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The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
team based in
Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City, abbreviated as "KCK", is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As of ...
. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the
American Association of Professional Baseball The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor ...
; which, in 2020, became designated as a
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
partner league. They have played their home games at Legends Field (formerly CommunityAmerica Ballpark) since 2003, when the team began as a member of the
Northern League Northern League may refer to: Sport Baseball * Northern League (baseball, 1902–71), a name used by several minor leagues that operated in the upper midwestern U.S. and Manitoba from 1902 to 1971 * Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), an indep ...
. In 2011, the team joined the modern American Association. In 2018, the T-Bones won their first-ever American Association championship by defeating the
St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They prev ...
. While named the T-Bones, the team's mascot was named Sizzle. On January 21, 2021, the team announced a partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and a rebranding to the Kansas City Monarchs, one of the founding teams of that league. The Monarchs defeated the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in the 2021 American Association championship, claiming the franchise's third title.


History

The team was founded in 1993 as the Duluth–Superior Dukes (representing
Duluth, Minnesota , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior, Wisconsin, Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: Downtown Dul ...
, and
Superior, Wisconsin , native_name_lang = oj , nickname = , total_type = , motto = , image_skyline = Tower Avenue.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Downtown Superior , ima ...
), a charter member of the Northern League. The Dukes were mostly unsuccessful in their history, but won the Northern League championship in 1997, though league records do not reflect such continuity.


Northern League (2003–2010)

The T-Bones broke ground on the park now known as Legends Field on September 4, 2002, and played their first home game on June 6, 2003, just over nine months later. In their inaugural season, the team finished 43–46, but enjoyed a banner season from Eddie Pearson, who led the league in batting average (.362), RBIs (78), and hits (124) and was named 2003 Northern League Most Valuable Player. The T-Bones finished the 2004 regular season with a 48–48 record. However, the T-Bones won the second-half South Division title and faced the Schaumburg Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. The T-Bones lost the best-of-five series 3–2. For the year, T-Bones player Eddie Pearson received the Most Valuable Player Award, Rick Muntean received Co-Executive of the Year, and the team received Organization of the Year. Several league records were set by T-Bones players: Jonathan Krysa set records for innings pitched (), total batters faced, and games started (24); Rick Prieto set new records for walks (78) and runs (97) while tying the league record for triples (10); and Eddie Pearson set the intentional walks record with 17. The T-Bones accumulated a 45–49 record in 2005. They finished second in the first half with a record of 27–19, just missing the playoff berth, but never contended in the second half due to the loss of several key players. In 2006, Jonathan Krysa, a failed 26th round Houston Astros draft pick who lasted only a couple seasons in the minor leagues, was named Northern League Pitcher of the Year with a record of 13–5 and a 3.74 ERA. The T-Bones finished third in both halves of the season. They led the second-half race until the final week, when a disastrous season-ending road trip ended their hopes. On October 16, the T-Bones announced the firing of manager, "Dirty"
Al Gallagher Alan Mitchell Edward George Patrick Henry Gallagher (October 19, 1945 – December 6, 2018) was an American professional baseball player who played four seasons for the San Francisco Giants and California Angels of Major League Baseball. He playe ...
, who had been the team's first and only manager. He was replaced by Andy McCauley. During the 2006 campaign, the team hosted the Northern League All-Star Game on July 18 in front of 5,975 fans. Eight T-Bones were selected to the East Division squad, which won the game 7–6, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Kansas City closer Byron Embry earned the win and T-Bones infielder Chad Sosebee drove in the winning run. The highlight of the night, though, was the appearance of 94-year-old
Buck O'Neil John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil Jr. (November 13, 1911 – October 6, 2006) was a first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. After his playing days, he worked as a scout and became the first Afric ...
, a former
Kansas City Monarchs The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by J. L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930 ...
star who took one at-bat for each side, drawing walks each time. He became the oldest person to ever appear in a professional baseball game. The team hired former Schaumburg manager Andy McCauley to replace Gallagher in 2007. They began the season with only two players carried over from the previous year, and released them by mid-season for a complete turnover of its 22-man roster. The T-Bones finished deep in last place in the Southern Division in the first half, but moved into the lead during the second half and held that lead until a late-season collapse left them in second-place finish. The team's overall 44–52 record was one game worse than the previous season's franchise record. Despite their finish, the organization was named Northern League Organization of the Year. In 2008, the Northern League contracted to six teams, and a single-division full season schedule was used. The T-Bones finished only marginally better (46–50) than the two previous seasons, but nonetheless qualified as the fourth team in the playoffs. They swept the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in the best-of-five semifinal round of the playoffs and then defeated the
Gary SouthShore RailCats The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Rai ...
three games to one to win the Northern League championship. The T-Bones matched their previous season's record (46–50) and finish (fourth in a six-team league) in 2009, but could not advance past the first round, losing that series 3–2 to Gary. Shortly after the end of the season, the team announced that hitting coach Tim Doherty had been promoted to manager for the following season, replacing Andy McCauley. The Northern League expanded to eight teams again for 2010, but maintained the same playoff format, allowing the top four finishers into the postseason. The T-Bones enjoyed their most successful season under new manager Tim Doherty, winning 58 games and setting a new league record with 162 home runs, exceeding the previous high by more than 30%. They led through much of the year, but faded in the stretch to finish in second place, three games behind Fargo-Moorhead. T-Bones second baseman Jason Blackwood led the Northern League in home runs (31), RBI (86), runs scored (82), hits (141), total bases (271), and slugging percentage (.636) while finishing third in batting average (.331), and was named 2010 Northern League Player of the Year. The team beat the
Joliet Jackhammers The Joliet JackHammers were a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois, in the United States. The JackHammers were a member of the Northern League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 2002 to 2010, the JackHammers ...
three games to two in the first round of the playoffs, but were swept in three games by Fargo-Moorhead in the finals. The T-Bones were named Northern League Organization of the Year for the second time in four seasons, and
CommunityAmerica Ballpark Legends Field is a baseball park in Kansas City, Kansas, located in the Kansas City neighborhood of Piper. It is the home of the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. It was formerly home of the Kansas City ...
was named "Northern League Playing Surface of the Year" for the second-straight season.


