Big, 6-3, 222-pound John Mayberry was well-known for his prodigious home run blasts into the right field bleachers. He knocked in 100 or more runs in three of his four years with the Kansas City Royals (1972-76) and was selected to two All-Star games. His most productive season came with the Royals in 1975. That year Mayberry had career highs in batting average (.291), slugging average (.547), doubles (38), homers (34) runs (95) RBIs (106), a led the led in bases-on-balls (119). He averaged 90 RBIs from 1976-77 and helped the Royals win the AL West Title in both years. However, he was criticized for sitting out the last game of the 1977 ALCS because of a toothache and was sold to the Toronto Blue Jays in March, 1978. 'Big John' Mayberry belted 20 or more home runs in 3-out-of-4 years in Toronto. And broke up three would-be no-hitters in a period of 14 months. John Mayberry, at age 18, was the No.1 draft pick of the Houston Astros in June of 1967. But the young slugging first baseman appeared in only 105 games for the Astros before being traded to Kansas City in late 1971. The well-liked Mayberry was a fans' favorite wherever he played. Opposing player Bobby Grich once remarked, "Big John is so nice and easygoing you don't suspect anything when he asks you to take your foot off the bag to kick the dust away - until he tags you out." John Mayberry's career: 211 Doubles, 255 Home Runs, 881 RBIs, a .253 BA, from 1968-1982. baseballhistorian.com |