The Kansas City Chiefs open their season next weekend, and expectations couldn’t be much higher. With Patrick Mahomes set for a an encore and what appears to be an improved defense, the Chiefs were installed as 6-1 favorites (tied with New England) to win the Super Bowl.

Should the Chiefs win the ultimate prize, it would certainly make 2019 one of the greatest years in Kansas City sports history. But not the greatest. The dismal season of the Royals has already eliminated that possibility.

It hasn’t happened often that both the Royals and Chiefs (and others in Kansas City) have simultaneously achieved at a high level. With the Chiefs entering 2019 with such lofty expectations, and another forgettable season winding down for the Royals, now is a good time to look back at the greatest years in sports in Kansas City.

The Best Season Ever: 2015, or 1969?

1) 2015 narrowly takes the prize as the best year of sports in Kansas City, and it’s because of the cumulative achievements of all the city’s teams. The Royals reached the pinnacle after a quick and enjoyable climb. Fans fell in love with the players. And the players embraced the fan base in a manner rarely seen. They won the World Series in thrilling fashion, and then capped it off with an unforgettable parade through downtown.

Remarkably, 2015 is the only time that both the Royals and Chiefs reached the playoffs in the same year. The Chiefs finished 11-5, and won their first playoff game in 22 years.

As if 2015 could have been any more special, Sporting KC claimed the U.S. Open Cup.

2) 1969 comes in a close second, but saw perhaps the most historically significant event in Kansas City sports history. The American Football League (AFL) – the product of years of labor and sacrifice by Lamar Hunt – had succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. The league had proved the equivalent of the NFL and forced a merger that would be fully realized in 1970. So 1969 would be the last year of Hunt’s creation. Fittingly, his Chiefs emerged as the champions of the AFL to face the vaunted Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Some still doubted the AFL could match the older league. Those doubts were finally put to rest. The Chiefs beat the NFL champion in convincing fashion to win the last game played by an AFL team. Hunt’s dream was fully realized. Nine members of that 1969 team, including Hunt and coach Hank Stram, are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 1969 still stands as the Chiefs’ lone Super Bowl victory.

Earlier that summer, the Royals were birthed to replace the despised Kansas City A’s, who moved to Oakland after the 1967 season. Though the Royals won just 69 games, they were the best of the year’s four expansion teams and proved to be a scrappy and respectable bunch that reinvigorated enthusiasm for baseball in the city.

The Other Major Championships: 1985 and 1966

3) 1985 brought the Royals’ first World Series victory. After years of near misses by better iterations of the club, the 1985 Royals finally broke through. An aging team featuring George Brett, Willie Wilson, Frank White and Hal McRae was bolstered just in time by a youthful pitching staff featuring Bret Saberhagen. They won the American League West, slipped past the Toronto Blue Jays, and then shocked the St. Louis Cardinals in the championship. 1985 finishes a distant third behind 2015 and 1969 not just because the Chiefs were 6-10 that year, but because the Kansas City Kings basketball team abandoned the city for Sacramento earlier that spring.

4) 1966 isn’t remembered prominently by Kansas Citians, but it saw the Chiefs win their other AFL championship. (The club also technically won a championship 1962 as the Dallas Texans.) It ranks a distant fourth because the Chiefs were whipped in the first Super Bowl by the NFL powerhouse Green Bay Packers. An above-average season by the moribund A’s made the summer tolerable for baseball fans.

The Near Misses:

5) 1980 saw the Royals reach the Fall Classic and thrilled fans with one of the greatest individual performances in the history of the city. Brett’s historic pursuit of a .400 batting average gave fans something to follow daily. The team recorded its second highest win total in history, only to suffer a bitter loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.

In one of the best all-around years in Kansas City sports, the Kings reached the playoffs by notching their second best record while based in Kansas City, and the Chiefs finished a respectable 8-8 after six straight losing seasons.

6) 2014 animated a new generation of Royals fans. For anyone under about 35 years of age, playoff baseball in Kansas City was unknown. That year the nation was introduced to a lovable cast that included names like Perez, Hosmer, Cain, Moustakas and Gordon. An unforgettable Wild Card upset epitomized the spirit of the team. The team battled to the last out of the seventh game of a thrilling World Series.

Sadly, the Chiefs took a step back after a strong 2013 season, missing the playoffs.

7) 1971 was the last hurrah for the Chiefs that emerged from the AFL. Led by Len Dawson, Otis Taylor and a legendary defense, the Chiefs lost an unforgettable home playoff game against the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day that was the NFL’s first ever double-overtime. It is still known as the NFL’s longest game. Hunt and Stram’s Chiefs wouldn’t be the same after that devastation.

But with one team fading, the city’s other team was rocketing to the top. In just their third season, the Royals went 85-76 and promised that greatness was to come. No one expected an expansion team to be this good this soon.

8) 1993 will always be remembered as the year of Montana Magic. Joe Montana, shockingly ushered out of San Francisco, where he had been the best quarterback in the game for more than a decade, rode into Kansas City to try to work his magic one more time. The Chiefs had been knocking at the door for several years, but needed something to put them over the top. Montana nearly did the trick. The Chiefs won a division title for the first time in 22 years, won two playoff games, and fell just one loss short of the Super Bowl.

Meanwhile, the 1993 Royals went 84-78. It was the last good Royals team before they fell off the cliff for the next couple of decades.

9) 2013 saw Sporting KC win the MLS Cup Championship, while the Royals learned to win again. The Royals improved by a surprising 14 games in the standings to finish 86-76 – their first winning season in a decade. They stayed in the playoff hunt until the final weekend of the season. Perhaps not a lot of people were watching, but the foundation was laid for back-to-back World Series runs.

The Chiefs also learned to win again under the guidance of first-year coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs rocketed from last in the league at 2-14 to the playoffs with an 11-5 record.

10) 1984 saw the Royals come just one series away from the World Series, continuing their run as one of the best teams in baseball. The Kings also made the playoffs, although they were just 38-44 in the regular season. The Chiefs went 8-8.

Honorable Mention:

The 1942 Negro League Monarchs were perhaps the best team to ever make Kansas City home. But with World War II underway, and with white fans and media largely indifferent, unfortunately not a lot of people saw it. The Monarchs, who whipped the Homestead Grays in the Negro World Series, featured Baseball Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith and Willard Brown, plus Buck O’Neil and numerous other Negro League legends. With no major football or basketball teams in the city at the time, Kansas City was considered a baseball town. And with only the white minor league Kansas City Blues for competition, the Monarchs ruled Kansas City and the entire Midwest.

Perhaps no city in the United States is more closely connected to Negro League baseball than Kansas City. Fittingly, the Kansas City Royals dedicate one game each season to celebrate the legacy of baseball played by non-white players prior to integration in 1947.

When the Royals host Minnesota on Sunday, they will do so in Kansas City Monarchs uniforms, pitted against the St. Paul Gophers in the annual Salute to the Negro Leagues.

New to the Royals this season, outfielder Billy Hamilton recognizes the importance of Negro League baseball to Kansas City, and is happy for the chance to celebrate it.

“The Negro League celebration is just special to the African American guys who are playing baseball today, to show that we’re still supporting (its memory),” Hamilton said. “What they did to give us the chance to play the game of baseball is a beautiful thing.

“It’s awesome to put on the type of uniform they used to wear, to see what the game looked like back in the day,” the centerfielder said. “I’m so glad that baseball is doing that for a lot more teams. It seemed like for a while it was just a couple of teams doing it. But now it seems like more teams around the league are getting into it.”

From the 1880s until 1947, segregation restricted the major leagues solely to light-skinned players. Due to the color barrier, Negro League teams provided an alternative for non-whites.

The Kansas City and Topeka areas were a hotbed for baseball amongst the African-American community for more than half a century. In fact, the Topeka Giants were celebrated as the “Black Champions of the West” in 1906, and the Kansas City Giants were named the “Colored Champions of 1909.”

Arguably the most important singular event in segregated baseball occurred at the Paseo YMCA in 1920, when eight owners gathered to form the Negro National League, which included the Kansas City Monarchs. The formation of a league brought new legitimacy to the brand of baseball played by non-whites.

From 1920 to 1965, the Monarchs were the most consistently competitive, profitable and well-known of the Negro League franchises. They crisscrossed the nation with players like Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neill, and were the team that launched Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier shortly after World War II.

Similar to African-Americans, dark-skinned Hispanic players were barred from the major leagues prior to 1947, a fact not lost on Puerto Rican native Jorge Lopez. It is estimated that up to 20 percent of Negro League players were from outside the U.S.

“It’s an honor to remember those Negro Leaguers and what they did for us,” the 26-year-old pitcher said. “We have a lot of respect for them and what they went through. I know the hard time they (endured) to play the game.”

The major leagues gradually accepted more and more non-whites, and today the game is brimming with players from Latin America. 2017 saw the highest percentage of non-white players in major league history at 42.5 percent. Of that number, 31.9 percent were categorized as Latin American.

Lopez said he can’t imagine growing up prior to integration and being told that he could not play in the major leagues. But he guessed that Latin Americans at that time were probably appreciative of the opportunity the Negro Leagues presented.

“It had to be weird to be told that,” Lopez said. “I couldn’t tell (how I would feel about it) because I didn’t grow up with that. It had to be so tough. Maybe Latin Americans saw it in a positive way, to have the chance to come to the United States and play, and make the most of it.

“But I’m so thankful that things seem to be getting better with every generation. When you hear about what that was like, it just makes you thankful things are so much better. And so you just appreciate what they did. So it’s an honor to play now and to show our appreciation.”

Fans are encouraged to suit up too. Sunday games were the biggest and best attended of the week for Negro League clubs, and fans often came straight from church, dressed in their Sunday best. Kauffman Stadium will host some nattily dressed guests again this year, as “Dressed to the Nines” has officially become a part of the annual celebration.

The short, baggy pants and the billowy jerseys with the Monarchs’ iconic KC logo on the chest will be auctioned to raise money for Kansas City’s Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The first 10,000 fans will receive a Kansas City Monarchs Short Bill Cap.

The Royals/Monarchs’ opponent this Sunday, the St. Paul Gophers, was an all-black barnstorming unit from 1907 to 1916. For some of the period, they went by the name St. Paul Colored Gophers, Twin City Gophers, and Minneapolis Gophers.

The 2019 season has been a forgettable one in Kansas City. The game with Minnesota on Sunday, however, provides a reminder of an even more important struggle than that on the field. For one day, the Royals become the Monarchs, and win or lose, they play for something truly historic.

Kansas City is a baseball town.

The saying sounded pretty ridiculous during the Royals’ 30 years of futility between the 1985 championship and the one earned in 2015. And it sounds silly now as the current edition of the Royals barrels toward its worst record in history. Yet it was often repeated during those bleak years, as though a reminder that if the product at Kauffman Stadium was ever good, the city would demonstrate uncommon passion.

The city’s reputation dates back at least to the birth of the minor league Kansas City Blues in 1888. In the days before TV, when fans eagerly supported local baseball, the Blues were joined in Kansas City by strong black baseball teams, which developed into the Kansas City Monarchs in 1920.

In 1955, major league baseball finally moved west of the Mississippi River when the Philadelphia A’s relocated to Kansas City. The dreadful A’s were replaced in Kansas City by the Royals in 1969, and the city soon had a winner at the highest level.

So the bleak years of the Royals have dampened, but not quenched, the spirit of the city. And one native son is working hard to bring winning back to Kansas City once again.

Rookie Jason Adam, a product of Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, is one of a host of rookies the Royals are experimenting with in this rebuilding season.

Adam took a circuitous path to the major league stadium he grew up going to as a child. Drafted by the Royals out of high school in 2010, Adam seemed destined to pitch in Kauffman Stadium. But trades and injuries delayed that destiny for nearly a decade.

“I loved the Royals growing up,” Adam said. “This stadium was special to me, and I always loved to come to the games, even when they would struggle.”

And struggle they did. From the time Adam was born in 1991 until he graduated high school, the Royals lost nearly 60 percent of their games, lost 90 or more games 11 times, and never once reached the playoffs. Yet Adam remained loyal.

“I always had faith,” the right-handed reliever said. “I understood that is kind of how it works in a small market. You kind of go through ups and downs. So it was really fun seeing when this team finally won the World Series. I wish I could have been a part of it. But it was so much fun just being from Kansas City.”

Ironically, Adam not being “part of it” actually helped bring a pennant to his city. Adam was in the low minors when Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, Danny Duffy and other products of the farm system began matriculating to the big leagues. A starting pitcher making his mark in the minors, Adam had to feel he was going to be a part of that much-anticipated core group in Kansas City.

But in 2014, with a playoff berth finally within reach, the Royals traded Adam for major league first baseman/designated hitter Josh Willingham. The late season acquisition of Willingham helped the Royals earn a wild card slot, and eventually reach the World Series. So, in a sense, Adam played a part.

Once with Minnesota, injuries derailed his progress. Numerous surgeries kept him from pitching in 2015 and 2016. The Twins finally gave up on him. The San Diego Padres gave him a brief look in 2017, but cut him loose before the season was up.

The Royals never stopped following their former draft pick, and they brought him into their system. And in May of 2018, the years of rehab ultimately paid off. Adam finally pitched in the stadium he’d come to so many times to watch his beloved Royals.

Being a member of the Royals makes reaching the majors all the more special, Adam said. And he believes it is making the experience more fun for his family and friends as well.

“It definitely adds another element to the excitement of playing for the Royals,” said the 27-year-old. “I always say that I’m playing for an audience of one, and that’s Jesus. But it’s fun to know that I’ve got my family and my friends here every night, and they can enjoy it even more than they used to enjoy it.”

Adam laughed when asked if he notices familiar faces in the crowd during a game at Kauffman Stadium

“I don’t really see people in the stands while I’m on the field. But when I’m down in the bullpen, guys I know will come down and heckle me a little, and it’s really fun to see people down there. But before and after games, for sure, I try to see the people that I know. Sometimes after a game I’ll hear someone yell my name, and I’m like ‘Is that someone I know?’ That’s really fun.”

Out of uniform, Adam frequently bumps into old friends, schoolmates and high school rivals around Kansas City. Those friendships remain unchanged, he said.

“It’s still the same old, same old. They still treat me just like they did before. I’ve got awesome friends here in Kansas City, and I’m thankful for that.”

Polls of major league players often reveal opponents’ appreciation for Kansas City as one of their favorite places to visit. That fact comes as no surprise to the Overland Park native.

“I’m glad to see Kansas City get that recognition,” Adam said. “Growing up in Kansas I was always like ‘I can’t wait to get out and see everything.’ But once I got out I was like ‘I kinda like it back home.’

“Where visiting teams stay, down by The Plaza, is beautiful. There is tons of good shopping, good restaurants. It’s great for visiting teams. But a lot of guys who play here end up staying here because it’s a great community and a great place to raise a family.”

And so Kansas City remains a baseball town. From the minor league Blues and Negro League Monarchs to the Kansas City A’s and Royals, it’s always been a great place to play, according to one native son.

“We have got awesome fans here,” Adam said. “They have been patient through this year, even though it hasn’t gone how anybody wanted it to go. But they are still coming out, still cheering for us. It makes it a lot of fun to play for them. It gives us even more incentive to keep pushing and get back to winning.”

When the Royals host Detroit on Sunday, they will do so in Kansas City Monarchs uniforms, pitted against the Detroit Stars in the annual Salute to the Negro Leagues.

New to the Royals this season, outfielder Jon Jay recognizes the importance of Negro League baseball to Kansas City, and is happy for the chance to celebrate it.

“History is huge to me. And part of that history is the Negro Leagues, and what went before Jackie Robinson,” said the nine-year veteran Jay. “Guys were playing segregated baseball, and I don’t take that for granted at all. Every day that I put on the uniform is something special. And to wear the Negro League uniform is a really good way to remember what they went through so that we can play in the major leagues today.”

The Kansas City and Topeka areas were a hotbed for baseball amongst the African-American community for more than half a century. In fact, the Topeka Giants were celebrated as the “Black Champions of the West” in 1906, and the Kansas City Giants were named the “Colored Champions of 1909.”

Arguably the most important singular event in segregated baseball occurred at the Paseo YMCA in 1920, when eight owners gathered to form the Negro National League, which included the Kansas City Monarchs. The formation of a league brought new legitimacy to the brand of baseball played by non-whites.

And from 1920 to 1965, the Monarchs were the most consistently competitive, profitable and well-known of the Negro League franchises. They crisscrossed the nation with players like Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neill, and were the team that launched Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier shortly after World War II.

Similar to African-Americans, dark-skinned Hispanic players were barred from the major leagues prior to 1947, a fact not lost on Nicaraguan native Cheslor Cuthbert. It is estimated that up to 20 percent of Negro League players were from outside the U.S.

“It’s hard to envision what that must have been like,” Cuthbert said. “But when you love baseball, you just want to play, no matter what.”

The major leagues gradually accepted more and more non-whites, and today the game is brimming with players from Latin America. 2017 saw the highest percentage of non-white players in major league history at 42.5 percent. Of that number, 31.9 percent were categorized as Latin American.

“It’s an honor to play the game and show your appreciation for what they did,” Cuthbert said. “I know it was hard for them. We owe them a lot. Because of what they did, a lot of Latin Americans have had the opportunity to play.”

Fans are encouraged to suit up too. Sunday games were the biggest and best attended of the week for Negro League clubs, and fans often came straight from church, dressed in their Sunday best. Kauffman Stadium will host some nattily dressed guests again this year, as “Dressed to the Nines” has officially become a part of the annual celebration.

The short, baggy pants and the billowy jerseys with the Monarchs’ iconic KC logo on the chest will be auctioned to raise money for Kansas City’s Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

The recent uptick by the 2018 Royals has momentarily lifted fans’ spirits. The game with the Tigers Sunday, however, provides a reminder of an even more important struggle than that on the field. For one day, the Royals become the Monarchs, and win or lose, they play for something truly historic.