American Association (2011–present)

On October 13, 2010, the T-Bones left the Northern League, along with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks,
Gary SouthShore RailCats The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Rai ...
, and the
Winnipeg Goldeyes The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of the Northern ...
to join the
American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...
(AA) for the 2011 season. The team fell out of the race early and finished fifth (last) in their division, though their 48–52 record was better than any third-place finisher in the other two divisions. Outfielder Ray Sadler was the offensive leader, hitting .315 with 22 HR (second in the AA) and a league-leading 100 RBI. Outfielder Keanon Simon led the team with a .332 average and tied for the league lead with 16 triples, while catcher Kala Kaaihue tied Sadler with 22 homeruns. Kris Johnson finished third in the AA with a 3.23 ERA. The T-Bones, in their second year in the American Association, finished second in their division with a 51–49 record, but did not qualify for the 2012 playoffs. This was the first season for the T-Bones under Kenny Hook. The 2013 T-Bones finished in third in their division with a 40–60 record, posting the worst record in franchise history. After the season, manager Kenny Hook's contract was not renewed. In 2014, Kansas City's record improved to 48–52 under first-year manager John Massarelli, finishing third in the Central Division. The 2015 T-Bones were left in a distant second place with a 49–50 record,  games behind Sioux City. In a tight 2016 Central Division that saw the top three teams finish two games apart, the T-Bones were the lone team left out of the division race, finishing in last place with a 42–58 record. Despite this, second baseman Brett Wiley was named a postseason American Association All-Star. John Massarelli did not return as manager after this season. Before the 2017 season, the T-Bones hired longtime
Can-Am League The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization of ...
manager Joe Calfapietra. The move paid immediate dividends as the T-Bones posted their best season since moving to the AA, finishing 57–43, tying the Gary SouthShore RailCats and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for the American Association wild card slot. The RailCats, however earned the playoff spot on a tiebreaker. Closer Cody Winiarski was named American Association Reliever of the Year. In 2018, the T-Bones posted their best season in franchise history, going 62–37. They finished  games behind Sioux City, but ended  games ahead of Wichita, securing their first playoff berth since moving to the American Association. They ousted Sioux City in five games, moving on to face St. Paul in the American Association finals, where the T-Bones prevailed in four games for their first AA crown and second league title in franchise history. Pitcher Tommy Collier led the league with 12 wins and 140 strikeouts, while Todd Cunningham was named an American Association Postseason All-Star. Joe Calfapietra earned the Manager of the Year Award. After trailing by ten games in late July 2019, the T-Bones rallied to capture their first division title, winning the South Division with a 58–42 record, one game ahead of both Sioux City and the
Cleburne Railroaders The Cleburne Railroaders are a professional baseball team based in Cleburne, Texas, that plays in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The team, which began play in 2017, plays i ...
. In the playoffs, Sioux City eliminated Kansas City in four games. Following years of sliding attendance and mounting debt, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/
Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City, abbreviated as "KCK", is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As of ...
evicted the T-Bones from
T-Bones Stadium Legends Field is a baseball park in Kansas City, Kansas, located in the Kansas City neighborhood of Piper. It is the home of the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. It was formerly home of the Kansas City ...
on October 14, 2019, for failure to pay nearly US$700,000 of rent and utility payments. Days later, the Unified Government approved a stadium lease with an organization trying to purchase the T-Bones. The purchase was completed, and the new five-year lease has three five-year options. In 2020, the league announced that the T-Bones were not selected as one of six teams to participate in a condensed season as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. They went on hiatus for the season, with plans to return in 2021. The T-Bones partnered with the Unified Government and the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
, the
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
franchise across the river in neighboring
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the List of United States cities by populat ...
, to host a group of Royals players and coaches at T-Bones Stadium as the club's "alternate training site" for summer training. Kansas City won the 2021 American Association championship, sweeping the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in the best-of-five series.


