On April 8, 1969, Lou Piniella scored the Royals first run. On that same day, the Royals won their first game. Over the span of fifty years, the Royals have won four American League pennants and two World Series. They have millions of fans supporting them through each and every game. When the Royals lose, their fans support them; when they win, they celebrate with extreme joy. Through the Royal’s almost 6,000 home runs, their fans have always been with them.
Season ticket holder Addison Brand’s favorite memories with the Royals are when they “win home games in the summer. They shoot off fireworks and all the players bring their families onto the field.”
Here at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy (HBHA), the students and teachers support the Royals as proud fans. Every time the Royals have a major event coming up, HBHA students are encouraged to wear Royals spirit wear; many students come to school with Royals shirts and hats. Even though not everyone is a Royals fan, many of the students enjoy watching their games and supporting them.
When the Royals were founded in 1969, they were built as an expansion franchise granted by Major League Baseball because the Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland the previous year. As soon as they became a team, they showed off their talents and efforts to the competition. In their first seven seasons, they earned second place three times in the AL Western Division. The owner of the Royals, Ewing Kauffman, founded a Royals academy in 1970 in Sarasota, Florida. The Academy’s goal was to use technological innovations and advanced training methods to bring the Royals to a whole new level. This school created 14 major league baseball players. The Royals stadium now is called Kauffman Stadium, after Ewing Kauffman. Now, Kauffman Stadium is one of the top 10 best baseball stadiums in the United States!
The Royals have had many ups and downs in the past 50 years, but the downs only make the ups more special. Before the Royals won the World Series, they lost over 4,000 games. They are truly a team that will go down in history.
One of the worst events to ever happen to the Royals was when Yordano Ventura passed away. Not only are the Royals a fantastic baseball team, but they are an amazing family. Ventura was one of the Royal’s best pitchers, and the Royals were the only team he ever played for. He dedicated five years of his life to making the Royals the best they could be. According to Pinterest, Chris young, Ventura’s teammate, said, “I will remember him for his personality. He was polite, respectful, and a fun loving guy. [Ventura] never questioned his desire to win. That is all you can ask for in a teammate.” Even though Ventura has passed, he will be forever royal.
After the loss of many players this year such as Branden Moss and Ryan Butcher, the Royals are having a tough time keeping up with competition. However, it is just a matter of time until the Royals are back on top.
