Under the lights at Hoglund Ballpark, a historic rivalry took center field Tuesday night— but the atmosphere carried more weight than the border war between Kansas and Missouri. This game was the fourth annual Buck O’Neil Classic, a tribute to a historic baseball figure and a Kansas City icon.
Cooper Hannon | @cooop_cinema
John “Buck” O’Neil made his debut with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1938 as a first baseman and remained with the team for nearly two decades. He helped lead the Monarchs to four consecutive Negro League American League pennants and was a player and manager from 1948–1955.
“Seeing the impact that Buck had, universally in the sport of baseball. It makes it even more special to be honoring him with a Buck O’Neil Classic,” Coach Fitzgerald said.
As a tribute to his astonishing legacy, players wore uniforms designed after the Kansas City Monarchs, and both teams wore number 22 patches on their jerseys in his honor.
“It was awesome, everyone was excited,” Kansas pitcher Dominic Voegele said. “We always get to wear the Buck O’Neil uniforms so that’s always cool. And I feel like playing against Mizzou, everyone shows up and has a great attitude.”
O’Neil’s contributions to the game go far beyond his playing days. In 1962, he broke barriers by becoming the first Black coach on a Major League Baseball roster. In his work as a scout, he is notorious for the development of numerous stars, including Hall of Famer Lou Brock.
Adding to his legacy, O’Neil helped establish the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, which remains a vital institution preserving baseball history. O’Neil was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022, cementing his legacy forever.
“Touring the museum and getting to know Bob Kendrick and going through that experience, you get to see an incredible, if anyone hasn’t been there you should go today,” Coach Fitzgerald said.
On the field, Kansas secured its fourth consecutive win in the Buck O’Neil Classic, keeping their unbeaten streak in the annual game intact and inching closer to a Big 12 Championship.