Season-by-season records


Playoffs

*2004 season: Lost to
Schaumburg Schaumburg is a district (''Landkreis'') of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by (clockwise from the north) the districts of Nienburg, Hanover and Hamelin-Pyrmont, and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (districts of Lippe and Minden-Lüb ...
3–1 in semifinals. *2008 season: Defeated Fargo-Moorhead 3–0 in semifinals; defeated Gary SouthShore 3–2 to win championship. *2009 season: Lost to Gary SouthShore 3–2 in semifinals. *2010 season: Defeated Joliet 3–2 in semifinals; lost to Fargo-Moorhead 3–0 in championship. *2018 season: Defeated
Sioux City Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...
3–2 in semifinals; defeated St. Paul 3–1 in championship. *2019 season: Lost to
Sioux City Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...
3–1 in semifinals. *2021 season: Defeated
Sioux City Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...
3–0 in semifinals; defeated Fargo-Moorhead 3–0 to win championship.


Roster


Notable alumni

*
Wayne Rosenthal Wayne Scott Rosenthal (born February 19, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and pitching coach. Early life Rosenthal, who is Jewish, was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended South Shore High School, where he played for the b ...
(1993) * Dana Williams (1993) *
Tom Gilles Thomas Bradford Gilles (born July 2, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Gilles pitched in two games for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the season. Born in Peoria, Illinois, he was drafted by the ...
(1994) * Jeff Grotewold (1994) *
Greg O'Halloran Greg O'Halloran (born 6 September 1980 in Cork, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish former professional footballer. O'Halloran was primarily a central midfielder but has also played regularly in defence. He was assistant manager to Tommy Dunne i ...
(1995) *
Bob Zupcic Robert Zupcic (born August 18, 1966) is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played four seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox (1991–94) and Chicago White Sox (1994). He batted and threw right-handed. In his caree ...
(1995) * Pat Ahearne (1996) *
Darren Reed Darren A Douglass Reed (born October 16, 1965) is a former professional outfielder. He played with the New York Mets in 1990 and with both the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins in 1992. He played a total of 82 Major League games, 26 for the ...
(1996) *
Greg Briley Gregory Briley (born May 24, 1965), nicknamed "Pee Wee", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Seattle Mariners and Florida Marlins from 1988 to 1993. Briley attended North Carolina State University, where he played col ...
(1996–1997) * Jerald Clark (1997) * Rich Scheid (1997) * Randy Tomlin (1997) *
Ozzie Canseco Osvaldo "Ozzie" Canseco Capas (born July 2, 1964) is a Cuban-American former professional baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former Major League Baseball player José Canseco. He was manager for the Brownsville Charros of the ...
(1998) * Pat Howell (1999) * Sean Mulligan (1999) * Larry See (1999) * Terry Pearson (2000) *
Jim Rushford James Thomas Rushford (born March 24, 1974) is a former professional outfielder. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) in its 2002 season. Listed at 6' 1", 225 lb., he batted and threw left-handed. Born in Chica ...
(2000) * Brent Bowers (2001) *
Greg Jelks Gregory Dion Jelks (16 August 1961 – 6 January 2017) was an American Australian baseball player who played with the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent the majority of his career in the minor leagues, and was most notable playing with the Austra ...
(2001) * Derrick Gibson (2002) * Terry Jones (2002) *
Wascar Serrano Wascar Radames Serrano (born June 2, 1977 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played part of one season in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres in 2001. After pitching in 2003 for ...
(2003) * Les Norman (2005) * David Segui (2005) *
Donaldo Méndez Donaldo Alfonso Méndez (born June 7, 1978) is a former professional baseball player. A shortstop, he played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres in 2001 and 2003. In a two-year career, Méndez was a .183 hit ...
(2007) *
Calvin Pickering Calvin Elroy Pickering (born September 29, 1976) is a former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball between 1998 and 2005 for the Baltimore Orioles (1998–1999), Cincinnati Reds (2001), Boston Red Sox (2001), and ...
(2007) *
