'A dream come true': Gordon takes his place in Royals Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY -- The gold of the No. 4 still shimmers when the light hits it just right, and the silhouette of Alex Gordon’s iconic pose as he rounded first base following his home run in Game 1 of the 2015 World Series immediately brings back memories of that moment, that player and that season in Royals history.

The plaque still hangs on the top of the locker right inside the Royals’ clubhouse, a dedication to Gordon from when he retired in 2020.

Bobby Witt Jr. has since moved into the locker, chosen because of what he means to the team, the franchise and Kansas City. Whoever makes that locker home has to emulate Gordon’s unquenchable work ethic, steadfast dignity and team-first attitude.

Perhaps it was fitting, then, that Witt was the one to suggest that the Royals ditch their City Connect uniforms on Friday against the A’s, which they typically wear for Friday home games, and don their home whites instead. Every position player, Witt suggested, should have a pine tar streak across his name on the back of his jersey -- a tribute to Gordon, who had the same smear every day for nearly his whole career.

This is Gordon’s legacy, and beyond the eight Gold Gloves and two Platinum Gloves and the .257/.338/.410 career slash line and 34.5 bWAR and the World Series he helped bring back to Kansas City, it’s the reason Gordon was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.

The model Royal.

“A couple years ago -- I don’t want to say a lot of years ago -- I got to the stadium at 6 a.m. in Spring Training,” Salvador Perez said. “I saw him coming from the weight room, super sweaty and ready to go. I told myself, ‘What kind of player do you want to be?’ Things like that, I learned from him.”

• Royals Hall of Fame members

What was brought up so many times during Friday’s pregame ceremony was Gordon’s relentless dedication to his work. He was regimented in his routines and gave everything he had when he walked into the ballpark.

“One-hundred percent, all of the time,” former manager and Royals Hall of Famer Ned Yost said.

“One thing I am proud about is just how I played this game, whether it was good or bad,” Gordon added. “You’re going to get the same me every time I came into that clubhouse.”

Gordon was talented, a highly touted third-base prospect whom the Royals drafted No. 2 overall in the 2005 MLB Draft out of Nebraska. He made his debut two years later.

But it wasn’t easy at first. Gordon’s rise to the powder blue Hall of Fame jacket he was given on Friday was anything but linear.

In May 2010, Gordon was demoted to Triple-A. He was hitting .194 in the Majors. The Royals needed him to work on his swing. And they needed him to learn left field. A young infielder named Mike Moustakas was quickly rising through the Minor Leagues.

“I got up here after one year in the Minor Leagues, and everyone was looking at me as the next George Brett,” Gordon said. “I kind of let those expectations get the best of me. I think it was injuries and everything like that, in 2009 and ‘10, making the position change and I kind of just was going through a lot of struggles. It was a hard time for me during my career.”

Gordon worked with longtime coach Rusty Kuntz to make the defensive switch. The rest is history; Gordon is now considered the best left fielder in Royals history. He would not have gotten there without dedicating himself to the work.

“I appreciate the help I got from others,” Gordon said. “Rusty, Mitch Maier, David DeJesus … the guys that taught me how to play the outfield. … I just kept putting in the work, day after day. Kept getting better. It just never stopped.”

Gordon ranks in the top 10 in Royals history in several categories, including games played (sixth, 1,753), home runs (fifth, 190), RBIs (seventh, 749), hits (sixth, 1,643), walks (third, 684), doubles (fifth, 357) and total bases (sixth, 2,622).

Gordon is one of six position players to play 14 or more seasons for the Royals, along with Brett, Willie Wilson, Amos Otis, Hal McRae and Frank White.

Gordon received a present from his mom, Leslie, on Friday, a poster filled with pictures from Gordon’s career. The range of photos stretch all the way back to Gordon’s childhood, photos of him with his three brothers at Royals games.

They used to sit in the stands at The K and dream about becoming professional baseball players.

On Friday, Gordon became part of an exclusive club of the best players in franchise history.

“I’m proud to be a Kansas City Royal as long as I’ve been,” Gordon said. “This was my team growing up. And now that this is kind of unfolding, it’s a dream come true.”