Royals Win No. 1

 

TRIVIA WINNER: The last home run in Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Braves before the team moved to Atlanta was hit by Gene Oliver.  

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NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the first player to go through the official arbitration process in Major League Baseball?

 Opening Day for the Kansas City Royals in 1969 was a success.  The first batter Royal's starter, Wally Bunker faced was Minnesota Twins outfielder, Ted Uhlaender who hit a flyball to right-fielder Bob Oliver for an out. He proceeded to set the side down in order, bringing the home team to bat for the first time since the A's left KC after the previous season. 

Lou Piniella led off for the Royals and smacked a double (the first of his four hits on the day). Jerry Adair singled him home and the Royals led 1-0. Tom Hall seemed on the ropes but set the rest of team down to end the inning. 

Graig Nettles homered off Bunker in the second to tie it 1-1, and that is where it stayed until Minnesota pushed across two runs in the 6th to take a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning the Royals scored two of their own, Piniella driving in one of them. It was 3-3. And there is stayed until the 12th. Bunker and Hall were long gone and a series of relievers took their turns. 

In the bottom of the 12th, with Joe Grzenda on the mound and one out, Joe Foy singled, moved to second on a Passed Ball and to third on a Wild Pitch. Bob Oliver was walked (it was the second intentional pass of the inning), and Joe Keough stepped up to the plate. Manager Billy Martin brought in Dick Woodson, normally a starter. Woodson gave up a single and the Royals had win no. 1 in franchise history. Moe Drabowsky got the win. They won the next day as well, and finished 59-63-1, in fourth place in the new AL West. 

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