Legendary speedster Terrance Gore passed away after a minor surgery at the young age of 34.

Terrance Gore, renowned for his rapid base running and a three-time World Series winner, passed away recently at 34 years old.

Gore’s career was truly unique. Over 112 regular season games, he had just 85 plate appearances, with his first hit arriving in 2018, his fifth MLB season, after 12 at-bats. Yet by then, he had already stolen 23 bases in the regular season and an additional 4 in the playoffs. With nearly unmatched lightning speed, Gore successfully stole bases in all 17 of his first attempts in the regular season. He quickly became an essential part of the Kansas City Royals lineup, perfectly embodying how the Royals controlled games during their postseason runs.

“Few players can truly dominate a game,” said Dayton Moore, former Royals GM who built the 2014-15 playoff rosters. “Terrance was exactly that kind of player. He was beloved by fans and cherished by teammates. He was fearless on the bases and impactful on the field, and just as much off it.”

Born in Macon, Georgia, Gore stood only 1.70 meters tall. After graduating from Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida in 2011, he was selected in the 20th round of the draft. His speed was the key attraction for scouts Colin Gonzales and scouting director Lonnie Goldberg, perfectly fitting Moore’s vision for building the Royals.

“Our goal was to find players with speed who could change the game,” Moore recalled. “Who could win games with their legs? Terrance was exactly the type we needed. We focused more on pure speed rather than power because we knew developing power hitting might not fit our timeline. That draft was all about speed.”

In 2014, three years later, Gore made his MLB debut with Kansas City. In his first appearance, he entered as a pinch runner, stole second base, and later scored on a hit through the left side of the infield. That season, he played only 11 games with 2 at-bats but stole five bases without being caught, adding three more steals in the Royals’ postseason run to their first World Series since 1985.

“He was like a little brother to all of us,” said former teammate Eric Hosmer. “His situation was very special — still early in his career during our playoff push, but with incredible speed, we needed him on the roster in September and the playoffs. He fearlessly integrated into the team… For him, it was like jumping straight from Single-A to the championship hunt, but he acted like it was just a move from low-A to high-A.”

In 2015, Gore stole a base in Game 4 of the ALDS, helping the Royals defeat the Houston Astros and ultimately win the franchise’s first championship in 30 years. In 2018 with the Chicago Cubs, he again stole a base in the NL Wild Card game; after returning to the Royals in 2019, he set a career high with 13 steals in a single season.

“Whenever a runner got on base, fans almost always expected him or Jarrod Dyson to come in,” said Royals baseball operations president and GM J.J. Picollo. “You could feel the energy in the stadium rise a level. When they entered, everyone knew what was coming, but no one could stop it. It was like having a runner already on second base whenever someone got on. It was a deadly weapon for us, sparking the team and igniting the fans — all very cool.”

“Stealing bases is one thing,” Hosmer added, “but succeeding while the whole world expects you to steal is something else entirely.”

Gore’s vibrant personality made him not only a fan favorite but also beloved among teammates. Wherever he entered a clubhouse, people were drawn to him. Celebration seemed to follow wherever he went.

He later earned World Series rings with the 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers and 2021 Atlanta Braves. During his 2021 stint with the Braves, Gore appeared only once as a pinch runner in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. When the Braves won the title over the Astros, Gore connected via FaceTime with starting pitcher Charlie Morton, who was recovering from leg surgery after a fracture in Game 1, ensuring he shared in the championship joy.

Over his career, the “speedster” recorded 16 hits, just one RBI, but succeeded in 48 of 58 stolen base attempts and scored 36 runs, including postseason.

Gore is survived by his wife Britney and three children. His family now resides in Panama City, Florida, where Gore had worked as a speed and baseball trainer and coached his son’s baseball team.

“What I admired most about Terrance was that many people only saw him as a base stealer,” Moore said. “That sometimes frustrated him. He took pride in improving his hitting and outfield defense. He could have easily maintained his status daily by focusing solely on stealing bases, but he was dedicated to refining every aspect of his game. He worked incredibly hard and never stopped even after retirement.”