For the first time in team history, the Royals will employ an honorary manager. On opening day Buck O’Neill will suit up for the Royals and hand the lineup to the umpires along with manager Buddy Bell. Earlier this month, O’Neill was snubbed by the Baseball Hall of Fame, which inducted 17 people associated the Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues. O’Neil, who was a two-time Negro Leagues batting champ and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs, is the chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
