Frank White was born on Monday, September 4, 1950, in Greenville, Mississippi. White was 22 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 12, 1973, with the Kansas City Royals. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Frank White baseball stats page.
"Frank White holds a special place in Royals history and with our fans -- evidenced by his statue at Kauffman Stadium, his retired jersey and the many years he was employed by the franchise. Following his retirement as a player, the Royals arranged for him to hold a number of positions with the team. While Frank's role evolved over time based on his own requests as well as the needs of the organization, we were disappointed when he made the decision to leave his position as a community ambassador. We continue to respect what Frank has done for our city and the role he played in Royals history, and he always will be a part of the Royals tradition." - Kansas City Royals Press Release (July 30, 2004)
Frank WhiteFrank 'Smooth' White Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#44) |
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Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Frank WhiteFrank White Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
- | - | Did Not Pitch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
Frank WhiteFrank White Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1973 | 23 | Royals | 51 | 139 | 20 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .223 | .262 | .281 |
1974 | 24 | Royals | 99 | 204 | 19 | 45 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .221 | .239 | .294 |
1975 | 25 | Royals | 111 | 304 | 43 | 76 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 36 | 20 | 0 | 39 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | .250 | .297 | .365 |
1976 | 26 | Royals | 152 | 446 | 39 | 102 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 19 | 0 | 42 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 4 | .229 | .263 | .307 |
1977 | 27 | Royals | 152 | 474 | 59 | 116 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 25 | 0 | 67 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .245 | .284 | .342 |
1978 | 28 | Royals | 143 | 461 | 66 | 127 | 24 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 50 | 26 | 1 | 59 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | .275 | .317 | .399 |
1979 | 29 | Royals | 127 | 467 | 73 | 124 | 26 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 48 | 25 | 3 | 54 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 11 | .266 | .300 | .403 |
1980 | 30 | Royals | 154 | 560 | 70 | 148 | 23 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 60 | 19 | 0 | 69 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 11 | .264 | .289 | .357 |
1981 | 31 | Royals | 94 | 364 | 35 | 91 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 38 | 19 | 0 | 50 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 10 | .250 | .285 | .376 |
1982 | 32 | Royals | 145 | 524 | 71 | 156 | 45 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 56 | 16 | 1 | 65 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 12 | .298 | .318 | .469 |
1983 | 33 | Royals | 146 | 549 | 52 | 143 | 35 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 77 | 20 | 4 | 51 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 18 | .260 | .283 | .406 |
1984 | 34 | Royals | 129 | 479 | 58 | 130 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 56 | 27 | 3 | 72 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | .271 | .311 | .445 |
1985 | 35 | Royals | 149 | 563 | 62 | 140 | 25 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 69 | 28 | 2 | 86 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 8 | .249 | .284 | .414 |
1986 | 36 | Royals | 151 | 566 | 76 | 154 | 37 | 3 | 22 | 1 | 84 | 43 | 5 | 88 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 10 | .272 | .322 | .465 |
1987 | 37 | Royals | 154 | 563 | 67 | 138 | 32 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 78 | 51 | 5 | 86 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 16 | .245 | .308 | .400 |
1988 | 38 | Royals | 150 | 537 | 48 | 126 | 25 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 58 | 21 | 3 | 67 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 16 | .235 | .266 | .330 |
1989 | 39 | Royals | 135 | 418 | 34 | 107 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 30 | 0 | 52 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | .256 | .307 | .328 |
1990 | 40 | Royals | 82 | 241 | 20 | 52 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | .216 | .253 | .307 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
18 Years | 2,324 | 7,859 | 912 | 2,006 | 407 | 58 | 160 | 6 | 886 | 412 | 27 | 1,035 | 101 | 65 | 30 | 156 | .255 | .293 | .383 |
Frank WhiteFrank White Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1973 Royals | 2B | 11 | 10 | 285 | 62 | 5.6 | 59 | 19 | 40 | 3 | 12 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 5.59 |
1973 Royals | SS | 37 | 23 | 636 | 142 | 3.8 | 133 | 52 | 81 | 9 | 24 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .937 | 5.65 |
