Kansas City Monarchs - 2025

2025-Jun-29 Kansas City Royals SGA

2025-Jun-29 : Kansas City Royals Salute to the Negro Leagues at 1:10 p.m. when the Los Angeles Dodgers battle the Royals. The first 15,000 fans through the gates will receive a special Monarchs pin presented by Metropolitan Community College.

Both teams will wear custom caps: the Royals will sport a 1945 KC Monarchs road hat, and the Dodgers will wear Brooklyn Dodgers hats, both in the spirit of Jackie Robinson. The 2025 season marks the 80th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s only season with the Monarchs before debuting for the Brooklyn Dodgers two years later. 

Salute to the Negro Leagues - Monarchs v Eagles : 2023

2023-September-16

Let’s salute the history of the Negro Leagues together! Join us on September 16, at 6:10 p.m., when the Houston Astros come to town. For the day, both the Royals and Astros will wear throwback uniforms. The Royals will wear 1945 Kansas City Monarchs home uniforms, and the Astros will wear the 1950 Houston Eagles away uniforms. Starting that day, game-used jerseys, hats, batting helmets, and more will be auctioned off at royals.com/auction and astros.com/auction. In the weeks following the game, additional memorabilia will be added to the auction as it is sorted and verified. All uniform auction proceeds will directly benefit the Negro League Baseball Museum

The first 10,000 fans through the gates will receive a Monarchs jersey, presented by U.S. Bank. All gates will open at 4:30 p.m.

Elston Howard

Elston Howard (1929-1980)

Commemorative stone on the path to Yankee Stadium

Elston Howard became the first African-American to play for the NY Yankees, when he took his position as catcher against the Baltimore Orioles on April 20, 1955. Prior to being signed by the Yankees, Howard signed with the KC Monarchs out of high school. Howard had turned down several scholarships to play football to sign with the Monarchs in 1948. 

In 1950 the Monarchs would sell his contract to the New York Yankees. Howard would start his Yankee career with the Class A Muskegon Clippers, by 1954 the Yankees brought Howard to their "Yankee Prospects School" during spring training.  April 14, 1950 Howard would make his Yankee debut at Fenway Park, getting a base hit and an RBI in his first at-bat. On April 20, Howard would make his debut at Yankee Stadium. Howard would stay with the Yankees until 1967, when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. In 1969 Howard would return to the Yankees as the first black coach in the American League.

July 21, 1984 the New York Yankees would honor Howard by retiring his number 32 and placing a plaque in Monument Park. Roger Maris was honored on the same day as Howard...

Elston Howard Jersey Retirement Commemorative Cover

Baseball Hall of Fame

Society for American Baseball Research

Harold Hair

Harold "Buster" Hair - self published card through Contemporary Photo Ent.

Back of the card:

Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.

Education: 1956 Graduate from A&T State University, Greensboro,

1974 Masters Degree from the university of Florida, Gainesville, Fl

Position: Third baseman, Bat right/Throw right, infield and outfield

Played for the following baseball teams & leagues:

1953 Birmingham Black Barons - Negro League

1955-56 Garson Greyhounds - Nickel Belt League

1956 Hamilton Redwings - P.O.N.Y. League

1957 Edmonton All-Stars - Western Canadian League

1958 Kansas City Monarchs - Negro League

Pancho Herrera - page 57

Pancho Herrera - 1st base - infield

Started his career with the Havana Giants, Cuba

Kansas City Monarchs

1958, 1960-61 Philadelphia Phillies

1960 set a National League record for a 154 game season by striking out 136 times... He led the NL first basemen in assists.

BA .271, 31 HRs...

Herman Horn - page 55

Herman "Doc" Horn - 3rd base

1949-54 Kansas City Monarchs

1953 Monterey, Mexican League

"Favorite moment of playing was hitting against Satchel paige.."

JC Hartman - page 52

JC Hartman - shortstop

1952-54 Inster Colored Panthers, Independent

1955 Kansas City Monarchs

-signed by the Chicago Cubs

1961-62 Houston Colt 45s

1955 All-star team

Biggest thrill:

"I knocked the LA Dodgers out of the 1961 pennant, after they refused to walk me. I hit a line drive triple off of Tommy Davis' glove..."

Enrique Maroto, Raymond Haggins -page 51

Enrique Maroto - Pitcher

1954-55 Kansas City Monarchs

Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals, 1956, Washington Senators 1957..did not make the MLB roster with either team..

Biggest thrill:

"7 Strikeouts in the 1954 All-star game..."

Raymond Haggins

1949 Nashville Cubs

1950 Minnesota House of David

1953-55, 1958 Memphis Red sox

Biggest thrill:

"Fondest memory is hitting a home run in Yankee Stadium..."

Harold Hair - page 50

Harold "Buster" Hair

3rd base

1953 Birmingham Black Barons

1955-56 Garson Greyhounds, Nickelbelt League

1956 Hamilton Red Wings, PONY League

1957 Edmonton All-Stars, W. Canadian League

1958 Kansas City Monarchs

1953 All-Star team

Biggest thrill:

"Hit a home run in Philadelphia that never came down, landing on the stadium rooftop....

