The 5'4" Patek was the smallest major-league player of his time, but he possessed the range and arm to be an outstanding shortstop, three times an All-Star. His speed and aggressive baserunning were his primary offensive weapons. Patek made his major league debut in 1968 with the Pirates, but made a name for himself after he was traded in 1970 to Kansas City, where he would lead the league in triples (11) in 1971 and stolen bases (53) in 1973. Not normally a power hitter, he hit 41 home runs in 1,650 games over his career. Patek became the second shortstop after Ernie Banks, to hit three home runs in a single game on June 20, 1980 while playing for the Angels. Patek was better known for his speed but his defensive abilities were outstanding as he was particularly adept at turning double plays. Former manager Whitey Herzog called Patek the best artificial turf shortstop he ever managed, ranking him even higher than Ozzie Smith.

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