The story of my Royal fandom is a long one that involves college, a girl, California, and slow-pitch softball. But it somehow involves very little Kansas City.

Born in Wichita, raised mostly Derby, KS. I got a couple of degrees in Manhattan, KS and one in Minneapolis, MN. For the last eight years, I’ve lived in the New York, NY metropolitan area. I currently live in Manhattan (Harlem).

raised in blue springs, went to college in st. louis where my true royals fanhood was cemented by overzealous cardinal fans…i’m about as proud to be a royals fan as u can be…although i do find myself praying for gload to literally explode

Did some time in Iowa before that.

but I was born to a hermit and a she-bear in the nether regions of Kan-Tuck-ee many moons ago

before they met each other, so I inherited Royals fandom.

I was born and raised in western Nebraska, and have only ever lived there and in eastern Nebraska. Please don’t hold that against me. I’m 3/5 of the way done with a journalism degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and work for the Omaha Royals in the summer. I love candlelight dinners, long walks on the beach, and…wait, what? Where am I again?

My Royals obsession honestly. I was born in KCK in 1955, the year baseball crossed the Mississippi (St. Louis doesn’t count) and came from Philly to KCMO. I was the youngest of 5, so my older sibs had me whacking wiffle balls shortly after I learned to walk. I grew up watching cousins, uncles, aunts and my sister playing organized softball at Klamm and Kensington parks, and I started when I was 7.

I learned of the KC A’s about the same time, and they became an obsession for me through grade school, and after Finley moved them to Oakland I of course started following the Royals. In 1969, due to unfortunate family circumstances, I moved to Topeka to live with my oldest brother and his wife. I continued to bounce around among my siblings between KCK and Topeka, graduating i 1973 from Topeka West.

I began to follow the Royals more closely after graduation, attending games several times a year in the new stadium. I moved to Little Rock in 1977 when my oldest brother returned from a 3 year hitch in the Phillipines and was stationed at LRAFB. I lived there for almost 2 years until my other brother sent me a plane ticket to visit him in Alaska. I visited in Jyly 1978, fell in love with the place, and moved here permanently in September.

I still lived and died with the Royals in those days, but after the 1985 Series I kind of drifted away. I still followed by box score and network TV sportscasts, and even got a little excited about the early ’90’s teams. The strike in ’94 pissed me off, period, and my life was getting pretty hectic, so I kind of drifted again, and the Royals became pretty putrid anyway.

Then came the Dayton Moore hire; I started to get interested again. When opening day against the Red Sox was televised nationally, I decided to go for it. I found this site randomly searching for information on the team, and I think I registered the same day. I bought the radio broadcasts for ’07, and went for the MLBTV package in ’08. I rarely miss a game.

I also rarely miss a game thread, and it’s become a part of my social life as well an an invaluable source for information and opinion. I feel like I know some of you better than I know most of the people who live around me here in Nikiski. This site truly helps me to fully obsess with all things Royals; I couldn’t do it without all you. Thanks a lot.

And, the only time I’ve ever gotten a foul ball was with my Grandpa at old dusty Rosenblatt Stadium. It looks like they’ve really fixed it up from what I can tell during College WS television. I wonder what ever happened to that ball.

royals fan my whole life (all 19 years of it!).

I was born in the back of a taxi cab……….in rural NE Nebraska, circa 1966. Moved to Lincoln to go to UNL in ‘84, got my degree, and after a bried sojourn to GRAND ISLAND, NE ( A city that is ironically neither GRAND, nor an ISLAND…..actually, Fonner Park is a diamond in the rough), have been in Lincoln ever since. The Royals became a constant in my life beginning in ’76, and the Chambliss homer….further cemented when I saw Freddie Patek crying in the dugout in ’77……what can I say, I was an empathetic and compassionate young man. Royals games on the radio have been a constant in my life for 30 years……usually get the family down to Royals stadium 3 or 4 times a year. If you would have told me back in ’85 that I would have to endure decades of putrid sub par mediocrity and futility, etc….. I wouldn’t change a thing. Its what makes the 23rd year of our rebuilding plan so sweet…..IF Butler and Gordon improve, IF A VILE SNOW can approximate last years performance, IF Greinke takes another step forward, IF Jacobs walks twice……IF, IF, IF…….THIS IS THE YEAR!

