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Pool play tweak
The 89th National Baseball Congress World Series (NBCWS) continued the pool play format with one tweak: the
top three teams qualified for the knockout rounds, which was done in the 2019 tournament.

Improved offense
Offensive stats in the 89th NBCWS showed a modest improvement, as the tournament batting average was .265,
up 10 points from last year. Runs per game gained a run from last year (11.74 compared to 10.67), and hits per game
increased slightly (16.63 compared to 16.10). RBIs averaged 10.46, only the third time that it reached double digits. While
extra-base hit averages continued to fall (the 0.63 home runs per game was the lowest since the nadir of 0.28 in 2019),
additional baserunners were gained by a tournament-high 9.69 walks per game (edging out the previous high of 9.65 in 2018).
Winning teams topped 10 runs 15 times compared to twice for defeated teams. Losing teams scored two or fewer
runs 17 times, including seven shutouts.
Three teams, led by champion Hutchinson (Kan.), batted over .300. OKC D-BAT was second at .323, but failed to
advance out of pool play.
Only one team failed to reach .200, the SC (Kan.) Blues. The Blues became the third team to fail to score a run in
pool play, and set records for lowest batting and slugging average at .054.
Grant Nottlemann (Great Bend) set a Modern Wood Era (MWE) record by going 12-for-16 for a .750 average,
eclipsing the .714 of the San Diego (Calif.) Waves’ Bryan Rosario in 2018 over four games. Nottlemann also set a MWE
record with an .850 on base percentage, surpassing Rosario’s .765.
Tournament MVP Max Buettenback (Hutchinson) batted .524 with seven extra-base hits, 10 runs scored, 10 RBIs
and a 1.063 slugging percentage. Three players (Josh Livingston, Five Tool Kraken; Sam Wiese, Monarchs; and Miguel
Santos, Santa Barbara) shared the home run lead with two, while Buettenback and teammate Jaden Gustafson each had
10 RBIs.
At least three Hutchinson players were found among the top five in seven of the eight tabulated offensive
categories; Buettenback was among the top five in six of them.
Of the 22 home runs that were hit (down from 27), Hutchinson, Santa Barbara and the Five Tool Kraken each had five.
Stolen bases were up by nearly 1.00 (3.40 in 2023 against 2.47 in 2022), with Lonestar (Texas) stealing 22 bags
and Santa Barbara 19.
Winning teams batted .320, hit 17 home runs, and stole 82 bases, while defeated teams had .205, 5 and 37
respectively. The average margin of victory fell just shy of 6.00 at 5.91 (8.80 to 2.89)

Call to arms went into voicemail?
Pitching in the 89th NBCWS seemed to be either very good or very bad. The tournament ERA was 5.48, up from
last year’s 4.81.
ERA champion Kansas Cannons was the lone team under 2.00 with a 1.85 ERA. Santa Barbara had a chance to
overtake the Cannons, but allowed four earned runs in the title game to finish third with a 2.12 mark (Champion
Hutchinson was fourth with a 2.39 ERA)
At the other extreme, newcomers Arlington (Texas) Baptist University and Seattle (Wash.) finished with the
highest ERAs at 11.87 and 15.92 respectively. The Five Tool Kraken would have joined that group, but had enough low
earned run games allowed to finish at 9.53. Sandlot Tulsa (Okla.) also had a 9.00 ERA.
Strikeouts were down at 14.51/game from last year’s 15.77, and walks set a record with 9.69/game, up from
2022’s 8.07. Hit batters were up a little at 2.23 compared to 2.07 last year.
Santa Barbara’s Zane Petty took home leading pitcher honors, winning two games, allowing no runs in 13 innings
with two walks and 15 strikeouts. The Monarchs’ Brady Pacha was almost as dominant, allowing one run in 11 innings,
winning two games, walking one and striking out 16. Six starters had an 0.00 ERA (with a minimum of 5 innings pitched),
and two others had an ERA under 1.00.
Lonestar’s EJ Garcia pitched 7.1 innings of shutout baseball in relief, while Hutch’s Reed Scott had a win and two
saves in 3.2 innings. Robert Cranz of the Foresters struck out 14 over seven innings.
Winning teams had a 2.40 ERA, walked 3.57 batters and struck out 8.20 per game. Defeated teams had an 8.78
ERA and nearly walked as many batters per game (6.11) as they struck out (6.31)