1974 Royals | 2B | 50 | 25 | 759 | 157 | 3.1 | 151 | 67 | 84 | 6 | 23 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .962 | 5.37 |
1974 Royals | 3B | 16 | 10 | 291 | 41 | 2.6 | 39 | 15 | 24 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .951 | 3.62 |
1974 Royals | SS | 29 | 17 | 516 | 122 | 4.2 | 118 | 37 | 81 | 4 | 16 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .967 | 6.17 |
1975 Royals | 2B | 68 | 57 | 1,511 | 313 | 4.6 | 308 | 126 | 182 | 5 | 35 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .984 | 5.50 |
1975 Royals | 3B | 4 | 2 | 66 | 8 | 2.0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.27 |
1975 Royals | SS | 42 | 26 | 759 | 148 | 3.5 | 141 | 55 | 86 | 7 | 20 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .953 | 5.02 |
1976 Royals | 2B | 130 | 122 | 3,075 | 665 | 5.1 | 647 | 256 | 391 | 18 | 76 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .973 | 5.68 |
1976 Royals | SS | 37 | 20 | 639 | 138 | 3.7 | 133 | 41 | 92 | 5 | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .964 | 5.62 |
1977 Royals | 2B | 152 | 145 | 24,378 | 752 | 4.9 | 744 | 310 | 434 | 8 | 86 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .989 | 0.82 |
1977 Royals | SS | 4 | 1 | 30 | 3 | 0.8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.70 |
1978 Royals | 2B | 140 | 138 | 3,582 | 726 | 5.2 | 710 | 325 | 385 | 16 | 96 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .978 | 5.35 |
1979 Royals | 2B | 125 | 124 | 3,228 | 661 | 5.3 | 649 | 317 | 332 | 12 | 78 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .982 | 5.43 |
1980 Royals | 2B | 153 | 145 | 3,855 | 853 | 5.6 | 843 | 395 | 448 | 10 | 103 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .988 | 5.90 |
1981 Royals | 2B | 93 | 93 | 2,472 | 495 | 5.3 | 489 | 226 | 263 | 6 | 70 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .988 | 5.34 |
1982 Royals | 2B | 144 | 143 | 3,648 | 767 | 5.3 | 750 | 361 | 389 | 17 | 99 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .978 | 5.55 |
1983 Royals | 2B | 145 | 142 | 3,723 | 840 | 5.8 | 832 | 390 | 442 | 8 | 123 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .990 | 6.03 |
1984 Royals | 2B | 129 | 126 | 3,324 | 735 | 5.7 | 724 | 299 | 425 | 11 | 97 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .985 | 5.88 |
1985 Royals | 2B | 149 | 147 | 3,918 | 849 | 5.7 | 832 | 342 | 490 | 17 | 101 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .980 | 5.73 |
1986 Royals | 2B | 151 | 144 | 3,795 | 765 | 5.1 | 755 | 316 | 439 | 10 | 91 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .987 | 5.37 |
1986 Royals | 3B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1986 Royals | SS | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 13.50 |
1987 Royals | 2B | 152 | 150 | 3,831 | 788 | 5.2 | 778 | 320 | 458 | 10 | 89 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .987 | 5.48 |
1988 Royals | 2B | 148 | 139 | 3,558 | 723 | 4.9 | 719 | 293 | 426 | 4 | 88 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .994 | 5.46 |
1989 Royals | 2B | 132 | 126 | 3,171 | 655 | 5.0 | 645 | 238 | 407 | 10 | 64 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .985 | 5.49 |
1989 Royals | CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1990 Royals | 2B | 79 | 75 | 1,881 | 368 | 4.7 | 360 | 142 | 218 | 8 | 51 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .978 | 5.17 |
1990 Royals | RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
2B Totals | 2,151 | 2,051 | 73,994 | 11,174 | 5.2 | 10,995 | 4,742 | 6,253 | 179 | 1,382 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .984 | 4.01 | |
SS Totals | 150 | 87 | 2,586 | 556 | 3.7 | 531 | 186 | 345 | 25 | 75 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 5.54 | |
3B Totals | 21 | 12 | 360 | 49 | 2.3 | 47 | 16 | 31 | 2 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .959 | 3.53 | |
CF Totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 | |
RF Totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 | |
18 Years | 2,324 | 2,150 | 76,940 | 11,779 | 5.1 | 11,573 | 4,944 | 6,629 | 206 | 1,459 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .983 | 4.06 |
Frank WhiteFrank White Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1973 Royals | 3 | 1 | .750 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 27.8 | - | - | - |
1974 Royals | 3 | 4 | .429 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 204.0 | 6.2 | 11.3 | - | - | - |
1975 Royals | 11 | 3 | .786 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 43.4 | 7.8 | 8.4 | - | - | - |
1976 Royals | 20 | 11 | .645 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 223.0 | 10.6 | 9.7 | - | - | - |
1977 Royals | 23 | 5 | .821 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 94.8 | 7.1 | 9.5 | - | - | - |
1978 Royals | 13 | 10 | .565 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 65.9 | 7.8 | 9.2 | - | - | - |
1979 Royals | 28 | 8 | .778 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46.7 | 8.6 | 9.7 | - | - | - |
1980 Royals | 19 | 6 | .760 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 80.0 | 8.1 | 9.3 | - | - | - |
1981 Royals | 4 | 2 | .667 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40.4 | 7.3 | 9.6 | - | - | - |
