Kansas City fans brought big enthusiasm to Royals’ playoff return: Scenes from The K

Royals fans showed up in droves for the franchise’s first postseason home game in almost a decade.

Baseball aficionados lined up before the parking lot opened at 1 p.m. Wednesday to support the team in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. After two games in New York City, the Royals and the Yankees are tied 1-1 in the best-of-five series.

Kansas Citians will be back out at Kauffman Stadium for the ALDS Game 4 on Thursday, Oct. 10. And if the series comes down to Game 5, it would be played at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12.

Hours before Seth Lugo took the mound as starting pitcher in Kansas City, the tailgating fans were in high spirits outside Kauffman Stadium.

Here are the sights and sounds from the big game:

Hosmer’s out, Witt’s in

It has been nine years since the Royals were last in the postseason, led by Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and the constant Salvador Perez.

For some adults, it feels like yesterday. But for a few young Royals fans we talked at Wednesday’s game, the greats of 2014 and 2015 aren’t even a memory.

“I didn’t know any of that,” one said, asked about the 2015 World Series run.

Instead, they’ve got new hometown heroes: Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino. And of course, Perez is still up there, too.

— Eric Adler

‘The comeback kids’

In the top of the fifth, Royals fans in the right field standing room section watched with furrowed brows as Seth Lugo let in a run.

Gabriel from Kansas City, Kansas, stayed in the standing room area near a set of stairs. When a Yankee hit a ball to left field, the lifelong Royals fan ran forward to see past the fountains blocking his view.

Even though he was “stressed,” Gabriel said that’s what the playoffs are about.

“We’re called the comeback kids for a reason,” he said.

He was right: After a two-run play at bottom of the fifth, another fan went around giving high-fives and announcing “this is a whole new game.”

Game time tension

The Royals and Yankees made it through three innings without a score, but fans around the stadium were locked into the action.

As the smell of popcorn wafted through the air, each person in line for concessions kept their eyes on the TVs. Virtually the entire lower deck was on its feet for most of the early innings.

But at least one result was decided early on: Ketchup won the Hot Dog Derby in a landslide. In between innings, “Hot to Go,” a hit from Missouri native Chappell Roan, rang throughout the stadium.

— Eleanor Nash

A good luck charm?

The real reason the Royals are back playing October baseball? It’s Adam Schussler.

The Lee’s Summit native described himself as a good luck charm. He was in the stands of many 2014 and 2015 playoff games, and even got a tattoo of the Royals logo with ‘15’ to celebrate.

After the World Series win, he moved to Hawaii.

Now, Schussler is back living on the continental U.S., and the Royals are back too.

Schussler and his mom Becky went to Wednesday’s game together. She’s the reason Schussler shares a birthday with George Brett, so he had “no choice” but to be a Royals fan.

— Eleanor Nash

A tailgate divided

Four KU students had a tailgate divided, with both Yankees and Royals jerseys among their bunch.

Former New York residents Logan Barbarino and Rayce Haden were ready for playful teasing. From the second Haden stepped out of their car, he said “I was just getting chirped at.”

“Dude, they’re loving it,” Royals fan Micah Broekhuizen of Overland Park jabbed.

The four have a deal though: If the Royals win the series, the Yankees fans will switch their allegiances.

“I’m taking my jersey off and I’m putting on my Salvy Perez jersey,” Haden said.

— Eleanor Nash

Five-hour drives for Royals playoffs

In 2015, then-2-year-old Boone Wolf was all set to watch the Royals’ World Series run on his parents’ lap at Kauffman Stadium. But then the Royals won in Game 5, and the family’s tickets were void.

Now 10 years old, Boone will finally see postseason Royals in person. For the occasion, Boone wore his Bobby Witt Jr. jersey, his favorite player, along with his youth baseball hat.

Boone and his parents drove 5 ½ hours from Phillipsburg, Kansas, this morning to make the game, grabbing barbecue at Q39 for fuel to cheer on the Royals.

After the game, the family will drive back home in time for school in the morning.

— Eleanor Nash

‘Getting to do both!’

The notes of “Drift Away” floated through the air alongside footballs tossed by fans and smoke from charcoal grills in the air outside Kauffman Stadium.

Atop a flagpole, a Royals flag waved, with a Taylor Swift-themed flag below, announcing “The Tailgate Tour (Derek’s version).”

The flag was a gift to Derek Sellers from his tailgating friends, who he amassed through work and “Royals Twitter.” Six people were mingling under the red tent with three hours until first pitch, but they didn’t know how many would arrive. The crew sets up at Chiefs and Royals games, and even the Eras Tour stop last summer.

Derek Sellers’ tailgate means a smorgasbord of snacks. Their spread included homemade smoked jalapeño poppers and, cheesy corn from Jack Stack (“there’s no reason to mess with perfection”) and frozen strawberry grapefruit mules mixing in a drink machine.

An all-around Kansas City sports fan, James Geist of Overland Park shared his thoughts on having two winning Kansas City teams:

“We’re blessed in Kansas City that we went from a World Series to drafting Patrick Mahomes to an extended period of success with the Chiefs. … This is the first time we’re getting to do both!”

— Eleanor Nash

This story was originally published October 9, 2024 at 4:01 PM.