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Royals’ long, difficult road ends at White House
- Updated: July 21, 2016
WASHINGTON — President Obama stood there smiling and playful in front of the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, leading the audience in cheers for catcher Salvador Perez and first baseman Eric Hosmer, for general manager Dayton Moore and manager Ned Yost and all the rest.
The president poked fun at some of the nicknames — for instance, Salvy and Hoz — even as he praised all the Royals for their resilience and resolve. He spoke of how they’d done things a certain way and been at their unshakable best when the stakes were highest.
“One of the grittiest, most complete teams we’ve seen in a long time,” Obama said. “[It’s a] ‘keep the line moving’ mentality. Guys aren’t in it for themselves. They’re in it for each other, both on and off the diamond.”
This is one of the rites of passage for a World Series champion, this stroll through the White House to be honored by the president. Kansas City embraced it in every way, soaking up the adulation and enjoying a break from another grueling fight for a postseason berth.
Before the players joined the gathering in the East Room for the ceremony with President Obama, an audience of Royals family members and VIP visitors from Missouri and Kansas broke into an impromptu chant of “Lets go Royals!”
Sometimes, small moments mean so much. For Kansas City, this day was about more than simply winning a championship. It was an affirmation for what the club stands for in baseball.
It is a model franchise in every way, beginning with owner David Glass, whose patience and leadership paved the way for the rebirth of the sport in one of the country’s great baseball cities.
This was also a reminder that the Royals see their mission as more than simply winning baseball games, that they are just as committed to being good citizens of their community.
President Obama praised them for the construction of an Urban Youth Academy in Kansas City and the hope it offers for future generations. He liked the symbolism of it being constructed near the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
“It’s to help young people to not just steer clear of drugs and gangs, but also learn skills that can lead to a better future,” Obama said. “Not just playing baseball, but learning …
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