Photograph Courtesy Rare Sports Films Vintage Blues Stadium Kansas City Missouri Kansas City Blues Kansas City Monarchs |
The Kansas City Blues' first affiliate was the Pittsburgh Pirates who took control
of the team in 1935 and supplied some pretty good players as Dale Alexander would
bat .358 with 29 doubles and 16 homers. Mike Kreevich batted .345 with 36
doubles, 14 triples and 13 homers and in limited duty (193 at bats) Joseph Valenti
batted .378. The Blues switched affiliates in 1936 to the Chicago White Sox
and actually made the playoffs but lost in the first round. The White Sox who
had utilized the St. Paul Saints during the 1935 season, returned to St. Paul for
the 1937 season. With the vacancy, the Blues were annointed with their 3rd affiliate
in 3 years. This one however... would stick. This began the new era for
the Kansas City Blues.The Blues signed a tremendously long term deal with the
New York Yankees to serve as their top farm club (with the Binghamton Triplets
playing as the "Double-A" just beneath them). This relationship would last for
the rest of the Kansas City Blues' existance... until the Philadelphia Athletics
moved to Kansas City. As part of the changeover, the stadium would soon be renamed
Ruppert Stadium. It would take a year for the changeover to the Yankees
would feel complete... the new franchise finishing in 5th place, 10 games under
.500 in 1937, but by 1938, the Blues were back in 2nd place and in the playoffs,
where they would seemingly be year in and year out. |