Former big league shortstop U. L. Washington passed away on Sunday at the age of 70 after a battle with cancer.
“We mourn the loss of Royals Baseball Academy graduate and 1980 American League Champion U. L. Washington and send our condolences to his family and friends,” the Royals said in a statement earlier today.
“So sorry to hear my friend my teammate UL Washington has died of cancer,” Hall of Famer George Brett said in his own statement on X last night. “He was a great player. I will always be thankful of our time together with the Royals.”
Born in Stringtown, Oklahoma, Washington played collegiate baseball at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma for one year before being admitted into the Royals Baseball Academy in 1973, which he attended alongside the likes of Frank White and Ron Washington. After spending several years in the Kansas City system, Washington made his big league debut at the age of 23 in 1977, though he was limited to a 10-game cup of coffee in the majors that season as the Royals went on to win 102 games before falling to the Yankees in the ALCS. Washington grew into a larger utility role with the club over the next two seasons, batting a combined .257/.304/.338 while playing solid defense at both second base and shortstop.
By 1980, Washington had developed into the club’s everyday shortstop and enjoyed the best season of his career to that point, slashing .276/.336/.375 in 153 games in conjunction with slick fielding. Washington’s first season as a regular saw the club reach the World Series, though they ultimately fell to the Phillies in a six-game set. Washington was a key contributor during the club’s postseason run not only in the field but also at the plate, where he went 10-for-33. After struggling somewhat during the strike-shortened 1981 season, the then-28-year-old returned to form in 1982 with a career year that saw him slash an above-average .286/.337/.412 despite missing a month due to injury. Washington came back down to Earth over his final two seasons with the Royals, batting just .233/.294/.310 in a combined 207 games despite recording a 40-steal season in 1983.
The switch-hitter’s tenure in Kansas City came to an end upon being dealt to the Expos in January 1985 in exchange for a package featuring southpaw Mike Kinnunen. Washington played in a utility capacity for the Expos, spending time at shortstop as well as second and third base while slashing .249/.301/.352 in 209 trips to the plate with the club. Washington hit free agency following the 1985 season, but did not sign with a club until partway through the 1986 campaign when he latched on with the Pirates. The then-32-year-old shortstop would finish his career in Pittsburgh, appearing in 82 games over two seasons with the club.
Washington finished his major league career with 907 games under his belt across eleven seasons, 757 of which came as a member of the Royals. A career .251/.313/.343 hitter, he stole 132 bases and clubbed 166 extra-base hits throughout his career while recording 5,864 1/3 innings at shortstop. Though Washington’s playing career in the majors came to a close in 1987, his time in the game was far from over. He began his coaching career as a manager in the Pirates’ system in 1989 before moving on the act as a hitting coach in the Royals, Dodgers, Twins, and Red Sox organizations. During his time as a coach, he worked with future stars such as Tim Wakefield and Mookie Betts.
MLBTR joins the rest of the baseball world in sending our condolences to Washington’s family, friends, loved ones, and former teammates.
Toothpick man. Wow, tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. Too young.
He was electric!
I see what you did there. Shocking, but well grounded.
RIP to a fine player, the man with the toothpick.
Loved U.L. and those Royals teams. Condolences to his family and friends.
Anyone have more on the one game he played at AA while coaching, five years after he stopped playing professionally?
RIP U.L Remember you ending your career with the Bucs.
Remember UL well from the Royals. RIP.
U.L. didn’t stand for anything. It was his actual name!
I wonder how that came to be? Like Paul Blair’s middle “name” being the initials L.D.
Could be something in the family. My father in law had the Initial K then his fathers name was his “middle” name. I was a family thing i guess that instead of junior they stuck a random initial in front that meant nothing except the letter. Southern or Appalachian thing maybe?? His family was from southern WV
Same as with Harry S Truman, except no period after the S.
(p.s. For you younguns, Truman was the President of the United States…).
RIP U.L.
Thanks to U.L., I won an epic 5-hour, baseball-only Name Game while driving back to California from a baseball tournament in Wichita (National Baseball Congress). My competitor thought he stumped me with Ugueth Urbina, but I pounced with U.L., and the other guy tapped out right after.
Thank you to U.L. For being one of the active MLB players when I first got into baseball as a kid. You were part of the collective foundation for my love of the game.
One of my favorite Royals. Fun to watch.
This article is useless without mention of the toothpick. I know another pointed it out – but the postmortem is incomplete without it.
Enjoyed watching him play. Thanks for the Memories U L. My condolences to his family.
RIP.
Those Royals teams were really fun to watch and he was a big part of that.
I think it’s always nice to hear when a player can become a baseball lifer and just continue to be involved in the game in any aspect.
RIP U.L.
Really fun to watch. Always hustling. Got to a lot of balls other infielders couldn’t. R.I.P.
RIP U.L., you were a gamer and played the game as it was meant to be played.
U.L. will always be known for having a toothpick in his mouth while playing. RIP
Any relation to U. N. Washington ? From Lamba Lamda Lamda fame?
LOL!! That would be U.N. Jefferson!! U.N. was the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw that U.L passed. Wonder if the character name was made in homage to U.L.?
RIP
Was slick fielder. RIP
The passing of Washington and Ott the last couple days is a bit unsettling. I feel like both were playing recently and should be in their 50s. Time marches onward even as a perception of time is muddled. Condolences to family and friends, as well as fans who saw him play and rooted for him.
Was a big fan of his. RIP U.L.
Remember going to the Royals games chanting U L RIP
Never forget the toothpick. U.L. was fun to watch! RIP my man.