#georgebrett #baseballgame #baseballplayer
George Brett is one of the greatest baseball players of all time but he left his fans on the edge of their seats when he pulled himself out of Game 2 in Philadelphia for a major surgery!
George Brett was born in Glen Dale, West Virginia, the youngest of four boys in a sports-loving family. His brother Ken, the second oldest, was a major league pitcher who played in the 1967 World Series at just 19. Inspired by his older brothers, George dreamed of following in their footsteps. He graduated from El Segundo High School in 1971 and was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the second round, 29th overall, of the 1971 Major League Baseball draft.
Brett started his professional baseball career as a shortstop, but he struggled with his defensive play to the right. He was soon moved to third base, where his powerful arm became a major asset. Brett played in the minors with the Billings Mustangs in 1971, the San Jose Bees in 1972, and the Omaha Royals in 1973, hitting .291, .274, and .284, respectively. The Kansas City Royals called him up to the majors on August 2, 1973. He made his debut that day against the Chicago White Sox, going 1-for-4 as the starting third baseman. Brett played in 13 games that season, finishing with a .125 batting average.
In 1974, Brett secured the starting third base job but struggled with his hitting. Seeking help, he turned to Charley Lau, the Royals' batting coach. During the All-Star break, Lau worked with Brett on protecting the entire plate and fixing holes in his swing that experienced pitchers were exploiting. With this new knowledge, Brett quickly improved as a hitter, ending the season with a .282 batting average, two home runs, and 47 RBIs in 113 games.