The KC Royals have hosted 2 of city’s 3 All-Star Games

The KC Royals hosted the 1973 All-Star Game in brand new Royals Stadium.

Kansas City’s replacement for Municipal Stadium was new to the Royals and the All-Star Game in 1973. And just like 1960, the contest was packed with baseball’s biggest names—playing at Royals Stadium were such greats as Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, Brooks Robinson, Carlton Fisk, Catfish Hunter, Willie Stargell, Willie Mays, Tom Seaver, Carl Yastrzemski, and Nolan Ryan.

Three Royals played in the game. Amos Otis was elected to start, and John Mayberry got his starting nod after Chicago’s Dick Allen was injured. Cookie Rojas was one of the reserve players, and future Royals manager Whitey Herzog was a coach on the American League staff.

Hunter and Ken Holtzman got the AL off to a good start by holding the NL scoreless through the first two innings. In the bottom of the second, Jackson led off with a double and Otis singled him home to put the AL up 1-0.

That proved to be the AL’s only run, and the NL got everything it needed the next inning when César Cedeño and Aaron smacked run-scoring singles against Bert Blyleven to give their club a 2-1 lead. Home runs by Bench, Bobby Bonds and Willie Davis accounted for the Nationals’ remaining runs and they won 7-1.

As for the Royals, Otis finished 2-for-2 with a single, stolen base, and his RBI, Mayberry went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, and Rojas walked in his only plate appearance.