Kauffman Stadium

Opened as Royals Stadium on April 10, 1973, it is recognized throughout baseball as one of the game's most beautiful ballparks. Since then, many exciting games have been contested, including the 1973 All-Star Game, 3 no-hitters, playoff games in 1976, '77, '78, '80, '81, '84 and '85 and 7 World Series tilts in 1980 and 1985. The facility was officially renamed in honor of Ewing M. Kauffman in a ceremony at the stadium on July 2, 1993. Since its opening, a total of 60,565,276 people have visited the stadium, including a record 2,477,700 in 1989.

Before the 2004 season, the outfield fences in the gaps and in straight-away center field were moved back 10 feet to their original dimensions of 385 and 410, respectively, making Kauffman Stadium one of the most spacious parks in Major League Baseball. In addition, the warning track was changed to a natural surface, and the height of the fence is now at 8 feet. The fences were moved in 10 feet from bullpen to bullpen prior to the 1995 season and lowered from 12 feet to 9 feet. Also at that time, a grass playing field replaced the artificial surface at Kauffman Stadium.

Kauffman Stadium's unique features include a 12-story high scoreboard and a 322-foot wide water spectacular. The scoreboard contains 36,425 light bulbs, most of them on the 40 by 60 foot screen. The water spectacular is the largest privately funded fountain in the world.

Added in 1990 was a Sony JumboTron color video display board installed on the leftfield hillside. Measuring 30 by 40 feet, it's one of the largest video boards in the U.S. The top of the board features the Royals logo. In keeping with the architecture of the stadium, the existing water spectacular featuring cascading water now extends near the left field corner.

Prior to the 1999 campaign, additional field level seating, known as "Crown Seats" and 4 dugout suites were added. The Picnic Pavilion was added near the base of the JumboTron in left field for groups attending the games the following year.

The renaming of the stadium was appropriate in that it was the strength and integrity of Ewing M. Kauffman's ownership that provided the cornerstone for the Royals success. Kauffman purchased the club as an expansion franchise in 1968 with the primary and continuous motivation of providing winning Major League Baseball for Kansas Citians. Kauffman, who founded Marion Laboratories in his mother's basement and built it into a diversified health care company with sales reaching nearly one billion dollars, possessed a sense of daring and an innate ability to motivate those around him. "Mr. K" also gave much personal attention to the Kansas City community, an important philosophy that was inbred into the Royals organization and still remains today.

Among the awards Mr. Kauffman won for his leadership include the Kansas City Press Club's 1973 Man of the Year, the "Mr. Baseball" honoree at the Kansas City Baseball Awards Dinner in 1976 and 1991 and induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. He also received the Horatio Alger Award, the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce "Kansas Citian of the Year" Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the American Legion. Mr. K passed away on Aug. 1, 1993.