The rain started last night and the light show was magnificent! Knowing that today, the Royals would be playing their home opener against the New York Yankees...frankly, I wasn't sure if they could pull it off.
The rain stopped about 10:30am and the clouds pushed out of the sky. On my way into the office this morning, I decided to get the annual opening day newspaper that supports local charities. I drove through the Plaza area and who offered me my paper, none other than Hall of Famer, George Brett! George was soaked but had a big smile on his face.
As I drove into work, I thought about some past memories of my Kansas City Royals (everybody takes ownership on opening day)!
I always loved it when the Royals would bring in for middle relief, Al "The Mad Hungarian" Hrabowski. He would step behind the mound, tuck his glove under his arm and procede to rub the baseball in his hands working up the fans into a hysteria. His head would stay down as he placed the glove back on his hand, then slam the ball into the pocket of the glove. With this, the crowd would go crazy and he would storm back up to the pitching rubber with the disturbed look on his face. I would have been a little nervous to stand in that batter's box at that point!
My 2nd memory should be very well known to most baseball fans. I was watching the Royals back in the 1983 season during an away game to Yankee Stadium. George Brett had just cracked a home run off Goose Gossage over the right field wall when Billy Martin came out to the Umpire. His issue was the length of pine tar on Brett's bat. The Umpire asked for the bat, had a quick conference with Martin and the field Umps then turned to the Royals dugout and gave the close fisted "out" signal to the last play. George came racing out of the dugout like a madman - he went nuts. Later, after review with the Commissioner, the home run was reinstated.
My other big memory came when Bo Jackson played for the Royals in the late 80's, early 90's. We were playing the Seattle Mariners at Royals Stadium and Bo was in Left Field. Harold Reynolds, the speedster for the Mariners was on 3rd base when the next batter up hit a line drive shot to Bo on the warning track. As soon as the catch was made, Reynolds was off for Home Plate. I remember sitting about 10 rows back of the Royals dugout down the first base side. After making the catch, Bo took one step toward Home Plate and threw a beebee that hit the catcher's glove about knee height, all the way in the air and Reynold's was tagged out...it was a perfect strike!
I am ready for this year to get underway! The Royals start their Home Opener in first place in the AL Central. I look forward to an exiting year...let the fun begin!
2 comments:
And what about the 1-70 series. The Royals and the Cardinals battling it out. I hope they have a great year, they need one.
Bummer they lost yesterday. Not the way to christen the new K for sure. And, I hate the Yankees for sure.
You guys still thinking about the Country Music Marathon in a couple of weeks down here. You still have a place to stay if you need it.
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