From the Kansas City Star’s Sam Mellinger.
Beloved Negro Leagues icon and Kansas City legend Buck O™Neil died Friday night. O™Neil was 94.
He spent his life playing, coaching and finally promoting baseball. He was a batting champion, a three-time All-Star, and a wildly successful manager for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues before becoming the first black coach in the major leagues with the Cubs in 1962. As a scout, he is credited with discovering and signing Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Lou Brock, among others.
After his coaching career concluded, O™Neil devoted his life to spreading the stories of the men who played in the Negro Leagues. He captivated audiences of all ages and races with stories of Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, and others.
He became something of a national celebrity as the narrator of Ken Burns™ PBS documentary, œBaseball, in 1994. Since then he became the top ambassador for the Negro Leagues, telling his stories on national radio and television, including with David Letterman.
In Kansas City, he gained fame as the leader of the effort to build the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the 18th and Vine district. Once it was built, O™Neil served as the museum™s chairman and its most effective promoter.
œIt™s really hard to express what he meant to everybody in Kansas City and certainly to me, professionally, and even more personally as a dear friend, said Bob Kendrick, marketing director for the museum. œHe will be greatly missed by everybody. It will be a tremendous void in all our lives. But Buck would not want us to be sad, so we™ll try to be a little more upbeat. But obviously that™s hard right now.
Are you there Gob? It’s me, Ryan. Please strike down the baseball writers who don’t know where Kansas City is, drool over the rich history of racism in the Red Sox organization, ignore the Negro Leagues, and bless the heart of the man who had a “Billy Crystal Sucks” sign in Detroit last night.
Thanx XOXOXOX
Sorry, but I felt sad, and shed tears when I heard that Buck had passed away. I was fortunate enough to visit the Museum with our group of senior citizens while Buck was there, and everyone was loving the way he shook hands, and hugged the ladies. Also got to see him again when he was at our local grocery store with the bobble head dolls, and Buck signed all the doll boxes and the posters. I treasure the ones that I have. He was such an energetic man, and much admired by all of us. God bless you, Buck O’Neil, and may you rest in peace.
Phyllis Perrin, Belton, MO
It came as a shock to be when I heard that Buck had passed away. I had met him at a Cubs game in 2005, where he graciously gave me his autograph. At the time I hadn’t known much about him, but now I have read a lot about him, and his sucessful life. It’s a shame that he isn’t going to be alive WHEN he is inducted into the hall of fame.
A truly lovable man that will be missed. I thank God for giving me the pleasure of meeting a great man before I left Kansas City. We all must make the same trip, to bad we can not cancel the appointment. Some of us look forward to it and some do not, maybe Good Old Buck was just tired and was ready to go. May God Bless His Soul! See you when we get there Buck. Thank You God for letting us share the love of a wonderful man for 94 years.
Robert Smith, Detroit Michigan
I am currently reading the book, “The Soul of Baseball, A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America”. This is truly a man of wisdom and especially love for all. He was so positive! He had no need to harbor any bad thoughts about people or country. He considered himself blessed, as we were to experience his presence, thoughts, and influence with the game and life he loved. Far greater than others, he forgave their shortcomings; and far greater than our imagination, Christ our Savior, has forgiven and paid the debt for all of us! Buck’s life and story have helped to renew me the confidence and faith in human nature and in the divine! He is in a fame of his own!