Busby, making just the tenth start of his career, would face veteran pitcher Jim Perry at Tigers’ Stadium that evening, and would go on to fan four while allowing six walks in throwing the first no-hitter in Kansas City Royals history.
Thanks mainly to home runs by outfielders Ed Kirkpatrick and Amos Otis, Busby was able to go to a 3-0 win, improving his record to 2-2 on his way to a 16-15 rookie campaign that also saw him strikeout 174 batters over 37 starts and 238.1 innings.
Of course, 1974 would see Busby toss yet another no-hitter, this time against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 19th, becoming the first pitcher to ever throw no-hitters in his first two full seasons, while also winning a career-high 22 games while tossing three shutouts and striking out 198 batters in 38 starts and 292.2 innings.
Only 24 years of age, Busby had a very bright career ahead of him, and 1975 was equally as successful, winning 18 games while lowering his earned run average to 3.08 over 260.1 innings.
But sadly arm troubles took hold and he had rotator cuff surgery, causing him to miss most of 1976 as well as all of 1977 before making it all the way back for seven appearances in 1978.
But he could never again regain the form that allowed him to win 56 games in three seasons between 1973 and 1975.
He eventually retired after the 1980 season, a year which saw him appear in 11 games, pitching to a record of 1-3 with an ugly 6.17 E.R.A.
All told, he finished with a record of 70-54, with an E.R.A. Of 3.72 over 167 appearances, with 659 strikeouts and seven shutouts over 1060.2 innings pitched.
