4 Commemorative Royals Statues as '08 Giveaways

OMAHA - As part of the Omaha Royals 40th season celebration in 2008, commemorative statues of four former Omaha Royals players or managers will be given away to fans. This off-season, the team is asking its fans to choose which former Royals will be honored in the commemorative statue promotion. The fans will be able to choose from among five players or managers who wore the Omaha Royals uniform in each of the Triple-A club's four decades - from the 1970's through the current decade. Voting begins today at www.oroyals.com on which Royals player from the 1980's should be honored with the statue giveaway. The online voting for the 1980's commemorative statue will be followed by fan voting for the statue from the 1990's, then the 1970's and finally, the current decade.

"We are very excited to be celebrating our 40th season here in Omaha," said Rob Crain, Royals Director of Marketing. "The Omaha Royals have seen many Major League and a few Hall of Fame players. This promotion gives our fans the opportunity to be a part of this very exciting celebration."

Listed below are the Omaha Royals from the 1980's whom fans will be voting on:

David Cone - pitched in the Major Leagues from 1986-2003, posting a career record of 194-126 and a 3.46 ERA in 450 games...pitched for Kansas City in 1986 and 1993-94, winning his only Cy Young Award in '94 when he was 16-5 with a 2.94 ERA...was a 5-time All-Star and won 20 games twice...went 12-3 in the post-season, including 5-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 6 World Series games...pitched for Omaha in 1985-86.

Kevin Appier - pitched in the big leagues from 1989-2004, going 169-137 with a 3.74 career ERA...pitched for Kansas City from 1989-1999 and again in 2003-2004...his lone All-Star selection came in 1995...finished 3rd in the Cy Young Award voting in 1993 after leading the A.L. with a 2.56 ERA and winning a career-best 18 games that season...pitched for Omaha in 1989-90 and made rehab appearances here in 1998 and 2004.

Jeff Montgomery - pitched 12 seasons for Kansas City (1988-1999) and is the club's all-time saves leader with 304...the 3-time All-Star was the Rolaids A.L. Reliever of the Year in 1993 when he finished tied for the league lead with 45 saves, tying a club record...was inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame in 2003...pitched for Omaha in 1988, when he led the club with 13 saves.

Tom "Flash" Gordon - pitched for Omaha in 1986 and 1988...pitched for Kansas City 1988-1995 and spent his 19th season in the big leagues in 2007 with Philadelphia...finished 2nd in the A.L. Rookie of the Year voting in 1988, after going 17-9 with a 3.64 ERA for Kansas City...named the Rolaids A.L. Reliever of the Year in 1998, when he had 46 saves for the Red Sox...is a 3-time All-Star, most recently in 2006 when he posted 34 saves for the Phillies...is 135-121 with a 3.93 ERA and 156 saves in 853 career games in the Major Leagues.

Mike Macfarlane - drafted by Kansas City in the 4th round of the 1985 amateur draft, he played for Omaha in 1987-88 and spent 13 seasons (1987-1999) catching in the big leagues, mostly with the Royals...hit 129 career home runs in 1,164 Major League games...led the A.L. in being hit by pitches twice, in 1992 and 1994.

For more information, contact Kevin McNabb, Director of Media Relations, at (402) 738-5103.