The K cap

Lore & Background

The name 'Royals' pays homage to the American Royal, a livestock show, horse show, rodeo, and championship barbecue competition held annually in Kansas City since 1899, as well as the identical names of two former Negro league baseball teams. The team was founded by Kansas City businessman Ewing Kauffman after Senator Stuart Symington demanded a new franchise for the city following the Athletics' move to Oakland. Since April 10, 1973, the Royals have played at Kauffman Stadium, formerly known as Royals Stadium. The team quickly became a powerhouse, winning one World Series championship and another AL pennant from 1976 to 1985, led by stars such as Amos Otis, Hal McRae, John Mayberry, George Brett, Frank White, Willie Wilson, and Bret Saberhagen. After a long postseason drought, the Royals broke through in 2014, losing the World Series to the San Francisco Giants, then won their second World Series championship in 2015 by defeating the New York Mets.

Reader's Guide

The Royals began play in 1969 in Kansas City, Missouri. In their inaugural game, on April 8, 1969, the Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 4–3 in 12 innings. The team was quickly built through trades by General Manager Cedric Tallis and a strong farm system. Key early stars included Lou Piniella, Amos Otis, John Mayberry, George Brett, and Frank White. The Royals adopted their iconic 'powder blue' road uniforms in 1973 and moved to Royals Stadium (now Kauffman Stadium) that same year. The team won three straight division championships from 1976 to 1978, but lost to the New York Yankees in the ALCS each time. In 1980, the Royals won their first AL pennant but lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 'Pine Tar Incident' occurred in July 1983. The Royals won their first World Series in 1985, then endured a 28-season postseason drought from 1986 to 2013. They returned to the postseason in 2014 and won the World Series in 2015.

Did You Know?

• The Royals' name was selected from 17,000 submissions in a contest; Sanford Porte submitted the name Royals in recognition of Missouri's livestock industry.
• The team's logo, a crown atop a shield with the letters 'KC', was created by Shannon Manning, an artist at Hallmark Cards.
• Kauffman Stadium was originally named Royals Stadium from 1973 to 1993, then renamed Kauffman Stadium in 1993, which is still in use.