Blue Harmony… A convergence of sports and music in Kansas City.
Baseball in Rocktober…
Makes for great memories!
Sports and music facilitate an unspoken bond across humanity, despite our otherwise cultural, language, and daily differences. As the current MLB season comes to an end and we celebrate the anniversaries of our Kansas City Royals’ World Series championships in 1985 (Oct. 27) and 2015 (Nov. 1), let’s take a look back at the moments when sports and music came together in Kansas City during the month of October and beyond.
Meanwhile, 8,000 miles away…
In July 2012, as our city hosted the 83rd edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game at the venerable Kauffman Stadium, a talented teenager from New Zealand named Ella (known to the world as Lorde) was writing the lyrics to what would become one of the best-selling singles of all-time, a song that has been called an anthem for Millennials, “Royals”.
View of Kauffman Stadium during the National Anthem at the 2012 MLB All-Star Game.
Source: Wikipedia.org
The title "Royals" came to Lorde after she saw a 1976 National Geographic photo of George Brett signing baseballs with his team's name "Royals" emblazoned on his white home jersey. In a September 2013 interview she said, "It was just that word. It's really cool."
“King George”
Ultimately, it showed how a past moment in time could unexpectedly connect generations, decades later; sports and music converged. “King George” (Brett) won the first of his three American League batting titles in 1976 and remains the only player in MLB history to have won a batting title in three different decades (1976, 1980, 1990).
My late mother’s ticket to Game 1 of the 1976 ALCS.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
In March 2014, when Lorde played live in Kansas City, the Royals organization sent her a Brett jersey, but she never got to meet her muse. The two would finally meet in Las Vegas on April 16, 2014.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Nobody does it better…
King George is one of my childhood heroes. Growing up, I got to see him up close at the “hot corner”, as we had season tickets from the mid-‘70s through the mid-‘80s. Our seats were around ten rows back along the third base side, behind the visiting team dugout.
Forever Royal!
Some of my biggest baseball memories took place in 1980, when in the midst of a historic heat wave, King George made his legendary run at .400. It was a time when the scorching heat made my arms and legs stick to the seats of my late mother’s 1976 Ford Maverick, and when songs later classified as Yacht Rock and Classic Rock played on our radios. Songs like “Steal Away” and “It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" take me right back to that long, hot summer. I continue to be amazed by how music can defy the constraints of space and time.
King George’s season started off rather slow in 1980. He only batted .259 during the first month, and just as his season was turning around in June, an ankle injury put him on the disabled list (DL) for 27 games. Soon thereafter, our city would suffer a crippling heat wave. That summer, the high temperature soared above the century mark on 28 days, including for 17 days straight. I remember watching our local news reporters standing by the Royals’ dugout with an oversized dial thermometer that pointed to 135 degrees Fahrenheit! Even the night games were miserably hot, with temperatures remaining in the 90s.
Trying to beat the heat… A lot of beer was sold that summer.
Hamm’s beer advertisement from 1980.
Do what you can do to help... The 1980 Heat Wave would become the deadliest natural disaster in the history of Kansas City. During the heat wave’s hottest stretch, my mom and I went door-to-door on multiple occasions to check on our elderly neighbors. At the time, only around 50% of area homes had air conditioning. We brought fans and ice bags (when we could find them) to those in need. Sadly, the 1980 Heat Wave resulted in 389 heat-related deaths in Missouri. According to officials, over 87% of the deaths occurred during a two-week period (July 8-21). 176 people lost their lives in Kansas City alone.
Source: kansascity.com
King George returned to the lineup after the All-Star break, and by the end of July, his batting average soared to .390. We were witnessing history. The last player to finish a season with a batting average above .400 was Ted Williams, who had a .406 average in 1941. Looking back, Brett’s quest for .400 helped unite a weary city at a time when it needed it most. It was a time when a hot streak helped us escape the heat, at least for a little while. King George stayed hot after the crippling heat wave subsided. On August 17th, he went 4-for-4 against the Toronto Blue Jays, raising his average to an incredible .401.
.401… A historic achievement.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Brett was hitting .406 on August 30th and was at .400 as late as September 19th. King George ultimately finished the season at .390 and led our Royals into the playoffs to face the hated New York Yankees.
Left behind…
Unfortunately, my parents only had two tickets for the postseason, and I did not get to attend any of the ALCS or World Series games […something that I would occasionally remind them of…]. I missed out on seeing our home-town heroes play in October, as well as Yankees legends, Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson, Tommy John, and our arch nemesis, Greg Nettles.
