George Brett

George Brett was a Hall of Fame Kansas City Royals third baseman celebrated for his sweet left-handed swing and 1980 near-.400 season.

Born in Glen Dale, West Virginia, on May 15, 1953, George Howard Brett grew up in a baseball family in El Segundo, California. His father Jack was a minor league player, and his brothers Ken and John both reached the major leagues. Brett attended El Segundo High School, where his exceptional hitting ability caught the attention of Kansas City Royals scouts, leading to his selection in the second round of the 1971 amateur draft. Brett made his major league debut with Kansas City in 1973 and quickly established himself as the franchise's cornerstone player. His breakout season came in 1975 when he hit .308 and finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting. The 1980 season represented the pinnacle of his career, as he flirted with becoming the first player since Ted Williams to hit .400, ultimately finishing at .390 while capturing the American League MVP award. That same year, he led the Royals to their first World Series appearance. Throughout his 21-year career, all spent with Kansas City, Brett accumulated 3,154 hits and became the first player to win batting titles in three different decades. He claimed American League batting championships in 1976 (.333), 1980 (.390), and 1990 (.329). His defensive excellence at third base earned him a Gold Glove Award in 1985, the same year he helped deliver Kansas City its first World Series championship. Brett's fiery competitive nature was exemplified by the famous "Pine Tar Incident" in 1983, when his home run against the Yankees was initially nullified due to excessive pine tar on his bat. Brett retired in 1993 as one of baseball's most complete players, holding numerous Royals franchise records. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 in his first year of eligibility. His number 5 was retired by Kansas City, and he remains synonymous with Royals baseball, representing the gold standard for consistent excellence and competitive drive in the sport.

Exceptional contact hitter with gap power, fierce competitor, clutch performer

Hall of Fame third baseman, Kansas City Royals icon, one of greatest hitters in baseball history

• HOF 1999 (first ballot)
• AL MVP 1980
• 13x All-Star
• 1x Gold Glove
• 3x Silver Slugger
• 1985 World Series champion
• 3x AL batting champion