1976 Topps #236 - Kansas City Royals

• The Kansas City Royals were 90-72 and won the AL West in 1976. They finished 2.5 games ahead of the Oakland A's and 5 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins. They lost an exciting AL Championship Series to the New York Yankees 3 games to 2 when Chris Chambliss homered off of Mark Littell in the bottom of the 9th in the final game.

• Attendance: 1,680,265 (3rd of 12)
• Team Batting: .269 (2nd in AL)
• Team Homers: 57 (11th in AL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 241 (2nd in AL)
• Team ERA: 3.21 (2nd in AL)
• Team Fielding: .978 (4th in AL)
• League Leaders: George Brett (.333 BA, 645 AB, 215 hits, 298 total bases, 14 3B); Hal McRae (.407 OBP); Amos Otis (40 2B)
• Gold Gloves: none
• AL All Stars: George Brett (starting 3B); Amos Otis (OF); Freddie Patek (SS); Hal McRae (OF)

• Whitey Herzog was in his 4th season as a major league manager, and 1976 was his first full season. He ended up managing all or parts of 18 seasons from 1973-1990. He had a total of six division titles (3 with Kansas City and 3 with the St. Louis Cardinals), three World Series appearances (all with St. Louis), and one World Championship (1982).

Some Whitey Herzog quotes:

• "I'm not buddy-buddy with the players. If they need a buddy, let them buy a dog. "
• "The only way to make money as a manager is to win in one place, get fired and hired somewhere else. "
• "Some people asked me if I would be interested in managing the A's. I said a definite no thank you. At night, that place is a graveyard with lights. "