The Kansas City Royals game used thread

[coxfan]

If any of you get an item related to Whit Merrifield, please be aware of his major place in college baseball history. He delivered the "last at-bat at the Blatt", the 11th-inning walk-off hit that won the College World Series for South Carolina over UCLA in 2010. That ended 61 years of College World Series games at old Rosenblatt stadium, which was then demolished.

It's ironic that Whit then played many games for Omaha's minor-league team. Sadly, the ball from that famous hit was picked up by a UCLA outfielder, who failed to do anything to establish its provenance. Supposedly, that player later sent it to a South Carolina student he knew, who tried to sell it to the gamecocks. But they declined to accept it because of unprovable provenance.

I managed to buy two game-used balls from Merrifield's early games with Kansas City last year, giving me a nearly complete collection from MLB games in which ten gamecock alumni have played in the last three years. (Seven of them still active). The gamecocks have on display in our stadium four seats from old Rosenblatt. Fans often sit in them briefly as they enter.

[JDF5244]

I have a Whit Merrifeld game-used bat. I'll see if I can post some pics when I get home from work.

[TBM]

I believe I have a couple Merrifield items including a hit baseball from one of his first 50 MLB hits and a Storm Chasers GU hat.

Werner Park, home of the Omaha Storm Chasers, has four of the old Rosenblatt seats. I have a picture of me with Marlins man, my son, sister and the son of Johnny Rosenblatt, who the stadium was named after, sitting in those seats.

[TBM]

I finally joined the club. I got my first home run ball. It was at a AAA minor league game on June 10, 2017 when the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins) were playing the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) at Werner Park.

Terrance Gore had nearly 2,000 plate appearances with out a home run. Though he had a triple the night before that was inches from a home run. In the second inning Gore came up with one on and smacked a 401 foot home run that landed 20 feet in front of me on a concrete pad. It bounced straight back into the party deck. Bounced around under a table and around some chairs. it then bounced back out to the concrete pad and rolled around. In this time I covered the 20, got my glove on the ball and dove into the concrete pad ensuring no one else could knock it out of my glove. As I got up I had to check my glove to make sure the ball was actually there. It was and I started to dance around in sheer joy. My first home run ball hit by a player I cheer for and who has been an important part of two Royals postseason runs and a World Series Championship.

As I went back to my seat behind the berm a though came to me. This was also Terrance Gore's first home run ball and as much as I want it and for as long as I have been trying for one I was going to give it to him. I told my son this and it brought him to tears. He begged me to keep it. It was our first home run ball. I approached the GM of the team who arranged for me to go out to the field after the game with the winners of the jersey off their backs auction. I was able to meet and talk to Mr. Gore who happily agreed to trade a few items for the ball.

In the end I/we got a game used signed bat, game used signed cleats, the batting gloves he used to hit the home run with and a signed ball. A pretty good haul I thought. I did ask for the bat he hit the home run with but he wanted to keep that and I can't blame him for that. Gore told us that he had never signed a pair of cleats before so these are a one of a kind item at the moment. I have also been able to photomatch the bat to games in the middle of May 2017. In the end my boy was happy we traded the ball because we got game used cleats!

Here is a link to the video of Gore's home run. You can see me (in blue) coming from the right side of the screen towards the ball then diving into the concrete pad right before it goes back to Gore circling third base.

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.j...=t541&sid=t541

[Stanley]

I usually don't collect baseballs but this one was pretty cool.
First it was a double for Salvador Perez. Then another double for Jorge Bonifacio. His very first double of his MLB career. Then a Little League Home Run for Whit Merrifield.

[sportsnbikes]

Got one of each of the special balls.

The Father's Day ball is a Ramon Torres double.
The 4th of July (not pictured here because I had 2) is Jorge Bonafacio's first career triple. The one pictured I gave to my son.
Memorial Day is a Salvy foul ball
Can't remember what the other 2 are.

I don't really collect baseballs much but I like the special issue balls.

[sportsnbikes]

Finally found one with good use. No hits though.

[sportsnbikes]

And a filthy Merrifield. He was 4-5 in this game with 2 runs.

[sportsnbikes]

I picked up this Moose jersey recently. I photomatched it to 4 games including the division clincher in 2015 on 9/24 where he went 3-3 with 3 RBI, 2 Walks and a HR. I also got it for another HR on on 8/24 with a 2 Run HR and 2 RBI.

The thing that caught my eye about this jersey was the CS stitched in the front tail for his mother who had recently passed. This jersey is patched for the postseason but was not used in the postseason. It is MLB Authenticated as issued.

[sportsnbikes]

Another recent pickup and I posted this in the Salvy thread. Used in at least the 2014 Wild Card Game (Photomatched) and the 2014 ALDS Game 3 (MLB Authenticated. I have postseason game used stuff from 5 of the 9 starters in the Royals 2 season postseason run.

2015 WS Hosmer Game Used bat from Game 5
2015 WS Cain Game Used bat from Games 2-5
2015 Alcides Game Used bat from the ALDS Games 2 and 4, possible more
2015 Rios Game Used bat from the ALDS Games 4 and 5 - Some big big hits on this bat...rally starter in Game 4 and the tying and go ahead RBI in Game 5
2014 Salvy gear

I think the other stuff is in this thread somewhere.