Kauffman Stadium
Opened as Royals Stadium on April 10, 1973, it is recognized throughout baseball as
one of the game's most beautiful ballparks. Since then, many exciting games have been
contested, including the 1973 All-Star Game, three no-hitters, playoff games in 1976,
'77, '78, '80, '81, '84 and '85 and seven World Series tilts in 1980 and 1985. The facility
was officially re-named in honor of Ewing M. Kauffman in a ceremony at the stadium on
July 2, 1993. Since its opening, a total of 53,062,406 people have visited the stadium,
including a record 2,477,700 in 1989. Kauffman Stadium's unique features include a
12-story high scoreboard and a 322-foot wide water spectacular. The scoreboard
contains 16,320 light bulbs, most of them on the 40 by 60 foot screen. The water
spectacular is the largest privately funded fountain in the world.
Added in 1990 was a state-of-the-art Sony JumboTron color video display board
installed on the left field hillside. Measuring 30 by 40 feet, it's one of the largest video
boards in the U.S. The top of the board features the Royals logo. In keeping with the
architecture of the stadium, the existing water spectacular featuring cascading water
now extends to the left field corner.
A grass playing field replaced the artificial surface at Kauffman Stadium prior to the
1995 season. The fences were also moved in 10 feet from bullpen to bullpen at that
time and lowered from 12 feet to 9 feet.
Prior to the 1999 campaign, additional field level seating, known as "Crown Seats" and
four dugout suites were added to enhance the stadium. Prior to the 2000 season the
Picnic Pavilion was added near the base of the JumboTron in leftfield for groups
attending the games.
The re-naming of the stadium was appropriate in that it was the strength and integrity of
Ewing M. Kauffman's ownership that provided the cornerstone for the Royals success.
Kauffman purchased the club as an expansion franchise in 1968 with the primary and
continuous motivation of providing winning Major League Baseball for Kansas Citians.
Kauffman, who founded Marion Laboratories in his mother's basement and built it into a
diversified health care company with sales reaching nearly one billion dollars,
possessed a sense of daring and an innate ability to motivate those around him. The
club's even-handed philosophy bears the Kauffman stamp. Mr. K also gave much
personal attention to the Kansas City community, an important philosophy that was
inbred into the Royals organization and still remains today.
Among the awards Mr. Kauffman won for his leadership include the Kansas City Press
Club's 1973 Man-of-the-Year, the "Mr. Baseball" honoree at the Kansas City Baseball
Awards Dinner in 1976 and 1991 and induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
He also received the Horatio Alger Award, the Golden Plate Award from the American
Academy of Achievement, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce "Kansas Citian of the
Year" Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the American Legion. Mr. K
passed away on Aug. 1, 1993.
