Kansas City Baseball Team Nicknames

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Kansas City Baseball Team Nicknames

Team Name: Kansas City Antelopes
Years from: 1866 to: mid 1870's
League: The Antelopes were playing baseball before it was organized into leagues.  The National League began in 1876. History: 1860's baseball was a popular break from farming and the Civil War.   The rules were different back then.  Only men played and they didn't use gloves.  The ball was hard and small, and was pitched underhand.  A ball caught after one bounce was an out.  Every time a run scored, a cowbell rang.  Back then runs were called "aces", pitchers were called "hurlers" and batters were called "strikers" and errors were called "muffs".
Wild Bill Hickok was a regular fan at the Saturday afternoon games.  Once, Wild Bill umpired a baseball game between the Kansas City Antelopes and the archrival Pomeroys of Atchison.  With an umpire standing behind the plate armed with a pair of six-shooters, neither players nor the hot-blooded fans disputed a single call. The Antelopes won the game by 48 to 28 and Wild Bill Hickok rode off the field in triumph in an open carriage pulled by a pair of white horses.

Team Name: Kansas City Eagles
Years from: 1871 
History:

Team Name: Kansas City Unions (also Cowboys and Kaycees)

Years from: 1884 to: 1884
League: Union Association
History: Kansas City's First Professional Baseball Team.  Charter franchise. Relocated from Altoona Pride in April and May 1884 before moving to Kansas City. Folded with league September 1884. When Altoona folded in early June, Union Association president Henry V. Lucas was forced to seek a replacement. He turned to Kansas City to fill the void, a city he should have considered over Altoona before the start of the season anyway. In order to join the UA, team owner Americus V. McKim was forced to accept the most restrictive condition ever imposed on a club: even though Kansas City's games would count in their opponents' records, Kansas City could not win a championship. In effect, the Unions would be in the UA but would have no official record.  First association game of baseball in Kansas City played at Athletic Park (field located at Southwest Boulevard and Summit Streets) between the Kansas City Unions and Chicago Unions, June 7, 1884, with 1,500 in attendance, and Chicago winning 6-5.  As it turned out, this restriction proved irrelevant as Kansas City won just 16 times in 79 games.  The team had to be assembled so quickly that many of the players met for the first time as they assembled for the club's first game.  The team was sometimes referred to as the "Unions" but had no official nickname, but was rarely referred to anything but the "Unions", "Cowboys" or "Kaycees".  The press would sometimes call them the "Onions".   Despite the team's anemic record, they were a good draw in Kansas City. At an end of season banquet, McKim announced that the team had turned a $7000 profit. An exaggeration or not, Kansas City was far more successful financially than any other Union Association team.  The Unions would draw crowds of 3-5,000 for Sunday games.  So successful was the team financially, that McKim began preparing for the 1885 season. He sent manager Ted Sullivan east to sign new players and also had plans to build a new ball park. Meanwhile, the rest of the Union Association continued to crumble.
1884 Kansas City Unions Roster
Kansas City Unions Team History

Team Name: Kansas City Reds

Years from: mid 1880's


 Team Name: Kansas City Pastimes

Years from: 1884 to: ?
League: Black League
History: The Kansas City Pastimes, a black team, would play at Athletic Park when the Kansas City Unions was on the road.

Team Name: Kansas City Maroons
Years from: 1890 to: 1897
League: Semi-pro Black Baseball Team
History: Maroons Semi-pro Black Baseball team Played at Exposition Park.  Around 1897 the Maroons became the Wall's Laundry Gray's.

Team Name: Kansas City Wall's Laundry Gray's
Years from: 1897 to: ?
League: Semi-pro Black Baseball Team
History: Team sponsor:  Chinese laundryman Quong Fond.

