Kauffman Stadium
Kansas City Municipal Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri
Formerly Muehlebach Field, Ruppert Stadium and Blues Stadium
First American Association game: July 3, 1923
First American League game: April 12, 1955
Last American League game: October 4, 1972
Demolished: 1976
Capacity: 17,476 (1923); 30,296 (1955); 35,057 (1971)
Architect: Osborn Engineering (1923)
Owners: George Muehlebach; New York Yankees; Arnold Johnson; City of Kansas City
Cost: $400,000 (1923); $2.5 million (1955 renovations)
Dimensions:
LF foul line: 350 (1923), 312 (1955), 330 (1956), 370 (1961), 353 (1962), 331 (1963), 370 (1965), 369 (1967)
LF alley: 408 (1923), 382 (1955), 375 (1957), 390 (1961), 364 (1963), 392 (1964), 409 (1965), 408 (1969)
Centerfield: 450 (1923), 432 (1950), 430 (1955), 421 (1956), 410 (1964), 421 (1965)
RF alley: 382 (1955), 387 (1957), 364 (1962), 360 (1963), 392 (1964), 360 (1965), 382 (1969)
RF foul line: 350 (1923), 347 (1955), 352 (1956), 353 (1957), 338 (1963), 325 (1965), 338 (1966)
Fences:
Left field: 24 ft. (1955), 18 ft. (1958), 38 ft. (1959), 10 (1961), 13 ft. (1962), 10 ft. (1963), 22 ft. (1967), 13 ft. (1969)
Center field: 24 ft. (1955), 12 ft. (1958), 14 ft. (1959), 12 ft. (1961), 13 ft. (1962), 10 ft. (1963), 22 ft. (1966), 40 ft. (1969), 22 ft. (1970)
Right field: 12 ft. (1955), 14 ft. (1959), 12 ft. (1961), 13 ft. (1962), 10 ft. (1963), 5 ft. (1965), 40 ft. (1966), 13 ft. (1969), 12 ft. (1970).
Hosted world Series: Never
Hosted All-Star Game: 1960
As baseball grew in popularity, 11,000-seat Association Park was constructed at 20th and Prospect. But when the Federal League placed a franchise in Kansas City in 1914-15, that club played at 49th and Tracy. When brewer George Muehlebach bought the Blues from the George Tebeau estate in the 1920s, he built a 17,500-seat stadium on what had been a frog pond and ash heap at 22nd Street and Brooklyn Avenue. In the first game at the $400,000 concrete park, Ferdie Schupp thrilled 14,000 with a 10-7 win over Milwaukee on July 3, 1923.
During Muehlebach's ownership, the park was known as Muehlebach Field. When the New York Yankees acquired the franchise and property for $230,000 in the late 1930s, the field was rechristened Rupert Stadium for the Yanks' owner, Colonel Jacob Rupert. Later it was named Blues Stadium and, in the city's early years in the American League, it was known as Municipal Stadium.
Shortly after Arnold Johnson and his associates purchased the Philadelphia A's, a survey of Blues Stadium showed that the underpilings of the stands were sufficiently strong to support a second deck. However, when engineers discovered that the pilings were barely able to support one deck, the new owners faced the prospect of rebuilding the stadium approximately three months before opening day in 1955.
Under ordinary circumstances, at least six months would have been required for such a project. In late January, when the first concrete was poured for the new footings, huge trucks crowded the infield and dotted the outfield. And with superhuman effort work continued under almost impossible conditions. There were raw, windy days when painters sprayed as much paint on themselves as on the structure; when carpenters, with the temperature 10 degrees below zero, tied themselves to the roof with ropes in order to continue their work.
Impossible situations were part of the daily routine, but long hours and determination invariably solved the problems. By opening day, 400 workmen viewed with pride the fruits of their labors.
Other stadiums were built for $120 to $150 a seat. Municipal Stadium, with its 30,611 seats, was constructed for $80 a seat. Oldtimers were reminded that building miracles were not uncommon in Kansas City. In 1900, three months before the scheduled start of the Democratic National Convention, Municipal Auditorium was destroyed by fire. Yet the hall was rebuilt in time for each delegate to be seated before the opening gavel. What could be accomplished for politics could also be accomplished for baseball.