Hit a ground rule double in Yankee Stadium, and slid into second base just get get the stadium dirt on my pants..."

Jake Sanders - page 45

Jake Sanders

1955, 1960 KC Monarchs

1956 New Orleans Bears

1957 Detroit Stars

1957 signed with Dodgers organization

Biggest thrill:

"Hitting a triple in the 1956 All-Star game at Comiskey Park, before 45,000 people..."

Ira McKnight - page 41

Ira McKnight

1956-60 Kansas City Monarchs

Biggest thrill:

"Catching Satchel Paige and getting 8 straight hits in 2 games..."

Career batting ave .300+

1.25" pinback button

Eugene Scruggs - page 40

Eugene Scruggs

1952-59

Detroit Stars

Kansas City Monarchs

Birmingham Black Barons

Mayeville Red Sox

Grand Rapids Black Sox

"Just the honor of playing in the Negro Leagues...."

Pedro Serra - Bobby Mitchell - page 39

Pedro Serra - Cuba

1954-55 Indianapolis Clowns

1956 Detroit Stars

Signed by the Minnesota Twins, played 4 years in the minor leagues

Canadian Quebec League - 3 years

Washington Senators - spring training, 2 years in Senators minor league system

Mexican Leagues - 5 years

Dominican Republic

Bobby Mitchell

1954-57 Kansas City Monarchs

Right handed pitcher with an 85-90 MPH fastball.

Pancho Gray - Jim Robinson- page 38

Pancho Gray "The Legend"

1929-1945

"I hit more home runs than Hank Aaron and Willie Mays combined, but I played more years than them combined.

I remember hitting the ball just past 2nd base into the outfield where the grass was so high they couldn't find the ball, I would just keep running.."

"Outfielders today don't have the same ability we had to reach home, we had no cut off man.."

Jim Robinson

1952 Philadelphia Stars

1953-55 Indianapolis Clowns

1956-58 Kansas City Monarchs

1955, 1956, 1957 All-Star Team

Stars finback button (probably 1.25")

Vincent Lee - Nap Gulley - page 35

Vincent Lee

Short, 3rd base

1928-29 Ebenezer AME Royals

1930-31 Baltimore Black Sox

1932-33 Miami Giants

1933-36 Denver Monarchs

1937 Kansas City Monarchs

1938-41 Young Black Sox

1942-47 Silver Moons

Napoleon "Nap" Gulley

1941 Kansas City Monarchs

1941, 1946, 1949 Chicago American Giants

1941-42 Birmingham Black Barons

1943-45 Cleveland Buckeyes

1947-48 Newark Eagles

Left handed pitcher, good fastball, "out" pitch was overhand drop curve.....

Willie Lee - Willie Grace - page 34

Willie Lee

1955-59 Kansas City Monarchs

Willie Garce

1942-50

Cincinnati-Cleveland-Louisville Buckeyes

Houston Eagles

1951 Erie, Middle Atlantic League

"Biggest moment was defeating the Homestead Grays in 4 straight to win the 1945 World Series..."

1945 Series Batting Ave .313

1946 All-star team, had 3 consecutive .300 seasons

At the time of this signing, Willie Grace was blind. He used a template to position his pen.

Gene Collins - page 31

Gene Collins

1947-51 Kansas City Monarchs

"Pitched his first no-hitter against the Newark Eagles..Had 2 career no-hit games..."

Best season 1948 9-3 2.23 ERA

Minor Leagues 1951-54

Mexican Leagues 1955-61

Strong left-handed pitcher with excellent fastball, good curve and outstanding move to first...

Started as a pitcher, moved to outfield to increase playing time...

Sherwood Brewer - page 28

Sherwood Brewer

1949-50 Indianapolis Clowns

1948 New York Cubans

"Proudest moment was taking over as manager of the Monarchs from Buck O'Neil..."

All-Star Team 1949, 1950

1952 Ardmore, Sooner League

1953-54 Kansas City Monarchs

-after 1950 the Negro Leagues were considered a minor league operation...

His best years in organized ball came in 1955 and 1956 with San Angelo, playing 2nd base, hitting .288 and .268...

1946 Seattle Steelheads

1947-48 Harlem Globetrotters

2000 - Milwaukee County Stadium - Negro League Wall of Fame.

John Kennedy - page 26

John Kennedy

3rd base

1954-55 Birmingham Black Barons

1956 K.C. Monarchs

1957 Philadelphia Phillies (injuries forced him out after 5 games)

First African-American to play for the Phillies

Played part of an All-Star team against the Willie Mays All-Stars (from the Major Leagues). mays hit two 2-run home runs, while totaling 5 RBI's in the game. Kennedy hit 2 solo home runs and an RBI double for 3 RBI's in the game...The Mays' All-Stars won the game 5-3...

Buck O'Neil page 4

John "Buck" O'Neil - Kansas City Monarchs 1937-1955, Memphis Red Sox. 1942 NL American Title,Negro World Series. 1940, 1946 Batting Title.Played in East-West All-Star Classic 1942, 1943, 1949, managed West 1950, 1953, 1954, 1955.
Led Monarchs to league titles 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953.
First black coach in the majors with the Chicago Cubs 1962, had scouted for the cubs since 1956.