This story was featured in Issue 1 of Royals Baseball Insider and is available for free to all fans who attend any game during the opening homestand from April 10–19.
On a warm, June night at Werner Park in 2013, Kansas City’s Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers, took the field minutes ahead of the game’s scheduled first pitch. As the pitcher threw his warmup tosses, a youth league team filed off, following their on-field appearance during the National Anthem.
As his teammates found their seats, a young boy was separated from the group. Spooked by his surroundings, he curled up on the ground against the railing of the dugout.