Team Name: Kansas City Cowboys (also called Red Lions)

Years from: 1884 to: 1903
League: Western League 1885, National League 1886, Western League 1887, American Association 1888-1889, Western League 1892, Western Association 1893, American Association 1902-03.
History: Team formed Feb 9, 1886.  Charter franchise, disbanded after 1886 season.  The Kansas City Cowboys joined the National League when Indianapolis failed to fund a franchise for that city.  The long distances that other teams had to travel to reach Kansas City and crowds that were usually sparse as well as rowdy proved to be the team's downfall. After the season, in which the Cowboys finished 7th, rumors that both Kansas City and 8th place St. Louis Maroons would be dropped from the League persisted.  At the March 9th, 1887 NL meeting, the authorization of the Cowboys' purchase of the Maroons was refused and both Kansas City and St. Louis were dropped from the league. Kansas City's owners were forced to accept a $6,000 buyout from the League.  Overall record: 30 Wins- 91 Losses.  Their uniforms were WHITE, with COWBOYS printed across their chest, and blue stockings.  Home Field: Association Park and League Park.  In 1886, the Cowboys had two sets of uniforms: 1) white with blue caps and stockings and 2) chocolate with red caps and stockings. The team was also referred to as the Red Lions.  Tickets cost 50 cents in 1886-87.  In 1888, the team went back to the 25 cents admission by popular demand.
KC Cowboys in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
1886 Kansas City Cowboys Roster
Kansas City Cowboys History and Encyclopedia Kansas City Cowboys Franchise Records

Team Name: Kansas City Blues
Years from: 1886  to: 1889
League: Western League 1901, American Association
History: Became Washington Senators AL 1901. The Blues were Kansas City's third major league team in five years. The Blues were an improvement over the previous National League and Union Association teams that the city had fielded yet they still found themselves over matched in the American Association.  Kansas City had a new club in a new league, but under the same ownership and with the same manager, the team put together the same poor season that its predecessors had. When Baltimore also resigned from the league, the Blues lost their last ally in the struggle. Wary of the impending Players' League war, Kansas City also resigned and applied for membership in the minor Western Association. Home Field: Association Park and Exposition Park.  The nickname Blues derived from the blue uniforms they wore in contrast to the white suits of the American Association Cowboys.  Blues uniforms: blue stockings, blue caps, blue pantaloons, blue jerseys until an effort to increase ticket sales, they changed to a cream-color.  After fan disapproval, two weeks later, they changed back to the blue uniforms.  Game admission: 25 cents.  A Blues pitcher, in 1888 was Charles "Kid" Nichols, a future Hall of Famer.  After 1900, the Kansas City Blues later became the Washington Senators, now the Minnesota Twins.
1888 Kansas City Blues Roster
1889 Kansas City Blues Roster
Kansas City Blues History

Team Name: Kansas City Pullman Colts
Years from: early 1900's to: ?
League:
History: the Kansas City Pullman Colts were a black baseball team that played in Kansas City, MO.

Team Name: Kansas City Blue Sox or Blue Stockings
Years from: 1902 to: 1903
League: Western League
History: Not the Red Legs, Red Sox or even the White Sox...the Kansas City Blue Stockings! Home Field: Sportsman's Park, later known as Recreation Park.  Their Manager was Charles "Kid" Nichols who had just retired from a Hall of Fame career in the National League.  At the age of 32, Nichols pitched 27 wins in 02 and 21 more in 03.
Kansas City Blue Stockings Team Information
Kansas City Blue Stockings Franchise Records
 

Kansas City Bloomers
Years from: 1909 to ? 
History: J.L. Wilkinson, the manager of the Kansas City Monarchs also developed this traveling team.  The team was advertised with the slogan, "Girls Who Can Really Play the Great National Game." The club wasn't entirely female but Wilkinson had a ready supply of wigs on hand to make it appear that way.  The team was also referred to as the Boston Bloomer Girls Baseball Team, but despite the name, the team was based in Kansas City.  The Bloomer Girls teams were popular novelty teams that barnstormed from town to town to play local teams.  The opponents usually included male players in addition to females.  
 

