In their first year under manager Billy Martin, the Oakland A’s had a new emphasis on aggressive baserunning. Of course, having a full season of Rickey Henderson helped, but the A’s would ultimately go from 104 steals in 1979 to 175 in 1980. This new emphasis was apparent on a Wednesday afternoon at Oakland Coliseum, … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 28

In just his third game back from a finger injury, Amos Otis drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, lifting the Royals to a 4-2 win over the Athletics on a Tuesday night at Oakland Coliseum. Otis ruptured a tendon in a finger on his right hand while taking batting practice near the … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 27

Oakland’s Matt Keough held the Royals to three hits, as the Athletics snapped Kansas City’s four-game winning streak with a 4-1 win on Memorial Day at the Oakland Coliseum. Just four days earlier in Kansas City, the Royals had tagged Keough for nine hits and seven runs in 3 ⅓ innings. But on this day, … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 26

It took them a little while to get going, but the Royals eventually found their offensive stride, with consecutive big innings in a 7-3 win over the California Angels on a Sunday afternoon at Anaheim Stadium. Angels starter Dave LaRoche, normally a relief pitcher but pressed into service because of a rash of injuries in … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 25

After coughing up a four-run lead (albeit with some controversy), the Royals scored in the top of the 10th to take a 6-5 win over the California Angels on a Saturday night at Anaheim Stadium. Royals starter Rich Gale took the mound for the eighth inning with a 5-1 lead. He had pitched well, holding … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 24

With the threat of a players’ strike looming, the Royals thrashed the Oakland A’s, 16-3, in a Thursday night game at Royals Stadium, a game many of the players expected to be their last for a while. The strike deadline was set for 12:01 AM as negotiators continued to strive for a settlement on a … Continue reading

A ninth-inning rally tied the game for the Royals, but they ultimately lost to Oakland, 4-2, in 14 innings on a Wednesday night at Royals Stadium. Just like they did two nights earlier, the Royals came to the plate in the ninth down to their last three outs and facing a multiple-run deficit, this time … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 21

A dramatic ninth-inning rally set up a walkoff win in the 11th inning for the Royals, who slipped past Oakland 6-5 on a Monday night at Royals Stadium. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first, the Royals were held to two hits by A’s starter Steve McCatty and reliever Bob Lacey until the ninth … Continue reading This Date In Royals History–1980 Edition: May 19