Fun fact: Reggie’s legendary MLB career began in the "City of Fountains" as a member of the Kansas City Athletics “A’s”, before the team relocated to Oakland, California in 1968. His first major league appearance was a doubleheader on June 9, 1967 at the former Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. The A’s shutout the visiting Cleveland Indians in both games. Reggie recorded his first career hit in the second game; a lead-off triple in the 5th inning.
“Mr. October” Reggie Jackson
Photo Credit: Walter Iooss Jr.; Source: si.com
Our Royals ultimately swept the Yankees in three games. I still remember watching Game 3 on my grandparents’ television when King George took a Goose Gossage fastball to the upper deck of Yankee Stadium for a three-run homer. The Royals were on their way to their first World Series in franchise history.
Champagne is flowing… The late legend Bob Uecker joining in the celebration.
Photo Credit: Heinz Kluetmeier; Source: si.com
The World Series brought the Philadelphia Phillies, including legends Steve Carlton, the late Pete Rose, and Mike Schmidt, to town for Games 3, 4, and 5.
Photo Credit: Walter Iooss Jr.; Source: si.com
My late mother’s ticket to Game 3 of the 1980 World Series.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
No, I was “not” there… :)
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
Source: royalsreview.com
The first five games were close contests. The Series shifted back to Philadelphia, with the Phillies up 3-2. Unfortunately for us, the Phillies won Game 6 and the Series. However, our Royals would return to the Fall Classic five years later.
1985… Gotta get back in time.
Some of the biggest hits of 1985 paired well with “America’s pastime”. 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of John Fogerty’s solo album Centerfield. The album went to the top of the charts the week of March 23, 1985, just in time for “opening day”. The title track is frequently played on Classic Rock radio and at baseball games to this day. The song also plays continuously at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
The music video for “Walk of Life” from Dire Straits’ 1985 chart-topping album Brothers in Arms, featured an array of sports bloopers and highlights.
Both of these songs, along with Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” will always remind me of when our Royals brought it all home in ‘85; when sports and music converged in Kansas City.
That being said, my interest in baseball had begun to wane that year. Our season tickets for Royals Stadium were traded for Kemper Arena; those hot summer nights became “hot winter nights”.
Hot Winter Nights in ‘85
Gino Schiraldi and Mark Frederickson of the Kansas City Comets at Kemper Arena.
Source: nasljerseys.com
The “beautiful game” had captured my heart, and I spent the better part of the next decade developing my skills on the soccer field. Prior to high school, five, even six days of most weeks involved soccer. Instead of watching The Baseball Bunch on Saturday mornings or swinging for the fences on a dusty Little League baseball diamond, my summers were now spent on a blazing hot, sometimes stormy, pitch, with the remainder of each year spent on bright green fields of AstroTurf, illuminated by mercury vapor lights buzzing overhead.
“The Beautiful Game”
And, while I didn’t follow our “Boys in Blue” as much as I had in the past, most everyone in Kansas City (me included) remained aware of what the team was doing. In the Summer of ‘85, as a young Marty McFly went “back to the future” and “got back in time”, our Royals were led by the “two Bret(t)s”, King George and a 21 y/o pitcher named Bret Saberhagen. That year, the young ace went 20–6 with a 2.87 ERA and won the American League Cy Young Award; phenomenal!
The team’s core was comprised of familiar faces, including our beloved manager, the late Dick Howser and fan favorites Hal McRae, the “Quiz” (the late Dan Quisenberry), Frank White, and Willie Wilson. The starting rotation was formidable, featuring five young guns (all under 30), Bud Black, Mark Gubicza, Danny Jackson, Charlie Leibrandt, and staff ace, Bret Saberhagen.
“Look at me, gotta be centerfield…”
Willie Wilson (CF), Kansas City Royals, circa 1985.
Source: mlb.com/royals
Our “Ace”
The Royals would finish at 91-71, winning the American League West Division for the second consecutive season, and for the sixth time in ten years. However, what the team accomplished in the weeks that followed was truly unprecedented and unforgettable.
The Comeback Kids (1985 edition)
The 1985 ALCS featured our Kansas City Royals versus the American League East Division champion Toronto Blue Jays. With its 99-62 regular season record, Toronto held home field advantage and was favored to take the series. In 1985, both league championships were extended to a best-of-seven format.
Not surprisingly, the Jays jumped out to a 3-1 series lead and were on the brink of booking their first trip to the Fall Classic. However, our Royals stormed back, winning the last three games, including the final two on the road. They became the first team to overcome a 3–1 deficit in the League Championship Series.