No-hitter notes
1955 and 1964 were the year of three no-hitters.
2021 was the last time two no-hitters were thrown. Other years were 1939, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1964,
and 2001.
Denver Cougars have been at both ends of no-hitters, defeating the SC Blues in a five-inning perfect game and
losing to Santa Barbara in a nine-inning no-no..
The Foresters (2020 and 2023) joins Greensboro, N.C. (1962 and 1964), Sinton, Texas (1950 and 1951) as clubs
that have thrown two no-hitters.
Grand Rapids Slagboom is the only team to be no-hit twice.

Fielding took a step back
The tournament field had a .955 average, down six points from 2022’s 9.61. Errors topped three per game at
3.06, and double plays were up to 1.43/game.
Hays had the best fielding at .985. Santa Barbara had an opportunity to better that, but committed two error in the
championship game to finish at .979, along with the Seattle Studs.
No team finished with sub-.900 fielding despite three teams (Great Bend, Kraken and Lonestar) committing over
10 errors.
The tournament opened with an errorless game (Arlington Baptist-D-BAT), but never saw another one thereafter.
Hutchinson-GPS had the most combined errors with seven; the Monarchs prevailed despite committing five of them. Two
other teams (Great Bend, SC Blues) were also charged with five miscues.
Winning teams fielded .970, committed 1.03 errors per game, turned .74 DPs and caught seven of 34 base
stealers. Defeated teams had averages of .941, 2.03, .69 and caught 17 of 85 steal attempts and picked off seven
runners.

Game times were slightly longer
With all games played at Eck Stadium, game times averaged 2:22, just higher than last year’s 2:20. Six games
were completed in under two hours, with Denver’s perfect game over the SC Blues (#9, Aug. 5) the quickest at 1:12. That
marked the first time since 2016 that a game finished under 75 minutes.

                                            Four games lasted over three hours, with Hutchinson-Hays (#7, Aug. 4) the longest at 3:17. Two of the four three-hour games                                                           occurred on Aug. 8 and a third fell just shy at 2:52.  Fourteen games lasted between 2:15-2:29.
Rain delayed the start of the semifinals 1:24 on Aug. 11.

The margin of victory was (not quite as big)
The average margin of victory almost reached 6.00 again, but finished just shy at 5.91. There were some close
games (10 decided by one or two runs), but nine were had at least 10-run margin. Seven games were settled by the 10-
run lead rule, and three others by the 8-run rule.
Winning teams topped 10 runs 15 times, while defeated teams did so twice. Two of the highest-scoring games
both occurred on Aug. 8: Great Bend 17, Kraken 11 (28 runs, #23) and Hutchinson 12, GPS 10 (22 runs, #21). Lonestar
posted a tournament-high 19 runs against Arlington Baptist (#25, Aug. 9).
Winning teams averaged 8.80 runs/game against 2.89 for defeated teams.

Miscellany
Winning teams had a five-game stretch of scoring at least 10 runs (games 21-25, Aug. 8-first game of Aug. 9).
Two of the four debutants (Seattle Blackfins and Arlington Baptist) reached the knockout rounds, but their last two
game did not end well: The Blackfins fell to Hays 16-3 and 17-6 to Great Bend, while the Patriots lost 13-3 to Liberal and
19-3 to Lonestar. The other two (SC Blues and Sandlot Tulsa) wen 0-3 in pool play.
Double-digit innings are generally rare, but there was a rash of them: Great Bend scored 11 in the ninth inning to
turn an 8-6 deficit into a 17-8 win (#23, Aug. 8); Hays scored 11 in the fourth to run-rule the Blackfins 16-3 (#24); Lonestar
topped that with a 12-run ninth in a 19-3 win over Arlington Baptist (#25, Aug. 9). Hutchinson scored 10 in the third to run rule the Kraken 17-0 in a five-inning semifinal on Aug. 11 (#33).
The Kraken had a rather mercurial tournament: In their six games, they allowed nine or more runs in four of them
(including 17 to Great Bend and Hutchinson). But they yielded less than three runs in two of their wins.
Lonestar Baseball Club had an interesting tournament. They scored nine runs in pool play, allowing three to reach
the knockout rounds. Then, in the first round of elimination play, they scored more runs in the ninth (12) than they did in
pool play in a 19-3 win over Arlington Baptist. Lastly, the team allowed as many runs (six) in the eighth inning as they did
in their first four games in an 11-1 loss to Hutchinson. As part of the implosion (or to cap it off), two players and a coach
were ejected.
Speaking about ejections, Santa Barbara saw Robert Cranz and head coach Bill Pintard were ejected in the
eighth against Great Bend. The Foresters came back to win 5-4 in 10 innings.
Doppleganger: Conner Woods, Santa Barbara and Kansas Cannons (yes, they are different)
Been around a while: Great Bend is the first team this writer has seen that has the year established (1871) on the backs
of their jerseys.