1982 Royals | 10 | 7 | .588 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47.6 | 8.1 | 9.4 | - | - | - |
1983 Royals | 13 | 5 | .722 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 49.9 | 10.8 | 7.1 | - | - | - |
1984 Royals | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28.2 | 6.7 | 8.6 | - | - | - |
1985 Royals | 10 | 4 | .714 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25.6 | 6.5 | 8.2 | - | - | - |
1986 Royals | 4 | 4 | .500 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 25.7 | 6.4 | 6.7 | - | - | - |
1987 Royals | 1 | 3 | .250 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 33.1 | 6.5 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1988 Royals | 7 | 3 | .700 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 67.1 | 8.0 | 9.3 | - | - | - |
1989 Royals | 3 | 2 | .600 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 209.0 | 8.0 | 11.6 | - | - | - |
1990 Royals | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 120.5 | 7.5 | 11.5 | - | - | - |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
18 Years | 178 | 83 | .682 | 42 | 38 | 12 | 49.1 | 7.6 | 8.9 | - | - | - |
Frank WhiteFrank White Miscellaneous Items of Interest |
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Team | Roster | Uniform Numbers | Salary | All-Star | World Series |
1973 Kansas City Royals | 19 | $15,000.00 | - | - |
1974 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $16,200.00 | - | - |
1975 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $26,000.00 | - | - |
1976 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $35,000.00 | - | - |
1977 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $50,000.00 | - | - |
1978 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $67,000.00 | Stats | - |
1979 Kansas City Royals | 20 | Undetermined | Stats | - |
1980 Kansas City Royals | 20 | Undetermined | - | Stats |
1981 Kansas City Royals | 20 | Undetermined | Stats | - |
1982 Kansas City Royals | 20 | Undetermined | Stats | - |
1983 Kansas City Royals | 20 | Undetermined | - | - |
1984 Kansas City Royals | 20 | Undetermined | - | - |
1985 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $545,000.00 | - | Stats |
1986 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $485,000.00 | Stats | - |
1987 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $875,000.00 | - | - |
1988 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $825,000.00 | - | - |
1989 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $1,000,000.00 | - | - |
1990 Kansas City Royals | 20 | $1,150,000.00 | - | - |
Frank White Stats by Baseball Almanac |
On August 30th, 1995, teammates Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell tied (and eventually broke) an American League record when they played in their 1‚914th game together - a record that was originally set by George Brett and Frank White.
Frank White is - as much as George Brett - a Kansas City Royals legend. The 5-time All-Star (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1986) won 8 Glove Gloves at Second Base (1977-1982, 1986 & 1987 / only Roberto Alomar [10] and Ryne Sandberg [9] have more) - the most golden gloves by any Royals player in franchise history. Here is one writer's description of his fielding skills:
"White's grace, though, was what people would remember most. That is something extra. There have been many breathtaking defenders who looked plain. Rey Sanchez was like that. He was not beautiful to watch. He simply made every play look routine. The ball stuck to his glove, and he never made dramatic efforts for balls that he knew he could not reach, and his arm was always just good enough to get the runner by a step. He never won a Gold Glove. He didn't look like a virtuoso. He just was one."
"Frank White, though, jumped and leaped and dived. He had this beautiful, light-footed way of moving, like a dancer, and so when the ball was hit his way there was a jolt of anticipation throughout the stadium. He threw from all angles -- overhand, sidearm, underhand, whatever the situation demanded. He contorted his body any number of ways to complete dazzling double plays. No one who saw Frank White play could doubt that they were watching a master. And this was something that would stay with them for the rest of their lives."
Source: Posnanski, Joe. Sports on Earth Staff Writer. Time Moves On. 27 November 2012.
Frank White Statue | Kansas City Royals | Photoshop by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Baseball Almanac Research Library
In 1986, Frank White led all American League second baseman in batting average winning him the Silver Slugger Award, the first Royals' player to win one at second base. Four years earlier, on August 3, 1982, White had hit for the cycle, a feat he had accomplished once prior on September 26, 1979, Frank was the first Royals' player to record two cycles. Not hard to see why the Royals retired White's number #20 on May 2, 1995, inducted him into the Royals' Hall of Fame that same year, and honored him with a bronze statue (seen above) outside Kauffman Stadium in 2004 (alongside George Brett, Dick Howser, Ewing Kauffman and Muriel Kauffman).