The Kansas City Royals were one of four expansion teams to join Major League Baseball in 1969. The other clubs to enter the league at the same time as Kansas City were the Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres and Seattle Pilots. The Royals haven’t changed cities or team names since they were formed and have played in the American League for their entire history.
Ballpark / Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
The Royals play their homes at Kauffman Stadium, which opened in 1973. Despite the park’s age, it doesn’t give the impression of an old park. After undergoing a newsworthy $250-million renovation between 2007 and 2009, Kauffman has been brought up to par and is generally well regarded among present-day baseball fans. The park’s most notable features are its elaborate fountains and scoreboard shaped like the Royals logo. The park seats 37,903 fans, making it the fifth-smallest park in baseball, behind Tampa Bay, Oakland, Miami and Boston.
Two World Series Championships
The Royals have won two World Series championship, with their first title coming in 1985. The series win came in seven games over the St. Louis Cardinals and was led by players such as George Brett. The team added a second title in 2015, beating the New York Mets.
Kansas City Royals Roster
George Brett, one of the greatest hitters of all time, is the only former Royals player enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame wearing the Kansas City cap. Other hall of famers who spent time in Kansas City include Orlando Cepeda, Joe Gordon, Whitey Herzog, Harmon Killebrew, Bob Lemon and Gaylord Perry. In 2013, the Royals had their best season since 1989, led by a roster that included James Shields, Alex Gordon, Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer.
Spring Training
The Royals play the home games on their Spring Training schedule at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, AZ. The park opened in the spring of 2003 and is the Spring Training home of not just the Royals, but also the Texas Rangers. Surprise Stadium holds 10,714 fans and is also used by the Arizona Fall League. The Royals Minor League Baseball affiliates are the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Advanced-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, Class-A Lexington Legends and rookie league Burlington Royals, Idaho Falls Chukars, Arizona League Royals and Dominican Summer League Royals.
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