Frank White: Smooth Operator

Frank White Jr. wore number 20 for the Kansas City Royals. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound second baseman was born September 4, 1950, in Delta Blues, Greenville, Mississippi. Early in life he moved to Kansas City where he was graduated from Lincoln High School in 1968. Frank followed in the footsteps of Lincoln athletes and future Kansas City Monarchs, Newt Allen, Frank Duncan and Rube Currie, as he climbed the football bleachers to sneak a peak at professional baseball being played at nearby Municipal Stadium. When White was not starring in high school football and basketball – his school had no baseball team – he was playing in the Connie Mack, Ban Johnson, and Casey Stengel baseball leagues. In 1985 his old Casey Stengel League was renamed the Frank White League.

After attending Royals Academy, Frank started his professional career with Sarasota in the 1971 Gold Coast League. There he led the league in stolen bases with 18, and all shortstops with a .928 fielding percentage on 219 chances – 149 assists and 27 double plays. The following year, he played for San Jose of the California League, then finished the season with Jacksonville in the Southern League.

His big break came in 1973. After starting the season with Omaha in the Triple-A American Association, he was called up on June 12, 1973 to replace the injured shortstop Freddie Patek. White did not play second base, his natural position, until his 16th game. In that first season, he appeared in 51 games, 37 were at short and 11 at second.

White’s fortunes worked hand-in-glove with the Royals’ fortunes. During his first full season, he played 50 games at second, 16 games at third, 29 games at short and three at designated hitter. He was improving as a hitter as well. On June 25, 1975, he hit his first major league grand slam home run against the California Angels.

In 1976, White became the Royals’ regular second baseman, playing only 37 games at shortstop. He also set a Royals’ record of 18 sacrifice hits as the club finally won a division title.

The next season, Frank White won his first Gold Glove with a .989 percentage. He played 62 consecutive games at second base without an error – June 28 to September 9 – as he handled 310 chances. He, also, stole three bases in one game that year.

In 1978 White won his second Gold Glove and was named to the all-star team for the first time. After the season, he made The Sporting News’ Major League All-Star team. He accomplished the same three honors the next year as he hit for the cycle on September 26, 1979. He was named Royals’ Player of the Month for September when he hit .336 (33 hits in 98 at-bats).

White won his fourth straight Gold Glove in 1980. He won the Most Valuable Player in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees when he batted .545.

During the next two years, White captured his fifth and sixth consecutive Gold Gloves. He made the American League All-Star squad each season. In 1981, he compiled a 13-game hitting streak and the next year he hit for the cycle again.

As Frank grew older, he developed into a slashing doubles hitter who routinely tomahawked the ball down the left field line. His fielding became better.

In 1983 he set the Royals’ record for the most double plays by a second baseman, 124. During the off-season, he was named Royals’ Player of the Year. White led all major league second baseman with 77 RBI. The following year, White was named American League Player of the Week as the Royals captured another division flag. Then came 1985.

White pumped up his hitting with 22 home runs and the Royals took all of the honors including the World Series in a thrilling win over intrastate rival St. Louis. In the Series, he became the only second baseman besides Jackie Robinson to hit clean-up in the series.

The next season on August 19, White tied a Royals’ single-game record with seven RBIs in a game against the Texas Rangers. Postseason honors included his seventh Gold Glove and Royals’ Player of the Year. Hew as also named to The Sporting News Silver Slugger team which signifies the best hitters by position. His 22 home runs and 84 RBI led all second basemen in 1986. White made his fifth all-star team which he celebrated with a home run. White was a member of the major league all-star team that toured Japan.

For the rest of his career he solidified his hold on “most graceful second baseman.” In 1987, he tied Bill Mazeroski, of the Pittsburgh Pirates, for the most Gold Gloves by a second baseman with number eight. He received the Ernie Mehl Award in January, 1988, for the player “who has contributed greatly to the overall image of baseball on and off the field.” Later that year he had a most remarkable season.

In 1988, Frank White set the Royals’ record for the most consecutive games at second base without an error – 70 (September 22, 1987, to June 20, 1988). He committed only four errors, all throwing. Even though he lost the Gold Glove to Harold Reynolds of the Seattle Mariners, Royals’ first sacker, veteran Bill Buckner, exclaimed, “Geez, I never played with second baseman who didn’t make any errors. I didn’t think it was possible.” Some honors were completely unexpected.

In November 1989, the island of St. Vincent issued a 30-cent stamp of Frank White. Not bad for a youngster from the Academy.

Frank White capped an 18-year career with his hometown team by collecting 2,000 hits and playing in 2, 324 games. After the season the Royals notified him that his contract would not be renewed. He eagerly anticipated his career as a civilian.

In 1991 White was named to the Board of Directors of the Mark Twain Bank and vice-president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Later in the year, he accepted an offer to manage the Boston Red Sox’s Winter Haven club in the Gulf Coast League.

Despite a promotion to Triple A, White left baseball in 1993 to begin work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield in its public relations department. However, the lure of baseball was too great. He returned to the Red Sox as first base coach in 1994, the same year he was inducted into the John Q. Hammons Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, Missouri.

On July 2, 1995, the Royals retired Frank White’s number 20 in a ceremony at Kauffman Stadium. The starting second baseman who had watched the Athletics as a kid appeared in Kansas City’s Opening Day lineup 15 years in a row from 1976 through 1990. He is one of the select group who played 18 consecutive years with one club. His hitting, fielding, and longevity rank him among the top 30 players in baseball history, out of more than 14,000.