| Steve Busby | |
|---|---|
 Busby in 1980 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1949-09-29)September 29, 1949 (age 76) Burbank, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 8, 1972, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 26, 1980, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 70–54 |
| Earned run average | 3.72 |
| Strikeouts | 659 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Steven Lee "Buzz"Busby (born September 29, 1949) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher inMajor League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for theKansas City Royals. He batted and threw right-handed.
Busby threw the first twono-hitters in franchise history for the Royals.
Busby attendedFullerton Union High School in Fullerton, California.
A bright prospect, Busby won 56 games in his first three full seasons, only to have his career derailed by arotator cuff tear. Drafted by the Royals in1971 in the second round, theUniversity of Southern California graduate made his major league debut the following season and stuck in the majors for good in1973, when he won 16 games and on April 27 pitched the firstno-hitter in Kansas City Royals history, defeating theDetroit Tigers atTiger Stadium 3–0 on April 27.[1][2] Busby became the first no-hit pitcher who did not come to bat during the entire game, with theAmerican League having adopted thedesignated hitter rule that year.
Late in the1972 season on September 20 against theCalifornia Angels, Busby hit a first-inninggrand slam only to have it taken back by the first base umpireJohn Rice, who said time out had been called to ejectJerry May. Nonetheless, Busby went on to hit a double and two singles in the game, while also earning the victory on the mound.[3][4]
In1974, Busby enjoyed his best season, winning 22 games and making theAmerican League All-Star team. He also pitched a second no-hitter on June 19, this one against theMilwaukee Brewers atCounty Stadium. Yielding only a second-inning walk toGeorge Scott, Busby defeated the Brewers 2–0,[5][6] bestingClyde Wright—himself a no-hit pitcher in 1970. With this no-hitter, Busby became the first pitcher in major-league history to throw no-hitters in each of his first two complete seasons. In1975, he won 18 games and made theAll-Star team again.
Busby had struggled with his control early in his career, but his problems returned to a greater degree in1976 when he was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff; an injury that at the time ended a pitcher's career. Busby subsequently became the first baseball player to undergo rotator cuff surgery. In an effort to help his arm recover from the surgery, his doctor recommended that Busby be placed on apitch count. He is often believed to be the first baseball player to be placed on a pitch count, something that Busby has stated is a myth. Before his injury, he is alleged to have thrown close to 200 pitches in a game, which Busby also says is untrue.[7]
The surgery did not save Busby's career. After missing the entire1977 season and most of1978, he pitched in 22 games (including 12 starts) thenext year, compiling a respectable 6–6 record with a 3.63ERA, but hiswalks outnumbered hisstrikeouts (64-to-45). In1980, he even pitched a one-hitter, but otherwise pitched ineffectively, compiling a 6.17 ERA and allowing 80 baserunners in 42.1innings. He pitched his final game on August 26 and the Royals released him three days later. Busby signed a contract with theSt. Louis Cardinals before the1981 season, but never pitched in the major leagues again.
In an eight-year career, Busby posted a 70–54 record with 659 strikeouts and a 3.72 ERA in 1060.2 innings.
Busby andoutfielderAmos Otis were the first two players elected to the Royals Hall of Fame. In 2009, Busby was elected to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. His 70 career victories ranks him ninth on the Royals' all-time list.
Following the end of his playing career, Busby became asportscaster, primarily for theTexas Rangers, and has also worked as an instructor at a baseball school. Unlike most former players, Busby acts as both a play-by-play man and a color commentator, and traded positions withEric Nadel on radio broadcasts. After replacingDave Barnett as television play-by-play announcer in the middle of the 2012 season, Busby had been working exclusively on play-by-play, withTom Grieve on color. However, in October 2016, the Rangers announced that Busby would not be returning for the 2017 season.[8]Dave Raymond replaced Busby for the 2017 season.
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher April 27, 1973 June 19, 1974 | Succeeded by |