Kansas City Barnstorming and Independent Black Baseball Teams:
Kansas City Clowns (1946)
Kansas City Colored Clowns
Kansas City Cyclones (1910-1912)
Kansas City Giants (1910-1917)
Kansas City House of David
Kansas City Little Monarchs
Kansas City Rockets
Kansas City Royal Giants (1909-1914)
Kansas City Royals (1940's)
Kansas City Stars
Kansas City Tigers (1919)
Kansas City Travelers
Kansas City Unions (1909)

 
Team Name: Kansas City Red Sox
Years from: 1908? to: 1913?
League: Semi-pro team sponsored by the Kansas City Athletic Club.  They were unpaid, with the possible exception of the pitchers. 
Kansas City Red Sox Team Photo

Team Name: Kansas City Packers (aka Kawfeds)

Years from: 1914 to: 1915
League: Federal League
History: The Kansas City franchise origins began in 1913 in Covington, Kentucky.  The team moved to Kansas City in late June, 1913.  The Kansas City Packers lost to the Chicago Whales in the first game in Weeghman Park, on April 23, 1914, which was later known as the famous Wrigley Field!  Charter franchise, disbanded with league after 1915 season.  The Federal League lost in the war against the Majors- National League and American League.  (Yes, at one time there was THREE major leagues of baseball)  The spitball was legal in these days.  The Packers were in 1st place with a 57-42 record on 8/8/1915, but ended up in 4th place with an 81-72 record.  Packers players included George Stovall, Bill Bradley, Johnny Rawlings, George "Chief" Johnson, Ted Easterly and Nick Cullop.  Gene Packard was a 20 game winner for the Packers in both seasons for KC.   Home Field: Gordon & Koppel Field, also known as the Federal League Park, at 47th & Tracy, Kansas City, MO.
1914 Kansas City Packers Roster
1915 Kansas City Packers Roster
Kansas City Packers Team Index
Kansas City Packers History Kansas City Packers Franchise Records
Team Name: Schmelzer's All Nations 
Years: from 1915 to 1917  then 1920 for several years
League:  an independent, barnstorming team, and forerunner of the Kansas City Monarchs
History:  The Schmelzer family from Germany started the Schmelzer Arms Company in Leavenworth, KS then moved to Kansas City (1214-18 Grand) in 1887.  They expanded their sales from firearms to hunting, fishing and then sports gear and uniforms.  Three of its players are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Jose Mendez, Cristobal Torrienta and Bullet Joe Rogan.  One of their greatest pitchers was John Donaldson.  J.L. Wilkinson, the owner is in the Hall of Fame too.  The team was forced to disband in 1918 due to WWI.  Many of the All Nations players went on to play with the Kansas City Monarchs.  

 
 
Team Name: Kansas City Blues

Years from: 1902 to: 1954
League: Western Association, A, AA and AAA
History: Yes, at one time, during 1914-15, Kansas City had two baseball teams, the Packers (Federal League) and the Blues (American Association)!In addition, KC had 2 teams in 1902 and 1903, the American Association Blues and the Western League Kansas City Blue Stockings. 
From 1937-1954, the KC Blues were a Minor League farm club of the New York Yankees.  The Blues' association with the Yankees brought many great players to Kansas City, including, in 1951 Mickey Mantle.  Others included Phil Rizzuto and Vince DiMaggio.  From 1950-1954, the Kansas City Blues supplied the Yankees with 71 players.  Most baseball teams did not wear numbers on their jerseys prior to 1930.  In 1935, the KC Blues were a farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 
The All Starr Sports Zone- Kansas City Blues Dream Team:
  • Catcher,  Johnny Riddle First baseman,  Marv Throneberry, Joe Kuhel, Bunny Brief
  • Second baseman,  Bill Wambsganss
  • Shortstop,  Phil Rizzuto
  • Third baseman,  Billy Hitchcock
  • Outfielders,  Mickey Mantle, Ollie Tucker, Denver Grigsby, Vince DiMaggio
  • Pitchers,  Whitey Ford, Jesse Haines, Carl Hubbell, Kid Nichols, Max Thomas, Marv Breuer, Johnny Babich, Tom Reis, Johnny Lindell
  • Manager, Edward Harrison "Dutch" Zwilling
The 1939 Blues (107W-47L) were Kansas City's best minor league time of all time, according to historians Bill Weiss and Marshall Wright, who were ranked 12th among their top 100.  The team was an affiliate of the New York Yankees and was owned by Co. Jacob Ruppert, owner of the Yankees. 
The 1923 Blues (112W-54L) were ranked as the 18th best minor league team.  The 1923 Blues Team had nine .300 hitters that year, including Bunny Brief (home run king of the American Assoc.) and Dutch Zwilling, who became the team manager and later president of the Ban Johnson League.  The 1923 Blues set a league attendance record of 425,000, and would often win the annual "Hickey Cup", for the top attendance.   The 1929 Blues (111W-56L) were the 28th best.  The team moved to Denver (final game in Kansas City on Sept 12, 1954) when the Philadelphia Athletics came to town as the Kansas City Athletics. 

