Sweeney recalls first game for KC

Mike Sweeney, in Kansas City to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day, recalled his first game in the Majors for the Royals.

It was late in the 1995 season during a doubleheader against the Blue Jays.

“Believe it or not, I was thrown in as a defensive replacement. They thought I was a pretty good catcher back then,” Sweeney recalled. “Paul Molitor hit a chopper down the third-base line and I threw a ball up the first-base line and made an error. And I got fined in Kangaroo Court for having more Major League errors than hits.”

At that point, Sweeney turned to his young son, Michael, and asked him if he wanted to be a Major League player. “Yes,” the boy replied.

Sweeney said, despite the error, his first game was special.

“It was all you dream of and more,” he said.

–Dick Kaegel