Knockout round finals
The first time knockout rounds were used was in 2016. In that tournament, Hays and Santa Barbara reached the
championship round undefeated. Hutchinson-Santa Barbara was the second time that two undefeated teams reached the
finals.
Both Santa Barbara and the NJCAA National Team had one loss in the 2018 championship game.
The Seattle Studs are the only two-loss champion, defeating an undefeated Cheney (Kan.) Diamond Dawgs in
the 2019 title game.
Knockout round play was not used in 2020 (Covid) and 2021 (the only time the NBCWS played games at
Riverfront Stadium)

MULTI-STATE LEAGUE REPORT
Kansas fielded the most teams with six, with the Jayhawk Collegiate (neé Sunflower) accounting for three of
them. Texas had four teams, Washington two, Oklahoma two, leaving as singletons California and Colorado. Seattle sent
two teams, and the Rocky Mountain Baseball League also had three clubs.

League play
The 89th NBCWS saw three teams each from the (new) Jayhawk and Rocky Mountain baseball leagues. Led by
tournament champion Hutchinson, Jayhawk 2.0 decisively won the contest of the leagues with an 11-4 record, placing all
three entrants in the quarterfinals (Hutchinson, 6-0; Great Bend, 3-2, fifth; and the Cannons, 2-2, eighth). The Denver
Cougars led the way for the RMBL with a fifth-place finish at 3-2, while former Jayhawk members Hays and Liberal
finished tied for ninth for a 7-6 cumulative mark.
In head-to-head meetings, the Jayhawk held a 2-0 edge:
Aug 3 Kansas Cannons 8 Denver CO Cougars 1
Aug 4 Hutchinson KS Monarchs 6 Hays KS Larks 4
Intraurban play
The 16-team format usually doesn’t allow for two teams from the same city to compete in the tournament, but the
Pacific International League did that as the Seattle Blackfins qualified as league champions and the Seattle Studs gained
an at-large berth. (Would there be a Circle of Love without the Studs??) The two clubs would have met in the
quarterfinals, but it was not to be, as Great Bend eliminated the Blackfins in the first round of knockout play 17-6.
San Diego (Calif.) has had the most recent of the intraurban contests when the Stars edged the Force 2-1 on
8/5/2013. San Diego has sent four teams to the tournament during the Modern Wood Era, three in 2009: Force, Stars and
Waves. Despite all of those appearances, the 2013 tournament was the only time two San Diego clubs met.
Host city Wichita has had the following: Braves 14, NABA Stars 1, 8/4/2000; Braves 5, Gators 2, 8/2/2005; Titans
7, Gators 4, 8/5/2005; Gators 7, Titans 1, 8/4/2006; Sluggers 7, Titans 4, 8/2/2003.
Two teams from the same city have never met in the championship game, and the last time two teams from the
same state met in the finals was in 2002, when Fairbanks (Alaska) defeated Anchorage 8-3. Other all-Alaska finals were
Anchorage 9, Kenai 4, 1991; Kenai 6, Fairbanks 5, 1977; Fairbanks 3, Anchorage 0, 1976; Fairbanks 3, Anchorage 2,
1972; Anchorage 2, Fairbanks 1, 1971. The Goldpanners-Glacier Pilots are the most frequent matchup with four; the
Pilots won the first one, but the ‘Panners took the next three.
All-Kansas finals occurred in 2000 (Liberal 3, Hays 2) and 1965 (Wichita Dreamliners 11, Liberal 6).
Evolution of the Modern Wood Era
The Modern Wood Era (defined as the return of wood bats to the NBCWS and the prohibition of metal bats) has
seen three distinct stages: The “Wild West” era, 2000-2008 with 40+ teams; the “More Normal” era, 2009-2019 with
between 26-36 teams; and the current 16-team era, 2020-2023 (which includes the 2020 Covid year of 13 teams).
Per-game averages are really the only way to compare seasons, but it was interesting to note that the at bats per
game was a MWE low at 62.80. 2020 and 2021 are the only years that saw an average of more than one home run per
game, and twice there were fewer than eight runs scored per game (7.43 in 2012 and 7.69 the year following).
2016 was the last year there were double digits in complete games with 10; since then, the most complete games
in the tournament was five, done in 2019 and 2021 (2020 saw the fewest with two).
There has been at least one extra-inning game in the NBCWS (done four times; the most recent was 2021). The
2012 tournament was the last one to have at least 10 of them, and holds the highest percentage at 15.87%.
The 2021 tournament saw winning teams average over 10 runs a game at 10.03; the last time that happened the final year of metal bats in 1999 at 10.59. This year’s tournament fell just shy of nine runs at 8.91, which is the second highest average in the MWE. Last year’s tournament saw defeated teams average a low of 2.10 runs/game; the most
losing teams averaged was 3.54 in 2018. The past three years saw the widest average margin of victory, with the 2023
tournament the third highest at 5.914/game (the 2016 edition averaged 5.912). Only once did the average margin fall
below 3.00 as the 2012 competition saw an average margin of 2.92. 2013 had an average of 3.53 and the 2001
tournament average was 3.63.
Five-year players
Players who appeared in more than four tournaments are a rarity, but three players reached the five-year mark in
2022 and another in 2023. Two of them (Anthony Brady and Landon Riker) are Seattle Cheney Studs players. Wyatt Divis
appeared in six tournaments, five with Hays. Austin Eggleston played in five tournament with five different teams.

