Willie Aikens (born October 14, 1954 in Seneca, South Carolina) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the California Angels (1977, 1979), Kansas City Royals (1980-1983) and Toronto Blue Jays (1984-1985). He graduated from South Carolina State University, and was selected by the Angels with the second pick of the 1975 amateur draft. He also played with Mexican team "Yaquis". In 1980, Aikens got the game-winning RBI in Game 3 of the 1980 World Series. It was the Royals' first-ever win in a World Series game. Aikens hit .400 for the series.
Aikens' career rapidly declined after 1983. Following the 1983 season, Aikens and teammates Willie Wilson and Jerry Martin and former teammate Vida Blue pleaded guilty to attempting to purchase cocaine. Aikens was suspended and the Royals traded him to Toronto for designated hitter Jorge Orta. Aikens played parts of two seasons for Toronto, mostly as a DH, before winding up his career in the Mexican League.
After his career, Aikens' legal problems continued, culminating when Aikens was found guilty of selling 63 grams of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer and sentenced to 20 years and 8 months in prison. Aikens is sometimes cited as an example of the results of mandatory minimum sentencing in drug-related crimes.
