Inductees

John Jordan O’Neil was nicknamed “Buck” after the co-owner of the Miami Giants, Buck O’Neal.  His father played on a local team, thus exposing Buck to baseball at an early age.

Buck O’Neil has been part of Kansas City’s baseball scene for more than half a century, dating back to 1936 and his first visit to the city as a semi-professional player for the Shreveport Acme Giants.  He joined the Kansas City Monarchs as a first baseman in 1938, was named player/manager for the club in 1948 and continued his association through the end of the 1955 season.  He became a permanent resident of Kansas City in 1946.

O’Neil hit .288 in his 12 year playing career with the Monarchs, including four .300-plus season at the plate, with a career high .358 mark in 1947, a league-leading .350 average in 1946 and .345 and .330 averages in 1940 and 1949 respectively.  In addition to his career with the Monarchs, O’Neil teamed with the legendary Satchel Paige during the height of barnstorming during the 1930’s and ’40’s when Negro League teams traveled across the country to play countless exhibition games.

Following his career with the Monarchs, O’Neil moved on to Major League Baseball as a scout with the Chicago Cubs in 1956 and was named the first black coach by the Cubs in 1962.  He joined the Kansas City Royals as a scout at the start of the 1989 season.