One of the great joys of childhood (and later) is to follow a major league baseball team. Each morning the sports page welcomes you to a new day. How did your team do? How many hits did your favorite player get the night before? When you go to play baseball, you think of these players and teams and want to do some of the things they do. Naturally, major league teams within driving distance of your home draw your interest. One of these teams close to Nebraska is the Kansas City Royals. Mark Stewart has written an interesting account of the team’s history entitled “The Kansas City Royals.”
The first picture you see in the book is Lincoln native, Alex Gordon, returning to the dugout after a home run. Stewart soon draws readers into the story of the glory days of the franchise. Dan Quisenberry’s strange submarine delivery is pictured. When the great relief pitcher let go of the ball, his knuckles were close to the ground. The story of George Brett’s beautiful hitting stroke is on display next. Stewart then names all the great pitchers and hitters on the Royals 1985 World Series team.
Royals Stadium, later renamed Kauffman Stadium in honor of Muriel and Ewing Kauffman, is described in detail. An absolutely picturesque place to watch a baseball game, the water fountains in the outfield make the stadium one of the loveliest in the major leagues. All together the fountains are 322 feet wide and shoot the water 10 feet into the air. If you are lucky enough to get there for batting practice, you may see some of the hitters splash a home run in the fountains. Believe me that is cool. Kauffman Stadium now has a number of statues including the early owners of the franchise, Muriel and Ewing Kauffman, and many of the stars throughout the team’s history.
Stewart includes portraits of many of the stars in Royals history. Among these are the great fielding second baseman Frank White, the hard hitting George Brett, the great base stealing sensation Willie Wilson, the incomparable Bo Jackson and current day star Alex Gordon. Great moments in the careers of these stars are discussed, including the famous “Pine Tar Incident” in Yankee Stadium. The Yankee manager Billy Martin challenged a home run by George Brett claiming there was too much pine tar on Brett’s bat. The umpire carefully measured the amount of pine tar and ruled Brett out. The famous scene of the enraged Brett charging out of the Royals dugout was endlessly replayed on sports shows. Martin thought he had been clever, but the American League officials later overturned the call and gave the home run back to Brett. Stewart shows a picture of Brett kissing the bat he used in this famous at bat.
Stewart continues listing interesting events and personalities from Kansas City Royal history. But I want to save some of the fun for you. To find out more about the team, go to the library and check out this fine book about the franchise, “The Kansas City Royals.”
I have many great memories of going to major league baseball games. I hope you get a chance to read this interesting book and then take your children to a big league game. Remember when you root, root, root for the home team at Kauffman Stadium you might not care if “you ever get back.” Have fun!
