George Brett and the San Jose Bees

In 1972, future Kansas City Royals star third baseman George Brett played for the minor league San Jose Bees. Although his stay was brief, he along with three other Bees went on to make a major impact in the game. This is their story.

George Brett:

Still early in his career, George Brett was just beginning to find himself as a ballplayer. Just the year before in Billings, Montana, he had discovered in the comfort of rookie ball that he was better suited for third base rather than his original place at shortstop.

He was still getting his feet wet at third base when he was shipped off to the San Jose Bees for the 1972 season. In 117 games, he hit 118 times for a .274 average, drove in 68 runs, scored 66 of his own and bashed 10 home runs in front of the excitable crowds of the historic San Jose Municipal Stadium. In 104 games at third base, Brett recorded 74 putouts and 172 assists with a .891 fielding percentage. The Bees finished the season 76-64, good for third in the league.

After his lone year in San Jose, George Brett officially joined the Kansas City Royals where his talent rose to legend. His 13 trips to the All-Star game, three Silver Slugger Awards and jersey retirement underscored all that he meant to a city that was starved for a winner.

Seven years into his career, George Brett was an AL MVP after averaging a sizzling .390 at the plate, going to base 45.40% of the time, bashing 24 home runs and driving in 118 scores. Still, all of heroics could only do so much against the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1980 World Series.

After losing to the Phillies in six games, Brett and his teammates continued to turn out victory after victory, forever pursuing that elusive title. Finally, in 1985, he earned the only Gold Glove of his career as well as his second Silver Slugger Award while he led the Royals back to the postseason. After helping his team win Game 3 of the ALCS over Toronto by bashing two home runs with three RBI, the Royals still found themselves staring at a 3-1 series deficit.

They refused to be denied again. After winning Game 5 2-0, George Brett's bat came alive in Game 6 with a single home run that helped give his team a critical 5-3 victory to tie the series. Game 7 in Toronto's Exhibition Stadium was a total team effort as the Royals won handily 6-2 as George Brett won the ALCS MVP.

After his ALCS heroics, George Brett's bat got a lot quieter in the World Series. In seven games against St. Louis, he managed just five hits and a single RBI while the rest of his teammates picked up the slack. The Royals beat the Cardinals in seven games. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

Frank White:

In 49 games with the San Jose Bees, shortstop Frank White scored 44 runs, hit ten home runs and drove in 26 scores with a .294 average and 77 putouts. After the 1972 season, he went with teammate George Brett to Kansas City where the two would take the city on the ride of a lifetime.

As a Royal from 1973 through 1990, Frank White made the All-Star Game five times, earned eight Gold Glove Awards and the 1986 Silver Slugger. In 18 seasons, he recorded 2,006 hits, scored 912 times and drove in 886 runs on a lifetime .255 average.

In the 1985 World Series, he hit seven times, scored four runs and drove in six scores on a .250 average. In a Game 7 11-0 demolition of the Cardinals he made a hit, scored a run, drove in another and was walked once. Despite impressive stats, he has yet to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Al Cowens:

In 83 games with the 1972 San Jose Bees, the right-fielder from Los Angeles scored 36 runs, drove in 53 scores and hit five home runs with a .280 batting average. He joined George Brett and Frank White in Kansas City in 1974 and stayed there through 1979. After that, he played for the Angels (1980), Tigers (1880-1981) and the Mariners (1982-1986).

Although he didn't receive nearly as much fanfare or accolades as his other teammates, Al Cowens did earn the Gold Glove Award in 1977. As a combo right-fielder/center-fielder, he recorded 307 putouts in 327 chances while assisting on 14 others. He only suffered six errors all year.

Greg Minton:

As a pitcher, Greg Minton was not known for his prowess at the plate. In 33 games with the 1972 San Jose Bees, he had 15 hits and 11 RBI with a .221 batting average. As a pitcher that year, he went 12-12 with a 3.94 ERA.

He joined the San Francisco Giants in 1975 and over the course of the next 13 years became one of their more reliable closers. In 1982, he struck out 58 and made 30 saves with a 1.83 ERA, earning a spot in that year's All-Star game.

He still made his starts though. When he finished his career with the Angels in 1990, he had a career record of 59 wins, 65 losses and 150 saves to go along with a 3.10 lifetime ERA. His name now adorns the Giants Wall of Fame.

References

George Brett and the San Jose Bees

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