WEST MEETS EAST | On May 22, 1949, the Monarchs opened the season against the Philadelphia Stars. A record crowd of 17,248 fans saw the Monarchs win 4-3. Standing, from left to right to exchange lineup cards, are manager Buck O'Neil, with three umpires Robert Vaughn, Bob Motley, Frank Duncan, and future Hall-of-Famer Oscar Charleston. Cancelled checks from the '49 season show that veteran ump Duncan received $15.08 a game while rookie ump Motley got only $7.52 per game. Back on April 28, 1923, in Kansas City, MO, history was made when Billy Donaldson and B.E. Gholston became the first black umpires to officiate a Negro League game. (Courtesy of NoirTech Research, Inc.)

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