On This Day

Buck O'Neil

Baseball Player and Coach Buck O'Neil

Profession: Baseball Player and Coach

Nationality:
United States of America
American

Biography: The first African-American coach in the history of Major League Baseball. During the time that American baseball was segregated, O'Neil worked for many years in the Negro American League with the Kansas City Monarchs.

Helping to renew interest in his era of baseball, O'Neil had a major hand in establishing the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. He also gained national fame though Ken Burn's 1994 documentary miniseries "Baseball".

Born: November 13, 1911
Birthplace: Carrabelle, Florida, USA

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Pig
Star Sign: Scorpio

Died: October 6, 2006 (aged 94)
Cause of Death: Heart attack

Historical Events

  • 1938-05-15 Buck O'Neil makes his debut playing for the Negro league baseball team Kansas City Monarchs at Ruppert Stadium, Kansas City
  • 1994-09-18 Ken Burn's documentary miniseries "Baseball" premieres on PBS (Emmy for Outstanding Informational Series)
  • 1994-09-28 Ken Burn's documentary miniseries "Baseball" TV Miniseries last airs on PBS
  • 1997-11-01 Expanded Negro Leagues Museum and the new American Jazz Museum open in Kansas City's historic 18th and Vine district
  • 2022-07-24 David Ortiz, Gil Hodges, Bud Fowler, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso and Buck O’Neil are inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY

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