KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals invited Judy Manning and her family to Tuesday night's game to honor the legacy of her late husband, Shannon Manning, a Hallmark artist who designed the team's original crown emblem that's the inspiration for design of the Kauffman Stadium scoreboard.
KSHB 41 News Reporter Ryan Gamboa first told the Manning's story back in April after the Royals announced plans for a downtown stadium.
The Royals saw Gamboa's story and invited Manning to Tuesday night's game to honor the family.
Shannon Manning, who passed away about four years ago, was recruited by Hallmark in 1967 to work in its package design department.
Shannon's design was selected after the Kauffman family asked Hallmark designers to create a lasting emblem for the new team.
"They chose Shannon's over 16 to 20 people who designed emblems, but they chose Shannon's, which was a wise decision I thought," Judy Manning said in an April interview.
His design and emblem are still worn and celebrated today. It can be seen in various forms across Kauffman Stadium and on fan apparel.
On Tuesday night, Judy was invited onto the field, where she delivered the game ball to the pitcher's mound.
"That was easy," Judy Manning said after delivering the game ball in front of a cheering crowd.
Her daughter, Nancy Manning Smith, called the moment a milestone for the entire family.
"Seeing that his artwork is still recognized after 50 years, he would just be thrilled," she said. "It's a full circle moment."
In the latest renderings for the Royals planned downtown stadium, Manning's crown design in the scoreboard still sits beyond the outfield wall — a sign that his contribution to the franchise will likely carry forward into the team's next chapter.
"I am so proud of being his wife," Judy Manning said. "I watched him grow and produce that beautiful emblem. It brings tears to my eyes. It really does. To see people enjoying the emblem, and I think it's here to stay... I'm just a real proud lady right now."
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