KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In Kansas City, 50,000 drivers cross the Missouri River daily via the John Jordan “Buck” O'Neil Memorial Bridge, formerly the Broadway Bridge.
Several changes have been made to this key Kansas City connection over the years, including a demolition in 2024 and a new bridge, but its tribute to Buck O'Neil is constant.
"Buck O'Neil was a connector of people, and so it's absolutely fitting that a bridge takes his namesake," said muralist Phil Shafer.
Phil “Sike Style” Shafer was selected to complete the project in early 2025 after a year-long selection process led by Art in the Loop.
As a KC Art Institute grad, Shafer said his goal behind the new mural was to highlight the tale of a man embodying unity, with an unwavering commitment to loving his community.
"Art can really connect different places, different people, just like this bridge does," he said.
It’s been a long game to get to this point. Shafer poured months of research and spent hours at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to formalize his pitch to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Once selected, weeks of painting followed.
The final product showcases O'Neil's second passion, golf, contributions to the Kansas City Monarchs, a look at O'Neil's legendary seat at Kauffman Stadium and notable achievements within the Negro Leagues.
The mural is located on the south end of the bridge at 3rd and Broadway.
"Names matter, faces matter, places matter, people matter and that's what's important about this piece," Shafer said.
While the mural is focused on O'Neil, Shafer decided to also include his father, who introduced him to O'Neil at The K when Shafer was a kid.
"I had the pleasure to meet Buck O'Neil back in the early 90s, and my father, who is also in this mural somewhere, is the one who introduced me," Shafer said. "I love the fact that I get to share his story, but also share my own story, and that's something that Buck would have encouraged — is to share the stories that need to be told."
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KSHB 41 Traffic anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers all sorts of transportation topics across Kansas City. Have a story idea to share or a question about something in your neighborhood? Send Daniela a news tip.
