The first steal of home in Royals' history resulted in a 1-0 victory over the Angels. Amos Otis walked in the fourth inning, raced to third on a wild pickoff throw by Nolan Ryan and then stole home. Ryan yielded only one hit -- a single by Steve Hovley in the eighth. Eddie Fisher gave up two more hits in the ninth. Roger Nelson pitched the route for the Royals and doled out three hits. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 1, California Angels 0
Game Played on Monday, July      31, 1972 (Night game) at Anaheim Stadium
Royals       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  3  0
Angels       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  3  4


Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Angels               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Hovley rf             4   0   1   0     1   2   .264      Pinson rf,lf          4   0   2   0     0   0   .267
Rojas 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .288      Cardenas ss           4   0   0   0     0   0   .225
Otis cf               2   1   0   0     2   0   .304      Berry cf              3   0   0   0     0   1   .303
Kirkpatrick c         4   0   0   0     0   1   .296        Kosco ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .234
Piniella lf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .315      Oliver 1b             2   0   0   0     1   0   .280
Mayberry 1b           3   0   0   0     1   0   .283      Stephenson c          3   0   0   0     0   1   .306
Schaal 3b             3   0   1   0     1   2   .210      McMullen 3b           3   0   1   0     0   0   .280
Patek ss              2   0   0   0     2   1   .228      Parker lf,2b          3   0   0   0     0   2   .118
Nelson p              4   0   0   0     0   3   .136      Alomar 2b             2   0   0   0     0   1   .255
                                                            Spencer ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .232
                                                            Stanton rf          0   0   0   0     0   0   .224
                                                          Ryan p                2   0   0   0     0   2   .140
                                                            Hiatt ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .222
                                                            Fisher p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .133

Totals               30   1   3   0     7  11             Totals               29   0   3   0     1   9

Time of Game: 2:16   Attendance: 10,344
Left on Base: Royals 9, Angels 3
DP: Royals 0, Angels 0
Errors: McMullen, Ryan 3
Doubles: Piniella (23), Schaal (13), McMullen (13)
Stolen Bases: Otis (21), Pinson (14)
Caught Stealing: Schaal (3), Pinson (3)


Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nelson W(4-4)           9     3   0   0   1   9   0  30   1.94
Totals                  9     3   0   0   1   9   0  30

Angels                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan L(12-9)            8     1   1   0   6  11   0  31   2.81
Fisher                  1     2   0   0   1   0   0   6   3.89
Totals                  9     3   1   0   7  11   0  37

Umpires: HP - John Rice, 1B - Hank Morgenweck, 2B - Marty Springstead, 3B - Russ Goetz


ROYALS 1ST: Hovley struck out; Rojas grounded out (second to
first); Otis walked; Otis was picked off first but was safe on
an error by Ryan [Otis to second]; Kirkpatrick grounded out
(first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 1ST: Pinson singled to right; Pinson was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Cardenas flied out to center;
Berry struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Angels 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Piniella flied out to center; Mayberry grounded out
(second to first); Schaal walked; Schaal was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0,
Angels 0.

ANGELS 2ND: Oliver walked; Stephenson grounded out (first
unassisted) [Oliver stayed at first]; McMullen forced Oliver
(third to second); Parker struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Royals 0, Angels 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Patek struck out; Nelson struck out; Hovley walked;
Rojas was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals
0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 3RD: Alomar struck out; Ryan struck out; Pinson singled
to center; Pinson stole second; Cardenas flied out to left; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 0, Angels 0.

ROYALS 4TH: Otis walked; Otis was picked off first but was safe
on an error by Ryan [Otis to third]; Kirkpatrick struck out;
Piniella grounded out (pitcher to first); Otis stole home;
Mayberry walked; Schaal struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
 Royals 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 4TH: Berry flied out to center; Oliver grounded out
(third to first); Stephenson grounded out (third to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.

ROYALS 5TH: Patek reached on an error by McMullen; Patek was
picked off first but was safe on an error by Ryan [Patek to
second]; On a bunt Nelson struck out; Hovley struck out; Rojas
lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 5TH: McMullen doubled to left; Parker was called out on
strikes; Alomar grounded out (second to first); Ryan struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.

ROYALS 6TH: Otis flied out to center; Kirkpatrick popped to
shortstop; Piniella struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1,
Angels 0.

ANGELS 6TH: Pinson flied out to center; Cardenas flied out to
right; Berry flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals
1, Angels 0.

ROYALS 7TH: Mayberry grounded out (second to first); Schaal was
called out on strikes; Patek walked; Nelson struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 7TH: Oliver grounded out (shortstop to first); Stephenson
struck out; McMullen flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Royals 1, Angels 0.

ROYALS 8TH: Hovley singled to center; Rojas popped to catcher in
foul territory; Otis popped to shortstop; Kirkpatrick popped to
shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 8TH: Parker grounded out (shortstop to first); SPENCER
BATTED FOR ALOMAR; Spencer flied out to left; HIATT BATTED FOR
RYAN; Hiatt was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Royals 1, Angels 0.

ROYALS 9TH: FISHER REPLACED HIATT (PITCHING); STANTON REPLACED
SPENCER (PLAYING RF); PARKER CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B);
PINSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Piniella doubled to left;
Mayberry grounded out (second to first) [Piniella to third];
Schaal doubled to right [Piniella stayed at third]; Lou
Piniella had to hold at 3B on the popup; Patek was walked
intentionally; On a bunt Nelson forced Piniella (pitcher to
catcher) [Schaal to third, Patek to second]; Hovley grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.

ANGELS 9TH: Pinson flied out to left; Cardenas flied out to
center; KOSCO BATTED FOR BERRY; Kosco struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Royals 1, Angels 0.