Kauffman Stadium
Template:Infobox Baseball Stadium
Kauffman Stadium (formerly Royals Stadium) is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. It is a part of the Truman Sports Complex (together with Arrowhead Stadium).
Although the stadium is only 33 years old, it is the ninth-oldest stadium in major league baseball, as a result of the erection of a number of new stadiums in the 1990s. (See List of Major League Baseball stadiums.)
History
In 1968, Ewing Kauffman purchased the Kansas City Royals expansion team. After playing four seasons in Kansas City Municipal Stadium, on April 10, 1973 the Royals inaugurated Royals Stadium with a win over the Texas Rangers.
On May 15, 1973, the stadium, barely a month into its existence, saw Nolan Ryan, pitching for the California Angels, throw the first of his seven no-hitters, blanking the Royals 3-0.
On July 24, 1973, Royals Stadium hosted its first (and so far, only) Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
On October 9, 1976, the Royals competed in their first post-season game in franchise history, losing 4-1 to the New York Yankees at Royals Stadium in the 1976 ALCS. The Royals came back to win the next game on October 10, 6-3, for the first post-season win in Royals Stadium.
On October 17, 1980, the first World Series game held in Kansas City featured the hometown Royals against the Philadelphia Phillies. In his first at-bat following hemorrhoid surgery, George Brett hit a home run down the right field line. The Royals would go on to record their first-ever World Series win, 4-3 in 10 innings. However, the Royals would lose the World Series that year in six games.
On October 11, 1985, in the 1985 American League Championship Series, George Brett had a game for the ages. He hit two home runs off of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Doyle Alexander, made a back-handed stop at third base to throw out a runner at home, and recorded the final out to give the Royals a much-needed 6-5 win. The Royals went on to win the American League pennant in seven games.
On October 27, 1985, the Royals clinched their first World Series in franchise history, winning Game 7 in Royals Stadium. Led by the pitching of Bret Saberhagen, Daryl Motley's two-run home run, and George Brett's four hits, the Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0. The Royals were the first team in the history of the World Series to lose the first two games of the series at home and come back to win.
On July 2, 1993, Royals Stadium was renamed Kauffman Stadium in honor of Ewing Kauffman, who died the following month at the age of 76.
Planned improvements
On April 4, 2006, Jackson County voters approved a 3/8% sales tax increase to fund plans to renovate the Truman Sports Complex. The construction is planned to begin in 2008, and the stadiums are projected to be renovated by the year 2010, depending upon cost overruns. The team committed to a lease that will keep them in Kansas City until 2030, an extension of their current lease expiration of 2015. Projected improvements to Kauffman stadium include:
- Create a 360º concourse
- Move bullpens to left field and right field foul lines
- Add 1,500 new "fountain view seats" in left field
- Structural modifications and improvements
- More fan amenities, including restrooms, concession, retail, concession and retail storage areas
- New ticket offices
- Renovated press box
- Renovated and expanded luxury suites
- Provide better access to all fans to all levels with more elevators and escalators
Also, since this measure passed, MLB has stated that Kauffman Stadium will host the MLB All-Star Game sometime between 2011 and 2014.
A second proposal on the April 2006 ballot would have installed a rolling roof at the Truman Sports Complex. The roof could have been moved to cover either Kauffman Stadium or Arrowhead Stadium when needed. The measure failed at the polls.
External links
| Preceded by Municipal Stadium 1969–1972 |
Home of the Kansas City Royals 1973–present |
Succeeded by Current |