To many, the scoreboard had a familiar performance. It was the old board from Braves Field in Boston, purchased for $100,000 by Arnold Johnson. The city had paid Johnson $500,000 for Blues Stadium and the right to rename it Municipal Stadium.
Johnson died suddenly in March 1960 and for several months the future of the club appeared in doubt. However, before the end of the year, American League club owners approved the sale of controlling interest in the club to insurance tycoon Charles O. Finley for just under $2 million.
Finley's years in Kansas City were laden with squabbles -- with managers, general managers and the media. There was also the matter of the lease on Municipal Stadium. In 1964 there were strong rumors that Finley risked expulsion from the league if he did not sign a lease for the following season. Eventually, he signed a four-year agreement.
Charlie missed no opportunity to keep turmoil at a fever pitch. His targets were abundant and included the American League establishment. One of Charlie's major irritants was a "pennant porch," (below left) a right-field structure whereby he sought to duplicate the home run distance at Yankee Stadium. Telegrams from Commisioner Ford Frick and A.L. President Joe Cronin impressed upon Finley the likelihood of fines and forfeitures unless he removed the structure.
At another time, Charlie ordered a roof built over the bleachers in the right-field corner. But the roof did more than simply cover the bleachers; it extended over part of the field, again to match the Yankee Stadium home run range of 296 feet. Cal Hubbard, A.L. supervisor of umpires, arrived in Kansas City three days before the start of the season to check on Finley's latest bout with authority.
"It must come down, it's illegal," snorted Hubbard, ignoring Finley's thinley veiled protest that the roof was "protection for the fans against the sun."
Finley reacted slowly. The roof stayed in place through a preseason weekend with the Cardinals and through batting practice by the A's and Tigers on opening day. Finally, at 6:30 pm, two trucks carrying workmen rolled through the cener-field gate and toward the objectionable structure in right field. Spectators were removed from the area for their own safety -- and in 30 minutes the roof was gone. Before leaving the field, the trucks, containing the workmen, cruised in front of the stands in mock salute to constituted authority. The foreman of the work crew estimated that the roof had cost Finley $4,000 to erect, $700 to demolish. "I still think I'm right," fumed Finley. "They better change the rules. I may put it up again next year. I'm tired of Yankee dominaton because of a 296-foot fence in right field." But the "pennant porch" never returned.
An animal lover at heart, Charlie installed quadrapeds as part of the Kansas City scene. One of his creations was "Harvey," a mechanical rabbit who, at the press of an umpire's foot, would emerge from his subterranean hideout and deliver a supply of fresh baseballs (above right). There also were vari-colored sheep grazing under the watchfull eye of a shepherd between the outfield fence and the stadium wall. The sheep helped cut down on lawn manicuring costs.
There also was "Charley O.," the Missouri mule that served as team mascot and occupied a place of honor at Municipal Stadium, and a petting zoo for children in the picnic area behind bleacher seats down the left-field line.
In the summer of 1967, Jackson County voters approved a $43 million bond issue for a sports complex that would provide stadiums for the A's as well as the Kansas City Chiefs. But Finley couldn't wait, and at season's end the disaffection between magnate and citizens was complete. With his mule in tow, Charlie Finley trucked off to Oakland for the anticipated riches of California.
For one year Kansas City was without organized ball, but in 1969 the city returned with an expansion franchise under ownership of Ewing Kauffman, owner of a pharmaceutical laboratory. Completion of the Harry S Truman Sports Complex was several years away, so the new club, christened the Royals by virture of a fan contest, performed at Municipal Stadium until the end of the 1972 season (below).
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Notes, Facts and Features
Memorable moments:
September 17 1964 was scheduled to be the Beatles off-day from their first American tour. However, this would change due to the insistence of Charles O. Finley, owner of the Kansas City Athletics baseball team. Noticing that Kansas City wasn't on the agenda for this tour, he went to San Francisco to meet with Brian Epstein at the Cow Palace. He offered $50,000 for the Beatles to appear, with Brian not responding, saying that other promoters were offering $100,000 for a Beatles concert.
