Winning is in the DNA of the Kansas City Monarchs. For the second time in three years, they are American Association champions.
The Monarchs continue to proudly carry the tremendous legacy of the original Monarchs, who won 15 total championships in 37 years in the Negro Leagues.
The modern Monarchs franchise, previously known as the T-Bones, was on the brink of relocation until new ownership cleaned things up. After going on hiatus in 2020, the new ownership rebranded the T-Bones to the Monarchs to restore one of baseball’s most iconic names.
The team went on to win the 2021 championship but faltered in the 2022 playoffs. They got their redemption in 2023 to reclaim the Wolff Cup.
The Monarchs cruised through the regular season with the league’s best record for the third consecutive season, entering the 2023 Wolff Cup Playoffs with a 59-40 record.
The postseason started well when the Monarchs swept the Sioux Falls Canaries, holding the Canaries to just a single run across the two games.
The next series was against the Sioux City Explorers, who offered a much greater challenge in the West Division Championship Series. The Monarchs immediately had their backs against the wall after suffering a humbling 8-1 defeat in Iowa. But the Monarchs supplied the necessary response on home turf as they defeated the Explorers 5-0 and 9-6 to advance to the Finals.
Once again the Finals caused some immediate discomfort. The Monarchs dropped game one of the series on the road after a 16-inning nail-biter that finished 3-2 against the Chicago Dogs. After the Monarchs tied it in the ninth inning to get the game to extra innings, the Dogs won it with a walk-off base hit seven innings later.
The Monarchs returned the next night and got a crucial road win by a final score of 8-4. The series then shifted to Kansas City, and the hosts took the 9-6 victory to bring the Monarchs one win away from the championship.
After taking a commanding 6-1 lead in game four, the Monarchs allowed the Dogs back into it and eventually tied it 6-6 in the ninth inning. That was all just a setup for an unforgettable championship moment.
Brian O’Grady squeezed a base hit up the middle with runners on first and second with one out. Chris Hermann easily beat the throw from center field as the Monarchs won in epic walk-off fashion.
O’Grady spent parts of three seasons in Major League clubhouses but was signed by the Monarchs in June. He is now a hero for the Kansas City Monarchs.
“This team has done such a great job and I just happened to be the guy who was up at that time,” O’Grady said in a press release. “What a way to end it, this place (Kansas City) just let me have fun again and I am so thankful.”
The Monarchs were a team full of solid contributors. While O’Grady had his shining moment, he wasn’t among the favorites to step up as the source of stardom after batting .242 in the regular season and .243 in the playoffs.
Among the star players was ex-Royal pitcher Brandon Finnegan and numerous Kansas City area natives including Grant Gavin, who was named to the All-Star team in July.
Hermann led the Monarchs with 23 home runs and a .355 batting average during the regular season. Despite the danger he posed with the bat in his hand, he was the one to cross home plate with his 180-foot sprint from second base to safely cross home plate.
With such high expectations, the modern Monarchs have done everything they can do to ensure they carry on the winning legacy of the original Monarchs.
Kansas City Sports Magazine 