Kansas City Monarchs and the Major Leagues: Three years ago, my annual Martin Luther King message highlighted the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the role played by Bill Veeck in the integration of baseball. As noted then, the roster of the Kansas City Monarchs produced not only Jackie Robinson (Brooklyn, 1947), but also the first blacks to play for six other of the then-existing 16 teams. One of those was catcher Elston Howard who played for the Monarchs from 1948 to 1950. He went from the Monarchs to the Yankee farm system (including 1953 with the Kansas City Blues ) and was then promoted to the Yankee roster in 1955. This takes us to the story of Vic Power.
Hot Stove #3 – Martin Luther King Day, Vic Power, Alex Gordon, HOF and CHIEFS!
