Bob Kendrick Discusses 100th?Anniversary of First Negro Leagues World Series

“We are the ship … all else, the sea.”

Quoting the description of the Negro Leagues delivered by Rube Foster, recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum as the “father of Black baseball,” Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president and Nashville Stars Board Member Bob Kendrick applauded the impact of the first Negro Leagues World Series and of the?Kansas City Monarchs, who in 1924 won that?championship.

In a special interview with the Nashville Stars Baseball Club this week, Kendrick put a bow on this year of memorable World Series anniversaries with his stories of the Monarchs’ title and the impact of the 100th Anniversary at the museum.

On the field, the Monarchs clinched the championship with victories in five of the nine completed matchups (one game was called a tie due to darkness) that stretched across Kansas City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Chicago and featured five future Hall of Famers.

That quintet of future Hall of Famers included 1998 inductee Charles Wilber “Bullet” Rogan. During an 18-year career nearly entirely in Kansas City, Rogan posted not only a batting average and OPS of .334 and .917, respectively, but also pitched to a 131-61 career record with a 2.39 ERA, complete games in 87% of his starts and a strikeout total (1,033) more than double that of his walks (450).

“As we’ve been so enthralled — and rightfully so — with Shohei Ohtani’s two-way prowess, what I really have enjoyed is that it has opened the door for people to want to learn about the great two-way stars of the Negro Leagues,” Kendrick said. “And while many want to draw the comparison of Ohtani with Babe Ruth, the real comparison really would have been to Bullet Rogan, because unlike Ruth, Rogan pitched his entire career.”

The Monarchs demonstrated their strength thanks in large part to the man commonly known as “Wilky,” J.L. Wilkinson. Although the Negro Leagues franchises were primarily owned by Black men, Wilkinson was the exception. Kendrick acknowledged that then-Monarchs manager Buck O’Neil would describe Wilkinson as “the first White man that [O’Neil] ever met without any prejudice.”

“Wilky built one of the greatest, not Black baseball franchises, but baseball franchises, ever, in the Kansas City Monarchs,” Kendrick recalled.

By winning the first-ever Negro Leagues World Series, the 1924 Monarchs — the first professional sports team from Kansas City to win a championship — set the table for a city now synonymous with winning, as the Kansas City Royals have won a pair of World Series and the Kansas City Chiefs have won four Super Bowls, with a chance to win their fifth (and third consecutive) this season.

But as Kendrick reminds fans often, “In a city that hangs its hat on its championship pedigree … neither of those storied sports franchises come remotely close to the winning legacy of the great Kansas City Monarchs. That winning legacy was so tremendous.”

Celebrating that groundbreaking accomplishment for the sport of baseball and for Kansas City has been the focus at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum over the last 12 months. With countless exhibits, tours and events — culminating in the upcoming 2024 Hall of Game on November 16 — the Museum has spotlighted not just the 1924 Monarchs but “the broader story of the Negro Leagues,” Kendrick said.

While Kansas City was rightfully celebrating as the Monarchs clinched their championship, the small town of Humboldt — just 111 miles to the south — was overflowing with joy. Monarchs utilityman George Sweatt and Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson — both born in Humboldt — became champions of the Negro Leagues World Series and Major League Baseball World Series, respectively, in 1924. One White, one Black, both champions.

“If we don’t share and tell these stories, who will?” Kendrick asked.

No need to ponder the question. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is telling these stories, and the Nashville Stars are proud to partner with the museum in honoring the history of the Negro Leagues.