at home this season
A batter steps up to the plate, around him an energized crowd buzzes and vibrates with noise. Unsure of exactly how the following minutes will unfold, the batter carefully eyes the mound and prepares for the pitch as the pressure and volume around him surge.
This was the scene at Kauffman Stadium on July 28 as the Kansas City Royals went up against the Chicago Cubs at the annual Salute to the Negro Leagues game, set in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the first Negro League World Series.
The same scene described above is perhaps not so different than what was experienced 100 years ago when the Kansas City Monarchs won the 1924 Negro League World Series. In that same year, JE Dunn Construction opened its doors for business. Like the Kansas City Monarchs during that history-making game, J.E. Dunn, his family and crew were unsure exactly how events would unfold. But as time would tell, for both JE Dunn Construction and the Kansas City Monarchs, it paid off big.
As JE Dunn marks 100 years alongside this pivotal moment in history, they have teamed up with the Kansas City Royals for “Celebrate the Run”, a campaign all about making runs scored in the 2024 baseball season count for more than just numbers on the scoreboard. For every run scored by the Royals at Kauffman Stadium during the 2024 season, JE Dunn has committed to donate $100 to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM).
Now among the top contractors in the U.S. with reach from coast to coast, JE Dunn wanted to mark the joint milestone by giving back to a key piece of Kansas City’s heritage.
“Thanks to the Royals and JE Dunn for creating a fun and exciting way to celebrate the crowning achievement of the Kansas City Monarchs winning the inaugural Negro Leagues World Series a century ago while generating valuable support for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum,” said Bob Kendrick, museum president. “The Museum is the place where history touches home and needless to say, we will be cheering even more than usual every time the Royals touch home this season.”
In addition to Celebrate the Run, the NLBM plans for city-wide events to take place recognizing and celebrating the baseball milestone. JE Dunn’s philanthropic focus on the milestone puts the spotlight not just on highlighting how far the company has come over the last 100 years, but primarily on celebrating the legacy and achievements of the Negro Leagues.
“In celebration of our Centennial year, it is truly an honor to partner with two pillars of the Kansas City community,” JE Dunn President and CEO Gordon Lansford said. “Celebrate the Run is an important way JE Dunn can give back and say thank you to these important organizations and our fellow Kansas Citians for 100 years of support.”