Sports Executive. Thomas Baird was known for his decades-long association with the Kansas City Monarchs Negro League baseball team, where he served as co-owner and eventually primary owner of the club. He began his baseball career as a semi-professional player in Kansas City, Kansas, in the late 1910s before a railroad accident gave him a permanent limp and ended his playing days. His T. Y. Baird baseball team won two championships in Kansas City before he joined the front office of the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1920s. He served as club secretary in 1927, business manager by 1930, and by 1939 became co-owner alongside future Baseball Hall of Famer J.L. Wilkinson. He bought out Wilkinson's interest in the club after 1948, and Baird continued to run the club until 1956, when he sold 12 of his players to the major and minor leagues. According to his obituary in the "Kansas City Times," he contracted 29 of his players to the major leagues in the 1940s and 1950s, with Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Elston Howard, and Ernie Banks among those to make the move from the Monarchs to the majors. Under his ownership, the Monarchs won six Negro American League championships from 1939 to 1953 and the 1942 Negro League World Series. Baird later worked as a scout for the Kansas City Athletics. Despite the nature of his career, there is significant evidence indicating that Baird was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
Sports Executive. Thomas Baird was known for his decades-long association with the Kansas City Monarchs Negro League baseball team, where he served as co-owner and eventually primary owner of the club. He began his baseball career as a semi-professional player in Kansas City, Kansas, in the late 1910s before a railroad accident gave him a permanent limp and ended his playing days. His T. Y. Baird baseball team won two championships in Kansas City before he joined the front office of the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1920s. He served as club secretary in 1927, business manager by 1930, and by 1939 became co-owner alongside future Baseball Hall of Famer J.L. Wilkinson. He bought out Wilkinson's interest in the club after 1948, and Baird continued to run the club until 1956, when he sold 12 of his players to the major and minor leagues. According to his obituary in the "Kansas City Times," he contracted 29 of his players to the major leagues in the 1940s and 1950s, with Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Elston Howard, and Ernie Banks among those to make the move from the Monarchs to the majors. Under his ownership, the Monarchs won six Negro American League championships from 1939 to 1953 and the 1942 Negro League World Series. Baird later worked as a scout for the Kansas City Athletics. Despite the nature of his career, there is significant evidence indicating that Baird was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
Bio by: Adam Penale
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