Fort Myers Royals

{{Infobox Minor League Baseball

| name = Fort Myers Royals

| firstseason = 1978

| lastseason = 1987

| allyears =

| city = Fort Myers, Florida

| logo =

| caplogo =

| past class level = Class A (1978–1987)

| league = Florida State League

| conference =

| division = South

| past league =

| pastmajorleague = Kansas City Royals

| pastnames =

| pastparks = Terry Park

| leaguenum = 1

| leaguechamps = 1985

| divnum = 2

| divisionchamps = {{hlist|1984|1985}}

}}

The Fort Myers Royals were a minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Royals from 1978 to 1987. In 1978 the Royals were brought to Fort Myers, Florida by the Kansas City franchise. This was because Fort Myers served as the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals. The Royals were a Single A Florida State League franchise. The team played at Terry Park Ballfield from 1978 until 1987. In 1985 the Royals won the Florida State League Championship. Kevin Seitzer was a member of that Fort Myers Royals team. The Minor League franchise left Fort Myers in 1988 when the Major League Baseball franchise moved Spring Training to Haines City, Florida and Baseball City Stadium.

Season-by-season

class="wikitable"

bgcolor="#FFCCCC"|League champions †

|bgcolor="#DDFFDD"|Finals appearance *

|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Division winner ^

|bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Wild card berth ¤

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
align="center" colspan="9" style="background:blue; color:aqua"\|Fort Myers Royals
colspan=9\|Regular season
Year \|League \|Division \|Place \|Wins \|Losses \|WIN% \|GB \|Postseason
1978 \|FSL \|South \|3rd \|71 \|66 \|.518 \|7.0 \|Lost semifinals (Miami Orioles) 1-0
1979 \|FSL \|South \|3rd \|69 \|69 \|.500 \|20.5 \|
1980 \|FSL \|South \|3rd \|66 \|70 \|.485 \|11.5 \|
1981 \|FSL \|South \|2nd \|72 \|58 \|.554 \|7.0 \|bgcolor="#DDFFDD"\|Won semifinals (Fort Lauderdale Yankees) 1-0, Lost finals (Daytona Beach Astros)3-1
1982 \|FSL \|South \|3rd \|69 \|68 \|.504 \|15.5 \|
1983 \|FSL \|South \|3rd \|69 \|68 \|.504 \|15.5 \|
1984 \|FSL \|South \|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"\|1st ^ \|81 \|60 \|.574 \|— \|Lost semifinals (Fort Lauderdale Yankees) 2-0
1985 \|FSL \|West \|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"\|1st ^ \|82 \|57 \|.590 \|— \|bgcolor="#FFCCC"\|Won semifinals (St. Petersburg Cardinals) 2-1, Won finals (Fort Lauderdale Yankees) 3-1
1986 \|FSL \|South \|4th \|50 \|85 \|.370 \|37.5 \|
1987 \|FSL \|South \|6th \|54 \|87 \|.383 \|30.5 \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"

align="center" colspan="9" style="background:blue; color:aqua"|Fort Myers Royals

colspan=9|Regular season

Year

|League

|Division

|Place

|Wins

|Losses

|WIN%

|GB

|Postseason

1978

|FSL

|South

|3rd

|71

|66

|.518

|7.0

|Lost semifinals (Miami Orioles) 1-0

1979

|FSL

|South

|3rd

|69

|.500

|20.5

1980

|FSL

|South

|3rd

|66

|70

|.485

|11.5

1981

|FSL

|South

|2nd

|72

|58

|.554

|7.0

|bgcolor="#DDFFDD"|Won semifinals (Fort Lauderdale Yankees) 1-0,
Lost finals (Daytona Beach Astros)3-1

1982

|FSL

|South

|3rd

|69

|68

|.504

|15.5

1983

|FSL

|South

|3rd

|69

|68

|.504

|15.5

1984

|FSL

|South

|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|1st ^

|81

|60

|.574

|—

|Lost semifinals (Fort Lauderdale Yankees) 2-0

1985

|FSL

|West

|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|1st ^

|82

|57

|.590

|—

|bgcolor="#FFCCC"|Won semifinals (St. Petersburg Cardinals) 2-1,
Won finals (Fort Lauderdale Yankees) 3-1

1986

|FSL

|South

|4th

|50

|85

|.370

|37.5

1987

|FSL

|South

|6th

|54

|87

|.383

|30.5

Ballpark

The Fort Myers Royals played at Terry Park, located at 3410 Palm Beach Boulevard. Built in 1955, the historic ballpark was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. It sustained hurricane damage in 2004, that resulted in the grandstands being rebuilt.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ballparkreviews.com/fmyers/terry.htm|title = Terry Park - Fort Myers, Florida}} The ballpark still exists today as part of the Terry Park Sports Complex.{{Cite web|url=https://www.leegov.com/parks/facility?fid=0160|title = Facility}}

Notable alumni

Numerous Fort Myers Royals alumni reached the major leagues; some of note include:{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Fort%20Myers&state=FL&country=US&empty=0|title = Fort Myers, Florida Encyclopedia}}

Sean Berry (1987)
Mike Butcher (1987)
Tom Gordon (1987), MLB All-Star
Greg Hibbard (1987)
Ken Kravec (1987)
Brian McRae (1987)
Melido Perez (1987)
Jerry Terrell (1987, MGR)
Jacob Brumfield (1986)
Luis de los Santos (1985)
Kevin Seitzer (1985), 2 x MLB All-Star; 1987 AL hits leader
Gary Thurman (1985)
Bret Saberhagen (1983 3× MLB All-Star; 1985 World Series MVP; 1989 AL ERA leader; 2 × AL Cy Young Award (1985, 1989)
David Cone (1982), 5 x MLB All-Star; Perfect Game 7/18/1999; 1994 AL Cy Young Award
Mark Gubicza (1982), 2 x MLB All-Star
Dennis Leonard (1982, 1985), 1977 AL wins leader
Bill Pecota (1982–83)
Butch Davis (1981)
Tom Candiotti (1980)
Don Slaught (1980)
Atlee Hammaker (1979), MLB All-Star; 1983 NL ERA leader
Pat Sheridan (1979–80)
Gene Lamont (1978–80, MGR) 1993 AL Manager of the Year
Renie Martin (1978)
Darryl Motley (1978–80)

References

Category:Baseball teams established in 1978

Category:Defunct baseball teams in Florida

Category:Defunct Florida State League teams

Category:Baseball in Fort Myers, Florida

Category:Kansas City Royals minor league affiliates

Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 1987

Category:1978 establishments in Florida

Category:1987 disestablishments in Florida

Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1987