And thank you again to:
Rachelle Miller and Rick Potlock, managing the Pointstreak software; and doing the associate scoring.
Rick did the work on Pointstreak from his home in Tallahassee, Fla. Overall, it went well.
And, the writer also thanks Kevin Jenks, Katie Woods and Andrew Burgos for helping this writer complete his 40th
tournament.

Mike Dean

Official scorer and lead statistician

National Baseball Congress

All The Way Mae in Wichita

In the 1940s, baseball took on a very different role in America. Companies often had their own company teams that played across the country, with many of them making their way to Wichita to play in the National Baseball Congress. As the United States joined World War II, a new professional baseball league with female players was formed to keep baseball in front of fans while so many men were away. Known as the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and made famous by the 1992 film ‘A League of Their Own’, the Midwest-based league existed until 1954 with more than 600 women playing in the league.

In the mix was Maybelle Blair, who played for the Peoria Redwings in 1948. Growing up with her brother Tommy, who was seven years older, in California, Maybelle couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t play baseball.

“At first I didn’t get to go play baseball with all the other kids,” Maybelle recalls, “I was the little sister so my job was to sit and listen to the professional games on the radio and keep score, so they could come back in and find out what had happened in the game. But once that was over, I would go out and shag balls, and play catch… I just worshipped Tommy.”

Tommy played for Northrop Aircraft’s company team in the 1940s, and Maybelle rarely missed a game. In 1941 the Northrop Bombers of Hawthorne headed to Wichita for the National Baseball Congress national championships, ending up tied for fourth, and then knotted with Camp Wheeler (GA) Spokes for fifth in the 1942 nationwide ratings. Their third baseman – Tommy Blair.

We all know that there’s no crying in baseball thanks to the 1992 film ‘A League of Their Own,’ and this summer one of the inspirations behind the film will celebrate women’s history in baseball at Wichita’s prolific NBC World Series. The film depicts the emergence of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in the 1940’s, when Major League Baseball teams feared the collapse of the league due to many young men being drafted into the war. Madonna’s character nicknamed ‘All the Way Mae’ is partially based on the legendary Maybelle Blair, a former pitcher for the 1948 Peoria Redwings. Blair, now 96 years old, still travels the country inspiring the next generation of girls and women in baseball.

