KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The health of legendary Negro Leagues baseball player Buck O'Neil has taken a turn for the worse.

O'Neil, 94, was admitted to a hospital earlier this month with "extreme fatigue." Friends and family have been gathering at the hospital.

O'Neil also had a three-day hospital stay in early August. When he was released, he held a news conference to let everyone know he was feeling better.

Bob Kendrick is an official of Kansas City's Negro Leagues Museum and a close friend of O'Neil. Kendrick visited the hospital this week and said O'Neil is unable to speak above a whisper.

O'Neil is one of the most sought-after speakers in sports. He's had a heavy schedule of public appearances for the past several months.

O'Neil just missed being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this year. He was a star player and manager for the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1940s and '50s, later becoming the first black coach in the major leagues.

O'Neil is also a tireless promoter for the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City.