History
The Muehlebach brewing family built the park in 1923 for the minor league Blues, and the Negro leagues' Monarchs shared it for decades. It hosted the first Negro World Series in 1924.
After the city bought it in 1954, the stadium was rebuilt and enlarged in about 90 days for the Athletics, who arrived from Philadelphia in 1955. It later held the AFL and NFL Chiefs and, after the Athletics left for Oakland, the expansion Royals.
The Royals played their last game there in October 1972 and moved to the new Truman Sports Complex. The stadium came down in 1976. The site now holds a garden and new houses, with a plaque at 22nd and Brooklyn.
Why it matters: It was Kansas City's main professional venue for half a century and a home of the Negro leagues' Monarchs.
Timeline
- July 3, 1923
The brewery-built park opened for the Blues and Monarchs.
- 1924
Monarchs vs. Hilldale games were played here.
- April 12, 1955Major league opener[1]
Rebuilt and expanded in about 90 days, it opened for the Athletics, who beat Detroit 8-2.
- July 11, 1960
The first 1960 All-Star Game was played here.
- September 17, 1964The Beatles[1]
The Beatles performed at the stadium.
- December 25, 1971Longest NFL game[1]
The Chiefs lost to Miami 27-24 in double overtime.
- October 4, 1972Last game[1]
The Royals beat Texas 4-0 before moving to the Truman Sports Complex.
- 1976Demolition[1]
The stadium was torn down.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Community garden and new single-family homes; a small park recalls the stadium[1,2] |
| Surviving remnants | Plaque at 22nd and Brooklyn[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Kansas City Blues | American Association · 1923–1954 |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Monarchs | Negro National League / Negro American League · 1923–1955 |
| Kansas City Athletics | American League · 1955–1967 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | AFL/NFL · 1963–1971 |
| Kansas City Royals | American League · 1969–1972 |
| Kansas City Spurs | NASL · 1968–1969 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Official name | Municipal Stadium |
|---|---|
| Other names | Muehlebach Field (1923–1937); Ruppert Stadium (1937–1943); Blues Stadium (1943–1954); Municipal Stadium |
| Location | 2123 Brooklyn Ave., at E. 22nd St., Kansas City, Missouri[1,2] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Baseball, Football, Soccer |
| Level | MLB, Negro Leagues, Minor League, AFL, NFL, NASL |
| Opened | July 3, 1923[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | October 4, 1972[1] |
| Demolished | 1976[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 17,476[1] |
| Final capacity | 35,561[1] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia: 17,476 (1923-55), 30,296 after the 1955 rebuild, 35,561 (1971-72). |
| Architect | Osborn Engineering[1] |
| Construction cost | $400,000 (1923)[1,2] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Closure | The Chiefs and Royals moved to new stadiums at the Truman Sports Complex. |
Documented details
Sources
- Municipal Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened, remnants, teams
- Municipal Stadium (Muehlebach Field), Clio (David J. Trowbridge; Larry Lester). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, construction cost, current land use, events, opened, teams
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Monarchs years: Wikipedia infobox 1923-1931 and 1937-1955; text and Clio 1923-1955 (Clio also says 1954).
- Clio gives the Royals' tenure as 1969-1971 in one place and 1969-1972 in another.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.