A change in Royalty

Sixty days after stocking its initial roster with players from the 1968 expansion draft, the newborn Kansas City Royals make their first ever trade 57 years ago today when they acquire Ed Kirkpatrick and Dennis Paepke from the California Angels.

Hoyt Wilhelm

The 24-year-old Kirkpatrick and Paepke, 23, are some redundant in roster planning, though, as each one projects as a catcher-outfielder.

To get them, the Royals send to the Angels relief pitcher and future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm, whom they select two months earlier from the Chicago White Sox.

Understandable why the White Sox leave Wilhelm open for the draft, given he is 46 years old – just a year younger than the aggregate ages of Kirkpatrick and Paepke.

Turns out that Wilhelm still has plenty of knuckleballs in his right arm as he lasts another four seasons in the majors with the Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and finally the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After his trade 57 years ago today to the Angels, Wilhelm pitches in another 133 games with 31 saves before the Dodgers release him just five days shy of his 50th birthday on July 26, 1972.

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