The 29-year drought: Royals fans contemplate the World Series

by Ryan Miles – Horizon Sports Editor

Failure. Pain. Agony. Heartbreak. Hope. Success. If you’re a Kansas City Royals fan, you have wrestled with all of these emotions for the past 29 years. As far as hope and success go, Royals fans have only felt these emotions the past couple months. Despite high hopes, Royals fans dreams of a World Series title were struck down Wednesday after losing game 7 by the score of 3-2.

Still, fans hold their heads high. After so much failure, to have played the San Francisco Giants in the World Series is nothing short of amazing to Royals fans everywhere, including those at Hesston College.

Sophomore Bryce Elder has been a Royals fan his whole life and like many young fans of the team, has never seen them make the play-offs.

“It has been hard and I’ll admit that I have given up hope before, but I’ve never stopped caring about my Royals,” Elder said. “To see them do what they have done all season and continue to dominate in the post-season… It everything I have ever wanted for this team even despite losing game seven.”

To many fans the Royal’s comeback has been nothing short of remarkable. They shouldn’t have made is this far. They shouldn’t have played in the 2014 World Series Classic. But they did because that’s how baseball goes. Any team on any given day can show up and win.

Although many fans are taking the loss poorly, Freshman Kyndell Hightree sees the silver lining in it all.

“As disappointed as I am with the Royals not coming out champions, I can’t even begin to be upset with the team itself,” he said. “They’ve given so much to Kansas City by just making it this far. In one season they have restored hope in Royals fans everywhere. Baseball is back in Kansas City.”