Playing Hard & Having Fun! In 1935, Raymond “Hap” Dumont hosted the first NBC National Tournament in Wichita, KS at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, offering the legendary Satchel Paige $1,000 to bring his barnstorming team from Bismarck, ND. It did not matter that the Wichita Sporting Goods salesman didn’t have a dollar to his name. Hap made the money from the tournament and paid Paige along with a littl
e bit of compensation for the other teams on the field. With coverage and sponsorship from the Sporting News, baseball’s bible at the time, the tournament was an instant national success. Still today, Dumont’s tournament continues to showcase the best amateur talent in America and around the world. From Satchel Paige to Mark McGwire, Joe Carter, Roger Clemens Ozzie Smith, Albert Pujols, Tim Lincecum, and Heath Bell, the National Tournament is a who’s who for the future of the Major Leagues. Each year, nearly every Major League team sends scouts to the tournament looking for the next diamond in the rough. With 16 teams competing in a pool play, single elimination tournament, the days are long and the sheer volume of players is staggering. The NBC World Series is a tournament which has no equal and will crown its 89th National Champion August 12, 2023. The National Baseball Congress in a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
