National Baseball Congress

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The National Baseball Congress of Wichita, Kansas is an organization of 17 amateur and semi-professional baseball leagues operating in the United States and Canada. Since its founding in 1935[1] by Hap Dumont, it has conducted an annual North American championship tournament among its members, The National Baseball Congress World Series has been held annually since 1935, at Wichita's Lawrence–Dumont Stadium through 2018;[2] at Wichita State's Eck Stadium in 2019; and jointly at Eck Stadium and Wichita's Riverfront Stadium starting in 2020.[3]

History[]

Dumont said he was inspired to start the league after seeing a huge crowd for the circus clown-firemen baseball game[2] in Wichita (the clowns were not allowed to perform on Sundays because of blue laws).

In 1931, he started the National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress Kansas State Tournament[4] on former Ackerman Island[5] in Wichita (located a few blocks north of Lawrence Stadium). After a fire destroyed the old wood stadium, the city built the Lawrence Stadium on its present site.[2]

In 1935, he offered Satchel Paige $1,000 to bring his touring Bismarck Churchills from Bismarck, North Dakota to Wichita.[6] Paige struck out 60 batters and won four games.[2]

With the rise of Minor League Baseball, the league now is for amateur athletes.

Leagues[]

As of January 2017, there are 17 member leagues.[7]

League Headquarters State
Alaska Baseball League Palmer Alaska
California Collegiate League Santa Barbara California
San Antonio Texas
Jayhawk Collegiate League Wichita Kansas
Hopkinsville Kentucky
Seattle Washington
Lakewood Colorado
Palm Springs California
San Diego California

Championships[]

See also: National Semipro Championship

The first National Baseball Congress World Series was held in 1935.[2][8]

[9]

Year Champion Runner-Up
2019 Seattle Studs Cheney Diamond Dawgs
2018 Santa Barbara Foresters NJCAA National Team
2017 Kansas Stars
2016 Santa Barbara Foresters Hays Larks
2015 Seattle Studs
2014 Santa Barbara Foresters Seattle Studs
2013 Seattle Studs
2012 Santa Barbara Foresters Seattle Studs
2011 Santa Barbara Foresters Peninsula Oilers
2010 Seattle Studs
2009 El Dorado Broncos Anchorage Glacier Pilots
2008 Santa Barbara Foresters Seattle Studs
2007 Hays Larks
2006 Santa Barbara Foresters Derby, Kansas Twins
2005 Santa Barbara Foresters
2004 Aloha Knights (OR) Matsu, Alaska Miners
2003 Chinese Taipei Santa Barbara Foresters
2002 Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots
2001 Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots Hays, Kansas Larks
2000 Liberal, Kansas BeeJays Hays, Kansas Larks
1999 Dallas, Texas Phillies Peninsula Oilers
1998 El Dorado, Kansas Broncos Nevada, Missouri Griffons
1997 Matsu, Alaska Miners Nevada, Missouri Griffons
1996 El Dorado, Kansas Broncos Tacoma, Washington Timbers
1995 Team USA Hays, Kansas Larks
1994 Peninsula Oilers Wichita, Kansas Broncos
1993 Peninsula Oilers Beatrice, Nebraska Bruins
1992 Midlothian, Illinois White Sox Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1991 Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots Peninsula Oilers
1990 Wichita, Kansas Broncos Midlothian, Illinois White Sox
1989 Wichita, Kansas Broncos Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivans
1988 Everett, Washington Merchants Midlothian, Illinois White Sox
1987 Matsu, Alaska Miners Wichita, Kansas Broncos
1986 Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivan-Polynesians
1985 Liberal, Kansas BeeJays North Pole (AK) Nicks
1984 Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivan-Polynesians Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1983 Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivan-Polynesians Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners
1982 Santa Maria, California Indians Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots
1981 Clarinda, Iowa A\'s Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1980 Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1979 Liberal, Kansas BeeJays Santa Maria, California Indians
1978 Boulder, Colorado Collegians Rapid City, South Dakota Macy's Diesels
1977 Peninsula Oilers Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners
1976 Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots
1975 Boulder, Colorado Collegians Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners
1974 Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners Boulder, Colorado Collegians
1973 Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1972 Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots
1971 Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners
1970 Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivan-Polynesians Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots
1969 Anchorage, Alaska Glacier Pilots Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1968 Liberal, Kansas BeeJays Jackson, Mississippi Braves
1967 Boulder, Colorado Collegians Honolulu, Hawaii Islanders
1966 Boulder, Colorado Collegians West Point, Mississippi Packers
1965 Wichita, Kansas Dreamliners Liberal, Kansas BeeJays
1964 Wichita, Kansas Glassmen Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners
1963 Wichita, Kansas Dreamliners Ponchatoula, Louisiana Athletics
1962 Wichita, Kansas Dreamliners Fairbanks, Alaska Goldpanners
1961 Ponchatoula, Louisiana Athletics Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivan-Polynesians
1960 Grand Rapids, Michigan Sullivan-Polynesians Ponchatoula, Louisiana Athletics
1959 Houston, Texas Fed Elgin, Illinois Athletics
1958 Drain, Oregon Black Sox Alpine, Texas Cowboys
1957 Sinton, Texas Plymouth Oilers Fort Wayne, Indiana Dairymen
1956 Fort Wayne, Indiana Dairymen Deming, Washington Loggers
1955 Wichita, Kansas Boeing Bombers Sinton, Texas Plymouth Oilers
1954 Wichita, Kansas Boeing Bombers Springfield, Missouri Generals
1953 Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri Hilltoppers Wichita, Kansas Boeing Bombers
1952 Fort Myer Military District of WA Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri Hilltoppers
1951 Sinton, Texas Plymouth Oilers Atwater, California Packers
1950 Fort Wayne, Indiana Capeharts Elk City, Oklahoma Elks
1949 Fort Wayne, Indiana G-E Club Golden, Colorado Coors
1948 Fort Wayne, Indiana G-E Club * Elkin, North Carolina Chatham Blanketeers
1947 Fort Wayne, Indiana G-E Club Golden, Colorado Coors
1946 St. Joseph, Michigan Auscos Carmichael, California Firemen
1945 Enid, Oklahoma Army Air Field Orlando, Florida Army Air Base
1944 Sherman Field, Kansas Flyers Enid, Oklahoma Army Air Field
1943 Camp Wheeler, Georgia Spokes Enid, Oklahoma Army Air Field
1942 Wichita, Kansas Boeing Bombers Waco, Texas Dons
1941 Enid, Oklahoma Champlins Waco, Texas Dons
1940 Enid, Oklahoma Champlins Mount Pleasant, Texas Cubs
1939 Duncan, Oklahoma Halliburtons Mount Pleasant, Texas Cubs
1938 Buford, Georgia Bona Allens Enid, Oklahoma Eason Oilers
1937 Enid, Oklahoma Eason Oilers Buford, Georgia Bona Allens
1936 Duncan, Oklahoma Halliburtons Buford, Georgia Bona Allens
1935 Bismarck, North Dakota Churchills Duncan, Oklahoma Halliburtons

* In 1948, the London Majors defeated Fort Wayne in the best-of-seven-game Can-Am Congress Series, 4-3.

Graduate of the Year[]

Many players have gone to professional teams. Since 1975 the NBC has recognized a "Graduate of the Year".[10]

