In 1980, Willie Mays Aikens was seemingly on top of the world. Along with future Hall of Famer George Brett, Willie Wilson and Dennis Leonard, the former first baseman helped lead his Kansas City Royals to 97 victories and a spot in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Royals would end up losing in six games, but, still…they’d walk away with some pretty sharp American League Championship rings.
Less than a year later, Aikens’ ring was gone. Missing. It would stay that way for more than 33 years.