Frank White Biography

While born and raised on 29th and Olive Streets, Frank White can always see the Kansas City A's play. At 22nd and Brooklyn, approximately a mile from Municipal Stadium. On his way to Lincoln High School, Frank drove by the ballpark every day. On Sunday afternoons, his father would occasionally accompany him to a game. However, there was always a way to catch a game of baseball. The high school was situated on a hill overlooking the stadium, with well-placed bleachers. I was on a team that rehearsed at 15th and Woodland at Parade Park, and on the way back to the stadium, we'd basically collect pop bottles and other trash, White explained. We'd stop at Leo's Drug Store, where you could purchase a bottle of Vess Cola for around five cents back then. We'd pool our money and purchase simply fries and a large bottle of cola at Arthur Bryant's, which was adjacent to the drugstore. We'd walk up to the bleachers and wait there until 10 p.m., then return home. In 1965, White and his friends were able to see a historic occurrence from the top of the hill. The A's' Satchel Paige threw three shutout innings, allowing only one hit to the Boston Red Sox, which came from Carl Yastrzemski. Satch became the oldest pitcher in Major League history at the age of 59 (or more). Before the team left, we got to witness the A's' up-and-coming talents like Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Rick Monday, and Blue Moon Odom, White said. Frank White Sr., White's late father, is credited with guiding him on the correct path in baseball and coping with prejudice. When you're born in Mississippi and spend a lot of your summers there attending summer school, racism is a major factor. It was present wherever [you] went. 'Yes, sir,' and 'No, sir,' were required responses. Colored bathrooms, white restrooms, and colored water fountains were all available. It was one of those situations when they stated that this is simply the way things are and that there was nothing they could do about it at the time, according to White. Even within Kansas City, you could go downtown to Grant's and some of the department shops with (lunch) counters, and they wouldn't allow us to sit at those counters. Racism, in my opinion, will never go away. I usually think of it this way: whoever has the gold establishes the rules, and you have to find out how to make it work for you. White was born in Greenville, Mississippi, but relocated to Kansas City with his family when he was approximately 5 years old. He was only concerned with keeping us out of trouble. As a result, when we were old enough, he'd send us back to Mississippi for the summer because we'd get into more trouble there. You were picking cotton, slopping hogs, and gathering eggs on a 20-acre farm with your grandparents, White explained. And you didn't have a proper bathroom, just an outhouse. White's father kept a close eye on him while he was a child playing baseball. He'd throw him a ball and play catch with him. However, when I was 12 years old, what dad did afterward made more sense to me than it did at the time. When you're on the top team, all you want to do is win, and you want the trophy, according to White. Playing wasn't something I was thinking about at the time. He just got me off the bench one day and drove me home after probably the third game I hadn't participated in. I was 12 years old and weeping, unsure of what he was up to. 'Why did you pull me off the team?' I finally questioned. 'Because you're not learning anything,' he explained. You must play if you want to learn how to play baseball. You must get a basic understanding of the game and grow to enjoy it.' He assigned me to the worst team. We didn't win any games, but I made an effort to play every day. White went to a trial at Municipal Stadium a few years later and was selected for Ewing Kauffman's experimental Royals Baseball Academy in Florida. We traveled to Sarasota in August 1970, and the Academy wasn't ready yet, so they wanted to put us up at a Sarasota hotel, which didn't want any non-whites sleeping there at the time, according to White. So there was a bit of a snafu about that, and then they eventually let us in. I suppose the Academy was ready a few weeks later. Cookie Rojas of the Royals provided infield training, Amos Otis taught outfield skills, and legendary runner Wes Santee demonstrated proper running technique to the kids. Ted Williams came down and spoke to us about hitting one day, and he stated that everyone should have a slight up in their swing — so everyone was swinging like Ted Williams, White remembered. Then Jim Lemon showed in, and suddenly everyone was Jim Lemon. Then came Mickey Vernon, and everyone became Mickey Vernon. There were several drills and hand-eye coordination assessments. He described you as a "guinea pig." From there, he embarked on a three-year ascent through the lower leagues. White has no recollection of any racial difficulties. White stated, "I actually didn't have any issues at all." Coming up through the minor leagues, the only thing I had to contend with was the fact that I was an Academy player, and everyone assumed Mr. Kauffman was giving me everything because he wanted the Academy to succeed. White was the first Academy graduate to be invited to Major League Spring Training in 1973. On June 12 of that year, he was called up. White became the main second baseman in 1976 after spending much of his first two and a half seasons as a backup. White played for the Royals his whole career. He was an All-Star five times and earned eight Gold Gloves. He hit.545 in the 1980 AL Championship Series and led the Royals with six RBIs in the 1985 World Series win. You must be really lucky to be able to have your father and mother see you play almost every game. He only missed games on weekends since that's when he went fishing, according to White. But every night, he'd go up on that rail beyond the on-deck circle, and he'd have a posse of 10 or 15 people with him. They nicknamed themselves the 'Rail Boys,' because they wiped the railing shiny and put a pad up there for them. White once inquired as to why his father refused to take a seat. 'Well, one day I sat down and a man spilled beer down my back,' he explained. I didn't want to be battling in the stands, so I began standing.' White was honored with a statue outside Kauffman Stadium this summer after being inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame and having his No. 20 retired. White is presently the Royals' Double-A manager at Wichita. In the next four years, he wants to be a Major League manager.

As a renowned expert and highly sought-after speaker, Frank White's expertise is in high demand. To book Frank White for your next event, conference, or workshop, please contact our speaker booking agency. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your specific needs and help secure Frank White's participation. With our professional guidance and seamless booking process, you can ensure a memorable and impactful experience for your audience. Don't miss the opportunity to engage your audience with Frank White's compelling insights and inspire positive change within your organization. Fill out the booking request form to take the first step in securing Frank White for your next speaking engagement.