is one thing out of the box score that matters most. This was the final time Brett really carried the Royals to a victory. Look at that WPA. Without Brett, Kansas City would have lost this game in terrific fashion. But, Brett accounted for eight of the Royals' nine runs, putting the exclamation point on the day with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. What a day, and what a treat for fans in Kauffman Stadium.

October 3, 1993: Royals beat Rangers, 4-1

Win Probability Added: -.050
Stats: 4 PA, 1 H, 1 R

This is the only entry where Brett was not a hero for that game. In fact, he was a detriment batting third in the Royals lineup. But, that doesn't matter. In Brett's final game, he logged his final hit in his final at bat, in the top of the ninth inning. Brett went out on that note, and that feels like poetry.

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