Buck O'Neil

Buck O'Neil is one of those figures I think everyone should know better. A first baseman and manager with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League, he later became the first African American coach in Major League Baseball, then spent his final decades as the sport's most eloquent storyteller and keeper of its hidden history. The 2006 Presidential Medal of Freedom feels like belated recognition for a man who carried so much memory. What moves me is that he chose grace over bitterness, and I think baseball owes a lasting debt to his generosity and warmth.

John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil Jr. (November 13, 1911 – October 6, 2006) was an American first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. After his playing days, he worked as a scout and became the first African American coach in Major League Baseball.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name (English)

Buck O'Neil

Name (Japanese)

バック・オニール

Reading

ばっく・おにーる

Born

November 13, 1911 – October 6, 2006

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Scorpio / Boar

Origin

Carrabelle, Florida, United States

Blood type

Private

Height

Private

Agency

Private

Occupation

baseball player / baseball manager

Elementary school

Private

Junior high

Private

High school

Private

University

Edward Waters University

Awards & achievements

• Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2006 Presidential Medal of Freedom

Spouse

Private

Children

Private

Parents

Private

Siblings

Private

Motto

Private

• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%90%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AA%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB

Tags

• Florida
• baseball player
• baseball manager

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.