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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Royals Review: What Do Royals Fans Have to Be Thankful For?

Uhh…Dennis Paepke hasn’t picked up a bat in over 30 years?

Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon: The odds are that two of these guys will reach an All-Star level, perhaps higher, before its all said and done. It hasn’t happened yet, but at least its possible. Again, it wasn’t always like this.

The K: The K should really almost be in the same paragraph as the uniforms. The K manages to look modern and timeless at the same time, and should be even better this season with the renovations done. I love that the K isn’t a mallpark (knock on wood with renovations coming) and I love that it isn’t supposed to look like the Baker Bowl. The retro-look is as nineties as teal pinstripes. As long as the fountains and some amout of green space remain in the outfield seats remain, I’m happy. And wonderfully, the big honking scoreboard actually accentuates the stadium’s unique outfield and draws attention to it. Better still (knock on wood) the K is still simply “The K” and not “Qwest Ballpark” or “Circuit City Field”. I can’t explain how wonderful this is, and how much it sounds better and better with each passing year. On top of that, there are a higher percentage of good seats at the K than almost anywhere else in the game, thanks to the design of the seating bowl and the lack of a bazillion luxury suites. Good, affordable prices, too.

Repoz Posted: November 26, 2008 at 02:31 PM | 18 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: royals

Reader Comments and Retorts

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   1. Famous Original Joe C Posted: November 26, 2008 at 02:47 PM (#3016182)
1985?
   2. Craig Calcaterra Posted: November 26, 2008 at 03:11 PM (#3016193)
The K is pretty damn awesome. In both their football and baseball stadiums, Kansas City is the only place that got the 60s-70s building boom right.
   3. The Buddy Biancalana Hit Counter Posted: November 26, 2008 at 03:58 PM (#3016229)
While seconding the sentiments expressed above, I'd extend my thanks concerning Mike Moustakas beyond his baseball ability and into the realm of being able to refer to him as Moose Tacos.
   4. Steve Posted: November 26, 2008 at 05:48 PM (#3016372)
What do Royals fans have to be thankful for?

That they're not Pirates fans?
   5. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: November 26, 2008 at 06:05 PM (#3016387)
Kansas City is the only place that got the 60s-70s building boom right.


How much more expensive was the Harry S Truman Sports Complex than contemprary stadia? IIRC, Kaufmann was the only park modeled after Dodgers Stadium but I misplaced my Green Cathedrals book by that nutjob Philip Lowry a while back.
   6. Sexy Lizard Posted: November 26, 2008 at 06:17 PM (#3016396)
I don't know exactly how much it cost to build the facility, but most of the money came in the form of a $56 million bond passed in 1967. That's about $350 million in 2008 dollars. There were also pricey renovations in '90s, at least to Kauffman Stadium.
   7. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 26, 2008 at 06:30 PM (#3016406)
Its a helluva lot better than the proposed multi-purpose dome they proposed in 1966.
   8. Zach Posted: November 26, 2008 at 07:38 PM (#3016465)
Speaking as someone perennially out of town, the Internet is high on my list.
   9. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: November 26, 2008 at 07:56 PM (#3016485)
I understand that it was boring for half the teams to play in multipurpose, circular stadia, but couldn't we at least have one left:? Then it would be unique and lovable, the next generation's Fenway!
   10. Enrico Pallazzo Posted: November 26, 2008 at 08:10 PM (#3016497)
I understand that it was boring for half the teams to play in multipurpose, circular stadia, but couldn't we at least have one left?

The SkyDome Rogers Centre doesn't count? I have a hunch the Jays are going to be playing there for a looong time.
   11. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: November 26, 2008 at 08:13 PM (#3016500)
I liked Three Rivers and thought that Shea wasn't as bad as people say. But the one concrete ashtray left is Oakland Alameda and I didn't care for it the one time I saw a game there. IIRC, my seat was looking towards second base. Are there any civil engineers here? I think that the problem with a lot of them was that they weren't built well, and the contractors used shoddy material.
   12. base ball chick Posted: November 26, 2008 at 08:48 PM (#3016525)
grateful for having a baseball team at ALL?

i hear tell the stadium is nice. and they could hire some texans teach all yall how to BBQ so u could eat real good BBQ at the park
   13. WhoWantsTeixeiraDessert Posted: November 26, 2008 at 09:09 PM (#3016546)
That ballclubs with several good players they might enjoy watching come there to face their team?
   14. Flynn Posted: November 27, 2008 at 12:42 AM (#3016648)
IIRC, my seat was looking towards second base. Are there any civil engineers here? I think that the problem with a lot of them was that they weren't built well, and the contractors used shoddy material.

It's impossible for a seat to be suitable for both sports, which is why most circular stadia have that problem. 2nd base correlates to around the 50 yard line in Oakland, so it's the best you can realistically do.

As for a lot of them not being built very well, that's not a surprise. The late 60s/early 70s was not a terribly good time for American city governments in terms of management, ethics and thoroughness. The reason these stadiums were built in the first place was because city governments let the inner city decline, and it wouldn't be terribly surprising that Mayor X's cronies won the bidding process for a stadium and used substandard materials and labor to build it.
   15. Spute Posted: November 27, 2008 at 06:23 AM (#3016744)
"i hear tell the stadium is nice. and they could hire some texans teach all yall how to BBQ so u could eat real good BBQ at the park"

I could handle being called a pathetic loser because of the performance of Royals' management, of which I had/have absolutely no part, but now it's on.
   16. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: November 27, 2008 at 07:15 AM (#3016748)
I know I don't keep as up to date on the Royals as I should, but I can honestly say that until reading it 7 times in the linked paragraph, I had never heard Kauffman referred to as The K.
   17. Earvin 'Gold Stars' Johnson Posted: November 27, 2008 at 07:36 AM (#3016752)
KC barbecue > Texas barbecue.
Brawl begins in three, two, one...
   18. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: November 27, 2008 at 08:10 AM (#3016760)
Oakland doesn't count, because it was actually not personality-less when it was built. Rogers Centre doesn't count, because it has a distinct character of its own, rather than being just like Pittsburgh-Philadelphia-Cincinnati-Atlanta.

It's just as likely that the 60s and 70s stadia were purposely allowed to deteriorate by city governments bent on "urban renewal"/gentrification and under the sway of the corporate drumbeat for "amenities" as that they fell apart because of substandard materials. Reasonably maintained buildings last a lot longer than 30 years.

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