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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 1927, and again in 1929-30. They later played in the Negro American League from 1937 to 1950. The team continued to exist until 1962.
Winners of more than a dozen league championships, they won their first Negro League World Series title in 1924, defeating the Hilldale Giants from Philadelphia in a thrilling ten-game series.
Some of black baseball's best players wore the Monarch uniform: Cool Papa Bell, Turkey Stearnes, Newt Allen, Jesse Williams, Hilton Smith, Bonnie Serrell, Bullet Joe Rogan, and Buck O'Neil.
The Monarchs sent the most players into Major League Baseball after the color barrier was broken. Some players from this elite group were Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks, Elston Howard, Hank Thompson and Willard "Home Run" Brown.
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