Alex Gordon Compares His Platinum to Red

Randy York’s N-Sider

Once Nebraska and Minnesota kick off Saturday on Senior Day, one of the first public introductions during the Top 25 showdown will be a chance for Big Red fans to welcome back to Memorial Stadium a former Husker baseball player who was a 2014 American League All-Star for the AL Champion Kansas City Royals. Expect Alex Gordon to get a hero’s welcome because countless Husker fans were glued to their television screens for a heavy chunk of October.

The capstone to Gordon’s magic carpet ride with the Royals was the Platinum Glove Award he received as the best defensive player in the American League. We caught up with the busy Royals’ icon who lives in his hometown of Lincoln during the off-season, and sometimes he catches himself daydreaming about what might have been if he had pursued football. Please join The N-Sider's conversation with Alex: 

Q: The American League Platinum Award goes to Alex Gordon! Biggest award ever?

A: I thought getting the (NCAA) National College Baseball Player of the Year Award at Nebraska was really special. Of all the awards (including his selections to the AL All-Star team), those two (the Platinum and the collegiate award) are the best because people can see you at the top of both awards. Both are very meaningful to me.

Q: You were an all-state safety in high school. Was college football even a possibility?

A: I think about it (playing college football) all the time. I love baseball, but the most fun I’ve ever had was putting on shoulder pads and a helmet. I enjoyed playing football. It’s one of those things where I wish I could have done both. But it was the best decision to focus on one sport and that was baseball. I was kind of slow, so I don’t think I would have made it in football. (After making that statement, Gordon enjoys a self-deprecating laugh). Seriously, I do think the rugged nature of playing football helped me play baseball. I’ve been asked how I made that switch so easily. I tell people I was a good receiver and a good cornerback in high school because I could go up after the ball and get it. I could make diving plays, too. I think that experience in football really helped me in the outfield. It was as good a transition as I could make.

Q: What was your most memorable moment in a postseason full of memorable moments?

A: Clinching the American League Championship (with a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles) to go to the World Series and celebrating on the field at home with my teammates...that had to be my favorite moment, experiencing the goose bumps before you win it and then all the relief and the joy that comes after you win it. It was memorable because my two boys (Max, 4, and Sam, 1) came out onto the field after we won to celebrate with us. I will never forget that moment.

Q: Have you ever dreamed about sliding head first into home plate and then looking up to see the umpire ruling SAFE and you win the World Series?

A: I’ve always wanted to hit an inside-the-park home run, but never had a chance to do it, and I don’t think I could come any closer than I did right there. It was a crazy play. I think it’s a single (when the Giants’ center fielder misplays the ball) when I hit it. It all happened so quickly (when the Giants’ left fielder initially fails to pick up the ball). You never know what’s going to happen. He (the left-fielder) had the ball so it was probably a good idea to hold me up on third. But if he would have sent me home, I would have done everything I could to score.

Q: You work in Kansas City and live in Lincoln in the off-season. Would you say you have the best of both worlds and why?

A: Part of the fun of the off-season is going to football games and enjoying time with friends I barely see throughout the season. I don’t get to spend much time with family and friends, so this is what the off-season is all about – going to football games on Saturdays. It’s a good chance to see our college friends and teammates.

Q: Are Big Red fans and Royal Blue fans a lot alike?

A: They’re both well respected fans who treat the game right. There’s not much around the stadium, so tailgating is big in Kansas City. The sights and sounds are different than they are in restaurants and other establishments. A lot of major league stadiums are downtown, and it’s different in Kansas City. When you’re driving up to “The K” at 1 or 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the parking lot is already packed tight with people tailgating. That’s a pretty cool way to drive to your job and see an atmosphere like that. It’s a great environment six hours before a game. We love to tailgate at Nebraska, too. It’s a great way to see and to catch up with friends.

Q: What will expectations be in 2015 after changing identities in 2014?

A: Win the World Series! Sometimes you need to take baby steps to get there. It’s been 29 years since we made the postseason. Our objective was to make the playoffs, and it was a great relief for our team and the city when we made the run. It was special. Expectations will be high. I’m looking for a better word for that, but that’s what they’ll be…high.”

Q: Do you think Nebraska can draw 15,000 on Husker Night next summer at “The K” and will you lead another GO BIG RED cheer if they do?

A: Nebraska always fills it up on Husker Night at The K. We have the best turnout of all (the area colleges). You don’t know how much my teammates made fun of me for leading that “Go Big Red!” cheer. They gave me a pretty hard time of it, but I don’t care. Sure, I'd do it again.

Q: When you wave to another Memorial Stadium sellout crowd Saturday, will it feel any differently than it has in the past?

A: Kansas City is great, but this is Lincoln, Nebraska. Athletics is a big part of this town. I’m glad I can still be a part of this University. Football means so much to so many of us, including me.

Q: Nebraska will host the Big Ten Baseball Tournament at TD Ameritrade Park in 2016 and 2018. How fun will that be for a college kid?

A: That’s a big deal to have that tournament in Nebraska. It’s great to have the kind of fans who cheer us on. I still remember going to and playing in the College World Series in Omaha. There was so much excitement around that stadium and so much love from the fans.

Q: How far can Erstad take Nebraska in the home state for all of college baseball?

 A: He can get us there. He might need a little time, but he has the personality and the experience. His name alone helps recruiting and once kids get to Lincoln, he can teach them the game. He’s the perfect fit to make it happen.

Q: Tim Miles was the Big Ten and National Basketball Coach of the Year last season. Did you ever imagine such a thing at Nebraska?

A: He’s a popular guy. I’ve never heard a negative thing about him. I tell people we’re a basketball school now, and they know we have a special environment here. I enjoy going to the games and watching the way we play and how the crowd gets behind the team. (See Gordon three photos above with Nebraska basketball players/Kansas City natives Shavon Shields and Bennie Parker at last summer's Husker Night at The K). I’m a basketball fan now and have never seen this kind of situation in Lincoln. It’s definitely exciting…for everyone!

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