Juneteenth weekend kicks off with discussion on KC Monarchs ties to Flint Hills

The Negro Leagues and its ties to the Manhattan area were featured as part of the kickoff to Juneteenth weekend festivities Thursday night at the Douglass Recreation Center.

Co-founder of the Negro Leagues Museum Phil S. Dixon spoke about the Kansas City Monarchs and some of the ways the team influenced modern baseball. Dixon says among the most notable were team buses and the advent of baseball at night.

Dixon has interviewed over 500 former Negro League players and family members. He spoke about some of his favorites including George Giles, who himself was a successful Manhattan businessman. Dixon says baseball statistics show Giles had a .311 batting average over 10 years, but says some stats are missing.

The presentation was made possible by Humanities Kansas. Dixon began his presentation with a trumpet performance of Lift Every Voice and Sing – which is often referred to as the Black national anthem in the United States.

Dixon also treated guests Thursday evening to one of his original poems, entitled “We Made Baseball Better.”

In addition to games in Manhattan, the Monarchs played several contests in the Flint Hills including Abilene, Clay Center and Junction City. It was also mentioned at Thursday’s event that Douglass Center Director Dave Baker caught Satchel Paige when he played a game in Manhattan in 1964.

Players encountered a lot of adversity including racism in the communities they played in. Dixon says often the players were respected on the field, but struggled to find lodging most nights and were often barred from eating in restaurants. The Monarchs often toured with the House of David baseball club which featured Major League great Grover Cleveland Alexander among others.

Juneteenth festivities continue through the weekend in Manhattan with the United in History and Hope Community Walk at 9:45 a.m. Saturday along with the unveiling of the Douglass Center mural at 10:30 a.m. Additional activities at Douglass Park and the Rec Center will continue throughout the day.