Moustakas Crossing: Neighborhood sign at end of era with former Royal’s retirement
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A novelty warning sign on Rockhill Road that has greeted ersby since the Royals made it to the postseason in 2014 will be retired on Saturday, when Royals legend Mike Moustakas retires as a Royal.
The reflective yellow, diamond-shaped crossing sign features the silhouette of a moose and the words “MOUSTAKAS XING.” It’s attached to one of the Oak trees lining the block between 60th and 61st Streets, marking the home of Katie Mabry van Dieren and her husband, Owen van Dieren.
“My dad is a 50-year season ticket holder, John Mabry,” said Katie. “One of his friends worked for a sign company, and we don’t really know which one of us came up with the idea. I think it was him because I would if I came up with that.”
Her dad’s friend made three, one for himself, one for her dad’s home in Leawood, and another for Owen and Katie.
“I don’t even think he knew where we were going to put it,” said Owen, “but that oak tree out there worked out pretty good.”
THE JOY OF BRINGING JOY
The couple takes pleasure from seeing people stop to take photos, but what really warmed Katie’s heart was the older man who rang their doorbell one morning.
“He said, ‘I’m moving to Santa Barbara with to be closer to my son and daughter. And I have all kinds of paraphernalia. Do you want it? It’s in my car,’” Katie recounted. “And I said, ‘Yes.’ So, he gave us this head.”
She pointed to a papier mache creation she had pulled off the top of a bookshelf. The bright blue beast bore antlers nearly three feet wide and a nose about as long.
“Is that Bullwinkle?” Owen asked when he first saw it.
The moment he speaks the name of the mid-century cartoon buddy of Rocky the squirrel, it clicks. The resemblance is spot on.
“I don’t think Moustakas when I look at that,” Owen said with a wry grin, “but the gentleman who made it does, and that’s really all that matters.”
Moustakas isn’t their favorite from the 2015 World Series Champion. Owen’s guy is Alcides Escobar. But “Moose” is a fan favorite and a nickname that easily translates to an animal crossing.
THE NEXT GENERATION
Among those who cracked a grin when he first saw the sign eleven years ago is Justin Shoemaker. He lives at the south end of the block. For years, he just enjoyed it. Then, Vinnie Pasquantino signed with the Royals, and the van Dieren’s whimsical warning sign inspired him to add an animal crossing sign in front of his house.
“Just trying to keep the positivity of the Royals theme going,” Shoemaker said.
Unlike Katie and Owen, he didn’t have a connection to a sign maker, so he went online to order his “PASQUATCH XING” sign.
“I had to go online and my own thing,” Shoemaker said. “I even put KC on the hat on top of the Pasquatch.”
READ MORE: What does The Pasquatch do when Vinnie isn’t on base? We went into his lair to find out
He got the sign as the Royals were poised to enter the postseason last year. He recently felt the need to seek approval from up the street.
“I didn’t want to be the copycat,” Shoemaker said. “I just wanted to add some more Royals to the street, but I didn’t want to take away from the Moustakas sign.”
This time, it was Owen who answered the ring of their doorbell. The eclectic couple gave the Pasquatch Crossing an enthusiastic thumbs up.
“We had to do a double-take,” he said. “Thought it was pretty cool. Like truly. The more the better.”
The van Dierens retired their OG sign on Thursday. The Royals accepted their offer to donate it to the Hall of Fame. It seemed like as good a time as any with the Moose himself retiring Saturday.
Friends might have to look for their house number now.
“I hope they don’t get lost,” said Owen, “but it’ll be all right. There’ll be something else replacing it before long.”
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