In 1911, an unreserved ticket cost 50 cents.  General admission to a 1941 Blues game was 35 cents, cokes were a nickel and hot dogs were 15 cents. 
Home Field: Recreation Park, Muhlebach Field, Blues Stadium and Ruppert Stadium.
Additional KC Blues Archival records at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library-White House Central Files.
KC Blues in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
1909 Kansas City Blues
1929 Kansas City Blues History
1939 Kansas City Blues History
1940 Kansas City Blues History
Kansas City Blues Franchise Records

Kansas City had a minor league negro league team in 1922 as part of the Western League of Colored Baseball Clubs.

 
Team Name: Kansas City Royal Giants, Colored Giants, American Giants or Giants
Years from: 1909 to: 1915
League: Independent Club
History: The Kansas City Kansas Giants hosted Negro players in competition against major league, minor league, barnstormers, or other Negro League teams.  According to book, Only the Ball Was White, the Giants were originally a team made up of doctors  to create a rivalry with the Kansas City Monarchs in Missouri.  They won the 1909 Colored Championship 2 games to 1 in a three game series over the Leland Giants of Chicago.  The team was owned by Tobe Smith.  When catcher Zack Pettus wasn't playing baseball, he was a heavyweight prize fighter.
Kansas City Giants Team History


Team Name: Kansas City Monarchs
1942 1942 1943 1945 1947 1949
Years from: 1920  to: 1962
League: Negro National League, Negro American League
History: The team was originally organized by the owner of Jenkins Music Company.  But when games began to be played on Sunday's, the owner withdrew support. The new owner, J.L. Wilkinson, the only white man in the Negro National Leagues, had players suggest the team name be the Kansas City Browns.   The owner later settled on the team name, Monarchs.  The longest running franchise in Negro Leagues history!  They became Negro Leagues answer to the New York Yankees!  The Negro National League was formed in Kansas City on Feb. 20, 1920 by Rube Foster in a meeting at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, MO. 
League: NNL 1920-1927, 1929-1930, NAL 1937-1950 Franchise: Charter franchise NNL, disbanded after 1930. Charter franchise NAL, disbanded with league after 1950.
In the 1920's the Monarchs (and All Nations team) were outfitted by Schmalzer's Sporting Goods, located at 1012-14 Grand Ave., Kansas City, MO.  In the 1920's , the average black player earned $135-175 a month during a six month season. (a local meat packer made $80 per month)  In 1926, the price of a Monarch's ticket dropped from $1.10 to .75, which was the lowest in the league.
KC Monarchs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Kansas City Monarchs Franchise Records
Kansas City Monarchs Logo 1953 World Colored Baseball Champions- The Kansas City Monarhs 1945 Kansas City Monarchs Home Jersey Jackie Robinson as a Kansas City Monarch in 1946. He had a .387 batting average in his rookie and only season in Kansas City before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. He also played in the East-West All Star Game.
The All Starr Sports Zone- Kansas City Monarchs Dream Team:
  • Catcher,  Elston Howard, Josh Gibson, Theodore Roosevelt "Double Duty" Radcliffe
  • First baseman,  Buck O'Neil
  • Second baseman, Jackie Robinson
  • Shortstop, Ernie Banks
  • Third baseman, Newt Allen
  • Outfielders,  Cool Papa Bell, "Bullet" Joe Rogan, Turkey Stearnes, Willard "Home Run" Brown, Hank Thompson
  • Pitcher,  Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith, Buck Leonard
  • Manager ,  Buck O'Neil
--BASEBALL!!--
BABE RUTH & BOB MEUSEL

Playing with an All Star Team
- -vs.- -
Kansas City Monarchs

SUNDAY, OCT. 22. 1 o'clock Sharp

This will be the first game of a double header
participated in by Ruth and Meusel.


