KANSAS CITY, MO (March 25, 2019) – The Kansas City Royals will host the Chicago White Sox for Opening Day this Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 3:15 p.m. The parking lot will open at 9 a.m. with gates to the stadium opening at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, many great events will take place throughout the city and in the stadium. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 2:20 p.m. Tickets for Opening Day are still available and can be purchased online at royals.com, on the Ballpark App, by calling 1-800-6ROYALS, at area Price Chopper stores or at the Kauffman Stadium Box Office. Please see below for more details.

Greater Kansas City Day

The 32nd annual event brings together more than 1,200 volunteers who sell special editions of the Kansas City Star and Royals flags on metro area street corners and at local Price Chopper locations from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Royals alumni and members of the K-Crew will be on board the Royals-themed KC Streetcar throughout the morning. The special Royals flags will be available at the 51 local Price Chopper locations all week, while supplies last. Royals Hall of Famer Mike Sweeney and Price Chopper’s Casie Broker serve as Greater Kansas City Day honorary co-chairs to benefit Royals Charities, Rotary Youth Camp and other local children’s charities. For more information, or to order a flag, visit royals.com/gkcday.

Pregame Ceremonies and In-Game Entertainment

The in-stadium pregame show will start at 2:25 p.m. Listed below are the participants who are scheduled to take part in various elements of the pregame ceremonies, subject to change.

• Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat Honoree: Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Sly James will serve as the honorary recipient of the Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat both pregame and in-game. Mayor James is donating the honor of sitting in the actual Buck Seat to youth from Kansas City.

• Presentation of Colors: Whiteman Air Force Base will present the colors with a large flag prior to the National Anthem.

• National Anthem: A four-man acapella group, Return 2 Zero, will perform The Star Spangled Banner.

• Flyover: At the conclusion of the National Anthem, a B2 bomber from Whiteman Air Force base with fly over the stadium.

• Ceremonial First Pitch: Four brothers from four branches of the military, Aaron Rodriguez (Navy), Jesse Rodriguez (Army), Gabriel Rodriguez (Air Force) and Mark Rodriguez (Marines), will throw out the “first pitch.” Their brother, Jonnie Rodriguez who served for the Marines but is now deceased will also be recognized.

• Rawlings Gold Glove Presentation: Royals outfielder Alex Gordon and catcher Salvador Perez will receive their 2018 Rawlings Gold Glove awards. Announced following last season, this is Gordon’s sixth AL Rawlings Gold Glove and Perez’s fifth award.

• Salute to Service: Petty Officer 3rd Class Orval Knodel will be honored in the Salute to Service seat. He served in the United States Navy during World War II as a radarman on the USS Gallatin. While serving, Orval’s brother, Gilbert Knodel served during the Guadalcanal battle. After his service he became a civil engineer and spent 33 years working for the US Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Transportation.

• God Bless America: Retired United States Navy Petty Officer Generald Wilson will perform God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch.