The World Series In Wichita

The National Baseball Congress is in town this week for nonstop baseball all day and all night on Saturday. NBC world series is played in Wichita every year by competing semi-pro teams around this time, August, much to the delight of area ball fans. Teams come from both coasts and everywhere in between to participate. Thirty six in all..

The stands are full of baseball fans continuously coming and going all week. Some hard core fans even set up tents and bring campers so as not to miss the slightest bit of action. On Saturday night I went with my Mother and Nephew. The last game started at 3am and lasted a couple hours.

Lot's of fathers and sons attend the games together along with Grandfathers and Grandsons all of the boys hoping to catch an errant foul ball. The scantly clad baseball groupies all sitting down in front waiting for a wink or a nod from their favorite player. A bit of a distraction to be sure. Eating ball park hot dogs and drinking sorta cold beer all day and night. All in all a good time to had by all.

The first called the National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress Kansas State Tournament was played way back in 1931 here in Wichita on a piece of real estate in the middle of the Arkansas river. That park was shut down several years later and the City built Lawrence Dumont Stadium specifically for the series. Lawrence Dumont is still used today.

None other than the great Satchel Page and his team from Bismark ND played in the first NBC tournament in 1935 to kick things off. It was a great success with fans coming from all around the area to watch. Back then the teams consisted of a lot of ex professional players and young hopefuls. Today it's mostly college kids and amateur athletes.

If you like baseball and good times you won't want to miss the series next year. This year is almost over, just one more day, and it looks like two Kansas teams will face off for the big prize!