Satchel Paige, Don Sutton, Tom Seaver, Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are just a few of the Major League Baseball stars who have played in the tournament.
In the mid-1960s team rosters transitioned to collegiate players, including prospects on the fast path to the major leagues.
[2] In 1975, the NBC World Series began recognizing a tournament participant who went on to a major league career as Graduate of the Year.
[3] Future Baseball Hall of Famer Satchel Paige was signed to a $1,000 personal appearance contract for the 1935 tournament.
Paige won four games, striking out 60 batters while leading the Bismarck Churchills to the first NBC World Series championship.
Dumont recruited Baseball Hall of Fame member Honus Wagner as the guest of honor at the 1935 opening night banquet.
A new rule making major league "name" stars unavailable in National Baseball Congress tournaments was implemented following the 1955 NBC World Series.
[5] Notably, the Santa Barbara Foresters and the Seattle Studs have made up one or both of the teams in every championship game since 2005, save for 2007, 2009, 2017, and 2024.
When the opportunity arose, he sold sporting equipment, succeeding in the mail-order business even as the great depression lingered.
Kansas had blue laws at the time that limited business activities on Sundays; that included the circus but not baseball.
Sparks Bros Circus clowns and roustabouts inquired about playing a local baseball team to earn some extra money on their day off.
The clowns did not provide all of the tricks as the Firemen's centerfielder patrolled the outfield on the back of a motorcycle driven by a policeman.
[17] Dumont died in his office on July 3, 1971 while preparing for the 1971 National Baseball Congress World Series.
[18] His wife, Anne Dumont, retained ownership of the National Baseball Congress with Larry Davis leading the organization.
[13] Wichita businessman Dee Hubbard purchased the National Baseball Congress in 1972, following the death of Hap Dumont.
Thirty-two teams were invited to the inaugural event, a single elimination tournament held at Island Park in Wichita.