Magic Royals moments: McRae in '77, a doubles machine

Hal McRae's doubles in 1977 stuck out like so many line drives into the gap at Royals Stadium. He had 54 that year, the most in the major leagues in 27 years and more than anybody would hit for 16 more years.



By Phil Ellenbecker
  Since the 21st century came around, 50 doubles have been hit in a season 35 times, the highest mark being Matt Carpenter's 55 in 2013.
  Which makes what Hal McRae did in 1977 seem more amazing.
  Hal McRae led the American League with 54 doubles in '77. That was a big deal. This was a remarkable feat, for its time. I would argue that it’s as significant as any player had in the 1970s. I can’t back that, but I can tell you this:
  McRae’s doubles total was the most  in the AL since George Kell had 56 in 1950. That’s 27 years. The closest anybody had come in the meantime was Frank Robinson with 51 in the NL in 1962; in the AL it was Fred Lynn’s 47 in 1975.
   McRae’s 1977 doubles total was more than anybody in the majors since Stan Musial with 53 in 1953.
  Nobody in the AL hit as many doubles in a season until John Olerud belted 54 in 1993. That’s 16 years.
  Nobody in the NL hit that many until Mark Grudzielanek had 54 in 1997.
  So for a span of 43 years, Hal McRae had the highest double total for one year of anybody in the major leagues.
 And in the 1970s, Pete Rose with 51 in 1978 was the only other player to collect 50 doubles.
 Now, McRae didn’t come close to setting the single-season record for doubles. That's the 67 by Earl Webb in 1931. But McRae is tied for the 24th best single-season mark of all time. And in relative terms, you could say that for one year, McRae ruled in doubles as nobody had for quite some time.
  In addition to his doubles output, McRae hit .298 with 11 triples, 21 homers, 104 runs and 91 RBIs on a team that went 102-60, best in Royals history, and won the AL West by eight games. About the only downer was a heartbreaking five-game loss to the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series.
  The number of McRae's doubles is impressive enough, but what I also remember about McRae's doubles is how he hit them. Lots of doubles are would-be homers that bounce off the wall. That's not how I remember McRae's. I remember line drives into the gaps, a hitting style ideally suited to the spacious dimensions of Royals Stadium.
   I also remember singles turning into doubles. McRae and George Brett specialized in taking advantage of outfielders lollygagging after a ball, then stretching ordinary hits into two-baggers.
  Hustle. Speed. Line drives. Singles, doubles, triples, all over the park. Rat-a-tat-tat. In fact, the Royals led the league in doubles and triples each year from 1976-78 as they won three straight division titles.
  That was Royals baseball in the late 1970s. That was Hal McRae.