Kansas City Royals … Looking To Return to Their Winning Ways
In 1969, the Kansas City Royals joined Major League baseball as a replacement for the recently departed Athletics who had relocated to Oakland. Unlike most expansion franchises, the Royals quickly climbed in the ranks, experiencing their first winning season in 1971.
The late 1970s and early 1980s were a good time for the Kansas City Royals. In that time they won six West Division Titles, two American League Pennants, and in 1985 they won their first and only World Series to date.
Like any other team in professional sports, the Royals have enjoyed their share of rivalries. During the time when they were top of the league, the team forged a rivalry with the New York Yankees due to the fact that the two teams met four out of five years in the American League Championship Series. That rivalry has cooled down in recent years because of the lack of success on the Royals side.
Other rivalries include the Twins, Tigers, Indians, and most notably the Cardinals. Today the only rivalry of note is that between the Royals and the Cardinals. Each year the two teams meet in what is known as the I-70 series. Gaining its name because both teams are located on I-70, the fans and players alike enjoy the rivalry and look forward to the series.
Kauffman Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Royals, and also part of the Truman Sports Complex, along with football's Arrowhead Stadium. Seating 39,000, Kauffman was built specifically for baseball during a time when "cookie-cutter" stadiums were the norm.
Along with Dodger Stadium, Kauffman is the only stadium of its time built specifically for baseball that has not converted into a multi-purpose arena. Renovations beginning in 2007 included blue seating throughout the stadium and a new high definition LED scoreboard which was the largest of its kind until the Dallas Cowboys had theirs installed in 2009.
Although the seats are all blue, there is one that stands out in Kauffman. The red seat behind home plate is dedicated to the memory of Buck O'Neil, one of the most influential and talented players in baseball history. O'Neil was a member of the Negro Leagues when segregation was still a common part of baseball. He was also the first African-American coach in the Major League.
After O'Neil's death he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in his name and the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work on and off the field. The seat that was dedicated to his memory is in the same spot where O'Neil used to sit during games and at each home game a citizen that exhibits the spirit showed by this great man is selected to sit in the seat.
Out in their community, the Kansas City Royals are very active in charities and programs that benefit those who need a hand. They honor returning military veterans, participate in charities to help citizens who are hungry, and are active in promoting excellence in youth through education and sports. They host self defense clinics for women, distribute food and other items to those who are in need, and raise money to buy baseball gear for children who can't afford it.
The Kansas City Royals are an integral part of their community providing help and entertainment for all of their fans, regardless of their social status or financial situations.