Year Player MLB Team NBC Team(s)
2016 Ian Kinsler Detroit Tigers Liberal BeeJays ('01)
2015 Hunter Pence San Francisco Giants Liberal BeeJays ('03)
2012 Michael Young Texas Rangers Alaska Goldpanners ('96)
2011 Heath Bell San Diego Padres El Dorado Broncos ('97)
2010 Mark Teixeira New York Yankees Maryland Battlecats ('98)
2009 Tim Lincecum[11] San Francisco Giants Seattle Studs ('04)
2008 Joba Chamberlain New York Yankees Beatrice Bruins ('04 & '05)
2007 Jeff Francis Colorado Rockies Anchorage Glacier Pilots ('01)
2006 B. J. Ryan Toronto Blue Jays Hays Larks ('96)
2005 Morgan Ensberg Houston Astros Santa Barbara Foresters ('96)
2004 Nate Robertson Detroit Tigers El Dorado Broncos ('96 & '98)
2003 Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals Hays Larks ('99)
2002 Lance Berkman Houston Astros Hays Larks ('95)
2001 Luis Gonzalez Arizona Diamondbacks North Pole Nicks ('87)
2000 Eric Karros Los Angeles Dodgers North Pole Nicks ('87)
1999 Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres Nevada Griffons ('87)
1998 Robin Ventura Chicago White Sox Santa Marian Indians ('86)
1997 Brett Butler Los Angeles Dodgers OK City Utility Towers ('77)/Hutchinson Broncos ('78)
1996 Chuck Knoblauch Minnesota Twins Clarinda A's ('87)
1995 Mark Grace Chicago Cubs North Pole Nicks ('85)
1994 Jimmy Key New York Yankees Kenai Peninsula Oilers ('81)
1993 Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants Fairbanks Goldpanners ('83)/Hutchinson Broncos ('84)
1992 Andy Benes San Diego Padres Clarinda A's ('87)
1991 Bob Welch Oakland A's Boulder Collegians ('76)
1990 John Olerud Toronto Blue Jays Kenai Peninsula Oilers ('88)
1989 Rafael Palmeiro Texas Rangers Hutchinson Broncos ('84)
1988 Mark McGwire Oakland A's Anchorage Glacier Pilots ('82)
1987 Joe Carter Cleveland Indians Boulder Collegians ('79)
1986 Roger Clemens Boston Red Sox Hutchinson Broncos ('82)
1985 Tony Gwynn San Diego Padres Boulder Collegians ('80)
1984 Ron Kittle Chicago White Sox Chicago AHEPA ('78)
1983 Dave Stieb Toronto Blue Jays Kenai Peninsula Oilers ('77 & '78)
1982 Steve Rogers Montreal Expos Liberal Bee Jays ('80)
1981 Steve Kemp Pittsburgh Pirates Liberal BeeJays/Fairbanks ('73) / ('74)
1980 Bruce Bochte Oakland A's Anchorage Glacier Pilots ('71)
1979 Dave Winfield San Diego Padres Fairbanks Goldpanners ('71 & '72)
1978 Ron Guidry New York Yankees ('70)
1977 Chris Chambliss Atlanta Braves Anchorage Glacier Pilots ('69)
1976 Randy Jones New York Mets Anchorage Glacier Pilots ('71)[12]
1975 Mike Hargrove Cleveland Indians Liberal BeeJays ('72)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Kansas Sports Hall of Fame - Dumont, Ray "Hap"". www.kshof.org. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "History of the NBC". nbcbaseball.com. National Baseball Congress Foundation. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Spedden, Zach (July 29, 2019). "Future NBC World Series to be Split Between Ballparks". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  4. ^ "Museum Partners | MiLB.com Official Info | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  5. ^ Larsen, Travis M. (2006). "Ahead of the Curve : A History of the National Baseball Congress Tournament in Wichita, Kansas,1935-2005". Master's Theses. Fort Hays State University.
  6. ^ Steiz, Dale. "Lawrence Dumont Stadium History". Wichita Historic Delano District. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008.
  7. ^ "Leagues & Teams". nbcbaseball.com. National Baseball Congress Foundation. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "National Baseball Congress World Series". nbcbaseball.com. National Baseball Congress Foundation. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  9. ^ "Past NBC World Series Finalists". nnbcbaseball.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
  10. ^ "NBC Graduates of the Year". nbcbaseball.com.
  11. ^ "PIL Player & NBC 2009 Graduate of the Year Earns 2nd Cy Young Award". pacificinternationalleague.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  12. ^ "Twenty Seven Years of Gold at the National Baseball Congress World Series - 80th Year in 2014". pannervault.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019.

External links[]

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