:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31078735/20120414_jel_aq2_107.0.jpg)
The Royals original home opener for the 1984 season was scheduled for April 2nd and was rained out. Frigid temperatures and just the fact it was originally an open date meant only 10,000 showed up for the Royals and Yankees on this date 30 years ago.
Onix Concepcion hit the first pitch of the season from Ron Guidry out of the yard for a home run and the Royals never trailed. Frank White doubled in his first at bat of the year and Steve Balboni brought him home with a two out single to close out the first.
Bud Black started and threw seven strong innings, allowing a Dave Winfield two-run home run for the only damage of the afternoon. Winfield's home run and Don Baylor's single just ahead of that were the only hits Black allowed all day. Dan Quisenberry retired six of the final seven batters for the save.
| Batting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | WPA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onix Concepcion SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | 1.250 | 0.063 | 0.56 | HR |
| Butch Davis LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | -0.063 | 0.61 | CS |
| Frank White 2B | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .750 | 0.091 | 0.46 | 2B |
| Hal McRae DH | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .583 | 0.003 | 0.75 | SF |
| Steve Balboni 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .500 | 0.056 | 0.51 | |
| Darryl Motley RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | 1.000 | 0.034 | 0.45 | 3B |
| Don Slaught C | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.667 | 0.036 | 0.54 | SF |
| Pat Sheridan CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | -0.074 | 0.65 | GDP |
| Greg Pryor 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 1.333 | 0.001 | 0.31 | |
| Buddy Black P | |||||||||||
| Dan Quisenberry P | |||||||||||
| Team Totals | 31 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 3 | .290 | .757 | 0.147 | 0.54 |
-- George Brett missed this game - and the first 33 games of 1984 - due to a knee injury. Greg Pryor started in his place.
-- Willie Wilson missed this game due to his suspension related to his jail time for attempting to possess cocaine. He served 81 days in the Federal Correction Institute in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His original suspension had been for a year, but earlier in the day of April 3, commissioner Bowie Kuhn said Wilson could return to the field on May 15.
-- Concepcion's home run was the only one he hit all year.