Last week we asked you to pick your favorite Negro Leagues Uniform from our bracket of the Top 20. The fans spoke and the 1942 Kansas City Monarchs edged the 1920 Detroit Stars to win the Championship.
So this week, we are paying tribute to the 1942 Kansas City Monarchs.
“…1942 was my favorite year…the best team I ever played with. Someone once asked Newt Joseph who he would take with him if he could play in the majors, and Newt replied, ‘The whole Monarchs team.’ That’s the way I felt about the ’42 Monarchs. I do believe we could have given the New York Yankees a run for their money that year.” Buck O’Neil, I Was Right On Time
1942 NEGRO WORLD SERIES
The 1942 Negro World Series featured the Kansas City Monarchs who were the Negro American League champions vs. the Homestead Grays representing the Negro National League. The series featured two of the leagues immortals - Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson.
The Monarchs swept the Grays in four games. Even though the teams played 6 games with two not counted in the standings. So officially the series went 6 games with the Monarchs taking 5 of the 6.
1942 NEGRO WORLD SERIES - The Exhibition Games
- The two teams played a seven inning exhibition in Yankee Stadium on September 13, 1942 - A victory for the Monarchs which both teams agreed not to count.
- A second game which was played in Kansas City was thrown out on appeal after Homestead had used unauthorized players from other Negro National Leagues teams.
1942 NEGRO WORLD SERIES - The Tradition Resumes
The 1942 series would be the first between the East and West Champions since 1927, after a 14 year gap when the Eastern Colored League ended the series.
1942 NEGRO WORLD SERIES - The Hall of Famers
The series would feature seven members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, with three from Kansas City - Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith and Willard Brown.
Also there were four from Homestead - Josh Gibson, Jud Wilson, Ray Brown and Buck Leonard.
Hall of Famer Leon Day played in one of the Exhibition games that was not counted, and Monarchs legend Bullet Rogan umpired the same Exhibition game.
Satchel Paige pitched in all four official games and earned one victory and one save.
This was the Grays' first Negro World Series appearance after winning three consecutive Negro National League pennants, and five in six seasons.
The Monarchs would appear in the next three Colored World Series, winning in 1942, 1943 and 1944.
1942 NEGRO WORLD SERIES - Location of the Series
- Game 1 - Washington - Griffith Stadium
- Game 2 - Pittsburgh - Forbes Field
- Game 3 - New York - Yankee Stadium
- Game 4 - Philadelphia - Shibe Park
#HistoryInYourSize