Blair is an integral part of USA Baseball and MLB’s Trailblazer Series – a baseball tournament for girls – she is tied in with the USA Women’s National Baseball Team, and she makes appearances at girls’ baseball events across the country, and on August 10^th Blair made a stop at Eck Stadium on Wichita State University’s campus for the NBC World Series.

Promoting women in baseball isn’t Blair’s only connection to the NBC World Series; in 1942 Blair’s brother, Tommy, played third base for the Northrop Bombers at the longstanding tournament. Growing up, Blair often followed her brother to baseball practice and sometimes played outfield with his team in California, and still remembers him going to play in Wichita.

Aside from her contributions to the game of baseball, Blair is also a trailblazer for women in aviation. Following her professional baseball career and a successful professional softball career, Blair began what would become a 37-year career at Northrop Corporation in California, where she became one of only three female managers early in her career, and the first in transportation. Joining her during the celebration on August 10^th at the NBC World Series is one of Wichita’s own Rosie the Riveters, Connie Palacioz, 98, who worked on B-29s at Boeing during World War II.

The journey of women in baseball started more than 150 years ago, but growth has quickened over the last decade, with major accomplishments including the first female general manager in the MLB (Kim Ng, Miami Marlins), the first female MLB minor league coach (Rachel Balkovec, New York Yankees), the first woman to appear in the starting lineup of an Atlantic League game (Kelsie Whitmore, Staten Island Ferry Hawks), the first woman to make an NCAA Division I baseball roster (Olivia Pichardo, Brown University), and many more accomplishments.

Now, at 96, Maybelle’s goal is to raise funds for an International Women’s Baseball Center in Rockford, Illinois, home of the Rockford Peaches made famous by “A League of Their Own”, that would house a museum, an umpire school, a Hall of Fame and more – all to continue to promote the game of baseball for the next generation of girls. To learn more about her vision, and learn how you can get involved, visit http://www.internationalwomensbaseballcenter.org/.

WICHITA, Kan. – The 2023 National Baseball Congress All-Americans all played key roles in advancing their respective teams through the 89^th NBC World Series, powered by Evergy. The Hutchinson Monarchs claimed their first National Championship in franchise history. Each NBC All-American will receive a customized commemorative bat from Hook Bats, www.hookbats.com.

2023 NBC World Series All-American Team

Pitchers

Zane Petty                             Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)                      0.00 ERA, 2-0 Record, 1 CG, 13 Innings, 15 Ks, 2 BB

Brady Pacha                          Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)                          0.82 ERA, 2-0 Record, 1 CG, 11 Innings, 16 Ks, 1 BB

Caleb Heuertz                       Five Tool Kraken (TX)                                    0.93 ERA, 1-0 Record, 2 APP, 9 2/3 Innings, 12 Ks

Chayse Gruber                     Great Bend Bat Cats (KS)                              0.00 ERA, 2-0 Record, 2 APP, 6 Innings, 7 Ks, 1 BB

Catchers

Grant Nottlemann                Great Bend Bat Cats (KS)                              .750 BA, 12 Hits, 1 2B, 1 3B, 9 R, .938 SLG%, 1 SB

Infielders

1B – Sam Wiese                   Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)                          .391 BA, 9 Hits, 9 RBI, 3 2B, 2 HR, .783 SLG%, 1.000 FLD%

2B – Case Pettis                    Five Tool Kraken (TX)                                    .368 BA, 7 Hits, 2B, HR, 4R, 7 RBI, .579 SLG%

SS – Jalin Flores                    Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)                      .318 BA, 7 Hits, 3 RBI, 5 R, .500 SLG%, 2 SB, 1.000 FLD%

3B – Rodric Black                 Lonestar Baseball Club (TX)                         .450 BA, 9 Hits, 2 3B, 5 R, 4 RBI, 3 SB, .700 SLG%

Outfielders

Preston Curtis                       Five Tool Kraken (TX)                                    .625 BA, 10 Hits, 1 HR, 4 2B, 1.063 SLG%, .700 OB%

