Vintage postcard shows KC’s Municipal Stadium in glory days. What’s there now?
After 1955, Kansas City could rightly call itself a “major league town.” And postcards like this one from the late 1950s were part of the proof.
It’s hard to say exactly who the Athletics might have been playing on that afternoon, but it hardly matters. Municipal Stadium, at Brooklyn Avenue and 22nd Street, is the real star of the show.
From the camera’s vantage point along the third base line, we see plenty of mid-century baseball fans soaking up a hot summer day.
There’s a good view of the upper deck, which was added when the A’s came to town. And the houses that were standing across the street are visible as well.
Then there’s that giant Schlitz sign in center field.
Ironically, just a few years earlier, Schlitz purchased the Muehlebach Brewing Company. Its owner, George Muehlebach, originally built the stadium in 1923 for his minor league Kansas City Blues. The legendary Kansas City Monarchs of Negro Leagues fame also played there.
A few years (and quite a few losses) after this postcard was published, the A’s headed for Oakland. But the stadium still hosted Chiefs games, and in 1969, welcomed the brand new Kansas City Royals.
Not to mention that the Beatles performed there in the fall of ‘64.
Soon after the Truman Sports Complex opened in 1972, the wrecking ball leveled Municipal Stadium completely..
For years, a large community garden was the site’s only occupant.
Now, a small memorial has been placed on the corner, and a modest subdivision has been built on the grounds where many of us got our first taste of big league thrills.
Having trouble seeing the video? Watch it here.
Looking for more Kansas City history?
How this YMCA on the Paseo shaped baseball’s past and hopes to play a part in its future
Westport’s name is a little misleading. Why was it called that?
With the new streetcar line about open, here’s a look back at how KC’s public transit began
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM.