Demonpenz
12-18-2005, 12:59 PM
The annual Royals Caravan this year is venturing into Nebraska with appearances and autograph sessions featuring manager Buddy Bell, catcher John Buck, third baseman Alex Gordon and broadcaster Denny Matthews.
Matthews, recently nominated for the Hall of Fame broadcasters wing at Cooperstown, N.Y., reported Tuesday from Kearney, Neb.:
"We've been having a good time. We went to a couple of elementary schools, Windy Hills and Meadowlark. Sluggerrr was a big hit, as usual.
"The first Wal-Mart in the state of Nebraska is at Fairbury and we went into it, just to see what it was like. Alex bought a DVD and John bought a phone cover. I was looking for some hockey figures, but they didn't have the one I was looking for.
"We had a mall thing last night at Kearney and they lined up for about two hours and people just kept coming by. We signed some books and a couple of bobbleheads showed up. Then we were hearing about the radio station, ESPN 1160, in Kearney that's going to be carrying our games for the first time.
"Now we're pulling into Cabela's. John is going to buy a couple of bows and some arrows and Alex is going to buy a cover or tent or something for binoculars.
"Here comes the Union Pacific coal train, so I'm going to go look at it. It comes out of the Powder River in Wyoming and goes all the way down to the Gulf Coast, through Kansas City, by the way. Pretty cool. Two units -- it's going 50 or 55.
"That's pretty much our first day -- in less than a nutshell."
Matthews, recently nominated for the Hall of Fame broadcasters wing at Cooperstown, N.Y., reported Tuesday from Kearney, Neb.:
"We've been having a good time. We went to a couple of elementary schools, Windy Hills and Meadowlark. Sluggerrr was a big hit, as usual.
"The first Wal-Mart in the state of Nebraska is at Fairbury and we went into it, just to see what it was like. Alex bought a DVD and John bought a phone cover. I was looking for some hockey figures, but they didn't have the one I was looking for.
"We had a mall thing last night at Kearney and they lined up for about two hours and people just kept coming by. We signed some books and a couple of bobbleheads showed up. Then we were hearing about the radio station, ESPN 1160, in Kearney that's going to be carrying our games for the first time.
"Now we're pulling into Cabela's. John is going to buy a couple of bows and some arrows and Alex is going to buy a cover or tent or something for binoculars.
"Here comes the Union Pacific coal train, so I'm going to go look at it. It comes out of the Powder River in Wyoming and goes all the way down to the Gulf Coast, through Kansas City, by the way. Pretty cool. Two units -- it's going 50 or 55.
"That's pretty much our first day -- in less than a nutshell."