Max Belyeu                           Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)                      .440 BA, 11 Hits, 2 2B, 4 R, 3 RBI, .520 SLG%

Will Edmunson                     Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)                          .440 BA, 11 Hits, 11 R, 4 2B, 7 RBI, .600 SLG%, 4 SB

Utility

Jaden Gustafson of/dh       Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)                          .417 BA, 10 Hits, 9 R, 10 RBI, HR, 5 2B, 1 SB

Tyler Cowan 2b/3b/ss         Great Bend Bat Cats (KS)                              .313 BA, 5 R, 8 RBI, 3B, 2 SB, 1.000 FLD%

Designated Hitter

Max Buettenback                Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)                          .524 BA, 4 2B, 2 3B, HR, 10 RBI, 4 R, 1.048 SLG%

Manager – Casey Lippoldt, Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)

MVP – Max Buettenback, Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)

Home Run Trophy – Sam Wiese, Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)

Leading Prospect to the Majors – Zane Petty, Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)

Eric Pintard Most Inspirational Player – Tristin Crusenberry, Liberal Bee Jays (KS)

Best Team Offensive – Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)

Best Team Defensive – Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)

Best Team Pitching – Kansas Cannons (KS)

Leading Pitcher – Zane Petty, Santa Barbara Foresters (CA)

Leading Hitter – Grant Nottleman, Great Bend Bat Cats (KS)

Michael Dean RBI Award – Max Buettenback, Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)

Outstanding Local Player – Brady Pacha, Hutchinson Monarchs (KS)

Just Block It Catcher Award – Zeke Minic, Denver Cougars (CO)

Hap Dumont Award – Ray Baty

Sportsmanship Award – Five Tool Kraken

Umpire of the Year – Jeff Spisak

Download 2023 NBC All-American-Awards PDF

(L-R) Roy Smalley III, Josh Robertson, Dick Martin (son of Joe Martin)

The National Baseball Congress inducted four new members into the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame on Saturday night as part of their Championship Night festivities.

On hand at Eck Stadium in Wichita to collect their awards were Josh Robertson, Roy Smalley III, and Dick Martin, son inductee Joe Martin. Mike Harkey, currently a bench coach for the New York Yankees, was not able to attend in person and accepted his induction virtually.

The National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame was started in 1991 to recognize the men and women who have made a lasting impact or contribution to the NBC. The NBC Hall of Fame includes ten members that are also in the National Baseball Hall of Fame: Satchel Paige, Tony Gwynn, Ozzie Smith, Tom Seaver, Whitey Herzog, Don Sutton, Bob Boone, Pat Gillick, Buck O’Neil and Dave Winfield.

About the 2023 Inductees:

Mike Harkey

Mike Harkey was a two-time NBC World Series All-American in 1985 and 1986, playing both for the Eureka Humboldt Crabs and the Fairbanks Goldpanners. In 1985 with the Humboldt Crabs he pitched 17 innings and gave up only one earned run, with 16 strikeouts and three walks, and was the NBC World Series Leading Pitcher. In 1986 with the Goldpanners he pitched 15 innings and gave up six earned runs and struck out 12. He was drafted 4th overall by the Chicago Cubs in 1987, and played eight seasons in the Majors.

Joe Martin

In 1942, Joe Martin became manager of the Bellingham (WA) Bells, and in 35 years as manager of the team led the Bells to 20 National Baseball Congress state championships, participating in the National tournament more than a dozen times and finishing third in 1940 and 1964. The National Baseball Congress named him “Sportsman of the Decade” for the 1950s, and he served as the Washington State NBC Commissioner in the 1950s, as well, before being named National NBC Manager of the Year in 1970. Joe also brought pro baseball to Bellingham, WA in the 1970’s with the Los Angeles Dodgers farm team, and then the Bellingham Mariners. The City of Bellingham, Washington named the baseball complex Joe Martin Field before he died in 1981, and Joe Martin Field is the current home of the Bellingham Bells, who play in the West Coast College League.

