Mysterious Goings On with Alex Greenwood

SUBSCRIBER VIDEO: A Royal Chronicle: Exploring KC's Baseball History with Matt Stewart

·29 min·2 clips

Matt Stewart reveals the shocking story of two Royals players who almost electrocuted themselves celebrating a playoff victory.

The episode begins with host Alex Greenwood reintroducing Matt Stewart, an Emmy Award-winning anchor and author. Stewart's new book is a lavishly illustrated timeline of the Kansas City Royals, covering from 1969 to present. He explains the book's creation, including image selection from Getty Images and collaboration with Reedy Press. Stewart recounts the early history of baseball in Kansas City, starting with the 1884 Cowboys and the Negro League Monarchs. He describes how Arnold Johnson moved the Philadelphia Athletics to Kansas City in 1954 but funneled talent to the Yankees, leading to losses and fan discontent. After Charlie O. Finley's stunts failed, Ewing Kauffman bought the team in 1969 following a naming contest won by 'Royals,' tied to the American Royal livestock show. Stewart shares a standout story about players Freddie Patek and Cookie Rojas nearly electrocuting themselves in the outfield fountains after a 1980 playoff win. His research involved the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame director Kurt Nelson, SABR articles, and historical newspapers. Stewart discusses his fandom, citing Bo Jackson as his favorite player and recalling Jackson's wall-run play. He addresses baseball's popularity, noting the NFL's dominance but hopeful trends due to rule changes and stars like Bobby Witt Jr. The conversation turns to the Royals' failed stadium vote, with Stewart criticizing the team's late focus on the Crossroads district and poor communication. He suggests Clay County might be a future site due to tensions with Jackson County officials. The episode ends with Stewart promoting his book and t-shirt on his website, emphasizing direct sales over Amazon.

As heard by us

A Royals history conversation is lifted by a fountain celebration that nearly turned tragic.

Matt Stewart's illustrated timeline of the Kansas City Royals gives the episode a sturdy frame: a team's past kept alive through careful research, memorable stories, and local feeling.

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Why you'd press play

You want Kansas City baseball history with a fountain celebration that came dangerously close to an electrical disaster.

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