George Brett watches his second home run of Game 3 in the 1985 ALCS.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy; Source: espn.com
In the ALCS, King George went 8 for 23 (4 for 4 in Game 3) with two doubles, three home runs, five RBIs, and a .348 batting average. He was named the ALCS MVP. Next up for our Royals, were our intra-state rivals, the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals and everyone’s favorite shortstop, “The Wizard of Oz", Ozzie Smith.
Ozzie flipping out!
Source: St. Louis Cardinals, Sports Illustrated (SI)
The “I-70 Showdown Series”
The Royals and Cardinals were connected by more than an interstate highway. The “Redbirds” were led by former Royals manager, the late Whitey Herzog. While in Kansas City, Whitey recognized that Royals Stadium (now Kauffman Stadium) with its deep fences and large symmetrical design, offered unique advantages. To capitalize on these advantages, he developed a style of play called “Whiteyball” which concentrated on pitching, speed, and defense to win games rather than on home runs, a style that remains in our team’s DNA!
Defense… A pair of Gold Glove Award winners in 1977.
(L to R: Royals 2B Frank White, the late Whitey Herzog, the late Royals OF Al Cowens)
Source: kcur.org
Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog (1931-2024)
Source: baseballhall.org
In 1981, former Royals All-Star catcher, the late Darrell Porter, joined Herzog in St. Louis and would lead the Cardinals to a World Series title in 1982. He won both the 1982 NLCS MVP Award and the 1982 World Series MVP Award, and remained in the Cardinal lineup through the 1985 Fall Classic.
Time to celebrate!
The late Darrell Porter and the late Bruce Sutter celebrating their 1982 World Series victory.
Source: catchershome.com
The Royals acquired outfielder Dane Iorg from St. Louis in July 1984. Iorg batted an amazing .529 in the 1982 World Series for the Redbirds and would later provide the Royals with the game winning hit in the controversial Game 6 of the 1985 World Series. The Cardinals would trade outfielder Lonnie Smith to Kansas City in May 1985. In turn, he became the first player in MLB history to play in the World Series against a team that traded him away within the same season.
St. Louis had finished the regular season with 101 wins and was heavily favored to take the title. During the ‘85 playoffs, the Cardinals used the slogan “The Heat Is On” in reference to the hit song by Glenn Frey that reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1985.
Fun facts: The ‘85 Fall Classic was the second of five World Series played completely on artificial turf; the first was in 1980. This was also the most recent World Series in which the designated hitter (DH) was not used in an AL baseball park.
After the first four games, the Royals once again found themselves in the same predicament, down 3-1; it was a punch in the gut for all of us. However, on the verge of elimination, the Royals once again stormed back, albeit amidst a controversial call.
Source: mlb.com/royals
Game 6 was marked by controversy. In the fourth inning of the scoreless game, Frank White looked to have stolen second base but was ruled out in a close call. The game’s biggest controversy occurred in the bottom of the ninth inning in what would become known as “The Call”.
The first batter, Royals pinch-hitter Jorge Orta, sent a chopping bouncer to the right of first baseman Jack Clark. Clark tossed the ball to reliever Todd Worrell, who tagged the bag ahead of Orta, but Clark's toss was behind Worrell, causing the running Orta to come between umpire Don Denkinger and his view of the lunging Worrell's glove. Denkinger called Orta safe. T.V. replays – not used by officials for play review until 2008 – indicated that Orta should have been called out. The Cardinals argued briefly, but as crew chief and believing he had made the correct call, Denkinger did not reverse it. Later in the ninth inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Royals pinch hitter Dane Iorg blooped a single to right field. Onix Concepción scored the tying run, and Jim Sundberg approached the plate with the winning run. Right fielder Andy Van Slyke’s throw was on target, but Sundberg slid home safely with the game-winning run.
Source: Wikipedia.org
A walk-off win!
Source: mlb.com/royals
With the Series now tied at 3-3, the Royals were “alive and kicking”!
Kansas City would go on to crush the Cardinals 11-0 in Game 7. Most of us living in Kansas City likely remember the epic words spoken by the legendary Al Michaels; “To Motley, for the title!” While totally elated, I was also totally surprised by the blowout. St. Louis completely collapsed. Looking back, Denkinger made the wrong call in Game 6. It was a mistake; we are all human… However, from the outside looking in, many could not understand how a talented, veteran Cardinals team, a recent World Series champion, could not regain their composure; we are all human…
October 27, 1985: Our Royals became World Champions!
Source: mlb.com/royals
As a Royals fan, I naturally bristle at the notion that our team did not deserve to win. Our team seized opportunities and did what they needed to do. That is what champions do. Bret Saberhagen only allowed one run across his two winning starts (Games 3 and 7), earning him the 1985 World Series MVP Award. Conversely, the Cardinals struggled mightily at the plate. Their .185 team batting average was the lowest for a seven-game World Series until 2001 and arguably contributed to their collapse.
