KANSAS CITY, Mo — The Kansas City Royals have announced that John Wathan, a former player, coach, manager, broadcaster, and baseball operations staffer, has been voted into the Royals Hall of Fame. Wathan will become the 32nd member of the prestigious group, with the induction ceremony to be announced at a later date.
“After 52 years in baseball and 47 with the Royals, I can honestly say I have always bled Royal blue,” Wathan said. “This is the ultimate honor for living as a Royal all those years. I couldn’t begin to thank everyone involved on this journey with me. It has been a real privilege to be with one organization that long. It is a rare feat and one that I have been so proud of for all these years.”
Royals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager J.J. Picollo praised Wathan’s contributions, saying, “Few people in this organization have impacted the Royals the way Duke has – serving in so many roles and contributing at such a high level over so many years. This honor is incredibly well deserved for Duke and his family, and we’re proud to recognize a professional life devoted to the Royals and to Kansas City.”
Wathan was selected fourth overall by the Royals in the 1971 January Draft and played all 10 of his big league seasons for Kansas City as a catcher, first baseman, and outfielder. His career highlights include a .305 batting average with more walks than strikeouts for the 1980 American League Champion Royals and setting a Major League record with 36 stolen bases as a catcher in 1982.
Curt Nelson, Senior Director of the Royals Hall of Fame, described Wathan as “truly the Royals man for all seasons,” noting his significant contributions as a player and his decades of service in various roles within the organization.
After retiring as a player in 1985, Wathan returned to the Royals as a coach and later managed the team from 1987 to 1991, achieving a .515 winning percentage. He also served as a broadcaster and was involved in scouting and player development for over 20 years.
Wathan was elected to the Hall of Fame through the Royals Hall of Fame Veterans Committee voting process, which requires candidates to be named on at least 75% of all ballots cast.