Baseball in Kansas City

Just back from All Star Week in Kansas City, a great baseball city with a rich 50+ year history of Major League Baseball and a great visual legacy connected to baseball. Kansas City's first MLB franchise was a National League club—the Kansas City Cowboys. They folded after just one season, 1886.

Kansas City is, of course, home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, indelibly linked to the late, great Buck O'Neil. "Mr. Buck" passed away in 2006, but his spirit was everywhere during All Star Week. I have many fond memories of him and feel privileged to have known him.

The Athletics called KC home from 1955-67 and the expansion Royals began play in 1969. Hard to remember, but the Royals were an American League powerhouse for a decade—I attended Game 1 of the AL Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 5, 1977.