NEW YORK — They came from Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, all over, even from the shadows of Yankee Stadium.
"I'm from The Bronx," said Royals fan Chris Keel outside Yankee Stadium.
Some flew here while others drove, and then kept driving.
"We went this far to Baltimore," said Royals fan Chris Coats. "What's three more hours? We're here."
All of these Royals fans are united by the blue; royal blue, that is.
"I've been a Royals fan since I could walk," Jarod Creed said ahead of Game 1.
And none of them could miss this experience.
"I checked the flights, checked the tickets, and said, 'This is a bucket list item,'" said Royals fan Tony Lewis.
Brennan Tucker and his family had never been to Yankee Stadium before.
"Never have. First time. Bucket list trip," Tucker said. "We're excited about it."
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If you're of a certain age, you remember the Royals/Yankees playoff games from long ago.
"I remember 1980," said Keel, speaking of the Royals/Yankees ALCS in which the Royals won. "I remember it vividly when they were playing the Yankees."
"It's a great rivalry, and I'm glad it's coming back again today and this week," said Royals fan Don Munce.
For others, this current Royals/Yankees series is enough.
"A lot of the Royals/Yankees series were before my time, and now I get to experience firsthand," Coats said.
"On the way here, I was watching the 70s Yankees/Royals games, that whole five-year span," said Royals fan Kyle Ginavan. "I would love to see that start up again."
And if it does, these fans are here for it.
"This is a historic moment, for at least me," Creed said.
"This is exciting," said Royals fan Braden Tucker.
"I got that feeling," Munce said. "I really think they can come in here and do this."
"This has been a dream of mine to come to Yankees Stadium and see how the Royals play," Keel said. "They came to my backyard."
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