Travis Schlichting Travis Jay Schlichting (born October 19, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2009 and 2010. Baseball career Tampa Bay Devil Rays Schlichting was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays ...
(2007) * Rick DeHart (2007–2008) *
Bo Hart Bodhi J. "Bo" Hart (born September 27, 1976) is a former professional baseball player. He played second base in Major League Baseball in 2003 and 2004 for the St. Louis Cardinals. Early years Hart was born in Creswell, Oregon, in 1976, but sp ...
(2008) * Kevin Mahar (2008) * Ken Harvey (2008–2009) *
Damian Rolls Damian Michael Rolls (born September 15, 1977) is a former Major League Baseball player. He was the hitting coach for the Kansas City T-Bones. Rolls was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers as the 23rd pick in the 1st round in 1996, but was claimed ...
(2009) * Luis Terrero (2009) * Willie Wilson (2009) * Justin James (2009–2010) * Francis Beltrán (2010) * Dewon Brazelton (2010) * Erik Hamren (2010) *
Matt Perisho Matthew Alan Perisho (born June 8, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed. Career In 2008, Perisho played for the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo of the Triple-A Mexican Leag ...
(2010) * Rico Washington (2010–2011) * Kris Johnson (2011) *
Prentice Redman Prentice Montezz Redman (born August 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. He is the brother of former big league center fielder Tike Redman. Playing ca ...
(2011) *
Enrique Cruz Enrique Manuel Cruz (born November 21, 1981) is a former Dominican baseball player. He spent two seasons at the major league level, playing for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York ...
(2012) * Steve Kent (2012) * Brandon Jones (2012–2013) *
Joey Gathright Joey Renard Gathright (born April 27, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Early life Gathright attended Bo ...
(2013) * Ray Sadler (2010–2014) * Daniel Barone (2014) *
Danny Richar Danny Adam Richar (born June 9, 1983) is a Dominican professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. In a three-season Major League Baseball career as a second baseman for the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds, Richar had a .229 ...
(2014) * Fernando Hernández (2015) * Tyson Gillies (2016) * Mike Kickham (2016) * Josh Tols (2016) * Cedric Hunter (2017) * Scott Carroll (2017–2018) *
Zach Walters Zach Walters, alias ''Jungle Boy'', (born February 4, 1981) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2002 to 2009, holding the African and NABA light heavyweight titles. Walters is now a boxing trainer and promoter. He owns ...
(2017–2018) *
Jayson Aquino Jayson Julio Aquino Félix (born November 22, 1992) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2016 with the Baltimore Orioles. Career Colorado Rockies Aquino signed with the Colorado ...
(2018) * Barrett Astin (2018) * Todd Cunningham (2018) * Johnny Davis (2018) * Taylor Featherston (2018) * Adrián Nieto (2018) * Colin Walsh (2018) *
Ryan Brett Ryan Duane Brett (born October 9, 1991) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015. Career Tampa Bay Rays Brett attended Highline High School in Bu ...
(2018–2019) *
Chris Colabello Christopher Adrian Colabello (born October 24, 1983) is an Italian-American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played parts of four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, a ...
(2019) * Randall Delgado (2019) * TJ House (2019) * Daniel Nava (2019) * Shawn O'Malley (2019) * Henry Owens (2019) * Eduardo Paredes (2019) * Daniel Robertson (2019) *
Brian Ellington Brian Michael Ellington (born August 4, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins. Listed at and , he throws and bats right-handed. Care ...
(2019, 2021) * Casey Gillaspie (2019, 2021) * Eric Stout (2019, 2021) * Darnell Sweeney (2019, 2021) *
Dean Deetz Dean Arthur Deetz (born November 29, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 11th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft. Deetz made his Major League Baseball ( ...
(2021) *
Johnny Field John David Field (born February 20, 1992) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played one season in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins in 2018. Amateur career Field attended Bishop Gorman ...
(2021) * Nick Franklin (2021) * Gabriel Guerrero (2021) * Jacob Lindgren (2021) * Justin Shafer (2021) * Zack Weiss (2021)


References


External links


Monarchs website

''Kansas City Star'' Monarchs coverage
{{Kansas Sports Sports in Kansas City, Kansas American Association of Professional Baseball teams Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010) teams Professional baseball teams in Kansas Baseball teams established in 2003 2003 establishments in Kansas