Mickey was signed by New York and began playing for the Yankees in 1951. Mickey struggled with the Yankees, and was sent down to the KC Blues in mid-1951. Mickey remained there the rest of the season. Mickey was called back to the Yankees in 1952 and the rest (as they say) is history. Elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Mickey Mantle's stats at a member of the KC Blues:

G - 40; AVG. - .361; HR - 11; RBI - 50

Mickey Mantle's career stats:

AVG. - .298; H - 2415; HR - 536; RBI - 1509; SB - 153

Whitey Ford's stats as a member of the KC Blues:

Wins - 6; ERA - 3.22; Ks - 80

Whitey Ford's career stats:

G - 498; Wins - 236; ERA - 2.75; Ks - 1956; Saves - 10

Joe Cronin's stats with the KC Blues:

Games - 74; Avg. - .245

Joe Cronin's career stats:

Avg. - .301; H - 2285; HR - 170; RBI - 1424

Tris Speaker's career stats:

Avg. - .344; H - 3515; HR - 117; RBI - 1529; SB - 432

Yogi Berra was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Yogi played his entire major league career with the New York Yankees. Yogi was signed by the Yankees in 1942. Yogi was a member of the KC Blues in 1944 and 1945. Yogi was a reserve member of the KC Blues, while he did his military service. Yogi made it to the Yankees in 1946 and played through the 1965 season. Yogi amassed three MVP awards and won 13 pennants during his 16 year career. After retiring as a player from baseball, Yogi became manager for both the Yankees and the Mets.

Yogi Berra's career stats:

Avg. - .285; HR - 358; RBI - 1430; SB - 30; H - 2,150

Casey Stengel was born in 1889 in Kansas City. The KC Blues purchased Casey's rights out of high school, although Casey never actually played for the Blues. Casey played in the major leagues as an outfielder from 1912 - 1925 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburg Pirates, New York Giants and Boston Braves. Casey began his managerial career in 1934 with Brooklyn. Casey managed in Brooklyn from 1934 - 1936. Casey then moved on to the Braves, where he managed from 1938 - 1943. After Casey left the Braves, he found his way back to Kansas City, managing the 1945 KC Blues to a 7th place finish. Casey moved on to the Yankees in 1950, and as they say, the rest was history. Casey managed the Yankees from 1950 - 1960, winning 10 World Series in 12 years. Casey finished his managerial career with the New York Mets from 1962 - 1965. Casey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.

Casey Stengel's career stats as a player:

Avg. - .284; HR - 60; RBI - 535; SB - 131

Casey Stengel's KC Blues Managerial Stats:

G - 151; W - 65; L - 86; Pct. - .430; GB - 26.5

Casey Stengel's Career Managerial Stats:

G - 3,812; W - 1,926; L - 1,867; Pct. - .508

Known as Ol' Stubblebeard, because he would not shave the day of a game, Burleigh Grimes broke into the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1916. During his 19 year career, Burleigh also played with the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Boston Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Burleigh posted five 20 win seasons during his career. After Burleigh retired in 1934, he began to manage. Burleigh managed the Brooklyn Dodgers for two years in 1937 and 1938. In 1946, Burleigh managed the KC Blues to a 6th place finish. Burleigh was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.

Burleigh Grimes' managerial stats with the KC Blues:

W - 67; L - 82; 6th Place; Pct. - .450; GB - 22.5

Burleigh Grimes' career stats:

W - 270; L - 212; ERA - 3.53; IP - 4179.2; Ks - 1512; Sv - 18

"The Cat" broke into the majors on April 16, 1936, with the St. Louis Cardinals and soon became one of the most feared sluggers in the National League. As a Cardinal, he captured home run titles in 1939 (28) and 1940 (43). Later, as a member of the New York Giants, he won two additional home run crowns: fifty-one in 1947 (an honor he shared with Ralph Kiner of Pittsburgh) and forty in 1948. Mize joined the American League's New York Yankees in 1949.

