Opening Day

I was born in Kansas City, and my parents lived in the shadow of Royals Stadium in the mid-1970s. They would get the $1 tickets in the upper deck, and I would karate-kick Mom's uterus as the crowd roared.

For those unfamiliar, at one time there were things to roar about at Royals games. The Royals and Yankees (and Blue Jays and Angels) played big games every year. George Brett won batting titles, chewed tobacco, and used excess pine tar on his bat. Frank White and Bud Black (African-American and Anglo, respectively) were my entry into race relations.

And the Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 World Series. I was 9 years old. I will never forget the final catch and watching the ticker-tape parade on TV the next day.

Twenty-five years later, the Royals will start another season. Their 25th since their World Championship, and their 25th since making the playoffs. There have been a teases over the years, but overall it's been a long time since there's been much to cheer about.

But.

It's Opening Day.

And Opening Day is different.

As of today the Kansas City Royals have just as much chance to win the 2010 World Series (mathematically speaking, of course) as any other team.

There is something about Opening Day that gets me excited every single year. I had a friend in school whose dad took him out of school every year for the Royals' home opener. The teachers didn't love it, I'm sure. I thought it was the best idea ever.

I haven't even followed the Royals this spring, and I can't name more than 6 players on the roster. But I'll find the game on TV or radio this week and root root root for the Royals.

I'll keep up with them through the first week of games, and they may even keep my attention through April. Then I'll become distracted by the NFL Draft, I'll hear of a 6-game losing streak, and I'll find other things to do.

Until Opening Day 2011.