Kauffman Stadium (Tour) - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Royals Hall of Fame

Established in 1986 and located in the Kauffman Stadium's Outfield Experience, this gallery space includes photographs and artifacts from Kansas City baseball teams dating from the late 19th century to the current era. Highlights include artifacts from past teams like the Kansas City Monarchs and Kansas City Athletics, along with World Series trophies from 1985 and 2015. Vistors can experience exhibits dedicated to the history of baseball that show how the game has changed over time alongside videos that replay some of the greatest moments in Royals' history. Additional highlights include a bust of Buck O'Neeil, Frank White's eight golden gloves, George Brett's Royals jersey wearing number 5, and items related to the Kaufmann family and the formation of the Royals.

2. Statue of Ewing and Muriel Kauffman

This statue commemorates former Kansas City Royals owner, Ewing Kauffman (1916-1993), and his wife, Muriel (1916-1995). A Missouri native and World War II veteran, Ewing Kauffman used his own savings to found Marion Laboratories in 1950. Beginning in the basement of his home in Kansas City, the pharmaceutical company steadily grew into an industry leader. In February 1962, Kauffman married Muriel McBrien, a Canadian-born widow and daughter of a Tory politician. Encouraged by his wife, he submitted a bid for the Major League Baseball expansion franchise in Kansas City, and the league awarded it to him in 1968. Named after the American Royal, a livestock show held each year in the city, the Kansas City Royals began play the following year at Municipal Stadium, later moving to brand-new Royals Stadium in 1973. Under Kauffman’s ownership, the franchise earned six division titles and two American League pennants. In 1985, it reached the pinnacle of Major League Baseball when it defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games to clinch its first World Series title. Eight years later, Kauffman died from bone cancer at the age of seventy-six. Muriel Kauffman passed away in 1995 at the age of seventy-eight. On August 21, 2009, prior to their game against the Minnesota Twins, the Royals unveiled a statue of the Kauffmans in Kauffman Stadium’s new left centerfield concourse. Designed by world-renowned artist Harry Weber, who also created the statues of former Royals second baseman Frank White and the club’s former manager Dick Howser, the larger-than-life-sized bronze sculpture depicts the couple dressed in their Sunday best. With beaming smiles on their faces, they look up and wave to grateful Royals fans.

3. George Brett Statue

This statue commemorates Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer George Brett (1953-). A native of West Virginia who grew up in southern California, he spent his entire twenty-one-year major league career with the organization. The only player to win three batting titles in three different decades, Brett also captured three Silver Slugger Awards, one American League Most Valuable Player Award, and one Gold Glove Award during his career. Following the 1993 season, the thirteen-time All-Star retired. Finishing with 3,154 hits, 317 home runs, and a .305 batting average, Brett is only one of four players in major league history with 3,000 hits, 300 home runs, and a .300 or greater career batting average. In 1999, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He remains the only player to represent the Royals in Cooperstown. On August 11, 2001, before their game against the Detroit Tigers, the Royals unveiled a statue of Brett outside Kauffman Stadium. Designed by artist Kwan Wu, the life-sized bronze sculpture fittingly depicts the club’s longtime third baseman at the plate. Dressed in his Royals uniform, with his bat cocked in his hands and his eyes focused on the incoming pitch, Brett picks up his right foot, beginning his hitting stride. In 2009, after Kauffman Stadium underwent significant renovations, the organization moved the statue inside the ballpark to the new right centerfield concourse.

