University Daily Kansan
Friday, September 14, 1973
9
Royals Owner Tells How Team Got Start
By BRETT MARSHALL
Assistant Sports Editor
The unique combination of preserving the old tradition and introducing the new are qualities that characterize a very personal sports future. Ewing Kauffman.
Kaufman spoke yesterday at a luncheon sponsored by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Estimated crowd of 350 persons attended.
Kauffman is most widely known as being the owner of the Kansas City Royals baseball team and founder of the Marlons at Biometrical Laboratories in Kansas City, Mo.
Kauffman's first line of business was to draft 30 players from the other major league teams. Quite naturally, these teams weren't going to give up their superstars. So they went on to give up players for $175,000 and attempted to field a team of so-called second rate ballplayers.
He started his baseball adventures in 1968 when he purchased the expansion Royals. Up to that time he had never had any business experience in this area.
In the short span of five years since the Royals were established Kauffman has brought the Kansas City area fans exciting baseball and this season the Royals have challenged for the pennant in the Western Division of the American League. Kauffman has utilized the baseball draft in June to select a star player. Other systems used by the Royals organization has been trading and selling players for cash.
Although these systems have proven highly effective for the Royals, Kauffman's biggest hope for the future is the Royals Baseball Academy in Sarasota, Fla.
Established three years ago, the academy has grown from a team of youngsters who embraced Kauffman in their first game to almost almost every season since its origin.
"I can remember watching the first game
the academy players were in." Kauffman
said. "I know the name of the team."
"You're a great player," he said.
seat and go behind the grandstads because I thought I was going to get sick."
Kauffman was reassured by the baseball instructors just to leave them alone and the results would take care of themselves. As a result of this philosophy, the academy had clinched the Rookie League championship by 75 percent of the first season was won.
Not just anybody can go to the Royals academy and learn to play baseball. A person must possess a wide range of qualifying qualities to be eligible for the school.
"We require a person to have speed afoot," Kauffman said, "and in most cases a young kid is born with it and can't be taught to run fast. A player must also be able to hit the ball." In 20-10, because hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to accomplish in athletics"
Another quality the Royals look for in their trysts is fast reaction time to mental and physical situations. The youngster must possess great body balance and be able to adjust to any change of circumstance in a split second.
To illustrate how tough it is to make the academy team, during their first tryout period they conducted clinics in 107 cities throughout the country. There were 40,000 kids who came to tryout, only 8,000 were just 19 passed the rigorous examination.
At first people in the baseball arena were calling the academy Kaushman's Folly, but since then his teams in the Rookie League have dominated competition so much that opponents just wonder in amazement at the success of the team.
Kauffman's major goal through the academy is to give a player up to four years of experience and this should prepare him for the major leagues. His program is right on schedule because the first academy graduate to make the majors is now doing a job in the U.S. Army. He is named, Frank White, and he is a product of a nearby Kansas City, Mo. school and grew up in the backyards of Royals stadium. He represents a dream come true for two men.
Regular Practice Ends; Season Starts Tomorrow
The University of Kansas Jayhawks completed their regular fall practice schedule yesterday by going through goal line situations against the Washington State offensive formations in preparation for the game's 1:30 kickoff against the Cougars.
Head coach Don Fambrough said the team had another good practice but there just wasn't much more to be accomplished. It's time for a game.
"A coach and team always like to think they're ready for a game," Fambrough said, "but we just don't know for sure on the football field at Saturday afternoon."
Fambridge kept yesterday's practice relatively short, trying to avoid injuries and embarrassment.
Today's practice calls for a 15 to 20 minute warm-up so the players can loosen
***
Fambrough gave some definite positions for tomorrow's season opener by saying that quarterback Tom Kratti, Leavenworth could be the backup man for David Jaynes.
Senior Marc Harris is expected to the扑unting for the 'Hawks while sophomore Bruce Bob Swift will be the placeckicking. Bruce Adams, junior flanker, will see plenty of because he is expected to return pants and kickoffs along with Delario Robinson.
Fambrough said he expected a tough battle from the Cougars especially on defense from the 72 squad. On offense, Fambrough said WSU should try to run against the Hawks since they have veteran running backs are short on experience at quarterback.
A record crowd of 45,000 is expected for the season opener that will mark the fourth consecutive year KU has opened against Washington State. Kansas has held a 3-1 advantage in the series with the Caucasus only win coming last year in an 18-17 come from Russia.
Probable Starters
OFFENSE
OF FENSE
**Names**
Gordon Stockman **S**
Garden Stockman **T**
Mike McDaniel **C**
Mike McDaniel **C**
John Bryant **T**
Dave Jawner **QB**
Dave Jawner **TB**
Robert Miller **FB**
Michael Kelley **K**
Andrew Jones **A**
**Wash. St.**
Tonick Winkler **T**
Wilson Winkler **T**
DEFENSE
Don Goode I E Rod Anderson
Lemon M E Greg Craggalde
Mike Lemon NG-LR T Bradford Br骏
Dave Dillon F E Bradford Br骏
David Dillon F E Bradford Br骏
E L E Bradford Br骏
Tow Dwie L B Tom Foe
Dowbey L BC Clyde Hinkle
Robey LC Holdein Stokel
Rocky SS S McKee
Jim Davis SS M Carter
Merman RIC
Blackout Bill Goes Through, Awaits Signing
WASHINGTON(AP)—Congress acted with unusual speed yesterday to pass and send to President Nixon a bill lifting the ban on American games sold out three days in advance.
Nixon, an avid football fan, has advocated a ban on local TV blackouts and has said he
Even before the bill becomes law, however, the National Football League indicated it would lift the blackouts, thus permitting some of the openers of the 1973 season Sunday be seen locally, an unprecedented situation.
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