Road Trippin' Part Three: Kansas City Royals
August 1-3 marked my third trip to a baseball city this summer, the first two being Milwaukee and Chicago. This was, however, my first trip that didn't involve the Orioles. It was also probably the first time in my entire life that I've blatantly rooted for a team other than the O's. I've been to a few non-Orioles games in my life, but I'm usually quite passive. I enjoy the baseball but don't get very invested in the outcome. Not so this time. I am proud to say that I cheered my ass off for those Kansas City Royals.
The idea for the trip came about easily enough. My friends Anthony, Julia, and I were watching a Royals vs. Yankees game last season, talking about how Royals fans need all the support they can get. One of us said, "We should go out there and cheer for the Royals." It was probably a joke, but somehow it turned into reality. It turned into flying to Kansas City, buying some Royals shirts, and for one weekend becoming passionate Royals fans. It probably seemed a little silly to our friends and family who all gave us the same "Come again?" look when we told them. And maybe it was. But it was also one of the most fun weekends of my life.
For one thing, for the first time in my friendship with Julia, we were on the same side. She's a Yankee fan and I'm an Orioles fan. We've each spent years jokingly trying to convince the other to switch allegiances, both knowing full well neither of us will ever change. But there is a camaraderie in being fans of the same team that you can't get in other ways, and this weekend was the first time I ever got to share that with her. We traded in our orange and navy blue for royal blue and joined together with the rest of the Royals fans to cheer on the boys and jeer the out of town White Sox fans.
I love Royals fans. The way I view them is, I'd imagine, the way other people might view Orioles fans. We've both been down on our luck for more years than we care to remember and both teams are bit of a joke nationally. It's hard out there for a Royals/Orioles fan, so I immediately felt the fans at The K and I were kindred spirits.
Friday night we sat in the club level and didn't have much to cheer for as the Royals lost to the White Sox 4-2. The post game fireworks and light up fountains were fun, though. Kauffman Stadium is undergoing major renovations but is still quite lovely.
Saturday was possibly the hottest day in the history of Kansas City. We had great seats on the first base side about 15 rows back, but the heat of the direct sunlight was so unbearable that we had to move back under the overhang. Eventually we moved over to the third base side to almost identical seats as our original tickets, just on the opposite side. An usher asked to see our tickets and when we showed
her our stubs and said we had to move out of the sun, she just thanked us and told us to enjoy the shade. Now THAT'S an awesome usher!
We enjoyed the rest of the game from those seats, including at the end of the 6th inning when a camera man asked if we'd like to be on camera singing Friends In Low Places on the big screen. Yup, that's how great we were at being Royals fans!
The Royals took an 8-3 lead into the top of the 8th inning when it began to fall apart. It was positively Oriole-like and, just like in Camden Yards, you could feel the positive energy beginning to drain out of the previously thrilled fans, a "not again" look on everyone's face. When the comfortable lead dwindled to 1 run and with 1 out in the 8th inning, the Royals brought in Joakim Soria. Here is where the Orioles and the Royals appear to be different. Soria is awesome. As he ran onto the field to Welcome to the Jungle, the place went crazy. We, being the great Royals fans for a weekend that we were, also went crazy. No offense to our boy Georgie, but the Royals fans were saying to each other, "Game over, Joakim is in!" and suddenly all the positive energy was back. And they were right, it was game over. With him there actually isn't a doubt, it's not just some tag line to make the fans feel better about a shaky closer. Joakim shut down the White Sox and sent the Royals fans home happy.
It was a great weekend for baseball in Kansas City (unfortunately we missed the brawl on Sunday). Though I've put away my giveaway camouflage KC hat and I'm back to being a full time O's fan, it seems I now have a soft spot for Mike Aviles, David DeJesus, Alex Gordon, and all of the awesome Royals fans we met. Like the Orioles, the Royals don't get much national attention and it's easy to write them off as a non-entity. But like in Baltimore, baseball is alive in Kansas City with fans who deserve more than they get.
FanPosts are user-created content and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of Camden Chat or SB Nation. They might, though.
0 recs |
10 comments
Comments
Did you guys
happen to make your way to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum?
Saturday was possibly the hottest day in the history of Kansas City.
You probably aren’t far off there. Here in OKC (roughly 5 hours from KC) we just broke a 90 year old high for the day at right around 106.
Always trust your cape. -Guy Clark
by BPinOK on Aug 5, 2008 2:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
We did
The Negro Leagues Museum was great. Have you been there? We were bummed that they didn’t allow photography, but it was cool nonetheless. I really didn’t know anything about the Negro Leagues before going there, and it really sparked my interest. I’ll probably be picking up a book or something to learn more.
"There is a value to breaking the string of losing seasons as an organization or as a franchise. But breaking that streak can’t come at the expense of doing what you need to do to get your franchise to the point where it can reach the postseason." ~Andy MacPhail
by Stacey on Aug 5, 2008 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have not
but it is definitely on my list of things to do in the very near future. I’ve heard such great things about it and it really is just a short trip for me.
Always trust your cape. -Guy Clark
by BPinOK on Aug 5, 2008 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Soria
Even has an awesome nickname: The Mexicutioner.
by Brotz13 on Aug 5, 2008 2:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That just might be
the coolest nickname in baseball right now.
"I wasn't here for the losing years. But it feels a little like the days with Earl in charge and John Lowenstein smashing birthday cakes in the middle of the clubhouse with a bat." - John "T-Bone" Shelby
by duck on Aug 5, 2008 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love the guys on that team
Especially David Dejesus. There one of those teams where it jumps out at you all of a sudden that they have some pretty good players like Brian Bannister and Zach Greinke. Yeah, they’re probably my backup American League team. Charm City and the Jewel of the Plains, I like it.
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey
by jobe on Aug 5, 2008 2:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I saw them beat us in extra innings earlier this year
Couldn’t have picked a better losing game to go to.
The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST
by the fix is in on Aug 5, 2008 2:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice write up
Sounds like fun. Soria is absolutely filthy.
by fishoutawata on Aug 5, 2008 6:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice story..
Sorry, didn’t finish…
Brought back memories of a godawful hot summer I spent painting scenery at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City. Went to several games. Really pleasant park. And back then the Royals had a great team - this was 1980, I think - the year they went to the series. George Brett and the whole gang.
"Killing a Yankee fan -- is that illegal in this state?" -- Homicide Life on the Street
by BirdFanLA on Aug 5, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Brought back memories of a godawful hot Summer I spent in Kansas City painting scenery for Starlight Theatre in Swope Park. I loved going to their really pleasant ballpark. And back then they had a great team, with George Brett and all.
"Killing a Yankee fan -- is that illegal in this state?" -- Homicide Life on the Street
by BirdFanLA on Aug 5, 2008 8:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs














