Organized professional baseball has had a presence in Kansas City since 1884, beginning with the Kansas City Unions in the Union Association. However, despite this rich history, the city has not been prominent in terms of significant baseball achievements.
Not one Kansas City Athletics pitcher has thrown a no-hitter at Municipal Stadium. The initial two no-hitters in Royals history took place away from home. Neither franchise has produced a 300-game winner, with Gaylord Perry being the closest, finishing his career with 14 games in Kansas City. George Brett is the only Royal to surpass 3,000 hits, although he achieved this milestone on the road, only to be picked off first base soon after. Furthermore, Kansas City has never had a player with 500 career home runs, except for Harmon Killebrew’s last 106 games in 1975.
Among the significant milestones in Kansas City ballparks, one of the earliest occurred on June 26, 1947. Carl DeRose, a promising pitcher formerly associated with the Yankees, requested one last start. Hailing from Milaca, Minnesota, DeRose debuted with the Amsterdam Rug Makers, a Yankees’ Class A team, in 1942, showcasing an impressive 19–6 record at just 19 years old. With a powerful fastball, he was often compared to Bob Feller.
His career was interrupted by World War II, which led to three years of military service. While pitching for a military team, he achieved a three-hit complete-game victory over Satchel Paige’s All-Star team, bringing him close to a Yankees debut. However, a broken knuckle diverted him to the Kansas City Blues for the 1946 season, where he went 12–6. Unfortunately, an injury during a frigid day in Denver hindered his progress, leading him to request one final game on that June evening in 1947 against the Minneapolis Millers. Despite acute pain, he completed nine innings, achieving the first nine-inning perfect game in American Association history at Municipal Stadium.
DeRose continued in the Yankees’ minor league system for a few more seasons before retiring from baseball in 1950 at the age of 27. Although he later played independent league baseball in Iowa and Minnesota, he never had the chance to pitch in the major leagues.
On July 11, 1960, Municipal Stadium witnessed the Major League All-Star Game, attended by 30,619 fans, featuring 18 future Hall of Famers and resulting in a 5–3 win for the National League. Willie Mays began the game with a triple, leading to an early score. Ernie Banks and Del Crandall added home runs, while Al Kaline and Bud Daley made notable appearances for the American League.
Another significant event occurred on July 13, 1963, when Early Wynn achieved his 300th career victory against the Kansas City Athletics, making him the oldest player in the majors at 43. His illustrious career began in 1939, and after a break for military service, Wynn returned to secure his final win, ending his career with a 300–244 record and a 3.54 ERA. This game also featured an 18-year-old Tony La Russa as a pinch runner.
In an effort to increase attendance, Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley declared September 8, 1965, “Campy Campaneris Night,” featuring Campaneris playing all nine positions in a game against the Los Angeles Angels. The unique event attracted 21,576 fans. Campaneris performed admirably but ended the game with an injury. The Angels emerged victorious, winning 5–3. Keep an eye out for next week’s focus on milestones at Royals/Kauffman Stadium.
