In addition to those two pennant-winners, the Royals won American League West Division championships in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981 (second half of a split season) and 1984.

Before coming to Kansas City, Burke had been a member of the front office of the Texas Rangers and its predecessor, the second modern-era Washington Senators franchise.

He had begun his baseball career in 1948 with the Louisville Colonels of the Triple-A American Association, where he worked under general manager Ed Doherty.

Herzog would be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 2010, but he had failed dismally as the Rangers' pilot, working under Burke, during 1973.

Burke became the Royals' second club president after the 1981 season, succeeding owner Ewing Kauffman, and his top assistant, John Schuerholz, was promoted to general manager.