Josh Robertson

Josh Robertson played in eight NBC World Series throughout his career: for the Wichita Jets, Wichita-Derby Twins, Wichita Sluggers, Park City Cowboys, Wichita Titans, Haysville Angels, and the San Diego Stars. He went on to coach the Wichita Twins to three consecutive appearances in the NBC World Series before moving over to the management side. From 1999 – 2018, he served as Operations Manager, Stadium and Baseball Operations Manager, Tournament Director, Assistant General Manager, General Manager, President, and Consultant for the National Baseball Congress World Series. In addition, he served on the Boards for Hap Dumont Youth Baseball and USA Baseball. During that same period, he served as the Assistant GM and Co-GM for the Wichita Wranglers and President/GM for the Wichita Wingnuts.

Roy Smalley III

Roy Smalley played in the NBC from 1971 to 1973. Roy was a two-time All-American at shortstop with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in 1972, and the Boulder Collegians in 1973. In 1971, he was named to the National Tournament Honor Roll and appeared in 6 games to help the Boulder Collegians finish 4th. In 1972, he played in 8 games, going 11-for-25 with 8 runs scored and was again named to the National Tournament Honor Roll as the Glacier Pilots finished second overall. Smalley returned to the World Series in 1973 with Boulder, leading the tournament in both extra base hits and homeruns. The Collegians were the best offensive team in 73’ as they finished 4th led by Smalley’s bat. After his NBC career, he went on to play for 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, with the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and retired with the Minnesota Twins. He was selected as a shortstop for the American League All-Stars in 1979.

As a part of their induction the Hall of Famers were presented with custom ring boxes made by local Wichita-based Ten Work Fabrication, made out of handcrafted black walnut with custom engraved brass with the original NBC logo and their name and year of induction.

A complete list of NBC Hall of Fame members can be found at: https://nbcbaseball.com/nbc-hall-of-fame/.

Pool play has officially concluded for the 89th NBC World Series, powered by Evergy. You can see pool play results here. Bracket play  starts Wednesday, August 9th. 12 teams remain alive with a chance to be crowned champions. The top team from each pool receives a bye. The first round between teams who finished second and third in their pools will be played on August 9th.  Quarterfinals at 12:00pm, 3:00pm, 6:00pm, and 8:30pm will be played on August 10^th, Semi-Finals at 6:00pm and 8:30pm on August 11^th, and first pitch on August 12^th’s Championship Night will be at 7:00pm.

Download Bracket Here

Wednesday, August 9th

12:00pm:  Lonestar Baseball Club 19  vs. Arlington Baptist 3

3:00pm –  Liberal Bee Jays 5  vs. Denver Cougars 6

6:00pm – Hays Larks 2 vs. Five Tool Kraken 9

8:30pm – Seattle Blackfins 3  vs. Great Bend Bat Cats 19

Thursday, august 10th

12:00pm: Hutchinson Monarchs 11  vs. Lonestar Baseball Club 1

3:00pm: Santa Barbara Foresters 3  vs. Denver Cougars 0

6:00pm: Kansas Cannons 3  vs. Five Tool Kraken 6

8:30pm: Seattle Studs 6  vs. Great Bend Bat Cats 1

Friday, August 11th

7:15pm: Hutchinson Monarchs 17  vs. Five Tool Kraken 0

8:30pm: Santa Barbara Foresters 5 vs. Seattle Studs 0

Saturday, August 12th

7:00pm: Hutchinson Monarchs 6 vs. Santa Barbara  Foresters 3

Tickets start at $10 for general admission, or $15 for reserved seating, and tickets are good for the full day’s slate of games. They can be purchased online at nbcbaseball.com or at the Eck Stadium Box Office on game days.

Can’t make it out to the games:

• Live Stream – https://bit.ly/WatchNBC
• App – Search “NBC World Series” on the Apple Store or Google Play Store

Harkey, Martin, Robertson, and Smalley are the newest members

The National Baseball Congress announced the 2023 NBC Hall of Fame class, adding four new members to the prestigious group representing those with a lasting impact or contribution to the National Baseball Congress. The new inductees will be recognized on August 12^th at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kansas.

