Kansas City Sports Nicknames Overview

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Kansas City Sports Teams Nicknames Overview

"Kansas City Sportsology"

Persons not from this part of the country often image tumbleweeds and cattle running down the street.  Just like the song, everything is up to date in Kansas City.  Kansas City is known as the "City of Fountains."  The City of Kansas City has more water fountains (over 200 working fountains) than any city in the world except for Rome.  It's often called the Heart of America.  Kansas City is most famous for "Kansas City Strip Steaks" and barbecue.  The Kansas City American Royal annual event hosts the worlds largest barbecue contest.    Kansas City has more boulevards than any city in the world except for Paris, and has been called "Paris of the Plains".   It's known for it's blues and jazz music.  The Nations World War I Museum is also located in Kansas City, at the Liberty Memorial.  Kansas City has one of the nation's largest urban parks, Swope Park, at 1,805 acres.   Kansas City is located on the state line so there is a Kansas City, Missouri and not to be confusing a Kansas City, Kansas.   The Royals and Chiefs Stadiums are on the MO side while Sporting KC stadium is on the KS side.

Here, you can discover the rich history of sports teams, their nicknames, and the franchises that have called Kansas City home throughout the years.  Lou Gehrig had his last at-bat in Kansas City, while Jackie Robinson had his first at-bat in KC.  Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle became men in Kansas City.  Casey Stengel grew up here.  For more detail by year, see Kansas City Sports Time Line or On This Date In Kansas City Sports History.

Did you know...the "Blues" has been a team name for baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer and rugby teams?

Kansas City has even had a Kansas City "Cowboys" baseball AND football teams.  Kansas City had the Kansas City "Cowboys" Football team before the Dallas Cowboys!

 

It's interesting to consider three common themes of nicknames Kansas City teams have had over the years.  I call them the "Leaders", the "Western" group and the "Music/Food" group.

1. Several of KC's nicknames have related to "Leaders". Consider the leadership of "Monarchs" ruling over their country, "Kings" ruling over their people, "Royals" or the Royal Family leaders of their kingdom, "Chiefs" as leaders of their tribe, "Scouts" leading the rest of the tribe after scouting out the best trail, "Explorers" like Lewis & Clark, lead their team into uncharted territory to discover a new world, and "Wizards" as leaders of their kingdom.  Note the first three leaders below all have crowns in their logo.

THE LEADERS:

2. Other nicknames relate to Kansas City's historical roots in the Old Wild West, for the "Western Group".  A western round up of Kansas City nicknames includes "Cowboys", "Chiefs", "Tribe", "Mohawks", "Spurs", "Steers", "Mustangs" "Antelopes" and "Outlaws".

THE WESTERN GROUP:


3. Kansas City is famous for special types of music and food.  What a way to please Kansas City fans with teams called "Blues", "Jazz", "Brass", "Legacy", "T-Bones" and "Sizzlers".

THE MUSIC/FOOD GROUP:

 

 

All Time Kansas City Sports Team Nicknames
(Alphabetical listing)
Team Name
Baseball
Football
Basketball
Hockey
Soccer
Rugby
Other
All-Nations
1912-1918
           
All-Stars
        1996-1997
   
Americans
      1940-1942
     
Antelopes
1860's
           
Athletics
1955-1967
           
Attack
        1991-2001
   
Blades
      1990-2001
     
Blue Diamonds
    1920-1931
       
Blues
1886-1889
1902-1954
1924
1947-1948
1951-1952
1968-1972
1976-1977
2013-present
1966-present
 
Blue Stockings
1902-1903
           
Brass
        1997-present
   
Brigade
  2006-2008
         
Bulldogs
  1993-?
2008-present
         
Chiefs
  1963-present
         
Comets
        1981-1991
2001-2004
2010-present
   
Cowboys
1884-1903
1925-1926
         
Explorers
            Tennis-1993-present
Flying Mokey
            Lacrosse-1982-present
Greyhounds
      1932-1940
     
Hi-Spots
    1947-1948
1950-1951
       
Jazz
  1992-2008
      1993-present
 
Kaycees
    1957-1958
       
Kings
    1972-1985
       
Knights
    2000-2005
       
Krunch
  2003-2005
         
Legacy
    2001-2003
       
Lightning
    1997
      Volleyball-1997-1998
Maroons
1890
           
Mavericks
      2009-present
     
Mohawks
      1949-1951
     
Monarchs
1920-1962
           
Mustangs
  2008-present
1993-1995
       
Mystics
        2001-2002
   
Outlaws
      2004-2005
     
Packers
1914-1915
           
Panthers
  1997-present
         
Phantoms   2017- present          
Pla-Mors
      1927-1933
1945-1949
     
Power
            Australian Rules Football-1999-present
Redwings
      1977-1979
     
Rogues
          2008-present
 
Royals
1969-present
    1950-1951
     
Royal Giants
1909-1915
           
Scouts
     

1974-1976

2020 to present

     
Select
            Lacrosse-present
Shock         2013 to present    
Shockers
  2004-present
         
Sizzlers
    1985-1986
       
Spartans
  2010-present
2008-2009
       
Sporting KC
             
Spurs
        1968-1970
   
Stars
1948-1950
  1946
2009-present
      Bowling-1961
Steers
  1967-1971
1961-1963
2003-?
       
Storm
  2004-present
         
Thunderstorm
  2006
         
T-Bones
2003-present
           
Tribe
  2007-present
         
Unions
1884
           
Wiz
        1996
   
Wizards
        1997-present