Having spent my whole life in Kansas City, I felt the need to spring for these photos. Any ID help that you can add would be appreciated. It's late period Negro Leagues but it does include some early images of Ernie Banks and Elston Howard.
1. Kansas City’s “Blues Stadium” later named “Municipal Stadium” in 1955 when a second deck was added prior to the arrival of the new Kansas City Athletics team from Philadelphia. Photo back has “Richardson” written on it. These photos may have come from a Monarch’s player estateMonarch’s pitcher Gene Richardson who was with the Monarchs from 1947 – 1953.
2. Monarch’s Earl Taborn running to first in a game action shot at KC’s Blues Stadium c. 1947-49. Written on the back of the photo - “That blurr is catcher Taborn out at first”.
3. Indianapolis Clowns players Raynaldo “Verdes” Drake (aka Dreke), Henry “Speed” Merchant and Johnson.
4. Player from the integrated minor league Carlsbad (NM) Potashers.
5. Monarch players warming up at Kansas City Blues Stadium.
6. Indianapolis Clowns players relaxing while eating.
7. A young Elston Howard with the Monarchs. Howard would later break the color barrier for the NY Yankees (“Elston Howard” written on the back of the photo).
8. Johnson and a young Ernie Banks while with the KC Monarchs.
9. Several veteran KC Monarch players.
10. Player from the integrated minor league Carlsbad (NM) Potashers.
11. Bonnie Serrell of the Monarchs. Looks like this game is being played at a horse racing track.
12. Carlsbad Potasher.
13. KC’s Buck O’Neil (No. 22) and Herb “Baldy” Souell.
14. Monarch players at the team bus. Who are they?
15. Taborn of the KC Monarchs.
16. Same group of Monarch veteran players.
17. Taborn again.
18. Two Carlsbad Potasher players.
19. KC’s Tom Cooper alongside Elston Howard. On the back is written “Cooper facing Howard No. 10”
20. Players getting on the team bus.
21. Believed to be Monarch’s catcher Earl Taborn.
22. Monarch’s player.
23. Double-exposed photo of Monarch’s player in the batter’s box with possibly Taborn behind the plate.
1 Kansas City’s “Blues Stadium” later named “Municipal Stadium” in 1955 when a second deck was added prior to the arrival of the new Kansas City Athletics team from Philadelphia. Photo back has “Richardson” written on it. These photos may have come from a Monarch’s player estate. Monarch’s pitcher Gene Richardson who was with the Monarchs from 1947 – 1953.
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2 Monarch’s Earl Taborn running to first in a game action shot at KC’s Blues Stadium c. 1947-49. Written on the back of the photo - “That blurr is catcher Taborn out at first”.
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3 Indianapolis Clowns players Raynaldo “Verdes” Drake (aka Dreke), Henry “Speed” Merchant and Johnson.
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4 Player from the integrated minor league Carlsbad (NM) Potashers.
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5 Monarch players warming up at Kansas City Blues Stadium.
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6 Indianapolis Clowns players relaxing while eating.
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7 A young Elston Howard with the Monarchs. Howard would later break the color barrier for the NY Yankees (“Elston Howard” written on the back of the photo).
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8 Johnson and a young Ernie Banks while with the KC Monarchs.
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9 Several veteran KC Monarch players.
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10 Player from the integrated minor league Carlsbad (NM) Potashers.
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11 Bonnie Serrell of the Monarchs. Looks like this game is being played at a horse racing track.
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12 Carlsbad Potasher.
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13 KC’s Buck O’Neil (No. 22) and Herb “Baldy” Souell.
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14 Monarch players at the team bus. Who are they?
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15 Taborn of the KC Monarchs.
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16 Same group of Monarch veteran players.
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17 Taborn again.
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18 Two Carlsbad Potasher players.
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