KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The first thing you see when you walk in is Buck O’Neil on the video board telling a story. Maybe it’s the story about Jackie Robinson and the gas station.
Maybe it’s the story about why Satchel Paige called him Nancy. Maybe it’s the story of Hank Aaron in the Negro Leagues as a cross handed swinging shortstop.
Whatever.
The specific story does not matter, or at least not as much as it matters that it’s being told, and told here, in this stadium, Legends Field, where a team called the Kansas City Monarchs played baseball for the first time in 56 years on Tuesday night.
“You’re representing a city, and you’re representing one of the greatest franchises of all-time,” Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick told the team before the game. “But even more important, you’re representing the heritage of this game, and I hope you hold that near and dear to your heart. You take that out there on that ballfield with you.”
The sight is a bit jarring. These are fine ballplayers in these jerseys, playing for the rebranded T-Bones in the American Association of Professional Baseball. The team’s talent now is generally better than when they were the T-Bones, in part because Major League Baseball cut some 25 percent of minor league teams.
But, let’s be real. Willard Brown is not walking through that door. They are the Monarchs, but they’re not The Monarchs, you know? There’s a difference.
The Monarchs are one of the most successful franchises in baseball history, producing more big leaguers than any other Negro Leagues franchise. They won 10 league championships and two Negro World Series titles. Four men are depicted in Monarchs caps on their Hall of Fame plaques. Nine others — including Ernie Banks and Jackie Robinson — played for the Monarchs.
That’s a long way from a team that had become known more for missed utility payments than baseball. That was a real hurdle, too. Mark Brandmeyer bought the T-Bones in October 2019 which, you know, turned out to be suboptimal timing. But losing the 2020 season due to the pandemic allowed a deeper reset.
A rebrand made sense, and the Monarchs name had instant appeal. Brandmeyer approached Kendrick with an offer. Kendrick is always looking to sell, so he was interested, but knew there would be resistance.
Some wanted the Monarchs name protected. That’s natural. The Monarchs are a story of resilience, toughness, and excellence. The Museum would get no guarantee that the new Monarchs would have even one Black player (they had several on Tuesday, though a Black pitcher signed with the Mets earlier in the day).
But, let’s be real. Willard Brown is not walking through that door. They are the Monarchs, but they’re not The Monarchs, you know? There’s a difference.
The Monarchs are one of the most successful franchises in baseball history, producing more big leaguers than any other Negro Leagues franchise. They won 10 league championships and two Negro World Series titles. Four men are depicted in Monarchs caps on their Hall of Fame plaques. Nine others — including Ernie Banks and Jackie Robinson — played for the Monarchs.
That’s a long way from a team that had become known more for missed utility payments than baseball. That was a real hurdle, too. Mark Brandmeyer bought the T-Bones in October 2019 which, you know, turned out to be suboptimal timing. But losing the 2020 season due to the pandemic allowed a deeper reset.
A rebrand made sense, and the Monarchs name had instant appeal. Brandmeyer approached Kendrick with an offer. Kendrick is always looking to sell, so he was interested, but knew there would be resistance.
