Here in Bloomington-Normal, we know Denny Matthews as a native son with a plaque in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A broadcaster for the Kansas City Royals since their inception in 1969, Matthews earned his place in Cooperstown as the 2007 Ford C. Frick Award recipient.
The former Trinity High School and Illinois Wesleyan standout athlete has been the “Voice of the Royals” for decades, recently completing his 57th season.
Growing up in Atchison, Kansas, Amy Baker first knew Matthews as just that: the soothing voice of her beloved baseball team.
“She had kind of a rough childhood,” Matthews said. “She would grab her radio and run out of the house when things got tense. She’d run down the street and sit on the curb and listen to the Royals.”
A former softball star, Baker went on to become a surgical dental assistant. One day – “About 17 years ago,” Matthews said – she met the “Voice” in person.
Matthews had undergone a minor gum procedure and, five days later, returned as scheduled to have sutures removed. That job fell to Baker.
“She took the sutures out … almost,” Matthews said. “She left one in because she wanted me to come back. Pretty clever. That’s how it all evolved.”
Matthews invited Baker to attend a Royals game as his guest in the radio booth “for an inning or two.” Baker wound up staying for the whole game. At no point did Matthews say, “It’s time for you to go.”
He loved having her there.
“I guess you could say that was our first real date,” Matthews said. “I’m a charmer, aren’t I?”
Baker is still by Matthews’ side. And on Nov. 15, they will be married at the home of the Royals, Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City.
Matthews will turn 83 the day before they say “I do.” The marriage is the first for both.
“We’re rookies,” Matthews joked.
Those who know him had long concluded Matthews would be a bachelor for life. He understands that, saying news of his engagement “shocked the Twin Cities.”
So why now?
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Matthews said. “It’s the familiarity with somebody. No secrets. As you get older, it’s more of a team now. She and I are a good team. She’ll do things that I don’t do. I can provide her with things that she couldn’t and vice versa. It’s a good combo.”
The wedding will be in a large room inside Kaufmann Stadium. Doing it outside in mid-November was a weather risk they weren’t willing to take.
Instead, roughly 150 guests will be warm and dressed in game-day attire. So will the wedding party.
Matthews and three “best men” – his brothers Doug, Steve and Mike – will be in Royals jerseys with their names and favorite numbers on the back. Amy and her three best friends/bridesmaids will be as well.
“We didn’t want it to be black tie and formals and have everybody have to get tuxes and pretty dresses,” Matthews said. “If you’re coming to a ballgame, wear what you’d bring to the ballgame … Royals gear, your jersey, your sweatshirt, your T-shirt, whatever you want.”
The cuisine will be familiar, too. Ballpark food will be served as opposed to a former dinner.
“It’s a little different from a normal wedding,” Matthews said. “It’s going to be fun.”
Still in the game
Matthews has been around sports his entire life. After starring at Trinity (now Central Catholic), he was a wide receiver in football and second baseman in baseball at Illinois Wesleyan, graduating in 1966. He played on the final IWU football team to defeat Illinois State, part of the Titans’ undefeated season in 1965.
His time with the Royals has included World Series championships in 1985 and 2015. With 57 years in the booth, is he shooting for 60?
“You better not make those plans. I think you better take it game by game,” he said, laughing. “I’m taking it year by year now since I don’t have to travel, which is a tremendous burden lifted. Boy, that gets old.”
Matthews has worked home games only for several years, though he does travel to St. Louis each year and made a trip to Chicago this season when the Royals played at Wrigley Field.
“Amy and I and another couple took the train from Kansas City to Chicago and I did the three Cubs games,” he said.
Connecting with Rave
Matthews enjoyed his interaction this season with Royals outfielder John Rave, a former Central Catholic and Illinois State star who made his big-league debut.
The 27-year-old Rave appeared in 72 games and had 153 at bats, batting .196 with four home runs, 30 runs scored and 14 driven in.
“We had a good time, good conversations,” Matthews said. “I chided him for breaking all my records at Central Catholic. I had to get on him about that. Then I said, ‘I’m fine with that, but why in the heck did you go to Illinois State instead of Illinois Wesleyan?’
“We had fun with the ISU-Wesleyan thing. Of course, everybody else in my family went to Illinois State.”
That includes his father, George Matthews, who was ISU’s first All-American baseball player in 1939 and also played basketball. He is a member of the Percy Family Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame.
