A bronze statue of John “Buck” O’Neil now greets visitors to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., but Buck’s heart is in Kansas City, which was “home” to Buck and his dream of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
And on Thursday, Nov. 13, about 3,000 Kansas Citians said,
“Thanks a Million, Buck,” by contributing $3,782.70 toward construction of the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center which Buck, who passed away in 2006, and others envisioned for the Paseo YMCA.
The event was the third year in a row in which the 10 Kansas City area First Watch restaurants have donated all their profits on Buck’s birthday to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Buck O’Neil was a player and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs, a mainstay of the formidable Negro Leagues of baseball.
“We would like to thank all of Kansas City for their support of First Watch and the Negro Leagues of Baseball Museum,” said Rod Hennig, Regional First Watch Vice President.
“One of our early visions of this project was for other restaurants to join us in this venture and to make this into a larger event on Buck’s birthday for the entire Kansas City metropolitan area,” Hennig added. “We will work over this next year to make this offer to anyone who would be interested in joining forces.”
The Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center has raised more than $3 million toward its goal of raising the anticipated $15 million cost of the center. It will have the latest in interactive baseball technology, a baseball academy and state-of-the-art research equipment to educate visitors, students, researchers and baseball fans about every aspect of the Negro Leagues.
A reporter and a photographer for KCTribune stopped by the First Watch restaurant in Westport for brunch and to meet Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame second baseman Frank White, who was there to greet fans and sign autographs. Other Monarchs and Royals players stopped by at other First Watch restaurants for the occasion.
Bill Shafer, First Watch Regional Manager, recalled the many times that Buck came to First Watch to eat his favorite wheat germ blueberry pancakes.
“It was always special to see Buck walk into the restaurant and absolutely light up the place with his charisma and charm,” Shafer noted. “He loved the pancakes here and our employees and patrons loved him. Not only do we want to thank Buck for everything he did for this great city, but we want to help make his dream come to fruition.”
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