I was born and raised in Omaha. I grew up with a George Brett poster on my wall, probably because of the fair share of O-Royals games I attended at the ‘blatt and the few games my family made the trip to KC for. Although, I didn’t follow baseball that much in the 90s and early 00s. I eventually ended up in grad school at the University of Nebraska, so I could go to Husker baseball games for free. I became a fan of Alex Gordon, and when he was drafted, I started paying attention to pro-ball again. After that, it’s been pretty easy to get immersed in all that the Internet has made possible for baseball fans (e.g. this web site). I understand the game on such a deeper level now (and I realize how little I actually know) that it makes it that much more fun for me to watch. I’m hooked.

Left Kansas for college at Princeton, worked in New York for two years and am currently in law school in DC. DC is nice but the baseball sucks. This city is definitely a Redskins first place, though in all honesty I really enjoy going to Washington Capitals games. I have been a Royals fan for as long as I can remember, though I definitely have a love/hate, bipolar, borderline dysfunctional relationship going on with the franchise. Very similar to my relationship with Catholicism. Perhaps I’m wired that way.

In California, mostly grew up in Kansas (Olathe). Finished HS at Olathe North in 2003, and my BA at KU last spring.

Both my parents were born and raised in the KC Metro so they’ve been Royals fans their whole lives. All of the great stories and classic Royal memories have been relayed to me by them. Legend has it, in 1985, I cheered on the Royals from my crib.

Joe Randa was my favorite player when I was younger, and I get to spend many afternoons and nights with a cold one at the K b/c I still live nearby.

Being a Royals fan has to be one of the most “authentic” fan experiences. It will only make it that much more sweet when they make it into the playoffs again and I won’t be able to comment on this awesome site, because I’ll be rooting them on to the pennant, and the World Championship.

in case my handle wasn’t clear enough.

Both parents are from KC, MO, but picked up Royals fandom from my dad. He’s still active in the USMC, so while I never actually lived in KC, I’ve considered it home because that’s where we would spend holidays and summer vacations, visiting family, and I grew up idolizing George Brett.

However, as I grew up, I also kind of grew out of the Royals. Not something I’m particularly proud of…There was actually a dark time for me, where I pretty much gave up following baseball…I was born in 84, so I’ve never really known a winning Royals team, and after the strike, I just kind of fell out of touch. That, plus I stunk at it, but was much better at soccer, so I focused all my attention on that (and the Chiefs).

We lived overseas for the final years of highschool, and I went to Mizzou for college (J-School, baby!). While at Mizzou, my folks were still overseas, and I came to school when the Royals were closing in on a playoff berth in 03. Naturally, they fell short, but I made a lot of friends through cheering them on, and after that season I made it a goal to get back in touch with the team of my childhood. The whole thing was actually kind of cathartic for me, as cheesy as that sounds…moving around as a military brat, you find your hometown changes every few years. Being able to embrace a hometown baseball team, even if only from a remote location, was great.

I’ve since moved on past school, and took a job at a newspaper in Montana, basically because they were hiring…probably the same story as 99% of J-School kids. Up here in the north, it’s been an adjustment, especially to the weather (it’s currently 6-below and snowing…over the course of the next three days, the high temperatures are forecasted to be -10, -9, and -2), but sites like this one have made it easier to not only follow the Royals daily, but also interact with other followers of the Boys in Blue. So to everyone out there participating, thanks.

born and raised. Currently in Lawrence, KS.

It is quite amazing what is available on the internet and, of course, mlbtv.com. Somebody else mentioned radio. And it is so true how amazing it was listening to every game on the radio. We used to take a portable out in the yard and play catch while listening.

Also, while visiting grandparents in Omaha, I’d sit on the porch on S. 10th St. with my grandpa and listen to Denny and Fred and just watch traffic go by. He did that every single night. – in the summer.

 and still living there today with brief interludes in Columbia for law school and KC for 2 years after law school. I went to my first Royals game in 1979 when I was 6 years old. KC beat Boston 1-0 on an inside the park homerun by Willie Wilson leading off the bottom of the first. When your first Royals at bat ever is an inside the park homer, you can’t help but fall in love for life. I have probably seen 100-150 games at the K since then, including sitting in Section 125 for Game 7 of the 1985 World Series. My oldest son is named Brett and I plan my summer nights around my Royals.

