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In 1980 Aikens became the first player ever to have two multiple home run games in the same World Series when he blasted a pair in Game One for the Royals and repeated in Game Four. Named Willie Mays Aikens for the Hall of Famer, the 220-pound slugger topped 20 homers three times. Aikens's lack of fielding skills was legendary, and he should have been a DH, but Hal McRae already filled that role for the Royals. Aikens's involvement with drugs led to his suspension by the Royals and a 1984 trade to Toronto, where he DHed with little success. (FJO)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 14, 1979: For the 2nd straight day, Willie Aikens hits a grand slam, leading the Royals to a 10–2 win over the Blue Jays. He hit one in yesterday's nitecap. Aikens is just the 8th major league -- the 7th this century -— to slam in consecutive games. » December 6, 1979: In one of their better trades, the Royals acquire 1B Willie Aikens, Rance Mulliniks from the Angels for OF Al Cowens, Todd Cruz, and Craig Eaton. Aikens will have four solid years in KC, including two 2–homer games in the World Series. » October 14, 1980: Philadelphia pitcher Bob Walk becomes the first rookie to start a World Series opener since Joe Black in 1952, and the Phillies rally from a 4–0 deficit to beat the Royals 7–6. Kansas City's Willie Aikens hits a pair of homers, becoming only the 3rd player to do so in his first World Series game. Bake McBride homers for the Phils. » October 18, 1980: Willie Aikens slugs two more home runs to lead the Royals to a 5–3 win and even the World Series at 2-2. » September 12, 1982: With Minnesota leading 7–4 in the bottom of the 4th, Terry Felton relieves Twins starter Brad Havens. Felton leaves in the bottom of the sixth with one out, runners on first and second and his team clinging to a 7-6 lead. Both runners score and by the time the Royals are through, instead of his first ML win, Felton ended up charged with his 16th (and final) career loss. Kansas City wins royally, 18–7, one of the biggest comebacks of the decade. John Pacella, who takes over in the 8th, surrenders back-to-back dingers to Havens and White, tosses two wild pitches, and allows six runs. Willie Aikens adds a pair of homers for KC. » November 17, 1983: Kansas City Royals teammates Willie Wilson, Willie Aikens, and Jerry Martin, who, along with former teammate Vida Blue, had pleaded guilty to attempting to purchase cocaine, are each sentenced to three months in prison. » December 15, 1983: Commissioner Kuhn suspends convicted Kansas City Royals Willie Wilson, Willie Aikens, and Jerry Martin, and Dodgers pitcher Steve Howe for one season without pay for their use of illegal drugs. The suspensions will be shortened by an arbitrator and lifted on May 15th. » December 19, 1983: Cy Young Award winner Vida Blue is sentenced to 90 days in prison, and recently convicted and suspended 1B Willie Aikens is traded by Kansas City to Toronto for DH Jorge Orta. » March 23, 1984: 1B-DH Willie Aikens, now with the Blue Jays, is released from prison. » April 27, 1985: Toronto's Willie Aikens cracks a game-tying two run pinch homer in the 9th inning against Texas, and the Blue Jays win 9–8. For Aikens, it is his last ML at bat, as Toronto will send him to Syracuse in three days. » August 17, 1994: Former major league 1B Willie Aikens is convicted by a federal jury on four counts of distributing crack cocaine and one count of using a gun in a drug transaction. He could face at least 15 years in prison.