Baseball season is here, so once again I posted on social media an old Downtown stadium concept that I cobbled together years ago using Photoshop. Doing so always sparks debate (if not unabashed anger), and I can’t deny experiencing amusement from observing the back and forth. 😇
I won’t expound the virtues of Downtown baseball today, but am collecting my thoughts—and the thoughts of others—for a possible story in the near future. In the meantime, GO ROYALS!
Oh, and tailgating is overrated. 😈
This Tuesday in 1955, after a night of heavy rain, our town’s professional baseball stadium re-opened as “Municipal Stadium” for the inaugural season of the Kansas City Athletics. The stadium at 22nd and Brooklyn had been home to the American Association’s minor league Kansas City Blues and the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs since 1923 under the names Muehlebach Field, Ruppert Stadium, and Blues Stadium. But with the arrival of the A’s, the KC ballpark needed to be upgraded. Muehlebach Field was built with expansion in mind, but the footings built for installation of an upper deck were found to be insufficient once construction began. The city chose to completely rebuild the footings and—similar to the fabled story of KC rebuilding its convention hall in only three months’ time—the new Municipal was rebuilt, using three shifts of construction, in only 90 days.
Former president Harry Truman threw out the first pitch (a left-handed strike), and other dignitaries in attendance included Kansas City mayor H. Roe Bartle, Missouri governor James T. Blair, baseball commissioner Ford Frick, Philadelphia A’s Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx, and 92-year-old former Philadelphia A’s owner Connie Mack, who was given a standing ovation by the crowd.
The Kansas City Star wrote afterward: “The greatest throng ever to observe a professional baseball game here poured through the gates of the magnificent Kansas City Municipal stadium today to witness one of the most momentous events of the city’s existence—the inauguration of major league baseball.”
The A’s beat a young Al Kaline and his Detroit Tigers, 6-2.
This Friday is the birthday in 1800 of Kansas City’s first legal mayor, Johnston Lykins. In 1853, it was actually William S. Gregory who was elected to be the first mayor of the City of Kansas, and he served for 10 months before people realized he didn’t live within the city limits. (Really, how do you not recognize that someone lives outside “the city” in 1853?) Anyway, Lykins served the final two months of Gregory’s term, then was elected to his own one-year term after that.
Among several firsts attributed to Lykins in our town, he and his wife are generally considered to be the first residents of Kansas City to build, in 1857, a mansion.
“The handsomest mansion west of St. Louis,” it was called. With 14 rooms, 10 fireplaces, grand staircases, and crystal chandeliers not seen in this region at that time, the Lykins residence stood out in ol’ Gulley Town. And surprisingly, the Lykins residence—with all its history and significance tied to one of the earliest prominent families in our city—still stood 100 years later. In fact, it still stood when the Royals won their first World Series in 1985. It still stood when One Kansas City Place rose to become the tallest building in Missouri in 1988. And I recall seeing it as I drove down 12th Street back in the day.
But in 1989, fundraising efforts to save the dilapidated building fell short, and the Lykins home was demolished for what was, at that time, another parking lot. Today, the spot is occupied by a portion of the Summit on Quality Hill Apartments complex.
This Tuesday marks the date in 1921 when, as noted in the minutes of the board of directors for the Kansas City Club from that day, Bertha L. Goodwin became the first woman to apply to be a member of the male-only organization. The club most likely poo-poo’d the idea, claiming that since the club had no by-laws by which to consider admitting women, a decision would be made at “some later date when the plans for lady members are perfected.” A woman would not be recognized as a member of the Kansas City Club in any form until 1926, when Marie Schuster was allowed an “associate membership.” Women were not offered full memberships to the Kansas City Club until 1975. The organization closed its doors in May of 2015 after 133 years Downtown.
Here are further details about changes coming to the parking fee structure in River Market, as reported in the City Market News email newsletter of April 7. A plan to accommodate SNAP and low-income customers will soon be announced.
KCMO Public Works Parking Department is rolling out a city-wide parking program starting in the River Market. LAZ Parking has been contracted to manage parking operations. A public education campaign will begin April 11 and will continue for approximately 30 days after which violations will begin on a yet-undetermined date. Once the program is officially launched, charges will be as follows:
Weekend Parking (Saturdays & Sundays): FREE parking will continue to be available in the surface lots at 7th and Main, a short walk or free streetcar ride to City Market. City Market is actively expanding our customer courtesy pickup zone at 5th & Walnut so customers can check their purchases at the entrance short-term while they get their vehicles.
Surface lots adjacent to City Market: $5 up to 2 hours, $10 for 2+ hours.
Weekday Parking:
On-street parking: $1/hour for 2 hours, with escalation tiers for longer stays.
City Market square: 2 hours free parking, strictly enforced
On-street metered parking:
$1/hour for 2 hours, with escalation tiers for longer stays.
Current rates are not changing for monthly parkers.
Contactless payments can be made with various common digital means via onsite kiosks or using the ParkSmartKC app.
🚗 Click here if you would like to participate in KCMO's parking survey. 🚙
Downtown—and in this case, the Kansas City Live! Block in the P&L District—was the gathering spot for hundreds, if not thousands, of Jayhawk fans as Kansas brought home another NCAA basketball championship on Monday.
The intersection of Independence Avenue and Paseo Boulevard (the northern part of which is connected to I-29) has long been a confusing and dangerous spot for automobiles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Now, with a new design and improvements, the Paseo Gateway intersection will be a safer, more welcoming entry to the Northeast neighborhoods, to Downtown, and to the famous Kansas City boulevard system. KC Parks, a partner in the project, has more:
Time again for the Downtown Council’s annual residents’ survey. If you live Downtown, follow the link below to register your opinions. The information is used to track Downtown’s progress, support development, attract retail, and identify key messages for marketing. Your comments are important and can directly affect your Downtown living experience.
1955
Artful City: One weekly selection with a Downtown connection
Quick Clip: The city in motion—just a few seconds at a time
Downtown Lens: A single image depicting the urban aesthetic
Give a friendly Downtown-Kansas City welcome to audiences and attendees of….
Comedian Claudia Oshry, tonight at the Midland
Master pianist Yefim Bronfman, tonight at the Folly
Youth Symphony of Kansas City’s Spring Concert, this afternoon and this evening at Kauffman Center
ASICS Show Me National Qualifier (girls volleyball), continuing today through tomorrow—then again next weekend April 15-17—at Bartle Hall
Santana, this Tuesday at T-Mobile Center
My former (part-time) neighbor Downtown, internationally renowned opera star Joyce DiDonato, Tuesday at the Folly
Kansas City Symphony presents ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA, Tuesday through April 14 at Kauffman Center
An Officer and a Gentleman, the musical, Tuesday through April 17 at Kauffman Center
Jazz Night at the Folly, Conservatory Artist Series presented by UMKC Conservatory, this Wednesday at the Folly
FY22 Folly Jazz Series: Eliane Elias, Saturday at the Folly
Got a tip about Downtown KC?
Write to: tips@kcdowntownloop.com or contact me via social media
Until next week—enjoy the city!
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