For Major League baseball players, going to the World Series is a lifelong dream. However, very few make it to this astonishing feat, and even fewer win the championship. For Royals Hall of Famer, Frank White, this dream was a reality.

In 1985, The Kansas City Royals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, providing the fans with lasting memories and an abundance of happiness. White set out for this baseball dream when he began playing at nine years old. He worked his way up, trying out for the Royals Baseball Academy in June of 1970, at the age of 19. He spent 18 months there before trying out for one of the minor league teams. After working his way through the AA and AAA, he made it to the Major Leagues in June of 1973 and stayed there with the Royals for 18 straight years.

“For the first three years I was a backup guy still trying to learn how to play the game,” said White. “I wanted to absorb all the knowledge I could from the veteran players and spend the time learning and waiting for an opportunity. It is a different level in the Major Leagues and you need to learn how to survive and make adjustments. The confidence that the veteran players gave really meant a lot in terms of player development.”

It was important to him to stay in the city where he was raised and remain close to his loved ones.

“Very few players have the opportunity to grow up and play in their hometown for their entire careers,” said White. “So I always played for a little less money to stay, so my folks and friends and siblings could see me play. It was neat to spend my whole career here.”

In today’s society, it is extremely uncommon for athletes to stay with one team for their entire career. While it looked like first baseman Eric Hosmer would spend more of his career in Kansas City, he unfortunately decided to sign with the San Diego Padres. Upon losing this free agent, White provided some baseball insight.

“Any time you lose good players on the ball club, it’s going to make an impact,” said White. “Hosmer’s leadership will be missed. especially to the young players who are starting to play and are not as polished usually, which takes a little while. I think the Royals have done a good job of bringing in veteran players and have a good presence on the pitching staff. Alex Gordon obviously has to bounce back and have a good year to help out the team. Losing quality players tends to lead to production going down.”

White was fortunate to come to the team at a great time for championship baseball, but that did not mean his championship ring was handed to him. He had to work hard in order to help his team achieve what they set out to do.

“My first year of playing every day was in 1977, and it was great just to be in the playoffs,” said White. “When you put on a uniform, your first goal is to become a world champion. We went to the World Series in 1980 but we lost to the Philadelphia Phillies so I think at that point, you always want another opportunity to right the ship. In 1985, when we beat the Cardinals, it was almost an unexplainable feeling because you go to a new level and emotion because you have the whole city and everyone else on your back at that time and everyone benefits from that ring from an emotional standpoint. You really saw that when the Royals won and looked at the crowds at the parade in 2015. People love and appreciate winners.”

Big wins such as playoff games, and obviously World Series wins, create lasting impressions in the minds of the fans. For the players however, it is something that will never be forgotten. Often, it is a milestone that has been dreamed about since the early years of their youth.

“You always remember your first base hit and your first homerun,” said White. “As a kid, you try to emulate your favorite players and you create impossible scenarios in your head like bases loaded, two outs, ninth inning, game on the line. I was able to hit a homer in the 1986 All Star Game and a homer in the 1985 World Series, so those plays stand out to me because they were special moments.”

While playing professional baseball is his most cherished feat, he is proud to now serve the place he loves in a different way. As a Jackson County Executive, he is able to have a positive impact on the city and fight for what he thinks is right.

“I have a general love for people and I want to improve their quality of life, which was the main reason I ran,” said White. “This is the goal and I want to fight for what I think is right.”

In both politics and baseball, parallels can be seen in terms of wanting to do what is best for the good of the group.

“In this level, I’m responsible for over 1,100 associates and making decisions based on how it will affect them is always at the forefront,” said White. “In baseball, you want to do what you need to do and basically build confidence in you as a leader and player. In both, you want to show people that you’ll be able to get the job done.”

White has made his mark on Kansas City. His influence can be seen all over with a life-sized action statue of him in the stadium, a large metal number 20 on a wall above the outfield, and a second one in the Spring Training facilities in Surprise, Ariz.

“The number retirement is a tribute to your hard work and consistency,” said White. “The most difficult task is maintaining your standard of play. The statue placement in the stadium meant a lot to me and was a pleasant surprise.”

Not many professional athletes are able to walk into the stadium they used to play in and be greeted by a statue of themselves. This testament to the sacrifices he made and his ability to perform as a world class athlete continues to inspire young athletes to work hard on and off the field.

The city hopes for a repeat of the 2014 and 2015 playoff run with this upcoming season. Here, close to Royals Opening Day, we are reminded of the excitement and unity these games can bring to the citizens and fans. Even though it may just be a measly baseball game to some, it’s an almost out of body experience for others. The details can remain so vivid in their minds, it’s as if the game just recently happened, long afterward.

“After we won the World Series, the city all came together and everyone was pulling the rope in the same direction,” said White. “Everyone was happy at that time so it was a good feeling. You can make people happy by winning baseball games and people come to the ballparks to see you perform at a certain level and when you meet that level and the team wins, I think everyone wins.”

With the season so new, it is hard to get an accurate representation of how the team will actually perform. While the Spring Training games and the stats on paper seem to be a good indicator, regular season games continue to prove this theory wrong.

“You never know how players are going to perform before the season starts and when you see how people react to the adversity and the winning and losing, it is hard to judge how the games will go,” said White. “I think this team has a good balance of veterans and young players. I think the first 40 games will be a good indicator of how the team is but other than the maybe questionable bullpen, I think they will be entertaining.”

You can look at highlights and player’s statistics all you want, but until that first pitch is thrown, you cannot truly know how the athletes will perform or what the result of the game will be.

“I always say until the scoreboard tells you different, you have as good a chance as anyone else,” said White.