PHOTOS: Royals parade attracts unbelievable fan turnout
The Kansas City Royals celebrated their first World Series victory in 30 years on Tuesday, and the city was out in full effect to take in the festivities with their newly-crowned champions.
Here's a look at some of the most special moments the Royals had with the over 800,000 fans in attendance:
WHAT A TURNOUT
About 800,000 people celebrated the @Royals’ #WorldSeries title Tuesday. Photo by Roy Inman, special to The Star pic.twitter.com/CqGw2nbf55
— The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) November 4, 2015
Manager Ned Yost expressed his gratitude, not only for the amazing turnout, but for the support the Royals fan base offered the club over the entire season.
"I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you for making this day so special," the emotional manager said to the massive crowd. "This has been a tremendous day. This is a day like none of us have ever seen before and we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts.
"... Kansas City is the greatest town in the world. They've got the best fans in the world and now you have the best team in the world."
HEROIC HOSMER
Eric Hosmer took a risk, and it paid off. The Royals first baseman - thanks to some advanced scouting - tested the arm of New York Mets first baseman Lucas Duda in the ninth inning of Sunday's deciding Game 5 to tie the game, and help his team to an eventual World Series win.
The hero couldn't thank the fans enough.
"Seeing this just makes it so special," he said during the parade. "It's what you worked so hard for. After getting so close last year and having a chance to come back again this year with the same group of guys ... it's just so special.
"You look at every building, on the streets, on the roofs, people are jam-packed out there. It means so much to all of us to have this moment with our fans."
MVP SMILE
Salvador Perez took a beating throughout the postseason, yet the catcher never let it stop him from playing the game, nor did it wipe the amazing smile off his face.
Perez not only kept the Royals pitching staff in check, but he also hit an incredible .364 in the World Series en route to the MVP, and a flashy new ride.
DOMINICAN DYNAMOS
Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, and Yordano Ventura all had their ups and downs during the postseason, but they were major factors in the Royals getting to, and winning, the World Series.
Whether it was Ventura's staredown of Toronto Blue Jays slugger Troy Tulowitzki in the American League Championship Series, Volquez's memorable outing on the day of his father's death, or Cueto's incredible performance in Game 2 of the World Series, the Dominican trio will be remembered for their parts in the epic World Series run.
MIC DROP
Leave it to Jonny Gomes to create the biggest splash of the day.
The charismatic Royals outfielder, who didn't even make an appearance for the squad in the postseason, left an ever-lasting impression on Kansas City when his memorable speech concluded with a mic drop.
Gomes came to the Royals in a September trade with the Atlanta Braves, bringing the energy, jubilance, and clubhouse spark he's become known for, to a Royals team that needed a little something extra to push them over the top.