Freddie Patek

Shortstop

Born: October 9, 1944 (age 72)
Seguin, Texas

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

MLB debut

June 3, 1968, for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Last MLB appearance

October 3, 1981, for the California Angels

MLB statistics

.242

1,340

490

385

Teams

Career highlights and awards

Frederick Joseph Patek (/ˈpɑːtɛk/; born October 9, 1944) is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, and California Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). At 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall, he was the shortest MLB player of his time.

Patek was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 22nd round of the 1965 Major League Baseball draft out of Seguin High School in Seguin, Texas. He made his major league debut on June 3, 1968 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at short, and played all but six of his 292 games with the Pirates at short. However, with All-Star Gene Alley firmly entrenched at shortstop there was a desire on the part of management to convert him into a utility player.

Following the 1970 season, the Pirates dealt Patek, Bruce Dal Canton and Jerry May to the Kansas City Royals for Jim Campanis, Jackie Hernandez and Bob Johnson. In his first season with the Royals, Patek hit for the cycle on July 9, 1971, and led the American League with eleven triples to finish sixth in A.L. M.V.P. balloting. He earned his first of three All-Star selections the following season, and was a staple of the Royals line-up that won the American League West from 1976 through 1978. He led the American League with 53 stolen bases in 1977. A memorable image was captured by NBC-TV of Patek sitting painfully alone in the Royals' empty dugout while the New York Yankees celebrated on-field their come-from-behind victory to win the last game of the 1977 American League Championship Series, played in Kansas City on Patek's 33rd birthday. The game and series ended when Patek grounded into a double play.