My Top 20 Blue Rocks Moments: #16 The Royals Visit

My #16 Wilmington Blue Rocks moment is…

The Kansas City Royals exhibition game in 2001.

The lineups for the Royals exhibition game in 2001 (Jen Nevius).

The first and only time the parent Royals visited Wilmington was in an exhibition game on April 1, 2001. It did not matter what the score ended up or who won (it was a 3-3 tie). It was a great way to start the season and see some former Blue Rocks in the big league uniform. It also did not matter that it was freezing cold because fans had a chance to see the newly renovated Frawley Stadium before the season actually started.

Coming off a very disappointing 2000 season with a team full of prospects, it was a great way to get the fans excited for the new season. The attendance for this game is in the top ten in Blue Rocks history (7,269).

Mike Sweeney and Dave Ullery prior to the 2001 exhibition game (Jen Nevius).

For me, it was a chance to see some former Blue Rocks who made an impact on me growing up. Mike Sweeney and Dave Ullery (pictured to the right) received big cheers from me (and everyone in attendance), as they were two fan favorites. Other former Blue Rocks who suited up for the Royals included Carlos Beltran, Carlos Febles, Dee Brown, and Joe Caruso.