A review of “The Royal” — good flick, somewhat disappointing

As they say, “The reviews are in”.  Or, at least, one review is in on “The Royal” – the movie that depicts the up and down life story of Seneca native Willie Aikens.  Playing for the Kansas City Royals in 1980, Aikens and his star-studded team made it to the World Series.  And, although the Royals lost the series, Aikens was the individual batting star.  His major league career, however, ended prematurely in the 1980s, a period of emerging cocaine use in the country, when he was arrested and received a 20-year federal prison sentence.  If there’s irony in that, it is that the same offense is viewed less seriously today by the federal government.  If convicted today, Aikens would face only a sentence of a year or two.  Seneca’s Charley Thompson, the retired educator and athletic coach, remains today one of Aikens’ closest Seneca friends; so, it was a natural that Thompson wanted to see the movie right away—which he did at his daughter’s home last week in Pendleton.  He said it’s a good movie, but he believes there are some details in the movie that are inaccurate.  If there’s a disappointment, The Royal had only passing reference to Aikens’ hometown.