Kansas City Royals

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The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expansion franchise in 1969 and has participated in four World Series, winning two of them, in 1985 and 2015.

History[edit | edit source]

The Kansas City Royals were established in 1969, following the departure of the Kansas City Athletics to Oakland, California. The team was named after the American Royal, a livestock show, horse show, rodeo, and championship barbecue competition held annually in Kansas City since 1899.

Early Years[edit | edit source]

The Royals played their first game on April 8, 1969, defeating the Minnesota Twins 4-3 in 12 innings. The team initially played at Municipal Stadium before moving to their current home, Kauffman Stadium, in 1973.

Golden Era[edit | edit source]

The Royals experienced their first period of success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They won their first division title in 1976 and went on to win the AL West division six times between 1976 and 1985. The team won its first World Series in 1985, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

Recent Success[edit | edit source]

After a long period of rebuilding, the Royals returned to prominence in the mid-2010s. They won the AL pennant in 2014 but lost the World Series to the San Francisco Giants. The following year, the Royals won their second World Series title, defeating the New York Mets in five games.

Stadium[edit | edit source]

The Royals have played their home games at Kauffman Stadium since 1973. The stadium is part of the Truman Sports Complex, which also includes Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL).

Notable Players[edit | edit source]

Some of the most notable players in Royals history include:

Rivalries[edit | edit source]

The Royals have notable rivalries with several teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, due to the geographic proximity and the I-70 Series, and the Chicago White Sox within their division.