Thanks to everyone for making this site so enjoyable and informative.

Born in Shawnee 12-14-78 (do the math :( )
Raised in Stilwell KS, when it was still ‘ruralish’ where I grew up with a bat & ball in my hands at all times.

Worst childhood memories: Losing a blue glove in our move from Shawnee to Stilwell. The Blue glove was my “Dennis Leonard” glove. My dad taking a co-worker to game 6 of the ’85 WS, while I was at home.

When people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, according to my parents, my only answer until about the age of 6 was, “I want to be a hitter like Hal.”

This unfortunately stuck with me through HS. My HS coach went to the post-season meeting of head coaches that decided who was all state. I was Hon. Mention my Sr year, but my HS coach said, “Everything was looking good for you to be 1st team when i was telling everybody your numbers….until I told them you made 14 errors.” I played one game that was televised by Metro Sports my Sr year vs Rockhurst. Hit the game winning grand slam, that is a pretty cool thing to have on tape ;)

In HS, when you had to ‘decide what you want to be when you grow up’ and write a report on it, I wrote Art Stewart a letter asking him how I should go about becoming a scout. I got an unbelievable (in retrospect) packet back from him, including a personal letter from him saying how he frequently gets letters from kids asking how to become ball players, coaches or GM’s, but in his decades of working with the Royals, mine was the only one ever related to scouting.

Played college ball for 2 seasons. 1 Semester at Fort Hays State my freshman year when they were a National D2 Power. Nate Field was a teammate of mine out there, it was really fun seeing him make it to the bigs. In retrospect I should have stayed there. I was a good fit, and the coach (Bob Fornelli who is now at Emporia State) made me bust my ass. But alas, he wanted to redshirt me, and play a fellow freshman that was 1/2 the player, but twice the kiss ass. So I transferred to Johnson County where i played 2 years, splitting time between 3rd & Pitching. Basically I’d start @ 3rd one game of the double header, and be in relief the other game. I played 3rd base against Albert Pujols when he was @ Maple Woods. He hit a home run against us @ JCCC that; a) If I had been 6’5" instead of 6’0" I swear I would have caught, and b) according to the guy that retrieved the ball, rolled within feet of College Boulevard – About 250 ft beyond the fence. Had offers to play small colleges my Jr & Sr years, but I wanted to experience real college life. Biggest mistake of my life, something I will regret always.

I don’t go to many games in person. Quite honestly, a large part of baseball still hurts when I am too close to it. I never would have made it to “The Show” but I never really gave myself a shot. My work ethic was for shit, everything I did was what I was born with basically. When I am at the stadium though, my mind always wanders into that nether region we all have at some level that takes you back to that ‘what if’ question.

Became a Royals fan @ around age 5 when my oldest brother gave me my first baseball card – George Brett. I’ve been suffering ever since.

I began following by disecting the boxscores in the Wasington Post every morning. A Royals loss was usually an impetus for tears. As the years went by I would stay glued to SportsCenter before I left for school in the morning eagerly awaiting the score/highlight. In the mid-90’s I began following the gamecasts on ESPN.com/CBSSportsline.com while simultaneously streaming the radio broadcast through Mark Cuban’s Broadcast.com – the good ‘ole days before MLB wised up and made us pay for access. I’ve been to the K twice – the first time I was 11 years old – went with my Dad and I met George Brett – my avatar celebrates the moment.

I posted my how sick love of the Royals infiltrated my wedding: http://www.royalsreview.com/2008/4/6/390147/royals-fanaticism-infused

Currently I live in Voorhees, New Jersey, a suburb of Philadelphia. Hope springs eternal. Let’s Go Royals!!!

went to college in downtown Chicago and moved to Los Angeles after college in 2006 — but have still been a hardcore Royals fan thru it all.

I really got involved in the Royals blog world last off season when I found Rany on the Royals and Ball Star, and eventually Royals authority and Royals Review. I’ve loved feeling more involved with the team and baseball in general.

