Omaha Rockets

{{Short description|US Negro league baseball team (1947–1949)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

The Omaha Rockets were a semi-pro, independent Negro league baseball team in Omaha, Nebraska, from 1947 to 1949.Heaphy, Leslie A. The Negro Leagues, 1869-1960. Jefferson: McFarland, 2003.{{Cite web|url=https://northomahahistory.com/2019/08/25/a-history-of-the-omaha-rockets-independent-black-baseball-team/|title=A History of the Omaha Rockets Independent Black Baseball Team|last=Sasse Fletcher|first=Adam |date=2019-08-25|website=North Omaha History|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22}} Owned and managed by Will Calhoun, the Rockets played in the Pioneer Nite League and the Nebraska Independent League. The team played across Midwest playing against more than 25 different teams as a barnstorming team.{{Cite web |title=The Nine: Highlighting the Omaha Rockets |url=https://www.milb.com/news/the-nine-highlighting-the-omaha-rockets |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2019-08-25 |title=History of the Omaha Rockets Independent Black Baseball Team |url=https://northomahahistory.com/2019/08/25/a-history-of-the-omaha-rockets-independent-black-baseball-team/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=NorthOmahaHistory.com |language=en}}

Gene Collins and Baseball Hall of Fame member Bob Gibson both began their careers with the Omaha Rockets.{{Cite book|title = The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball|publisher = McFarland|year = 2005|isbn = 9781476617442|pages = 376}} Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige spent his last season playing with the Rockets. Pro Football Hall of Fame member Richard “Night Train” Lane also played briefly for the Rockets after graduating high school.{{cite news|title=Richard Night Train Lane: After a Remarkable Football Career and Life, This Lion in Winter Has Pulled Into His Home Station Again|author=John Maher|date=October 23, 1994|newspaper=Austin American-Statesman|page=C14}}

In 1950, James "Cool Papa" Bell, became the manager of the Omaha Rockets. At the same, the Rockets became the official farm team for the Kansas City Monarchs. However, in August 1950, the Omaha Rockets were disbanded as the Negro League circuits began to close.