Table Of ContentK ANSAS CIT Y
ROYALS
by Paul Bowker
An Imprint of Abdo Publishing
www.abdopublishing.com
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Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166,
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Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota
052014
092014
Editor: Matt Tustison
Copy Editor: Nicholas Cafarelli
Interior Design and Production: Christa Schneider
Cover Design: Christa Schneider
Photo Credits: G. Newman Lowrance/AP Images, cover; Eric Gay/AP Images,
title; Cliff Schiappa, File/AP Images, 4, 42 (bottom); AP Images, 6, 16, 23, 24, 27,
30, 42 (middle), 44; The Kansas City Star, Patrick Sullivan/AP Images, 8; Photo
by Focus on Sport/Getty Images, 11; Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images,
12, 42 (top); Photo by: John Vawter Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images,
15, 19; Richard Drew/AP Images, 21; Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty
Images, 28; Chris Corsmeier/AP Images, 32; Kevork Djansezian/AP Images, 35,
43 (top); Phil Long/AP Images, 37; Ed Zurga/AP Images, 38, 43 (middle); Charlie
Riedel/AP Images, 41, 43 (bottom); Reed Hoffmann/AP Images, 47
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014933081
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bowker, Paul, 1954-
Kansas City Royals / by Paul Bowker.
p. cm. — (Inside MLB)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-62403-472-5
1. Kansas City Royals (Baseball team)—History—Juvenile literature. I. Title.
GV875.K3B69 2015
796.357'6409778411—dc23
2014933081
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Chapter .............W orld Series Champs, 4
2
Chapter .............Royal Beginnings, 12
3
Chapter .............The '70s: Building a Winner, 16
4
Chapter .............The Glorious '80s, 24
5
Chapter .............Beginning of Decline, 32
6
Chapter .............Striving for a Comeback, 38
Timeline, 42
Quick Stats, 44
Quotes and Anecdotes, 45
Glossary, 46
For More Information, 47
Index, 48
About the Author, 48
1
CHAPTER
WORLD SERIES
CHAMPS
O
n a memorable night in October 1985,
the Kansas City Royals earned a place
in baseball history with their first
World Series championship.
On October 27, 1985, the
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Royals routed the St. Louis
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Cardinals 11–0 in Game 7 of a
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World Series that was dubbed aaalllooonnnggg IIInnnttteeerrrssstttaaattteee 777000 iiinnn MMMiiissssssooouuurrriii...
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the “I-70 Series.” The I-70 high-
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way runs through Kansas City,
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located in western Missouri on wwaass ccaalllleeddtthhee ““SShhooww--MMee SSeerriieess””
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the Missouri-Kansas border,
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and St. Louis, located in eastern wwaass oovveerr,, RRooyyaallss ssttaarr tthhiirrdd bbaasseemmaann
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Missouri on the Missouri-
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Illinois border.
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5
WORLD SERIES CHAMPS
Kansas City players, including George Brett, front, are a happy bunch on
October 27, 1985, after the Royals won the World Series.
A large celebration got Game 7. He allowed just five
underway at Royals Stadium. hits. Third baseman George
The World Series title was Brett, catcher Jim Sundberg,
the first for the Royals. They and other Royals mobbed
became the fifth team to win Saberhagen after Darryl Mot-
the best-of-seven Series after ley caught the game-ending fly
trailing three games to one. ball in right field. Soon, Kan-
Bret Saberhagen, the Most sas City players were pouring
Valuable Player (MVP) of the champagne over each other in
Series, pitched a shutout in the clubhouse.
6
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
“We won the World Series, Joaquin Andujar were ejected
even if people said we weren’t during that inning for argu-
from a big enough city in the ing with home-plate umpire
world to do it,” Brett said. Don Denkinger over balls and
Because the turf at that strikes. Denkinger had made
time at Royals Stadium was a controversial call the night
artificial, fans could not grab a before in the ninth inning of
piece of grass to keep as a souve- Game 6. With Game 7 getting
nir. Instead, they jumped onto out of hand, the Cardinals took
the field and threw dirt into the out their frustration on him.
air. Kansas Citians watching Motley finished with three
the game on television left their hits and three runs batted in
homes to run into the streets (RBIs) in Game 7. Brett went
in celebration. Motorists drove 4-for-5 and scored two runs.
down the avenues honking Leadoff man Lonnie Smith had
horns.
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Game 7 was certainly
worth celebrating for the Roy- TThhee 11998855 RRooyyaallss bbeeccaammee tthhee ffiifftthh
tteeaamm iinn mmaajjoorr lleeaagguuee hhiissttoorryy ttoo wwiinn
als and their fans. Kansas
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City was ahead 5–0 after four bbbeeesssttt---ooofff---ssseeevvveeennn ssseeerrriiieeesss ttthhhrrreeeeee gggaaammmeeesss
tttooo ooonnneee... TTThhheee ppprrreeevvviiiooouuusss fffooouuurrr ttteeeaaammmsss tttooo
innings. That was thanks, in
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part, to a two-run home run by PPiittttssbbuurrgghh PPiirraatteess ((aaggaaiinnsstt tthhee
WWWaaassshhhiiinnngggtttooonnn SSSeeennnaaatttooorrrsss))),,, ttthhheee 111999555888 NNNeeewww
Motley in the second inning off
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John Tudor. The Royals broke
kkeeee BBrraavveess)),, tthhee 11996688 DDeettrrooiitt TTiiggeerrsss
the game open with six runs in (((aaagggaaaiiinnnsssttt ttthhheee SSSttt... LLLooouuuiiisss CCCaaarrrdddiiinnnaaalllsss))),,,
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the fifth inning. St. Louis man-
BBBaallttiimmoorree OOrriioolleess)))..
ager Whitey Herzog and pitcher
7
WORLD SERIES CHAMPS
Cardinals pitcher Todd Worrell catches the ball at first base, but umpire
Don Denkinger would rule the Royals’ Jorge Orta safe on a controversial
call in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series.
two RBIs and scored two runs. With the Royals trailing 1–0,
The Royals won the Series’ final Denkinger ruled leadoff batter
two games at their home ball- Jorge Orta safe at first on a close
park, Royals Stadium. play. Orta hit a grounder to
Kansas City had prevailed first baseman Jack Clark, who
2–1 in Game 6 with the help of tossed the ball to pitcher Todd
what became known as “The Worrell. Replays indicated that
Call” in the bottom of the ninth Worrell caught the throw from
inning. Denkinger was the Clark in time for the out. But
first-base umpire in that game. Denkinger ruled Orta safe.
8
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
