First Game Played April 16, 1914
Last Game Played October 3, 1915
Historical Moments
1914:The Kansas City Packers were among the most aggressive teams in the Federal League, freely signing players off rosters from teams in the American and National Leagues, in violation of the reserve clause which kept players bound to a team even when a contract expired. One such player was George Stovall, player-manager of the St. Louis Browns, taking on the same role with the Packers. The Packers opened the season with a 3-2 loss at Gordon and Koppel Field on April 16th. Despite playing their first seven games at home, Kansas City was unable to get off to a strong start, posting a record of 3-4. On April 23rd the Packers would face the Feds again in the first game ever at Weeghman Park, losing 9-1. The Packers starter that game Chief Johnson, was forced to leave the game in the second inning, after the Cincinnati Reds filed an injunction preventing him from playing in the FL. Eventually Johnson, would return to the Packers but it was just one of the battles between the Federal League and two other established Major Leagues. The Packers never quite found their footing and struggled to post a record of 67-84, as they finished sixth among eight teams in the FL, as they finished the season on the road after their ballpark was damaged by a flood. Bill Kenworthy was the hitting star for the Packers with 15 homers and 91 RBI, while Gene Packard was the Packers only winning pitcher at 20-14.
1915:Following its first season the Federal League sought to add a second team to the New York area, and planned to relocate the Kansas City Packers to Newark, New Jersey and went into spring training preparing to play in Newark. However, an injunction filed by Packers management gave Kansas City a reprieve as the 1914 Pennant Winning Indianapolis Hooisers ended up in Newark instead. In their second season the Packers were significantly better thanks to improved pitching as Gene Packard again won 20 games, while Nick Cullop who lost 19 games in 1914 turned things around to post a record of 22-11. The Packers would spend much of the season’s first half in first place and was on top of the Federal League as late as August 21st. In the end a late season skid would cost the Packers as they finished in fourth place with a record 81-72 as the top five teams in the Federal League ended the season separated by a mere six games. After the season the Federal League would fold the result of a buyout from the American and National Leagues. Kansas City the westernmost city would not see a return of a Major League Baseball for 40 years when the Philadelphia Athletics relocated in 1955. In between Kansas City was home to the most significant team in the Negro Leagues, the Kansas City Monarchs.
