The Summer With the Blues

Presented By
Ed FitzGerald, Pat O’Neill

There are times in life that alter a person’s view of the world. For Ed FitzGerald, it was the summer of 1950 when, as a Catholic boy growing up in a blue-collar Kansas City neighborhood, he got a job working for the hometown Blues baseball organization. A stint as ball boy led to an unlikely promotion to clubhouse manager for the visiting teams – a dream-come-true job for a 14-year-old baseball fan. It was an unforgettable season of fielding grounders before games, long doubleheaders, and ballpark banter. 

Now in his 80s, FitzGerald reflects on that fateful period of his youth in a discussion of his book The Summer with the Blues. Local author Pat O’Neill interviews FitzGerald about his clubhouse experiences, whether it was fetching hotdogs and drinks for opposing players, playing catch with future Hall of Famers, or being introduced to Arthur Bryant’s barbeque by the Blues’ trainer.

FitzGerald is a retired attorney who practiced law in Kansas City for over 60 years. O’Neill, a retired publicist and marketing executive, wrote the authoritative book on Kansas City’s Irish history, From the Bottom Up, and is co-author of the forthcoming Ted Sullivan, Barnacle of Baseball.

Watch
Upcoming in this series:
10
Aug
'In the Country of the Kaw': Exploring the Watersh...
Central Library |
2:00pm
Watch or Listen to Past Events in this Series:
2025-06-22 Chasing After Freedom
Sunday, June 22, 2025 2:00pm
In honor of Juneteenth, local historian Erik Stafford explores how African Americans in Kansas City pursued freedom, from escaping their enslavers through the Underg...
11
Nov
Kansas City and How It Grew: 1822-2011
Central Library |
2:00pm
17
Nov
Censorship and Kansas City: The Star and the Great...
Central Library |
2:00pm
19
Jun
GLAMA: Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America
Central Library |
2:00pm
8
Jan
Stories of the 1900 Convention Hall Fire
Central Library |
2:00pm

The Summer With the Blues

Date & Location
-
Online
Details
Adults