Source: mlb.com/royals
King George would go on to play for eight more seasons, winning another American League batting title along the way. George Brett is one of five players in MLB history to accumulate 3,000 (3,154) hits, 300 (317) home runs, and a career .300 (.305) batting average. His 3,154 career hits are second most by any third baseman in major league history. In 1999, King George was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with a 98.2% voting percentage. He will always be in the pantheon of our city’s sporting legends.
Source: baseballhall.org
Unfortunately, soon after Brett retired, the Royals franchise suffered a generational collapse. Our Glory Days were over. The organization would remain lost in a wilderness of defeat and mediocrity for nearly three decades. However, “all bad things must come to an end.”
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
My daughter and her classmates cheering on our 2014 Royals!
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
1738
“I was fortunate to experience both Game 3 of the 2014 ALCS and Game 7 of the 2014 World Series at the venerable Kauffman Stadium. The loss of Game 7 was heartbreaking. Our hopes for the title came up literally, ninety feet short. Despite our collective sadness, as we made our way out of the stadium, chants of “Next Year Royals!” began to fill the air. At that moment, I knew we would be back in 2015.”
Woodard, Anthony. “10 years ago… Royals return to the Postseason and Crüe’s “Final” Tour!”. Sep. 30, 2024
Home Sweet Home
Oct. 29, 2014: Game 7 of 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
And back we were… Our Royals were clearly on a mission, winning their first seven games of the 2015 season. By the end of May, our Boys in Blue were ten games over .500. At the All-Star break, the team was at 52-34.
The 2015 season was filled with rallies and memorable come-from-behind victories; that’s baseball with the Royals… Winning on the road generally requires a strong team chemistry (internal), whereas an exuberant home-team crowd typically provides the contagious energy (external) needed to fuel such rallies. In 2015, our Royals were blessed with both.
Our 2015 Royals team, much like our Mahomes-era Kansas City Chiefs, reminded us to never give up. The team’s core was a proven and cohesive unit, a group that was forever bonded by the previous year’s playoff run. While we have not identified all of the ingredients of good team chemistry, we know that compatibility, camaraderie, and commitment to a common goal, are needed; everyone must row in the same direction…
Never give up!
Super Bowl LVIII MVP Patrick Mahomes hoists the Lombardi Trophy for the third time.
Source: people.com
In 2015, music was also an ingredient. As the season went along, Royals’ players began randomly inserting the number “1738” into their interviews and press conferences. Those who failed to do so were reportedly penalized. Per Urban Dictionary, “1738” is a term used by rapper Fetty Wap in his song "Trap Queen" to represent his squad, the Remy Boyz 1738. The Remy Boyz named themselves after a cognac liquor which they claim to be the finest: the Rémy Martin 1738. Royals All-Star outfielder Lorenzo Cain chose the Fetty Wap hit as his walk-up song for the season and lead the team’s playful incorporation of the aforementioned term; sports and music had converged.
“LoCain” celebrates!
Source: The New York Times
Music also has a proven ability to boost a crowd’s enthusiasm and energy, which in turn can ignite a rally. This is known as the “audience effect”. Years ago, when I regularly attended games at the former-Royals Stadium, such music was limited to organ-led renditions of “Charge” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”.
Walk-up songs are a fairly recent development, first appearing in the early-1990s. The Seattle Mariners were reportedly the first MLB team to combine popular, recorded music with a theme for every player or certain pivotal moments of a game, such as rallies. In 2014 and 2015, our Royals’ “rally playlists” expanded to include songs like “Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation, songs that were often played during NFL games or international soccer matches. This hypnotic 1999 Techno hit got all of us on our feet during these epic playoff runs; music and sports converged…
Our Royals won their first AL Central title on September 24, 2015, the first time the team won their division since 1985. They also finished atop the American League at 95-67.
The Comeback Kids (2015 edition)
I was fortunate to experience Game 1 of the 2015 ALDS with my wife and son at Kauffman Stadium. Unfortunately, the Houston Astros won by a score of 5-2.
Taking it all in…
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
20 minutes before first pitch…
Photo Credit: Anthony Woodard
The Astros soon took a 2-1 series lead and were only six outs from an upset in Game 4. Everyone at our office was watching the game in our lobby or at their desks. While we had seen our Royals come-from-behind before, this time it seemed different, and a sense of trepidation set in. Down 6-2, our Royals proceeded to open the eighth inning with five straight singles, ultimately taking the lead, 7-6. First baseman Eric Hosmer added a two-run homer in the ninth inning to seal the win.