I, too, have mlb.tv and watch a lot of games at work and then at home while i eat dinner. It’s sooooo worth the $20/month to be able to watch any game any time.

Anyways, this is cool and I appreciate it. It’s great to read your stories, too.

Born in Detroit, but essentially spent my whole life in the KC area, on both sides of the state line in the burbs.

I kinda hated baseball actually when I was a young kid because I sucked at it. So I didn’t really get to enjoy the ’85 World Series. Then I started playing with some older kids in the neighborhood, and they played baseball, so I played baseball, and got good at it and started becoming obsessive about it, particularly statistics. My dad is a big baseball fan, and as the cliche goes, for awhile, baseball was really the only thing we could talk about when I was an angry teenager.

Went to college in Ohio, law school at KU. Briefly lived in DC, but moved back to KC to marry my wife and have a son. He’s only seven months old, but he’s already attended two games, a devastating loss to Texas (the Mark Teahen error at first game complete with bullpen meltdown) and a 12-1 romp over Seattle.

Raised in small towns in NCK (Cuba and Jamestown) and went to school in Concordia. Always followed the Royals and usually made a game each year. After HS spent 6 years in the navy, came back and got my degree from K-State, met my wife, followed her to Tucson for her masters, married her and now have a 2 month year old and 2 year old.

My main memories in were that George Brett always stunk when we were there and I saw Willie actually hit two out of the park. Recently, I enjoyed spring training were everyone is assessable.

just graduated from KU too. So let’s just say I am the truest Jayhawker you can find. My young life was complete last year when KU finally won a National Championship and now I get to say I graduated the year it happened. Currently, I am trying to figure out how to get a good job in this horrible economy and very very much trying to get out of Lawrence.

I’ve been a die-hard sports fan of the 3 majors as long as I can remember. The only sport I played all the way until college was basketball and so I would say that is my expertise when it comes to all phases of the game. I love football and baseball almost as much, though.

The Royals, well the Royals have been bad to me. Born in ‘85 means, I don’t exactly remember that last playoff appearance. I’ve stuck with them through everything, though, and am proud to say that I am one of only 2 of my friends who didn’t adopt another team in their youth.

I’m optimistic about the Royals future with Dayton Moore and you will see that in my writing on this site. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this site in the beginning of the ‘07 season, when Esteban German was coming off a stellar season and I thought I needed more. Well, I definitely don’t now, but the name will live on. I really appreciate learning or trying to learn about all the sabermetrics stuff that so many of you subscribe to. I’ve definitely adopted a lot of the basic stuff but still can’t wrap my finger around some of it. No matter, I’ll keep asking questions, trying to learn, or bringing the opposing force to keep the discussions flowing.

moved to Babylonia
got a condo made of Stone-a

I grew up as a fan of the Cincinnati Reds and the NL, but lived in Manhattan, KS while going to grad school. My wife and I attended a lot of games at the K… including the July 4th conclusion of our baseball roadtrip honeymoon. We both fell in love with the Royals and adopted them as our AL team. We now live in NW Ohio.

grew up a Mets fan, almost died and went to heaven when they won the World Series in ‘69. Went to grad school at KU and became a true blue Royals fan, suffering through the late 1970’s late losses to the hated Yankees. Spent 4 years in Florida (only being able to watch the Dale Murphy Braves). I watched the 1985 Deckinger game in Orlando, splitting a bottle of Glen Fiddich with a friend from St. Louis. It was awesome. Then a job in Omaha and back to the fold.

…so I had no other choice but to stick with these guys. I’ve been in Mid-Missouri for my entire life, so the summer trips to the K have been a staple of summer break. Unfortunately, I’m part of the Royals’ fanbase that has never truly seen them succeed at the highest level, as I was in Kindergarten in the fall of 1985.

Back in the day, my brother and I used to take our Royals’ baseball cards outside for summer Wiffleball games. I’d make out a lineup and everything, and even bat the same way as whoever was up to bat at the time.