THE LAST CHANCE TO SEE THE MONARCHS
AND THE FIRST CHANCE TO SEE THE
GREAT BABE.
  HERE at LAST!
BASEBALL
For Kansas City Championship

Kansas City Monarchs
vs.
Kansas City Blues

AT ASSOCIATION PARK
Nine Game Series, Beginning
Friday, Oct 6-7th-8th
Continued on Oct. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19th
Tickets on Sale Now!
The Kansas City Call Newspaper on Oct. 22, 1922. The Monarchs beat the Babe Ruth All Star team in BOTH games of a double header.
  The Kansas City Call Newspaper on Sept 27, 1922. The Monarchs won the city championship after defeating the Blues five out of six games. The previous year, the first interracial contest for KC fans came with the KC Blues beating the KC Monarchs in a city baseball championship by winning five of eight games.
1920-30 and 1937-1962.  In 1922, the Monarch's won both games of a double header against a team of Babe Ruth's All Stars, behind the pitching of Bullet Rogan (see newspaper article below). In October 1922, in a series billed as a city championship, the Monarchs defeated the minor-league Kansas City Blues in five of six games. (see newspaper article below) 
The "First Colored World Series" of baseball is held in Kansas City beginning on October 20th, 1924, which was won by the Monarch's.  Five consecutive Negro National, League Titles in 1920's, including winning the first Negro World Series in 1924.  Six Negro American League Titles between 1937 and 1950. Three consecutive Negro League Pennant's from 1923 to 1925. Throughout their thirty years of organized play (1920–1950) they won two world series, ten pennants, and had only one losing season!  The Monarchs winning percentage of .785 in 1929, is the highest in Negro League history.  In seven seasons, the Monarchs won more than 70% of their games.  From 1920 to 1955, they were the winningest team in black baseball.
In 1934, the Kansas City Monarchs draw so many fans to Sunday baseball games that black churches adjust their worship hours.  In 1943,  The Monarchs thrill their fans with 43 straight wins.  The Monarchs had a "mascot", who was a young aspiring to be player, who posted the score each inning on an outfield scoreboard.  The mascot also had the responsibility of carrying the players equipment and luggage.  The Monarchs were one of the few Negro League teams to be owned by a white man, Tom Wilkinson.  The Monarch's team included famous players such as Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks, Hilton Smith and Buck O'Neil.  The Monarchs sent most players to Major League Baseball after the color barrier was broken!  The Monarchs "B" team was called the Stars or Travelers, depending on what part of the country they were playing.  They also had barnstorming teams called the Little Monarchs or the Traveling Monarchs.  From 1939-1941, the Monarchs had two teams, with the second one a promotional touring team called Satchel Paige All Stars. 
The Monroe Monarchs played in the Negro Leagues from the late 1920's to 1935, mostly as a minor league team of the Kansas City Monarchs.  The Kansas City Monarchs had some spring training sessions in Monroe, LA.  
Home Field: Muhlebach Field, Blues Stadium, later called Municipal Stadium. The Monarchs trained at Paradeway Park, at 17th & Paseo, Kansas City, MO.

Team Name: Kansas City Tigers
Years from: 1917 to: ?
League: semi-pro team


Team Name: Kansas City All Nations
Logos of the Kansas City All Nations Team
Years from: 1912 to: 1918
League: Negro Leagues and barn storming team
History: The All-Nations team was a barn storming baseball team and music show in the Midwest, based out of Kansas City and Des Moines, IA.  They got their "All Nations" nickname by having players from various ethnic groups including Native Americans, African-Americans, Caucasians, and Asians. Latin Americans and even some women!  In the 1920's the All Nations team served as the Kansas City Monarchs Farm Club.  The All Nations team was founded by J.L. Wilkinson, who later managed the KC Monarchs.  The All Nations later became the Monarchs in 1920.

