Idea for an unusual statue of Royals’ Alex Gordon at The K has been floated
During his career with the Royals, Alex Gordon got to know all about the left-field wall at Kauffman Stadium.
Gordon crashed into the wall a number of times while making a catch, perhaps none as famous as in Game 4 of the 2014 American League Championship. The Royals held a one-run lead when Gordon robbed Baltimore’s J.J. Hardy of an extra-base hit:
Gordon on the ground, holding the ball aloft is an indelible image for Royals fans. It’s also a perfect template for any future statue, should the Royals choose to erect one at Kauffman Stadium for Gordon, who will retire at season’s end.
So says teammate Greg Holland.
“That’s the only choice, him lying on the ground,” Holland said. “We need to push for that a little more. The guy literally jumped in the stands catching balls, he knocked himself out on the fence. I think that in itself tells you a lot about who he is as a player and as competitor.”
Holland made his big-league debut in the 2010 season and was teammates with Gordon for six seasons before leaving as a free agent. Holland is back for the 2020 season in what is Gordon’s last in the majors.
In Holland’s mind, Gordon is a throwback to a different era.
“It’s like watching games back in the ‘70s and ‘80s when it was just sliding into second base and knocking people down,” Holland said. “He’s just that gritty, determined guy and that’s how I’m always going to remember him. I know he hit his share of home runs, but I’m gonna always remember him out there with the dirt on his chest and grass on his uniform and scratched up by a fence or whatever it is.”
The state design of Gordon on his back after making a catch came from Gordon himself.
When the idea of being immortalized in bronze at Kauffman Stadium was brought up Thursday, Gordon at first downplayed the thought. But he then offered the idea that has been championed by Holland.
While the obvious statue choice would be Gordon rounding the bases with a finger pointed up after a game-tying home run in Game 1 of the 2015 World Series, he likes the idea of a play honoring his defense.
“I think everybody knows what pose maybe if that’s what’s gonna happen,” said Gordon, a seven-time Gold Glove winner. “But Luke Hochevar always used to say ... the move where I hit the wall and fall to the ground and lay there for about 10 seconds.
“So even though I know what you guys want it to be. I think that’d be kind of funny just to have me laying on the ground, knocked out or something.”
Should that statue come to pass, many fans likely would have their photo snapped with it.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 10:58 AM.