When Charles Finley offered a record $150,000 for a Beatles show, Brian accepted, knowing the publicity and prestige of such a price. Although the stadium could hold 41,000 people, only 20,208 attended, losing money in the meantime for Charles Finley. The Beatles came onstage and did the song Kansas City/Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey to start the show. The show had to be stopped when hundreds of fans rushed the stage. Beatles publicist Derek Taylor asked the crowd to settle down, or the police would have to cancel the show. Two businessmen took the sheets the Beatles used during their stay at the hotel, and cut them up into one-inch squares and sold them for $1.00 apiece.They did sell them all, netting them $159,000.
Campaneris, who would finish the season leading the team in batting average and stolen bases, was one of the few bright spots on the struggling A's. The club was on its way to a 103-loss season, and in order to draw crowds, A's owner Charlie O. Finley turned to a parade of wacky theme nights that honored everything from farmers to the automotive industry.
When Finley had run out of new ideas, he came up with "Campy Campaneris Night," in which his young shortstop would appear at a different position each inning. Over 20,000 fans piled in to Municipal Stadium to see how Campaneris would handle the unique rigors of each assignment.
He did pretty well. Campaneris didn't get a chance to field at his natural shortstop position in the first, but did assist on a pickoff as a second baseman in the second inning. After an uneventful stay at the hot corner in the third, he moved to left field for the fourth, and caught a fly ball. Campy snared another in center the following inning, muffed a Jim Fregosi fly ball in right in the sixth, but as a first baseman managed to snag a pop-up in the seventh.
Campaneris' most challenging assignments came in the final two innings. When he took the mound in the eighth he pitched as well as could be expected. After inducing a fly out from leadoff man Jose Cardenal, Campy allowed two walks, one hit and one run. But he got a break when Angels second baseman Bobby Knoop struck out and catcher Billy Bryan caught Fregosi trying to steal third to end the inning.
Campaneris moved behind the plate in the ninth, and the Angels' Ed Kirkpatrick took advantage by stealing second base after a leadoff single. Three batters later, with Kirkpatrick on third and Tom Egan on first, California again tested Campy's arm with a double steal. Second baseman Dick Green took the throw at second and quickly whipped it back to Campaneris in time to nail Kirkpatrick coming home. Kirkpatrick's only shot at scoring was to crash into Campaneris and try to jar the ball loose.
Even though Campaneris held on to preserve the 3-3 tie, the collision forced him to leave the field. After he headed off for X-rays, the two teams dueled long into the night. The game didn't end until the thirteenth inning, when the Angels scored twice to win, 5-3.
Except for a handful of games at second, third, and in the outfield, Campaneris stayed at short for the rest of his career. Three other men would repeat his feat -- Cesar Tovar on September 22, 1968, and Scott Sheldon and Shane Halter at the end of the 2000 season.
September 25, 1965 -- Some 10,000 fans light up Kansas City's Municipal Stadium and serenade ageless wonder Satchel Paige with "The Old Gray Mare" as the Negro League pitching legend comes out of retirement to start for the Athletics. At the invitation of Kansas City owner Charley Finley, Paige -- reportedly 59, though many believe he's older -- makes his first appearance in the majors since 1953.
Paige, who didn't get a chance to pitch in the majors until 1948, amazes all by pitching three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox. He strikes out one and does not issue a walk. The only hit he allows is a double to another future Hall of Famer, Carl Yastrzemski.
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A small children's petting zoo located in foul territory down the left field line featured pheasants, monkeys, rabbits and the A's mascot, "Charlie O," a Missouri mule that often traveled with the team.
The former Braves Field scoreboard was purchased for
$100,000and placed in right center field in the spring of 1955 (BELOW).
The Kansas City Monarchs, one of the most succesfull Negro League clubs, played in Municipal Stadium (Muehlebach Field) until their demise in 1955. Satchell Paige, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks and Elston Howard all played for the Monarchs.
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