A Cardinal Fan in Kansas City

Let me just start by saying that I am a diehard Cardinals fan. I always have been, and always will be.

But, what often comes to the forefront, especially during the postseason, is my love of the game. I always have been and always will be a fan of the game. I’ve caught a decent amount of flak for my comments supporting the Royals’ historic postseason run, but my response has always been that I love the game. Loving the game means that supporting another team is not a crime.

I relocated to Kansas City from St. Louis in January. My long-suffering boyfriend attended Cardinal games, wore Cardinal gear, watched Cardinal games on TV with me, for the entire time we lived in St. Louis. He’s a born and bred Kansas City native, but his support for my team never wavered. So when I relocated, it seemed natural to follow the Royals and return the favor.

Taking in the sights at my first game at the K.

I attended my first Royals game in Kansas City on April 30, a cold and windy night game against Toronto which the Royals won handily, 4-2. I was out of my element at the K. I owned no Royals gear and couldn’t even call myself a fan of the team in any sense of the word. I got to see Greg Holland notch a save, not knowing how many more he would go on to accumulate as the season wore on.

I attended a smattering of games throughout the summer, always dressing in blue and doing my part to support my new “home” team. I missed the I-70 series due a mathematical error that kept me from seeing Adam Wainwright take on the boys in blue. I subscribed to MLB.tv to catch the Cardinal games I was missing at home, but I kept an eye on the Royals out of passing interest.

Then came June. We all know the story: the Royals beat the Yankees, Indians, White Sox, and Tigers to string together a 10-game and, at the time, MLB best win streak.

And then they kept winning. They’d back off for a few games, “cool off” if you will. And then they were right back at it. I started paying attention. After all, how can you not get even mildly interested in a team coming off of 29 years of frustration and letdowns? There was a sparkle of promise in this young team, and it was time to start watching.

The race for the AL Central was on, and the Royals found themselves in first place for a lengthy period of time as the season wound to a close. Then, as Detroit always does, the Tigers swelled back and won the division by a single game.

Kansas City found themselves in a tight spot, in the dreaded Wild Card game against the A’s, who were touting some serious pitching monsters and a decent amount of power in their dugout. Kansas City received the home field with the better record, and the game was set for September 30.

In that single game, the Royals grew up. They encountered just about every situation a team might face in postseason battles. Two long balls from Oakland DH Brandon Moss and a nasty, five-run sixth inning put the Royals in an early and terrifying hole.

Kauffman Stadium fell quiet. The blue and white rally towels fell to the side, and the Royals, so unfamiliar with this type of scenario, regrouped and took a breath.

As a Cardinal fan, I draw to memory the fateful night of Game 6 during the World Series in 2011. No one needs a refresher on what happened that night.

In a comeback fitting for any storybook postseason run, the Royals strung together a three-run eighth inning, followed by a single run in the ninth to bring the game to a tie.

Setting the tone for a major part of the upcoming series, the game headed to extras, and catcher Salvador Perez became the first hero, singling in Christian Colon to secure the win and the Royals’ first ALDS bid in 29 years.

I could write in detail about what happened next, but I will save everyone some time. What happened on September 30 was the beginning of a history-making run. Kansas City has now won 8 postseason games in a row, a feat unmatched by any other team in MLB history. They get to sit back and study game tape as they await the winners of the NLCS, and the majority of their fans are crossing their fingers for an I-70 rematch.

I am a Kansas City transplant. I don’t consider myself to be a bandwagon jumper, because one quick glance at any of my social media feeds will give a clear picture of who “my” team is. But I am not ashamed nor hesitant to say that I am proud to be a part of history. I am proud to see this city band together in support of a team who is finally back in the spotlight.

After the bearing the brunt of the endless jokes, the condescending glances, and the disappointment of a 29 year playoff drought, your time is finally here, Kansas City.

I’ll be watching Game 5 of the NLCS tonight with my fingers and toes crossed and my rally cap in place. An I-70 World Series is the ideal ending for many Missourians, and as a true blood Cardinal fan I will cheer on the birds on the bat until the end. But it won’t be before I tip my cap and shake my head at those resilient Royals, who truly brought the love of the game back to their city.