Dick Schmidt is a seasonal employee with the Royals. He's never hit a home run or tagged a base, but he's sporting a World Series Championship ring.
"Oh my God, they thought I was Eric Hosmer or somebody!" Schmidt said of showing his ring to fans. "They were just all over me, taking pictures, they wanted to try it on."
He's not complaining. He was surprised to get a ring. Royals Publicity Coordinator Amanda Turk was shocked too.
"I was legitimately shaking when I was handed the box," Turk said.
The yellow gold band is encrusted with diamonds and sapphires. The edges look like a crown. It's even personalized with last names.
The left side is the one which honors the moment fans love most.
“The special part, right there, those five diamonds on the bottom of the trophy. Those symbolize the five runs scored in Game 5 to win the World Series last year," Turk explained.
The Glass family purchased more than 700 rings, gifting them to longtime employees and those connected to the Royals organization. They believe it to be worth every penny to make sure everyone working behind the scenes feels a part of the championship team.
"This was one of their many ways of thanking us, but we’re all so grateful it’s truly hard to put into words how we feel," Turk said.
"I told Dan Glass personally, and I thanked him, and he thanked me. He said 'we're all in this together,'" Schmidt added.
Fans can purchase replica rings by visiting Jostens' website.
Fans also have the chance to win a real ring like the players have by entering to win from the Royals Charities.
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Lexi Sutter can be reached at lexi.sutter@kshb.com.
