Kansas City erupts in World Series celebration

By Kevin Murphy KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - Jubilant Kansas City Royals fans poured onto the streets of Missouri's largest city on Sunday to celebrate a World Series triumph that marked a first Major League Baseball championship in 30 years. The Game Five 7-2 road win in 12 innings over the New York Mets at Citi Field gave the American League champions their first title since a 1985 triumph over cross-state rivals the St Louis Cardinals, and only their second ever triumph. Thousands of Royals fans crowded a downtown Kansas City entertainment district to watch the game on a giant outdoor video screen and at many surrounding bars. Fans stood 10 deep on the sidewalks to watch the action in front of some ale houses. When the last out was made, they jumped, high-fived, hugged and leaped for joy. Cabs and cars honked horns, dodging ecstatic pedestrians. "I feel amazing," Trevor Reynolds said as he thrust two triumphant fists into the air on a downtown sidewalk after the Royals sealed a 4-1 triumph in the best-of-seven series. "We haven't won this for 30 years." Much of the crowd appeared too young to remember or even exist when the Royals last won the series. "The last time they won I was a baby... in 1985," said a joyous Terryl Robinson. "I'm feeling good and happy to be a Kansas Citian." Fans had endured 29 years without seeing the Royals make the playoffs until last year, when they reached the deciding game of the World Series before losing to the San Francisco Giants by a single run. But on Sunday they saw their team fight back from a 2-0 deficit in the ninth, scoring two runs and sending the game into extra innings. The Royals then blew the game open with a five-run 12th to win the series. Kansas City, one of baseball's smallest markets, has feted the Royals across the community since the beginning of the playoffs. The city's many public fountains were dyed royal blue, while some statuary was donned in Royals garb. "I never thought would see this in my life," said Jake Miller, 24. "It's mind-boggling. It is something special beating a team from New York just because half the country thinks Kansas City is in Kansas. This puts us on the map and that is what I really like about it." "It pulled this city together in ways that it wouldn't in major cities," said fan John Weidensaul as he watched the game from a the sidewalk outside a bar. Jim Schlaman remembered when the Royals, first formed in 1969, won their last World Series when he was just seven. "This is fantastic," he said. "They've had a couple decades of down years and it's pretty exciting to have a winner." (Reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City. Editing by Chris Michaud/John O'Brien)