The spark for Lorde’s Grammy-winning song Royals came from a 1976 National Geographic photo of George Brett signing autographs. This deep dive explores a figure defined by jarring contrasts: a hitter of mathematical precision fueled by a raw, almost terrifying temper.

From rebuilding his swing mid-career to the infamous pine tar incident, Brett’s story illustrates the razor-thin line between competitive genius and total meltdown.

• Grew up chasing the shadow of his older brother Ken, who pitched in the 1967 World Series at age 19.
• Completely rebuilt his swing with coach Charlie Lau, teaching himself to hit to all fields.
• Chased a .400 average deep into 1980, finishing at .390, and led the Royals to their first World Series title in 1985.
• Erupted in rage during the 1983 pine tar game, a home run nullified over an obscure rule and later reinstated by the league president.
• Became the only player to win batting titles in three different decades and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999 with over 98 percent of the vote.