4. Dick Howser Statue

This statue commemorates former Kansas City Royals player and manager, Dick Howser (1936-1987). A Miami native and graduate of Florida State University, he played for three different teams, including the Royals (then the Athletics), over the course of his eight-year major league career before transitioning to coaching. As the Royals manager from 1981 to 1986, Howser led the club to three postseason appearances, two AL West titles, and a 404-365 record. In 1985, he managed the Royals to the World Series, where they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games to capture the first World Series title in franchise history. The following season, the Royals skipper was diagnosed with brain cancer. After a failed attempt to return to the team in the spring of 1987, Howser resigned. He succumbed to the disease a few months later on June 17. Just over two decades later, the Royals commissioned world-renowned sculptor Harry Weber to design a statue of Howser. Unveiled on April 10, 2009 in Kauffman Stadium’s new right centerfield concourse, the larger-than-life-sized bronze sculpture depicts the club’s former manager in the dugout. Sporting a warm-up jacket over his Royals uniform, he rests his right foot on a dugout step and leans forward with his arms crossed on his right thigh while he observes the action on the field.

5. Frank White Statue

This statue commemorates former Kansas City Royals second baseman, Frank White (1950-). A native of Mississippi who grew up in Kansas City, he spent his entire eighteen-year major league career with the Royals. In that time, White made a case for being one of the best second basemen of all time. During his career, he won eight Gold Glove Awards and one Silver Slugger Award. White also led all American League second basemen in fielding percentage three times. In the 1980 American League Championship Series (ALCS), he hit .545 to win the ALCS Most Valuable Player Award and power the Royals past the New York Yankees to a World Series appearance. Five years later, in the 1985 World Series, White collected six RBIs to help the club defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games and clinch the franchise’s first World Series title. Following the 1990 season, the five-time All-Star retired, finishing his lengthy big league career with 2,006 hits, 886 RBIs, and a batting average of .255. On July 31, 2004, the Royals unveiled a statue of White outside Kauffman Stadium. Designed by world-renowned artist Harry Weber, who later designed the statues of the Kauffmans and former Royals manager Dick Howser, the life-sized bronze sculpture depicts the club’s former second baseman in action on the diamond. Dressed in his Royals uniform, he contorts his body in mid-air to throw the ball to first base, as if avoiding a sliding opponent to turn a double play. In 2009, after Kauffman Stadium underwent significant renovations, the organization moved the statue, along with that of George Brett, inside the ballpark to the new right centerfield concourse.

6. History of the Kansas City Royals

In 1968, Kansas City was granted one of the four expansion teams in Major League Baseball. Local philanthropist and entrepreneur Ewing Kauffman purchased the team in a commitment to give back to the community. Kauffman used innovative approaches to improve the players and take care of his staff, just as he did in business. The Royals, named for Kansas City’s annual American Royal barbeque contest, became the best of the new expansion teams. After years of training and improvement, the Royals made consecutive postseason showings in the late 70s, also winning division games. They won their first World Series Championship in 1985, a feat they wouldn’t see again for three decades. The 1990s proved to be strenuous on the team in play and ownership. Mr. K passed away in 1993, just a month after the Royals Stadium was renamed in his honor. The new CEO David Glass had trouble turning the team around but in 2014 the Royals advanced to the World Series, which resulted in a loss. However, the team made franchise history in 2015 with back-to-back World Series appearances, this time clinching the championship win. New owner John Sherman took over in 2019 and hopes to bring stability and respect back to the franchise.

This Tour is a Virtual Museum or Site Tour.

Kauffman Stadium

Created by David J. Trowbridge on August 10th 2018, 9:41:59 pm.

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Description

Kauffman Stadium opened in 1973 and is home to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. It was built to replace Municipal Stadium, which was constructed in the 1920s and was home to the Kansas City Blues and the Kansas City Monarchs. Kauffman Stadium is part of the Truman Sports Complex along with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. The stadium first opened as Royals Stadium but since 1993, the ballpark has been named in honor of the late Ewing Kauffman, the founder and first owner of the Royals, as well as a leading businessman and philanthropist in the Kansas City area. Upon his passing, Kauffman donated the team to the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation under the condition that the team would be sold to owners who would keep the team in Kansas City with all proceeds from the sale of the team benefiting local charities. The stadium is well known for the water fountains along the outfield fence which formed the largest privately-funded water fountain in the world when the stadium opened. The stadium also features a ten-story scoreboard topped by a gold crown that can be seen by traffic along I-70.

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