February 13, 1920: The Negro National League is formed in Kansas City.

Paseo YMCA in Kansas City
Public Domain

A meeting at the Paseo YMCA led by Rube Foster set the stage for a new baseball league that changed the face of the game forever. There were previous leagues for black athletes that never proved to be sustainable, but this new organization promised to be different.

Rube Foster, NNL President
Public Domain

The new league established teams across the Midwest and South, including baseball hotspots like St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City. The Kansas City Monarchs and St. Louis Stars proved to be two of the most successful teams of the young league. It was hard to establish a champion since teams played a different number of games and the playoffs were often disputed. But the two teams from Missouri won the NNL Pennant more than half of the time. In fact, the Monarchs played in the Colored World Series twice, winning it all in 1924.

Kansas City Monarchs
Public Domain, Courtesy of kchistory.org

The Pennant Winners

1920 Chicago American Giants
1921 Chicago American Giants
1922 Chicago American Giants
1923 Kansas City Monarchs
1924 Kansas City Monarchs
1925 Kansas City Monarchs
1926 Chicago American Giants
1927 Chicago American Giants
1928 St. Louis Stars
1929 Kansas City Monarchs
1930 St. Louis Stars
1931 St. Louis Stars

1928 St. Louis Stars
Public Domain, courtesy of Missouri Historical Society

You can visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City to see the history as well.

Read More about the Negro National League Here

admin

Recent Posts

Explore the Missouri State Capitol: A Tour of History

The Magnificent State Capitol on the banks of the Missouri River There are some tours…

55 years ago

The Enchanting History of Country Club Plaza Christmas Lights

Back in 1925, a string of lights at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City was…

55 years ago

Osteopathic Medicine: A Historical Overview from Missouri

In 1874, Osteopathic Medicine was invented in the Show Me State Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine,…

55 years ago

Henry Smith Pritchett: Missouri’s Most Interesting Man

April 16, 1857: One of the nation’s “smartest and most interesting people” was born on…

55 years ago

The Mormon Extermination Order in Missouri: A Tragic History

The history of Mormons in Missouri Cold Missouri NightA painting by Joseph Brickey depicting the…

55 years ago

Best Small Towns in Missouri

Ste. Genevieve, Missouri Rocheport, Missouri There is nothing quite like a small town in Missouri.…

55 years ago

This website uses cookies.