Team Name: Kansas City had several sand lot and semi-pro teams
Years from: 1920's to:
League: Negro Twilight League
Kansas City had several sandlot and semipro baseball teams in the 1920's.  Several teams organized into the Negro Twilight League in  1922 with the Kansas City Monarchs Secretary Gilmore as president.  Many of the teams represented local  industries.   These  teams served as training grounds for several future Kansas City Monarchs.  
Teams: Leeds Black Oilers, Wilson Packing, the City Ice Company, the Rock Island Railroad, the Santa Fe Scouts, Lilley Motors, the Missouri Pacific Freights, the Kansas City Call and the 18th Street Merchants. 


Team Name: Kansas City All Stars
Years from: 1930's to:
League: Semi-pro team
History: played in Kansas City, KS

Team Name: Kansas City House of David
Years from: 1930's to:
League: Barnstorming team
History: the Kansas City House of David was a barnstorming Jewish House of David baseball club, featuring players with long beards and named after the religious colony in Harbor, Michigan, originating in 1903.

Team Name: Kansas City Royals
Years from: 1940's to:
League: All-Negro Winter League, based in Los Angeles, CA
History: Jackie Robison played for the "Kansas City Royals" in 1945, in a Winter League based in Los Angeles, CA. His "Kansas City Royals" uniform is show below:

Team Name: Kansas City Stars
Years from: 1948 to: 1950
League: Negro Leagues
History: Cool Papa Bell's contract called his team to be called the Kansas City Stars or the Travelers when they played in Monarch territory and called the Kansas City Monarchs when they played outside the Midwestern states.

Team Name: Kansas City Athletics
Kansas City Athletics Elephant Logo 1955-1962 Kansas City Athletics Logo 1963-1967 Major League Baseball All Star Game Logo, played in Kansas City, MO on July 11, 1960 The A's "Charley O" logo In 1963, Charlie Finley changed the team mascot to the Mule and named the mule, "Charlie O".  The mule is the state animal of Missouri.

