From the early 20th century to the 1950's, the jewel in the Negro Leagues' crown was the Kansas City Monarchs team. The Negro Leagues were born out of necessity. Jim Crow would not permit African Americans to play in organized baseball with their white counterparts. The Monarchs did get to play a white team in the American Association, called the Kansas City Blues, and usually won. Among the greats who wore the Monarchs uniform were Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson. After Jackie joined the Dodgers in 1947, the Negro Leagues began to fade. The raison d'etre no longer existed. But we are glad that they were able to furnish us with so many great ballplayers, many of whom are enshrined in Cooperstown, or soon will be. Please check out the great book about the Monarchs, called The Kansas City Monarchs: Champions of Black Baseball written by Janet Bruce
Kansas City was also a stop for the Athletics in their sojourn from Philadelphia to Oakland. The Kansas City Athletics played from 1955 to 1967. They never made it to the World Series, but several baseball greats made their way over to the New York Yankees, where they really shined. One of them was Roger Maris. This team was replaced by the Kansas City Royals in 1969.
There is a minor league team in the Northern League, called the Kansas City T-Bones. They moved from Duluth MN after the 2002 season. Their ballpark is called Community/America Ballpark, located on the western outskirts of Kansas City, Kansas near the Kansas Speedway. The T-Bones' website is at www.tbonesbaseball.com
After the Athletics were run out of town in 1967, there was no major league baseball in Kansas City until 1969. That year Major League Baseball added two more teams in both the American and National Leagues. One of the new American League teams is the Kansas City Royals. The Royals were the second expansion team to be in a World Series, in 1980, losing to the Phillies. Five years later they would play the Cardinals in the I-70 series, and win it all in seven games. One of the Hall of Famers who played on this team is George Brett. You can access their main website by entering www.royals.com
On October 6, 2006 baseball legend Buck O'Neil passed away at the age of 94. Buck had starred in the Negro Leagues, especially the Kansas City Monarchs, and later was a coach with the Chicago Cubs. Later he was an ambassador of baseball and a fountain of baseball history.
RIP Buck and thanks for the memories.
In 2008 the T-Bones won the Northern League championship. They will be defending it in 2009.
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