As they had done in the epic 2014 AL Wild Card Game, we watched our Boys in Blue “keep the line moving.” Then-Royals manager Ned Yost was a proponent of “Whiteyball” and regularly employed the playing style throughout the 2014 and 2015 seasons; history was repeating itself…
The victory in Game 4 marked the second time in Royals’ franchise history that the team had rallied from a four-run deficit after seven innings to win a postseason game; the first was the aforementioned 2014 AL Wild Card Game. Furthermore, these are the only two instances in MLB history of a team taking a must-win game after trailing by four runs after seven innings.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Our Royals took the series with a 7-2 win over the Astros in Game 5. Next up was the Toronto Blue Jays in what would be a rematch of the 1985 ALCS; history was definitely repeating itself…
My wife and I attended Game 1 of the 2015 ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. The energy in the crowd was palpable and lifted our Royals to a 5-0 victory over the Jays.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
The series was marked by blowouts on both sides until the Royals prevailed in a closely contested Game 6. Shortstop Alcides Escobar hit .478 in the series and was named 2015 ALCS MVP. Next up was the National League champion New York Mets.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
My wife joined me once again at Kauffman Stadium for what would be a historic Game 1 of the 2015 World Series.
Courtesy of Anthony Woodard
King George threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Just as we got back to our seats with our concessions in hand, leadoff batter Alcides Escobar took the first pitch to left-center for an inside-the-park home run. The accomplishment was the first in a World Series game since the 1929 Fall Classic, the first hit by a leadoff batter since Game 2 of the 1903 World Series, and the first ever to open a World Series for the home team.
Source: dodgerblue.com
Along the way, as Royals starting pitcher Edinson Vólquez headed for the dugout after six innings, the crowd via social media began to learn of his father’s death from earlier in the day. Eddy received the news of Daniel’s passing shortly thereafter. His father was 63. Eddy’s wife found out about it around an hour before the game and instructed the coaching staff and the press not to let her husband know until he was done pitching for the night. The Royals faithful were in shock.
Source: The New York Times
Down 3-1, the Royals rallied in the sixth inning, as the stadium organ accompanied our ear-splitting chants of “Let’s Go Royals!”. By the end of the inning, the game was tied at 3-3, before the Mets once again took a one-run lead in the top of the eighth. As we entered the bottom of the ninth inning down one run, everyone rose to their feet, clapped and cheered while the organ played “Charge!” With only two outs remaining, fan favorite Alex Gordon took Mets closer Jeurys Familia’s 1-1 pitch to deep center field for a home run, tying the game at 4-4. We were headed to extra innings!
Source: USA Today
In the bottom of the 14th, Escobar reached first base on a throwing error. Escobar advanced to third base on a hit by Ben Zobrist. The Mets then walked Lorenzo Cain. Eric Hosmer followed with a sacrifice fly, bringing Alcides home for the win. This was the first time in World Series history that the same player scored both the first run of the game on the first pitch, and the last run of the game on the final pitch. The game ended at 12:18 a.m., lasting five hours and nine minutes. The game tied the record for the longest game by innings in World Series history; oh, what a night!
Source: foxsports.com
Our Royals won the following night by a score of 7-1 and headed to New York with a 2-0 Series lead. The Mets returned the favor in Game 3 beating our Royals 9-3. Game 4 on Halloween was a nail biter, with our Royals rallying in the eighth inning to take the lead; keep the line moving. Reliever Wade Davis held on for the win after pitching in the eighth and ninth innings.
Things were looking bleak for our Royals in Game 5. The Mets were ahead 2-0 as the game entered the ninth inning. Our Royals evened the score on an epic sprint for home by first baseman Eric Hosmer and ultimately took the Series in another extra-innings thriller; that’s baseball with the Royals!
Source: Associated Press (AP)
An international affair… Catcher Salvador Perez batted 8-for-22 (.364) in the Series and caught every inning for our Royals with the exception of the final inning of the Series. For his efforts, he was named the World Series MVP, becoming only the second Venezuelan player to win the award. Prior to this past Saturday (10/25), Johnny Cueto’s Game 2 pitching gem was the most recent World Series complete game; Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto went the distance in Game 2 of this year’s World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Our Royals became the first team in World Series history to start three pitchers - the late Yordano Ventura, Eddy Volquez, and Cueto - born outside the United States. Paulo Orlando also made history as the first Brazilian player to win the World Series.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Sports and music facilitate an unspoken bond across humanity, despite our otherwise cultural, language, and daily differences. And, when they converge, lasting memories are created!
“A sea of blue”
Source: kansascity.com