Kauffman Royals Hall of Fame. The Kansas City Royals have their own hall of fame! It’s inside the stadium, behind the left-field wall. It has lots of great baseball artifacts, photos, and videos. It even has a supergiant baseball that’s split open so you can see what’s inside!
The Negro Leagues. Kansas City holds an important spot in baseball history. For many years, African Americans were not allowed to play major-league baseball. Instead, they played on teams in the Negro Leagues. One of the biggest, the Negro National League, was founded in Kansas City. The Negro Leagues ended after Jackie Robinson and other African American players started joining major-league teams.
Buck O’Neil. John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil was an important player and manager for the Kansas City Monarchs. The Monarchs were one of the most popular Negro League teams. O’Neil went on to become the first black manager in major-league baseball. He was also a scout for the Kansas City Royals. He loved to watch Royals games so much they gave him a special red seat behind home plate. Many people think he should be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Barbecue. Kansas City is known around the world for its barbecue restaurants and food. Kansas City–style barbecue is meat that’s slow-cooked over a smoky wood fire and covered with a thick, sweet sauce.
Fountains. Kauffman Stadium has the largest fountains and waterfalls in major-league baseball. The waterfalls are turned on during the game. The fountains spring up between innings. They also run before and after the game.
Scoreboard. The Royals’ stadium has a huge scoreboard in center field. It’s shaped like a home plate with a crown on top. The crown comes from the Royals’ logo.
Prairie grass. Kansas City was near the starting point of many trails that led settlers to the American West in the 1800s. The settlers had to cross the Great Plains, which are filled with tall stalks of prairie grass. So the Royals planted lots of prairie grass around the outside of the stadium.
The Outfield Experience. Kauffman Stadium is really special because it has something called the Outfield Experience. It is a large patio behind the outfield filled with fun stuff for kids! There’s a playground with tubes and slides, a baseball-themed merry-go-round, and even a short minigolf course. It also has batting cages for practicing your swing, a base-path run to test your speed, and a pitching mound to clock your throws.
