Best nicknames in Kansas City sports history
By Ben Almquist
Best Kansas City sports nicknames #12
John O’Neil – Monarchs: “Buck”
You’ve probably never heard of John O’Neil…but you have more than likely heard of Kansas City Monarchs star Buck O’Neil. The sign of a great nickname is when it can overtake your given name. That was certainly the case for one of the most iconic players of the Negro Leagues.
Truth be told, the Negro Leagues are responsible for some of the greatest nicknames in pro sports history. In fact, there are going to be several more players who make this list. However, we will start with Buck O’Neil.
O’Neil is one of the preeminent “small ball” players in baseball history. He never put up big power numbers, but he could put up big time batting numbers, including several years where he hit well over .300. He’s an iconic figure to baseball historians.