Arguably the greatest franchise in black baseball history, the Kansas City Monarchs  trace their beginnings back to J.L. Wilkinson’s famous All Nations of Des Moines, Iowa in 1912.  A powerful force in the Midwest, led by ace pitcher, John Donaldson, the club moved to Kansas City in 1915.

When Rube Foster was organizing the Negro National League, he wanted only black owners, but allowed Wilkinson to be involved because of Wilkinson’s color-blindness.  It was, as most of Foster’s were, an excellent decision.  The Kansas City Monarchs became charter members of the NNL, and over the years were perhaps black baseball’s most successful team both on the field and in the box office.

In 1920, the initial Monarchs team drew players from the 1919 Detroit Stars and recruits from the great army squads.  It included Bullet Joe Rogan, Dobie Moore, John Donaldson, Hurley McNair, Rube Currie, Sam Crawford, Dink Mothell, and George Carr.  Kansas City finished in a tie for second, with a 41-29 record.  The 1921 squad went 50-31, a half-game behind Chicago in a mildly disputed campaign.  The Monarchs tied for third in 1922 at 46-33, and cruised to the first of three straight NNL titles 1923, finishing at 57-33.  In 1924, they were 55-22, and they represented the NNL in the first official Colored World Series against the Eastern Colored League Champions, Hilldale.  Tied at four games a piece, with one tie, Monarchs manager Jose Mendez, the great Cuban veteran, pitched a three-hit 5-0 shutout to take the title.  They again were best in the NNL overall in 1925 at 62-23, but had to defeat the heavy hitting St. Louis Stars in a seven game playoff in order to again meet Hilldale.  This time, with ace Wilber “Bullet Joe” Rogan sidelined by a freak accident, Kansas City fell five games to one.

In 1926, Kansas City had the best overall record again at 57-21.  The Monarchs won the first half, and played second half winners the Chicago American Giants in a rousing playoff.  Ahead four games to three in a best of nine series, youngster Willie foster

out-dualled Bullet Joe in both games of a doubleheader, ending KC’s string of titles. 

1927 saw a terrific five team race in the NNL, with Kansas City finishing out of the money even with a 54-29 record.  In 1928 they were 50-31, again second best. 

The 1929 entry won both halves finishing 62-17.  But the ECL had folded and no World Series was played with American Negro League Champion Baltimore.  In 1930, the Monarchs were nosed out by St. Louis for the first half title despite a 31-14 mark.  During the second half they scheduled a long country-wide barnstorming tour with the Homestead Grays.  During the trip, the team cars were involved in a nasty accident.  Rogan and others were lost to the Monarchs.  Upon returning to NNL play, still missing these important members, the team fell out of pennant contention.

Kansas City dropped out of the NNL for 1931, and the league itself folded later that year.  Between 1930 and 1937, Kansas City would often rejoin the league for a brief time, but the Monarchs were mainly barnstorming around the country, playing many night games under their new portable lighting system.

When the Negro American League was started in 1937, Kansas City returned officially and was first half winner and NAL titlist after beating Chicago four games to one in the playoffs.  In 1938, the Monarchs were 32-15, but not champions.  In 1939, they were again NAL champs, beating St. Louis three games to two in a playoff.  Again champions in 1940, they won a disputed title in 1941.  This made four flags in five years, unfortunately during a period when on World Series was being played.  Kansas City continued its dominance by winning both games to none in the first Colored World Series since 1927.

The Monarchs’ great run was ended by the Birmingham Black Barons in 1943, as World War II player losses combined with Mexican League defections to weaken the Kansas City club.  The 1944 team was only 23-42, the 1945 version, 32-30.  The 1946 squad, bolstered by returning war veterans, won the NAL flag again before falling 3-2 to the Newark Eagles in the seventh game of the World Series.  In 1947, the Monarchs trailed the Cleveland Buckeyes, but in 1948 they took the second half pennant and met Birmingham for the right to face the Homestead Grays.  Birmingham beat them in seven games.

In 1949, the Monarchs took the first half championship of the Western Division of the reorganized Negro American League, but because so many of their players had been picked off by Organized Baseball, they declined to meet second half winner Chicago.  In 1950, the Monarchs were Western Champs in both halves finishing 51-20 overall.

Kansas City continued as a dominant team throughout the ‘50s, finally folding in 1960.  Dozens of Monarchs went into Organized Baseball, including Gene Baker, Ernie Banks, Willard Brown, Elston Howard, Connie Johnson, Booker McDaniels, and Satchel Paige.

Because the Monarchs were such a stable franchise, they had a vast array of talent over the years.  The list of greats who spent the bulk of their careers with Kansas City reads like a Who’s Who of black baseball greats:  Newt Allen, William Bell, Chet Brewer, Andy Cooper, Frank Duncan, Newt Joseph, Hurley McNair, Dobie Moore, Buck O’Neil, Paige, Rogan, Hilton Smith, and Tom Young.  Jackie Robinson spent his Negro Leagues time with the Monarchs.

Through the years, the Kansas City Monarchs played in Muelebach Field or Blues Stadium, then in Municipal Stadium.

Memorable Scenes...

Satchel Paige orders his fellow team mates off the field to prove to his friend Josh Gibson that he can strike him out without the use of his team.  Josh hits a hit right over Paige’s head.