Billy Butler rightfully endeared himself to KC Royals fans in the eight seasons he spent with the club as a first baseman and designated hitter. Sometimes lost in the memory of his home runs is his ability to otherwise handle the bat well, a skill proven by his .295 KC average; “Country Breakfast” was a better player than some gave him credit for. He left for Oakland after the 2014 season.
But he wasn’t the first Butler to play for the Royals, or even the first you could call Bill Butler. That distinction belongs to a pitcher who made his Royals and major league debuts some 38 years before Billy Butler made his in 2007.