Years from: 1955 to: 1967
League: Major League Baseball, American League
History: In 1953, Kansas City was felt to be in the running for the St. Louis Browns franchise, but final approval was to relocate the Browns to Baltimore and they became the Orioles. 
Team Nickname:  In the late 19th Century sports fans who worked at various Philly Athletic Clubs came together and formed a baseball team named Athletics (as many similarly formed teams were known as).  In 1955, Kansas City joined only 16 other cities that had a major-league baseball team, then the most watched pro sport.  When it was announced that the Athletics would move to Kansas City, some people wanted to change the nickname. Cowboys was a popular suggestion.  They kept the Athletics name due to the long term tradition of the franchise name.  The traditional white elephant emblem was modernized and the elephant was now balanced on a large baseball with a baseball bat in his trunk.  Kansas City was the western most city in baseball at the time. Merle Harmon was the first radio announcer for the team, which were broadcast on KMBC (980) radio.   Schlitz Brewing Company was the first big sponsor. When the Athletics first came to town, 150,000 people lined a parade route, welcoming them to town.
In 1902 John McGraw manger of the New York Giants referred to the Athletics as the "White Elephants", implying Mack shouldn't be allowed to spend money without supervision. Mack defiantly adopted the White Elephant as the team insignia, and in 1902, the A's won the American League pennant.  KC Owner Charles Finley replaced the elephant mascot with a Missouri Mule in 1963. 
Relocated from Philadelphia Athletics in 1955. Became Oakland Athletics in 1968.  The A's never had a winning record and never finished higher than seventh place in a ten team American Leauge.  From 1955-1959, the A's and New York Yankees traded with an unparralled frequency, 16 transactions involving 61 players.  Mascot: "Charley O" the Mule (note the Kansas Chiefs had a horse, named Warpaint at the time). 
In 1963, Charley Finley changed the team’s colors to “Kelly Green, Fort Knox Gold and Wedding Gown White.”  Charlie Finley picked these colors from his favorite football team, Notre Dame. The A's were the first team to have bright vibrant team uniform colors. In 1967, he replaced the team’s traditional black cleats with white ones. And, in 1963, he replaced the traditional elephant mascot with a Missouri mule – not just a cartoon logo, but a real mule, which he named after himself -- “Charlie O, the Mule.”
On April 12, 1955 the first game at Municipal Stadium, with 32,844 present to see the A's beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2. The first pitch was thrown by Independence native and former President of the US, Harry S. Truman.  
Home Field: Municipal Stadium.
Kansas City was the host of 1960 All Star Game
Overall record: 829 Wins, 1,222 Losses (.404) Nine managers.  Kansas City Athletics Team History
Team Colors: Blue, Red, and White (1955-1962) Gold and Kelly Green (1963-1967)
Kansas City Athletics Team History
KC Athletics in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Kansas City Athletics Franchise Records
1962 Kansas City Athletics 1963 Kansas City Athletics 1966 Kansas City Athletics
The All Starr Sports Zone- Kansas City Athletics Dream Team:
  • Catcher,  Haywood Sullivan, Charley Lau
  • First baseman,  Vic Power, Norm Siebern
  • Second baseman,  Jerry Lumpe, Dick Green
  • Shortstop,  Bert Campaneris, Dick Howser
  • Third baseman,  Ed Charles, Dick Williams
  • Outfielders,  Hank Bauer, Rocky Colavito, Reggie Jackson, Roger Maris, Rick Monday, Joe Rudi, Bob Cerv, Enos "Country" Slaughter, Whitey Herzog.
  • Pitchers,  Catfish Hunter, Don Larsen, Tommy Lasorda, Blue Moon Odom
  • Manager,  Lou Boudreau, Hank Bauer
After 13 seasons in Kansas City, Charley Finley moved the A's to Oakland in 1968, winning four World Series titles and six AL pennants through 2005.  Many of the players who were part of the world championship teams in Oakland began their careers in Kansas City.

Team Name: Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals Logo 1969 Major League Baseball All Star Game logo, played in Kansas City, MO on July 24, 1973 Royals logo Kansas City Royals, current logo Major League Baseball All Star Game, played in Kansas City, MO on July 10, 2012
Years from: 1969 to: current
League: Major League Baseball, American League
History: In March 1968, the team holds a contest to name the team.  Fans suggest the Plowboys, Pythons, Caneries, Bovines, Batmen, various Indian tribes, the Caps, Capsules and more.  Ewing Kauffman prefers the Kings, Stars, or Eagles.  After weeks of speculation, the team is named the Kansas City Royals in honor of the city's annual American Royal livestock show and parade.  The name also pays homage to the city's rich baseball heritge by recalling the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues.  The Royals choose blue and white, the colors Ewing Kauffman's horseracing stable, as the team's colors and artists from Hallmark Cards design prototypes for the team's logo.  Expansion franchise in 1969. 1980 and 1985 American League Champions. Mascot: Sluggerrr (Lion)   Home Field: Municipal Stadium-- 1969 to 1972. The Royals first game ever beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 in 12 innings, with Lou Piniella leading off and getting the first Royal hit, a double.  The first game at Royals Stadium was on April 10, 1973, where a crowd of 39,464 see the Royals slaughter the Texas Rangers 12-1.  Royals Stadium-- 1973 to 1993. It was quite fitting when the Royals won their first American League West Title in 1976, by beating the team and owner who left Kansas City, Charley Finley's Oakland Athletics (formerly the Kansas City Athletics) Then when the Kansas City Royals finally beat the New York Yankees in the 1980 ALCS, it was such a big victory against the Yankees storied franchise in which they had lost the '76, '77 and '78 ALCS series.  The Bronx Bombers also had such a rich history with Kansas City, with the Kansas City Blues being their AAA farm year of the past and the Kansas City Athletics making many trades with the Yanks as if they were their farm team.
1969 Kansas City Royals 1977 Kansas City Royals 1994 Kansas City Royals
Consider the similarity between the Royals script and color on their uniforms to the Dodgers script on their uniforms.  With Kansas City Baseball history being so rich with Blues Baseball teams, the Royal Blue color seems appropriate.  Royals Stadium was changed to Kauffman Stadium on 7/2/1993 to current.  Kauffman Stadium (formerly Royals Stadium) is part of the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex, which includes Arrowhead Stadium. 
Team colors: Blue, White and Gold. On October 27, 1985 the Royals win the World Series
1985 World Series Champions
Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame Image Gallery
Kauffman Stadium
KC Royals Team Index
KC Royals History
Kansas City Royals History- Sports Encyclopedia
More Kansas City Royals Team History
KC Royals All Time Team Roster
Current Royals Players and more
KC Royals in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Kansas City Royals Franchise Records
Team Name: Kansas City Monarchs (formerly T-Bones)
Years from: 2003 to: current
League: Northern League from 2003-2010.  Association of Independent Professional Baseball League 2011 to current
History: The franchise from Duluth-Superior called the Dukes, moved to Kansas City in 2003.   A new Stadium, 4,500 seating capacity, at a cost of $12 million, built in 2002-03.  On Sept 16, 2008 the T-Bones beat the Gary team 3 games to one to win their first League Championship.  On Jan. 21, 2021 the new owners of the T-Bones announced a rebranding of the team and change in their nickname from T-Bones to the Monarchs.  This historic team name was agreed upon in a partnership with the Kansas City Negro Leagues Museum.  
Home Field: Field of Legends, near the Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS.

