Do your World Series homework with five of the best Royals moments in pop culture history

Thanks to a dramatic Game 6 win on Friday, the Royals are back in the Fall Classic for the second consecutive year -- not a bad streak after a 29-year postseason drought. Kansas City may be riding high on the field recently, but the Royals have been trendsetters off it for even longer, from late-night TV to the pop charts.

So before the team takes on the Mets in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday at 8 ET on FOX, start preparing with five of the Royals' best pop culture moments over the years. 

They had a chart-topping hit named after them

Lorde took the Billboard charts by storm with "Royals" back in 2013, and as she told VH1, she had a certain Major League team to thank for the inspiration:

She may never be (a) royal, but at least she got her very own jersey out of the deal. 

Paul Rudd invited all of Kansas City to a party at his mom's place

Royals superfan and Wiffle Ball superstar Paul Rudd watched Kansas City take on the Orioles in person Game 4 of the 2014 ALCS. And when his team punched its ticket to the World Series, the actor celebrated by living out the fantasy of high schoolers everywhere: He threw a party at his parents' house, and the whole city was invited.

A five-dollar cover though, Paul? Come on. 

Eric Stonestreet/Modern Family PSA

Kansas City has more than its share of celebrity fans, and before Game 7 of the World Series last year, they put it to good use -- letting Modern Family star and native Kansan Eric Stonestreet get the home crowd pumped up, with a little help from co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson. 

The Royals get the 'Simpsons' treatment -- and meet a very special superhero

Sure, Kansas City was a few years away from a return to prominence when "All About Lisa" aired in 2008. But in hindsight, maybe we should've seen their success coming -- after all, they got to meet Springfield's favorite radioactive comic book hero:

Hey, can you think of another explanation for Lorenzo Cain's speed?

David Letterman tracks the hitting exploits of Buddy Biancalana

If you're wondering why a late night host would have taken interest in light-hitting Royals shortstop Buddy Biancalana, allow us to explain: Toward the end of the 1985 season, Pete Rose was approaching Ty Cobb's career hits record. David Letterman, baseball junkie that he is, wanted to spot the next man who might be able to reach those heights.

And so, naturally, he tapped Biancalana -- he of the career .194 average and 56 hits during his first two seasons. There was even a Buddy Biancalana Hit Tracker:

Laugh if you want, but the "Late Show" host might have been on to something: Biancalana became a folk hero during the 1985 postseason, when he delivered two hits and a RBI to help lift the Royals past -- wait for it -- the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the ALCS. It all comes full circle.