Johnny had problems adjusting to AL pitching. Casey Stengel sent Johnny to the KC Blues in 1950, to find his stroke. It worked as Johnny returned to the Yankess as a pinch hitter and part-time first baseman. Johnny helped lead the Yankees to five consecutive World Series titles (1949-1953). Mize retired after the 1953 campaign. In contrast to most sluggers, especially today's long ball artists, Mize rarely struck out, fanning only 524 times over the course of his career. Johnny was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. .

Johnny Mize's stats as a memeber of the KC Blues:

Johnny Mize's career stats:

BA - .312; HR - 359; RBI - 1,337; SB - 28

Phil Rizzuto played with the KC Blues in 1939 and 1940 and had two of the best years a minor league player could have. Phil lead the KC Blues to the American Association Championship in 1939. Phil overcame his diminutive size to anchor a Yankees dynasty, helping them win seven of nine World Series during his 13 seasons, not counting three years lost to World War II. "The Scooter" was a durable and deft shortstop, skilled bunter and enthusiastic base runner who compiled a .273 lifetime batting average. A five-time All-Star, Rizzuto was named the American League's MVP in 1950 when he excelled with a .324 average, 200 hits and .439 slugging percentage. Upon retirement, he spent 40 years as a popular Yankees broadcaster. Additionally, Phil was the first mystery guest on the television program "What's My Line" when the show premiered February 2, 1950. Phil was elected to the MLB Hall of Fame in 1994.

Phil Rizzuto's stats as a memeber of the 1939 KC Blues:

BA - .316; H - 193; HR - 5; RBI - 64; SB - 33

Phil Rizzuto's stats as a memeber of the 1940 KC Blues:

BA - .347; D - 28; T - 10; HR - 10; SB - 35

Phil Rizzuto's career MLB stats:

BA - .273; HR - 38; RBI - 563; SB - 149

Vince DiMaggio played with the Kansas City Blues in 1939 and lead the Blues to an American Association Championship and consideration as one of the top 100 Minor League Teams in History. Vince homered on the first pitch he saw in a KC Blues uniform. The older brother of Joe and Dom, Vince was born in Martinez, California. Vince was a fine outfielder and a smart baserunner. He hit 21 home runs with 100 RBI for the Pirates in 1941, and led the league center fielders in assists three times and putouts twice. He ranked among the National League's top ten home run hitters six times between 1938 and 1945. Beside this, he was prone to strike out, leading the league in striking out six times. He set a record (since broken) by fanning 134 times in 1938. He was a two-time All-Star selection (1943-44). In the 1944 All-Star game he hit a home run, triple and single in three at-bats. The same year he belted four grand slams for the Phillies. Vince died in North Hollywood, California at age of 74.

Vince DiMaggio's stats with the KC Blues:

Avg. - .290; HR - 46; RBI - 136; R - 122; SB - 21

Vince DiMaggio's career stats:

Avg. - .249; H - 959; R -- 491; HR - 125; RBI - 584; SB - 79

Joe played for the 1894 Western League KC Blues. After two years in the minors, Joe quit baseball to run a saloon. Joe came back to baseball in 1898 and made the major leagues in 1899. Joe played for four teams during his eleven year career in the majors, mostly with the New York Giants. After his major league career, Joe played in the minors for several years. Joe, in 1909-10, he won 59 games for Newark, topping 400 innings pitched in both seasons. He moved to Tacoma in 1913, pitching 436 innings and winning 22 games. He won 20 or more games six times in the minors between 1909-16, and in 1917, pitching for Butte in the Northwestern League, he once again pitched and won both games of a doubleheader, defeating Vancouver 3-1 and 6-2. He was 45 years old at the time. Wherever he went in the minors, McGinnity owned a piece of the team and did the managing, so he was able to pitch whenever he felt the urge. He felt the urge often. After sitting out the seasons of 1919-21, he came back again to run the Dubuque team in the Mississippi Valley League, where he pitched 206 innings in 1923 at age 51. When he finally called it a career after six wins for Dubuque in 1925, he had totaled 235 wins in the minors in addition to his 246 in the majors. Joe was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. Joe died in 1929 and is burred in McAlester, Oklahoma.

Joe McGinnity's stats with the KC Blues:

W - 8; L - 10

Joe McGinnity's career stats:

W - 246; CG - 314; Ks - 1,068; ERA - 2.66