There is a special bond between a person and his/her favorite baseball team. Over the course of a 162-game season, there are so many ups and downs that no distance is able to break that connection. This was never more true than for Sporting KC goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.
A young Andy Gruenebaum showing
his support for the Royals
An Overland Park, Kansas native, Gruenebaum and his family went to as many Kansas City Royals games as possible growing up. Although Gruenebaum went to the University of Kentucky to play college soccer and was subsequently drafted by the Columbus Crew in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, his Royals fandom never wavered.
"I always maintained it," Gruenebaum said of his love for his hometown baseball team. "I always wore a Royals hat and Kansas City Chiefs gear and always stuck to my guns. Even in Columbus, my teammates would joke with me that I was always hoping to get traded to Kansas City so I could go home and support my teams."
And just how far was Gruenebaum willing to go to showcase his Royals fandom in Ohio?
"Now this is a story I'll never forget," he said jokingly. "When I was playing for the Crew, I was scheduled to throw out the first pitch of a Royals-Indians game at Progressive Field. I was going to walk up to the mound with my Royals hat on and my George Brett shirt. Unfortunately, the group I was working with was not able to sell enough tickets and they had to cancel the first pitch. But we still drove to Cleveland as often as possible to catch games."
Gruenebaum will be attendance Tuesday night when the Royals host the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of the 2014 World Series, their first World Series game in 29 years.
"I have watched more baseball this year than I have watched all other years combined," he quipped. "It's not going to be the end of the world if we don't win the Series, but it might be the only shot we get."
Sporting KC captain Matt Besler has his own Royals first pitch story to tell. The Kansas City native, along with Sporting KC and U.S. Men's National Team teammate Graham Zusi, was selected to throw out the first pitch at a Royals game in July 2013.
"I was very nervous," Besler said of the first pitch experience. "I threw about 10 pitches in the tunnel beforehand and I think one hit the ceiling. The whole experience was just awesome, though."
Besler (pictured, below) is a lifelong Royals fan whose fondest memories are going to Kauffman Stadium with his dad and watching Hall of Famer George Brett. His vividly recalls Brett's last home game, when the veteran third baseman circled the bases after a walk-off win and kissed home plate. Brett left such a lasting impression on Besler that he honored his childhood hero by wearing No. 5 when Kansas City drafted him in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.
The 27-year-old defender also recalls going to Royals games with childhood friend and current Sporting KC teammate Seth Sinovic. He tells the story of a certain promotion in 2003, where if the Royals tallied 12 hits in a game, fans could redeem their ticket for 12 free doughnuts at Krispy Kreme.
"We were 4-4 that year in getting the free doughnuts!" Besler said with a laugh.
Sinovic and his family have always supported the Royals and, like Gruenebaum and Besler, his fandom has not wavered despite 29 years of sub-par on-field performance.
"It means a lot on different levels to have the Royals playing in the World Series," Sinovic said. "Kansas City has been striving for winners as a town. Sporting KC took care of that last year and brought positive vibes back to the city. When the Royals, Chiefs and Sporting KC are all doing well, it's just a really fun city to be in."
"It's about time," Besler added. "Not just for me personally, but for all of the fans out there. I always explain to people how great of a sports town Kansas City is and how loyal the fans are in this town. It's been tough to show that because we haven't had a winning baseball team in a long time, but I'm just happy now because everyone is seeing what a great sports town Kansas City can be."
