U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., joined U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., in a colloquy on the Senate floor in tribute to the Kansas City Royals for their 2015 World Series victory over the New York Mets.
The senators introduced a resolution congratulating the Kansas City Royals on their 2015 World Series championship title.
The following is text of Sen. Roberts’ remarks as prepared for delivery:
“We are proud of our Kansas City Royals.
“This hard fought World Series victory is still being celebrated in Kansas from Goodland to Liberal, from Parsons to Troy and everywhere in between.
Yesterday we saw the Kansas fans marching in a sea of blue into downtown Kansas City. There were more than half a million people — young and old, people from all walks of life, all races, all nationalities and all Royal. The schools were closed, workers took a break, the streets filled, the windows opened and it was a gorgeous Royal blue day.
“Some are celebrating this kind of victory for the first time. Others are remembering 1985 and seeing that same excitement again, this time in their children’s eyes.
“You see, some counted us out. We are a small market team, a team with young but talented guys. They said we didn’t have what it takes to be World Series Champions. We didn’t have the big name homerun hitters, the big name flamethrower pitchers or a big park made smaller for homerun hitters.
“But, what we did have was a team. Players who kept the line moving.
The stats that made the difference: In this postseason, the Royals’ strikeout rate was 16 percent, just 81 strikeouts in 505 plate appearances. The Royals’ regular season average was better, just 15 percent –The best in baseball. The league average in the regular season was more than 20 percent. They kept the line moving.
“These Royals had a manager that let them play as they were: young, fast and aggressive. Ned Yost let them choose whether or not to steal. He let them swing at the first pitch. Alcides Escobar hit that inside the park homerun on the first pitch, in the bottom of the first inning, of the first game of the World Series at Kauffman. A ball park for playing baseball: hitting, running fielding and a few homeruns.
“He let them play the game. They were relentless. They kept the lines moving, went against conventional baseball wisdom and Oh! Was… it… fun… to… watch.
“Mr. President, we won. Kansas City won. Baseball won.
“Our celebration here today is about the Royals, the joy of the game of baseball, but it is also about our identity as a city, a region.
We were told that a small market team from flyover country would not be able to beat the New York Mets.
“We won. Because we kept the line moving. Just like the Royals fans do in Kansas and in Missouri every day and through a couple of decades of post season drought, proving that our team, our fans and our kind of game is the best in baseball.
“I know I speak for fans all over our state, the hundreds of thousands of fans that gathered in peace and joy to celebrate a victory for our team and yes, for our region too: Thank you Royals, thank you for showing the world what fun baseball can be if you play the game, if you keep the lines moving.
“Congrats to the Kansas City Royals, the 2015 World Series Champions. How about them apples?”
Sen. Roberts attended Game 2 of the American League Division Series against Houston.
To see the video, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq7QoKWcljw&feature=youtu.be