Kansas City Monarchs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kansas City Monarchs
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
League	Negro National League (1920–1931) Independent (1932–1936) Negro American League (1937–1961) Independent (1962–1965)
Location	Kansas City, Missouri
Ballpark	Association Park (1920–1923) Muehlebach Field (1923–1955) a.k.a. Ruppert Stadium (1937–1942) a.k.a. Blues Stadium (1943–1954) a.k.a. Municipal Stadium (1955) Valley Field, Grand Rapids (1956–1965)
Year established	1920
Year disbanded	1965
Nickname(s)	Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan 1956–65 but retained Kansas City as their name
League titles	1923 1924 1925 1929 1937 1939 1940 1941 1942 1946 1953 1957
Negro World Series championships	1924 1942

The Kansas City Monarchs were a very famous baseball team from the Negro Leagues. They played in Kansas City, Missouri, and were one of the longest-running teams in Negro League history. The team was started in 1920 by J. L. Wilkinson, who was the first white owner of a Negro League team.

The Monarchs were known for being innovators. In 1930, they became the first professional baseball team to use a portable lighting system. This meant they could play games at night, which was five years before any Major League Baseball team did! The Monarchs won many championships, including the first ever Negro World Series in 1924. They almost always had a winning record and helped more players reach the Major Leagues than any other Negro League team. The team finally stopped playing in 1965.

Early Years: Negro National League

The Monarchs team was put together in 1920. Owner J. L. Wilkinson brought in talented players from his old team, the All Nations, and from a military team called the 25th Infantry Wreckers. Some of the early stars included pitcher and outfielder Bullet Rogan, who later became a Hall of Famer, and sluggers like Dobie Moore and Heavy Johnson.

The Monarchs quickly became strong rivals with the Chicago American Giants, another powerful team led by Rube Foster. After a few years, the Monarchs hired José Méndez as their manager in 1923, and he led them to their first league championship.

Winning the First Negro World Series

Frank Duncan, a Monarchs player in 1924

In 1924, the Monarchs won the league championship again. This led them to play in the very first Negro League World Series. They faced the Eastern Colored League champions, the Hilldale Daisies, from Pennsylvania. The Monarchs won the exciting series, with José Méndez pitching incredibly well.

The Monarchs won the league title again in 1925. However, they lost the World Series to Hilldale that year because their star pitcher, Bullet Rogan, was injured. Key players during these early years included Newt Allen, a great second baseman, and Frank Duncan, a catcher.

New Stars and More Wins

In 1926, Bullet Rogan took over as player-manager when José Méndez returned to Cuba. The Monarchs continued to have amazing pitchers like Chet Brewer, William Bell, and Andy Cooper. They also added the famous Cuban outfielder Cristóbal Torriente. Sadly, star shortstop Dobie Moore's career ended due to an injury that year.

The Monarchs kept winning, taking both halves of the 1929 Negro National League title. They had an incredible record of 62 wins and only 17 losses, which was one of the best records ever for a Negro League team.

Barnstorming and the Negro American League

After the first Negro National League ended, the Monarchs spent several years as an independent team. They traveled a lot, playing games across the Midwest, West, and Canada. This was called "barnstorming." During this time, new stars like pitcher Hilton Smith and slugger Willard Brown joined the team. Willard Brown was known for hitting many home runs in the 1940s.

In 1937, the Monarchs became founding members of the Negro American League. Under manager Andy Cooper, they won the first league title. They continued their winning streak, taking the pennant in 1939 and 1940.

The Satchel Paige Era

Jackie Robinson

The Monarchs gained their most famous player, Satchel Paige, in 1940. Satchel Paige was already a legend, known as one of the best pitchers in black baseball. Even though many thought his career was over due to an arm injury, he recovered and became the Monarchs' biggest draw.

Satchel Paige was famous for his incredible pitching and many stories, both true and exaggerated. For example, it's said he would sometimes tell his outfielders to sit down while he struck out the batter! He led a fantastic pitching staff that included fellow Hall of Famer Hilton Smith. The Monarchs won another league title in 1946 but lost the World Series that year.

Developing Future Major League Stars

In 1945, a talented player named Jackie Robinson played shortstop for the Monarchs. He hit very well, and in 1946, he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, playing in the minor leagues in 1946 and then becoming the first African American player in Major League Baseball in 1947.

As baseball slowly became desegregated in the late 1940s and 1950s, the Monarchs became known for finding and developing black talent for the Major Leagues. They sent more players to the majors than any other Negro League team. Besides Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige, other Monarchs who became Major League stars included Ernie Banks, Elston Howard, and Hank Thompson.

Later Years and New Leadership

After Andy Cooper, Newt Allen and then Frank Duncan managed the team. Frank Duncan led the Monarchs to two league titles and one World Series win. Later, longtime first baseman Buck O'Neil took over as manager.

In 1948, J. L. Wilkinson sold the Monarchs to Tom Baird. The team continued to win division titles in the Negro American League, even as the league started to decline in size and quality. Buck O'Neil won two league titles as manager in 1953 and 1955.

Home Fields and Moving to Grand Rapids

The Monarchs played their home games at Association Park from 1920 to 1923. Then they moved to Muehlebach Field, which was also known as Ruppert Stadium or Blues Stadium at different times. They played there until 1955.

In 1956, the team's owner, Tom Baird, sold many players to Major League teams. He then sold the team to Ted Rasberry, who moved the team's base to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Even though they moved, they kept the name "Kansas City Monarchs." From 1956 on, the Monarchs mostly traveled and played games as a barnstorming team. The Negro American League stopped operating in 1962, and the Monarchs finally disbanded after the 1965 season.

Baseball Hall of Famers

Many amazing players and important figures from the Kansas City Monarchs have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Other Famous Players

• Newt Allen (1922–1930, 1934, 1941)
• Gene Baker (1948) MLB All-Star
• Elston Howard (1948–1950) 12 x MLB All-Star; 1963 AL Most Valuable Player
• Connie Johnson (1941–1942, 1946–1948, 1950)
• Buck O'Neil (1938–1943, 1946–1955)
• Bartolo Portuondo (1920–1922)
• Hank Thompson (1943, 1946–1948)
• Quincy Trouppe (1932, 1935)

Legacy of the Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs left a huge mark on baseball history. They were a powerhouse team and played a key role in the development of black baseball talent.

Team Name Revived

In 2021, a minor league baseball team in Kansas City, Kansas, called the Kansas City T-Bones changed their name to the Kansas City Monarchs. This was done with the approval of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, keeping the famous name alive.

Honored by the Royals

The Kansas City Royals, a Major League Baseball team, often honor the Monarchs. They wear special replica Monarchs uniforms during some of their games. These "throwback" jerseys are often auctioned off to raise money for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

See also

• Category:Kansas City Monarchs players - a full list of players who played for the Monarchs
• Kansas City Monarchs (2021–present) - the independent baseball team that now uses the Monarchs' name