Hal McRae

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Lore & Background

McRae's path to dominance began with a severe setback; before the 1969 season, he suffered multiple leg fractures sliding on basepaths while playing winter ball in Puerto Rico. Bill James noted that before the accident, McRae was a "burner" and center fielder who could fly, but afterward his speed became merely major league average. Despite this, he became known as "the most aggressive baserunner of the 1970s," leaving home plate thinking 'double' every time he hit the ball. His intensity on the basepaths, particularly his aggressive cross-body blocks at second base, was legendary. However, the so-called 'Hal McRae Rule' is not an official MLB rule; the actual rule (Rule 6.01(j)) was adopted in 2016 and is not named after him. His competitive fire was legendary within the clubhouse. One often-told story claims that after McRae's own leg fractures, Reds announcer Harry Caray—who was walking around with multiple fractures himself—chided McRae for being stuck in a cast, though the exact details and manager Dave Bristol's involvement remain unclear.

In Their Own Story

The 1976 season ended in controversy at Royals Stadium on October 3 during the final game against the Minnesota Twins. Entering the ninth inning, McRae led the batting title race but grounded out to the shortstop immediately after teammate George Brett hit an inside-the-park home run to left field. The result was a loss that cost McRae the crown by a razor-thin margin: .3326 to Brett's .3333. Enraged, McRae confronted Twins manager Gene Mauch on the field, accusing him of racism for allegedly ordering left fielder Steve Brye to let Brett's fly ball drop. Both were restrained by players and umpires, though a post-season league investigation declared his claim unsubstantiated. Interestingly, two other top-four finishers that season, Rod Carew and Lyman Bostock, played in that same game. Later, McRae redeemed his reputation with clutch performances. In Game Four of the 1980 World Series, he twice turned seemingly routine singles to center field into two-base hits. He finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 1982 after leading the majors with 46 doubles and 133 RBIs.

Reader's Guide

Fans looking for Hal McRae's specific achievements should note his versatility and longevity. Over a 19-year major league career, he compiled a .290 batting average (2091-for-7218) with 191 home runs, 1,097 RBIs, 484 doubles, 65 triples, and 109 stolen bases in 2,084 games. He added a .351 on-base percentage and a .454 slugging average for a combined .805 OPS. With the Royals specifically, he batted over .300 in six seasons. His impact extended beyond playing. McRae managed the Kansas City Royals from 1991 to 1994 before being fired after the 1994 season. He later led the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2001 to 2002. Notably, he won a World Series ring as a player for Kansas City against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985 and returned as a coach for the Cardinals when they defeated the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 World Series. His managerial tenure included a notorious 1993 tirade captured on video, where he threw objects including a cup of Coke and his office phone, leaving one reporter with a bloodied face.

Did You Know?

• McRae's speed was considered major league average after a multiple leg fracture in the pre-1969 offseason, though he had previously been a center fielder who could fly.
• McRae won a World Series ring as a player with the Royals in 1985 and later as a coach with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006.