Royals fans not thrilled Giants’ Madison Bumgarner is Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of Year
Madison Bumgarner again!?!
The Giants pitcher who broke the hearts of Royals fans in the World Series was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year on Monday.
World Series MVP, @SFGiants ace Madison Bumgarner is the 2014 #SISportsman http://t.co/MvFN7hlK41 pic.twitter.com/knCuLfhmmj
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 8, 2014You may recall that Steve Rushin wrote an essay explaining that Royals fans as a collective were his choice for Sports Illustrated’s award.
Alas, the magazine picked the guy who won two games and saved another during the Giants’ seven-game World Series victory over the Royals.
So, Bumgarner, the guy from Hudson, N.C., gets the World Series ring and the Sports Illustrated cover.
“It’s easy to mythologize the small-town sports hero. Baseball, especially, is full of them,” Sports Illustrated Managing Editor Chris Stone wrote in a story on the publication’s web site. “Madison Bumgarner isn’t the Sportsman of the Year because he’s from a tiny town, but that town goes a long way toward defining who he is and it gives his story a different texture from past Sportsmen.”
The reaction from some Royals fans was not that of happiness:
Hey, Madison Bumgarner you're the cold sore that all the @royals fans are putting Carmex on, will you please go away already. #dork
— Kelly's Westport Inn (@KellysBarKC) December 8, 2014I hate you, Bumgarner. You stole our World Series and kept Royals fans from winning Sportsman Of The Year. Go away, MadBum.
— Joel Goering (@jgoering5) December 8, 2014@Koreanfan_KC Damn, that picture of Madison Bumgarner stabbed like a knife through my #Royals shirt into my heart! @SInow @SFGiants
— anonymous bosch (@theshortandlong) December 8, 2014My gospel question for today. If I saw M. Bumgarner's vehicle and could slash his tires w/o anyone ever knowing would I do it? #Royals
— Mike Leake (@mikeleake) December 8, 2014Sure, put him in a field of grain like he's conquered the #Royals land.RT @SInow: Bumgarner is the 2014 #SISportsman pic.twitter.com/Sy8JzuTSBk
— Patrick Mann (@mannpt) December 8, 2014I thought I was getting over the #Royals World Series loss, then they made Bumgarner Sportsman of the Year, and now it feels fresh again.
— Nicole Angeleen (@NicoleAngeleen) December 8, 2014Salt in the wound #Royals @SInow: World Series MVP, @SFGiants ace Madison Bumgarner is the 2014 #SISportsman
— Meggan Houts (@MeggHouts) December 8, 2014To reach Pete Grathoff, call 816-234-4330 or send email to pgrathoff@kcstar.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/pgrathoff
This story was originally published December 8, 2014 at 11:10 AM.