Kansas City Royals: Bad Start Bringing Out the Worst In Fans

I grew up a Kansas City Royals fan in a time when their first World Series win wasn’t all that distant a memory for most. No one knew at that time that three years would quickly, or slowly, turn into over 25 years of agony and dashed hopes.

With each new season came hope followed shortly thereafter by the potential and promise of next year, or the next year, or the next year. Each spring and season came and went and the Royals droned on in the background.

I grew up in Kansas City and watched year after year as KC Royals’ fans became invested in a player or two and their personal accomplishments, but it was always a forgone conclusion that the team just wasn’t very good. That’s who they were. That’s who we were.

I grew up in Kansas City and watched year after year, but it was always a forgone conclusion that the team just wasn’t very good.

Summers were full of hope, but that hope was usually aimed at the team on the other side of the Truman Sports Complex.

I moved away in 2009 to the heart of Broncos’ country (I’m back now and thank goodness!), but always tried to make it back for a series or two. While I watched from afar during the 2014 and 2015 seasons I didn’t realize what was happening in the background.

It’s both a blessing and a curse that I was away during those runs. While I missed out on going to every home game I could afford and the experience of the city as it transformed, I got to see the transformation as if it happened overnight.

When I was home visiting, it was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Blue shirts, shorts, hats, hair, jewelry, etc… was everywhere. The Royals were all anyone could talk about. Everyone knew when they played, who was pitching, and the box scores from the night before.

The Royals were no longer droning about mindlessly in the background, they were announcing their newfound presence with authority as the city’s heartbeat started to become one with the team.