I come from a family of sports fanatics…in 7th grade my uncle stood in line forever to get GA tickets for George Brett’s final home game. I still remember getting lost in Raytown trying to get out of the stadium that night. I’ve seen countless games between then and now, and always get excited walking into the stadium. In high school a group of friends made a “Monty blows….saves” sign and dropped it down in the bullpen to show our disgust for the closer. I was there for the Elarton meltdown in front of a sold out crowd two years ago, I froze at Diasuke’s first MLB start* at the beginning of that year too, and survived the chaos of the Billy Butler jersey day last year as well.

*John Buck’s HR on Okajima’s first-ever MLB pitch might still be travelling…..and it was interesting to cross paths with Soria and TPJ in the parking lot after that game. Both were obviously new to the team at that time, and they both just happened to be walking out the front doors of the stadium and through the parking lot amongst the other fans when I was heading across that way.

I’ve always been involved with sports, and probably always will be. I played all throughout high school, and entered coaching while in college….having now served as both an assistant & head coach at the high school level in basketball/baseball, as well as summer programs. My living room still proudly displays the gold medal and tournament bracket from a summer league championship season as well. One year we were even the Royals!

My family was never much for vacations and travel, but this past summer I finally did something I’d always wanted to do—-watch a game in Fenway & Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately my buddies had other coaching obligations, so packed up a backpack and I flew into Boston and literally froze at the Boston/Tampa game with the brawl between Coco Crisp and James Shields (i’ve got video of that somewhere too)…but taking the pre-game tour at getting to go up onto the Green Monster was breathtaking. The next day I took the LimoLiner to NYC and watched the Royals beat the Yankees. It was amazing. The Yankee Stadium tour was just as good, especially getting to go down and sit in the dugouts. After an “interesting” lunch at the Bronx McDonald’s just next to the stadium, I was on the front row in RF for batting practice with about 319473193749 other people, but I dropped an ARod HR back onto the field. (I’m totally blaming it on that lame railing they put up so you can’t fall on the field…and Ryan Lefebvre for pressuring me not to bring a glove—even though I had no room for it in my backpack) I did get another ball however, but gave it to a kid next to me. All in all, it was a magnificant trip and piece of baseball history I’ll never forget. I was also surprised at how many people made “go Royals” comments to me when I had my Royals hat on just walking around NYC…..I figured they wouldn’t even know what team that was.

Anyway, I look forward to the ballpark renovations and possibly seeing the Royals in the playoffs sometime within the foreseeable future. Until then, I will spent too much time dissecting every game, move, comment, and Lefebvre comment on this site and with my friends. It’s a somewhat embarrassing life we lead, but I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s doing it. I discovered this site sometime in the middle of last season and absolutely enjoy the intelligent information and conversation. The game threads are just hilariousssssss for me…..I can’t wait until the season starts so we can start up with 3+ hours of sarcastic commentary about the boys in blue—-as the saying goes, “Kansas City Royals Baseball——YOU GOTTA LOVE THESE GUYS!”

Born in Lincoln, and, another Southeast High School grad (like Alex Gordon).

Went away to Ohio for college, spent some time in DC, and then to Michigan for law school. Spent a year working in Cleveland, and just moved to KC this fall.

Growing up my baseball loyalties were divided between the Reds and the Royals — I was a huge Eric Davis fan, and liked Barry Larkin, Sabo, the Nasty Boys relievers, and Bip Roberts and company. The fam made yearly trips down to KC to see a few games, and I always liked the Royals of the late 80s and early 90s. My interest in baseball more or less died with the strike. My family actually had tickets to see a game in Colorado the day the strike began. Never really got over that. Only really following the Royals now because I live here (currently much more of a soccer fan), but it’s been fun lurking around and commenting on this site.

Moved to Saint Joseph, Mo at the age of 3 (1980). I lived near Central High School until the age of 11, then moved to the vicinity of Barry Rd and Congress Ave in the northern area of KC.

I became more than a passing Royals fan in the summer of 1985. We made it to two games that year, a Brewers rainout, and a victory versus the Red Sox. Among my first tastes of the Royals was postseason glory all the way through, and I have been steadfast since.

In 1993 at the age of 16 we moved to Mercer Island, near Seattle. After I graduated I took my Royal pride with me around the world for 10 years as a member of the United States Navy. I now reside in Fircrest, WA, near Tacoma.