Yes, at one time, during 1914-15, Kansas City had two baseball teams, the Packers (Federal League) and the Blues (American Association)!In addition, KC had 2 teams in 1902 and 1903, the American Association Blues and the Western League Kansas City Blue Stockings.
From 1937-1954, the KC Blues were a Minor League farm club of the New York Yankees. The Blues' association with the Yankees brought many great players to Kansas City, including, in 1951 Mickey Mantle. Others included Phil Rizzuto and Vince DiMaggio. From 1950-1954, the Kansas City Blues supplied the Yankees with 71 players.
Most baseball teams did not wear numbers on their jerseys prior to 1930.
In 1935, the KC Blues were a farm club of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The All Starr Sports Zone- Kansas City Blues Dream Team
Position
Player
Catcher
Johnny Riddle
First baseman
Marv Throneberry, Joe Kuhel, Bunny Brief
Second baseman
Bill Wambsganss
Shortstop
Phil Rizzuto
Third baseman
Billy Hitchcock
Outfielders
Mickey Mantle, Ollie Tucker, Denver Grigsby, Vince DiMaggio
Pitchers
Whitey Ford, Jesse Haines, Carl Hubbell, Kid Nichols, Max Thomas, Marv Breuer, Johnny Babich, Tom Reis, Johnny Lindell
Manager
Edward Harrison "Dutch" Zwilling

The 1939 Blues (107W-47L) were Kansas City's best minor league time of all time, according to historians Bill Weiss and Marshall Wright, who were ranked 12th among their top 100. The team was an affiliate of the New York Yankees and was owned by Co. Jacob Ruppert, owner of the Yankees.

The 1923 Blues (112W-54L) were ranked as the 18th best minor league team. The 1923 Blues Team had nine .300 hitters that year, including Bunny Brief (home run king of the American Assoc.) and Dutch Zwilling, who became the team manager and later president of the Ban Johnson League. The 1923 Blues set a league attendance record of 425,000, and would often win the annual "Hickey Cup", for the top attendance. The 1929 Blues (111W-56L) were the 28th best. The team moved
to Denver (final game in Kansas City on Sept 12, 1954) when the Philadelphia Athletics came to town as the Kansas City Athletics.

In 1911, an unreserved ticket cost 50 cents. General admission to a 1941 Blues game was 35 cents, cokes were a nickel and hot dogs were 15 cents.
Home Field: Recreation Park, Muhlebach Field, Blues Stadium and Ruppert Stadium.
Additional KC Blues Archival records at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library-White House Central Files.