Kansas City vs. San Francisco: How the Rival World Series Cities Stack Up

Only one team can claim ownership to Journey's song "Don't Stop Believin'."

ByABC News
October 29, 2014, 3:07 AM
Kansas City Royals fans hold up signs during the sixth inning of Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Oct. 28, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas City Royals fans hold up signs during the sixth inning of Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Oct. 28, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo.
David J. Phillip/AP Photo

— -- The baseball season all comes down to this -- one final game tonight to decide 2014’s champion: the Kansas City Royals against the San Francisco Giants for baseball immortality in Game 7.

This is the first time the World Series has reached a seventh game since 2011, when the St. Louis Cardinals topped the Texas Rangers. The previous Game 7 before that came in 2002.

Kansas City has home-field advantage in the game -- but the outcome remains very much in the balance, pitting two teams and fan bases against each other. Here’s how Kansas City and San Francisco stack up, on and off the field.

Giants Vs. Royals

Game 7 Starting Pitcher

Giants: Tim Hudson

Royals: Jeremy Guthrie

Manager

Giants: Bruce Bochy

San Francisco Giants Manager Bruce Bochy speaks during a news conference, Oct. 27, 2014, in Kansas City.

Royals: Ned Yost

Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost fixes his sweatshirt before Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Oct. 28, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo.

Last Championship

Giants: 2012

Royals: 1985

Iconic Moment

Giants: ‘The Catch’ by Willie Mays, 1954

Royals: ‘The Pine Tar Game’ featuring George Brett, 1983

Franchise History

Giants: Began play in 1886 (in New York); moved to San Francisco following 1957 season

Royals: Began play in 1969

World Series Titles

Giants: 7

Royals: 1

Notable Fan Attire

Giants: Panda outfits

A fan cheers during the ninth inning of Game 5 of baseball's World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants, Oct. 26, 2014, in San Francisco.

Royals: Crowns

A Kansas City Royals fan watches during the second inning of Game 6 of baseball's World Series against the San Francisco Giants, Oct. 28, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo.

Connection to the Journey Song ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’

Giants: Started playing the song during 2010 World Series run. The song has become the team’s unofficial anthem.

Royals: Fans voted to play the song during 2014 season, but with Kansas City facing the Giants in the World Series, the song was swapped for Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

San Francisco vs. Kansas City, Missouri

City History

San Francisco: Founded in 1776

Kansas City: Incorporated in 1853

Notable City Nickname

San Francisco: The City by the Bay

Kansas City: City of Fountains

Food for Thought

San Francisco: Rice-a-Roni, “The San Francisco Treat”

Kansas City: The “world’s barbecue capital”

Kansas City, Miss. is known as the "world's barbecue capital."

Tourist Spot

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge

Kansas City: National World War I Museum

Cultural Flashpoint

San Francisco: 1967, “The Summer of Love”

Kansas City: 1930s, Jazz Era

Key Song

San Francisco: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” performed by Tony Bennett

Kansas City: “Kansas City,” performed by Wilbert Harrison

Notable Natives

San Francisco: William Randolph Hearst, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Bruce Lee

Kansas City: Burt Bacharach, Don Cheadle, Edie McClurg