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(AP) - It's been 19 years since George Brett retired, and he remains the face of the Royals.

The George Brett Bridge gets you across Interstate 70 and into Kauffman Stadium, and the .390 Bar and Grill awaits you once you pass by his statue and head through Gate B.

It makes sense, too, when you consider the Royals have been baseball's laughingstock the past two decades.

They haven't made the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series, and haven't had a winning season since 2003.

Their fans have had little to cheer about after the All-Star break.

Well, this is their moment in the spotlight.

The best of Major League Baseball has converged on Kansas City for the All-Star game, giving fans in baseball's backwater a reason to celebrate.

And judging by the way they've turned out all weekend, their passion for the game has not been dimmed by decades of losing.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)