Paul Splittorff

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Splittorff was born in Evansville, Indiana and grew up mostly in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He was drafted by the Royals in the 25th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft out of Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, where he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and also played basketball. He pitched for the Corning Royals in 1968 and has the distinction of throwing the first pitch in Royals organization history. He went 28–27 with a 4.01 earned run average in three seasons in the Royals' farm system before receiving his first call to the majors in September 1970. He took the loss in his major league debut, pitching seven innings and giving up three earned runs against the Chicago White Sox. Splittorff began the 1971 season with the Omaha Royals, but after going 5–2 with a 1.48 ERA in eight starts for Omaha, he earned a second promotion to the majors. He stayed with Kansas City for the rest of the season, going 8–9 with a 2.68 ERA. He enjoyed his only 20-win season in 1973, when he went 20–11 with a 3.98 ERA. Splittorff was the starting pitcher in the inaugural game at Kauffman Stadium (known at the time as Royals Stadium) on April 10, 1973; Splittorff earned the victory that evening in a 12–1 rout of the Texas Rangers. After finishing second to the Oakland Athletics three of his first five seasons in the majors, Splittorff and the Royals emerged as American League West champions in 1976. Kansas City faced the New York Yankees in every American League Championship Series from 1976 to 1978, with the Yankees emerging victorious in all three. For his part, Splittorff was 2–0 with a 2.84 ERA against the Yankees in the five appearances he made against them in the ALCS. After both teams missed the playoffs in 1979, the Royals and Yankees resumed their postseason rivalry in the 1980 American League Championship Series. Kansas City swept the series, with Splittorff starting the third and deciding game, and receiving a no-decision. The Royals lost the World Series in six games to the Philadelphia Phillies with Splittorff making his only appearance in game six. Never an All-Star and usually overshadowed by teammates Steve Busby, Dennis Leonard and Larry Gura, Splittorff's consistency and longevity resulted in his winning more games than any of them. Splittorff accumulated 166 career victories over a 15-year career with the Royals. Primarily a starter

In Their Own Story

On August 17, 1971, Splittorff faced Fritz Peterson at Yankee Stadium in a matchup that highlighted their rivalry; Peterson won both of their career encounters. That day, with no designated hitter rule yet in place, both pitchers went 0–2 at the plate as the Yankees beat the Royals 2–0. Four years later, on August 22, 1975, they met again at old Royals Stadium, where the Indians defeated the Royals 9–5. Splittorff also secured a rare save in his career on July 22, 1975, during the first game of a doubleheader against the Brewers. He pitched 1+2⁄3 scoreless innings to preserve a 3–2 victory for Steve Busby. After retiring as a player, he transitioned immediately into broadcasting, becoming a color commentator for the Royals and an analyst for Big Eight and Big 12 college basketball telecasts. His life ended on May 25, 2011, at his home in Blue Springs, Missouri, following a public battle with oral cancer and melanoma that began nine days prior.

Reader's Guide

After his retirement, Splittorff became a television color commentator for the Royals. He was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 1987. He also worked as an analyst for Big Eight and Big 12 college basketball telecasts. On May 16, 2011, Splittorff's battle with oral cancer and melanoma became public. Nine days later, on the morning of May 25, he died in his Blue Springs, Missouri, home at the age of 64.

Did You Know?

• Splittorff threw the first pitch in Royals organization history while pitching for the Corning Royals in 1968.
• He was the starting pitcher and earned the victory in the inaugural game at Royals Stadium on April 10, 1973, a 12–1 win over the Texas Rangers.
• Splittorff was 2–0 with a 2.84 ERA against the New York Yankees in the ALCS from 1976 to 1978.
• He saved a 3–2 Royals victory over the Brewers on July 22, 1975, pitching 1+2⁄3 scoreless innings.