---

Five-time All Star Amos Otis was the starting centerfielder for the Kansas City Royals’ first division championship and pennant-winning teams. An integral part of the club’s success, Otis was one of the best players in the first 15 years of the franchise’s existence.

The centerfielder made his debut with the Mets in 1967 before being traded to the Royals in December, ’69. In Kansas City he found a home.

Immediately inserted into KC’s starting lineup in 1970, Otis led the American League in doubles and made the first of four-straight All Star teams. In the first five years of the 1970s Otis earned three Gold Gloves, and received votes in MVP balloting three times. During that run the speedy center fielder hit .291, averaging 29 steals, 84 runs, and 251 total bases per season.

After an off year in ’75, Otis made his fifth All Star team in seven years in ’76. Leading the league with a career-high 40 doubles, Otis had a 128 OPS+ and finished 7th in MVP voting.

Kansas City celebrated the nation’s bicentennial with their first division crown and a trip to the ALCS against the Yankees. With Otis’ help, the team entered a new era in which it reached the postseason seven times in ten seasons.

The ’77 squad set a franchise record with 102 victories before again bowing out to the Yanks in the ALCS. In ’78 they earned their third-consecutive Western Division title. Otis slashed 30 doubles, 22 homers and swiped 32 bags. He set career-bests in on-base percentage (.380), slugging (.525), RBI (96), OPS+ (151), and WAR (7.4) to finish fourth in the MVP race.

In a third-straight losing effort in the ALCS against New York he hit .429 with 6 hits, two doubles, three walks and four stolen bases.

Otis and his Kansas City mates finally broke the Yankee dominance in 1980, beating New York in the ALCS. Otis did his part in the World Series loss to the Phillies. In his only Fall Classic appearance Otis went 11-for-23 (.478) with three walks, three doubles, seven RBI, and a Series-leading 1.495 OPS.

From 1981-1983 Otis remained productive in his mid-30s, hitting .274 from ages 34-36. In December of ’83 Otis signed with the Pirates for his final season.

Upon retirement his career totals included 2,020 hits, 1,092 runs, 1,007 RBI and 341 stolen bases. He left the game as the Royals franchise all-time leader in games, walks, hits, runs scored, homers, RBI, and total bases.

In 1986 he was part of the inaugural class of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.

Shown here is a 1974 Topps offering that features All Star center fielders Otis and Cesar Cedeno. Both men have autographed the card.

The two players have amazingly similar career statistics. Cedeno has 11 more at bats, 62 more hits than Otis. The Royals outfielder scored 8 more runs and has 31 additional runs batted in. Otis lead Cedeno in doubles 374-343. Only 6 triples and 6 homers separate the pair.

While Otis had a respectable 341 steals, Cedeno outpaced him with 550 thefts. In OPS+ Cedeno holds the edge in both OPS+ (123 to Otis’ 115). WAR is decidedly in Cedeno’s favor (52.9-42.8).

Cedeno made four All Star teams and earned five Gold Gloves. Otis made five Mid Summer Classic squads and has three Gold Gloves to his credit. Each man is in their team’s Hall of Fame.