The Kansas City Royals finally hit the jackpot.
No, not in baseball. The Royals haven't won the World Series since 1985, and their won-loss record has topped the .500 mark just once in the past 18 seasons. But the Royals are winners this week because of, coincidentally or not, the nationwide Powerball lottery jackpot, worth $587.5 million. One of the two winning tickets was bought at a gas station in Dearborn, Mo., a tiny town about a 45-minute drive north of Kauffman Stadium. Reportedly, the winning man's name is Mark Hill, 52.
And he might be a diehard Royals fan, because the winning numbers also happen to be the same ones worn by some of the greatest players in team history: George Brett (5), Mark Gubicza (23), Bo Jackson (16), Dennis Leonard (22), Dan Quisenberry (29) and Willie Wilson (6) as the Powerball number. Of those guys, only Bo isn't in the team's hall of fame.
"I hope it's because they liked us six the most in Kansas City history," Gubicza told NBC News.
But that would mean Hill bypassed Frank White (20) and Bret Saberhagen (31), who were — going by the numbers — better players than anyone in the group except for Brett. (Sorry, Goob!) That's the kind of detail that makes me think it's a coincidence.
Besides, who picks a lottery ticket of Royals numbers and omits White and Saberhagen? Not to menton Hal McRae (11). What kind of Royals fan is this person? Oh, yeah. One who is about $293 million, or so, richer. But heck, that's not even enough money to rescue the Royals from the moribund ownership of David Glass. Three-hundred mil just doesn't go as far as it used to.
We won't know if there's really a connection until the Missouri winner gives a news conference Friday morning. But if there is, it will be biggest feel-good moment for the Royals since 20 years ago, when Brett got his 3,000th career hit. The Royals will matter again! Even if it's only some of their numbers.
Already counting down to spring training?
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