Kansas City Royals
From the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s collection containing tens of thousands of artifacts, our curators have created each team’s Starting Nine by hand-picking nine must-see pieces for each of the 30 MLB teams. This limited-time list is the perfect introduction to the Museum for every Kansas City Royals fan. Don’t wait to make your visit to Cooperstown to take the Hall of Fame Starting Nine challenge.
Buck O'Neil Award Statue
Negro Leagues legend Buck O'Neil played and managed for the Kansas City Monarchs from 1938 to 1955. His eight-decade contributions to baseball, his chairmanship of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and his influence on the game are immeasurable. In 2008, the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, symbolized by this statue, was instituted to honor O'Neil's character, integrity and dignity.
Main Stairwell
George Brett: Pine Tar Bat
On July 24, 1983, Royals third baseman George Brett smashed a ninth-inning homer with this bat to defeat the Yankees. However, when the umpire ruled that Brett's bat had too much pine tar on it and called him out, Brett went berserk. Although the decision was later overturned, Brett's angry dugout charge remains a singular baseball moment.
Whole New Ballgame
Bo Jackson: All-Star Game Cap
Wearing this cap, Kansas City's Bo Jackson made his mark at the 1989 All-Star Game at Anaheim Stadium. Among his feats, Jackson smashed a gargantuan 448-foot home run, stole a base (the first player since Willie Mays to do both in an ASG) and earned the game's MVP Award.
Whole New Ballgame
Darryl Motley: 1985 World Series Bat
Kansas City’s Darryl Motley used this bat to hit a two-run homer in Game 7 in the 1985 World Series. The rocket to left gave the Royals a 2-0 lead and provided all the offense they needed in their 11-0 victory over the Cardinals and their first World Championship.
Autumn Glory
2015 World Series Championship Ring
After winning the 2015 World Series, Royals owner David Glass made sure everyone who contributed to the championship received a ring. Beyond the 46 players who spent even one day on the 25-man roster, Glass paid for more than 660 additional rings for employees, scouts, instructors and minor league coaches.
Autumn Glory
Justin Maxwell: Winning-Season Bat
On Sept. 22, 2013, with two out, the bases loaded, and the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the 10th, Kansas City’s Justin Maxwell smashed a walk-off grand slam with this bat to defeat the Texas Rangers, 4-0, and guarantee the Royals' first winning season in a decade.
Your Team Today
Ned Yost: Winning-Streak Jersey
In 2014, Royals manager Ned Yost wore this jersey as his club became the first ever to begin a postseason with eight straight wins. After defeating the A’s in the Wild Card Game, Kansas City swept the Angels in the best-of-five ALDS and the Orioles in the best-of-seven ALCS.
Your Team Today
Salvador Pérez: World Series MVP Mitt
Royals catcher Salvador Pérez starred both at the plate and behind it during the 2015 World Series. Offensively, his eight hits and .364 batting average topped Series regulars. Wearing this mitt on defense, his excellent pitch selection kept Mets batters off-balance all Series long. Combined, these attributes garnered World Series MVP honors for Pérez.
Your Team Today
Eric Hosmer: World Series Jersey
Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer wore this jersey in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series, when his daring, head-first slide home in the ninth inning tied the Mets, 2-2, and pushed the deciding World Series game into extra innings. Hosmer’s mad dash exemplified the Royals’ hard-charging, aggressive style of play.
Your Team Today
Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com.
