When the Western League was reborn in 1947, the Cardinals placed a farm club in Omaha.[1] The team drew over 138,000 fans and placed second in the league in attendance,[citation needed] even though it was compelled to play its first two seasons in Council Bluffs, Iowa, while Rosenblatt Stadium was under construction.[3][4] The Western League franchise remained at or near the top in attendance and won pennants in 1950 and 1951.[citation needed] After the 1954 season, Omaha replaced the Columbus Red Birds as the Cardinals' affiliate in the American Association.[5] In its first Triple-A season, the club, managed by Johnny Keane, drew over 316,000 fans, but by 1959 crowds had dwindled. The last Omaha Cardinals club won a division title but drew a little more than a third of 1955's total.
Omaha dropped out of the American Association after 1959, as the league shrunk in size. After a year's hiatus, the Los Angeles Dodgers operated a Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Dodgers, in 1961–1962, when the Association disbanded. Then, after six seasons without a professional team, the Kansas City Royals brought Triple-A baseball back to Omaha in 1969 with the Omaha Royals, playing in a revived American Association.[7] The franchise has operated continuously ever since.
