Candidates to throw out the first pitch for the Royals

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Would there really be any other choice?

Twenty years after retiring, George Brett is still the face of the Kansas City Royals. He is the first player most people think of when they think of the Royals, particularly among baseball fans who are not fans of the team. An omnipresent giant hovering over the organization, Brett was not just a member of the Royals for the entirety of his career, but a presence afterwards, working in the front office and stepping in as the interim batting coach last season.

We all know Brett’s resume on the field. Over 3000 hits. 300+ home runs. Being the only person to win a batting title in three different decades. His run at .400 in 1980. He was an all time great on the excellent teams of the 1970’s and 1980’s, with his career culminating in his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame as the only member enshrined wearing a Royals cap.

As the Royals pass the torch from the Royals of three decades ago to the team of today, there may not be a better choice to deliver that first pitch. The symbol of the Royals for so long, George Brett is really the only choice to throw out that first pitch on Tuesday.

Schedule