KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Trevor Vance, who is in his 38th season with the Royals and 28th as the Sr. Director of Groundskeeping and Landscaping, will be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at the annual Baseball & Softball Luncheon on Wednesday, May 18 at 11:00 a.m. at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Mo.
“Trevor’s expertise, professionalism and attention to detail are admired and respected by our entire industry,” said Dayton Moore, Royals President of Baseball Operations. “All players — ours and the opposition — love playing on our field because they know it will be perfect, no matter what the Kansas City weather is doing that day. We’re proud that his talents and hard work are being recognized with this honor.”
Vance will be one of four individuals inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on May 18, along with four high school programs/teams.
Vance oversees the supervision and overall operation of the natural grass field at Kauffman Stadium. He also works with the Dominican Academy, Urban Youth Academy and minor league groundskeepers to support and promote safe playing surfaces through the organization.
Vance joined Kansas City’s Major League groundscrew as a part-time member in 1985 and became a full-time member in 1988. He was named Assistant Groundskeeper in 1993, before assuming his current post prior to the 1995 season.
A native of Raytown, Mo., and a 1985 graduate of Raytown High School, Vance was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in September of 2015. He attended the University of Central Missouri.
Vance will be the third member of the Royals organization to be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame this year, following Mike Swanson, who was inducted in January following a 43-year career in Major League Baseball, including the last 15 as the Vice President of Communications and Broadcast with the Royals, and Linda Smith, who was inducted last week. Smith spent 37 of her 46 years in Major League Baseball with the Royals and retired following the 2017 season.