The 2023 National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame inductees are:

Mike Harkey

Mike Harkey was a two-time All-American in the 1985 and 1986 World Series. In 1985, Mike Harkey was the NBC World Series Leading Pitcher with the Eureka, CA Humboldt Crabs. He pitched 17 innings and gave up only one earned run, with 16 strikeouts and three walks. Harkey had another great season in 1986 with the Fairbanks, AK Goldpanners, pitching 15 innings, giving up six earned runs and striking out 12, leading to being named an All-American for the tournament. In 1987, he was drafted 4^th overall by the Chicago Cubs. He played 8 seasons in the Majors, finishing his career with 36 wins. Currently, he is the Bullpen Coach for the New York Yankees, and previously served as the Bullpen Coach for the Netherlands national team during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Joe Martin

Joe Martin became manager of the Bellingham Bells in 1942, and in 35 years as manager of the team led the Bells to 20 NBC state championships and participated in the National tournament more than a dozen times, finishing third in 1940 and 1964. The National Baseball Congress named him “Sportsman of the Decade” for the 1950’s, and he served as the Washington State NBC Commissioner in the 1950’s, as well. Martin was named NBC Manager of the Year in 1970. Joe also brought pro baseball to Bellingham, WA in the 1970’s with the Los Angeles Dodgers farm team, and then the Bellingham Mariners. The City of Bellingham, Washington named the baseball complex Joe Martin Field before he died in 1981, and Joe Martin Field is the current home of the Bellingham Bells, who play in the West Coast College League.

Josh Robertson

Josh Robertson played in eight NBC World Series for the Wichita Jets, Wichita Twins (Derby), Sluggers, Park City Cowboys, Wichita Titans, Haysville Angels, and the San Diego Stars. As a coach, he led the Wichita Twins to three consecutive appearances in the NBC World Series during the late 90’s. From 1999 – 2018, he served as Operations Manager, Stadium and Baseball Operations Manager, Tournament Director, Assistant General Manager, General Manager, President, and Consultant for the NBC World Series. Robertson also served on the Board for Hap Dumont Youth Baseball and USA Baseball. During that same period, he served as the Assistant GM and Co-GM for the Wichita Wranglers and President/GM for the Wichita Wingnuts.

Roy Smalley III

Roy Smalley was a two-time All-American at shortstop with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots (1972) and Boulder Collegians (1973). In 1971, he was named to the National Tournament Honor Roll and appeared in 6 games to help the Boulder Collegians finish 4^th. In 1972, he played in 8 games, going 11-for-25 with 8 runs scored and was again named to the National Tournament Honor Roll as the Glacier Pilots finished second overall. Smalley returned to the World Series in 1973 with Boulder, leading the tournament in both extra base hits and homeruns. The Collegians were the best offensive team in 73’ as they finished 4^th led by Smalley’s bat. After his NBC career, he went on to play for 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, with Texas, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and retired with the Minnesota Twins. He was selected as a shortstop for the American League All-Stars in 1979. His father, Roy Smalley II, played 10 years in the Majors, and his uncle was Gene Mauch.

The 2023 NBC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place preceding the Championship game of the 89^th NBC World Series, powered by Evergy, on August 12^th at 6:15pm at Eck Stadium in Wichita. More information on the tournament and tickets can be found at nbcbaseball.com.

About the NBC World Series:

First played in 1935, the NBC World Series is one of the oldest continuously held sporting events in the United States, and the National Baseball Congress has produced more than 800 future Major League Baseball players. Since 2020, the tournament is owned and operated by the Wichita Sports Commission. To learn more visit www.nbcbaseball.com

The National Baseball Congress announced today that St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley is the 2023 NBC Graduate of the Year.  Helsley played in 2014 as a member of the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League.  During the 2014 NBC World Series, Helsley made an appearance in the championship game, striking out two batters to help the Foresters win the championship.

“The summer I played for the Santa Barbara Foresters was some of the most fun I’ve had playing baseball,” said Helsley, “Being able to meet guys that were from all over the country and coming together as one team was a great experience and something that I think helped me in my baseball career.”

The Graduate of the Year Award has been presented to an NBC Alumni member every year since 1975, based on their MLB performance in the previous season.  Past winners of the award include Aaron Judge, Alex Gordon, and Tim Anderson.

In 2015, Ryan Helsley was drafted in the 5^th round of the MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.  After a few years in the minor leagues, Helsley made his debut in 2019, and instantly performed well, posting a 2.95 ERA for the Cardinals that season.  In 2022, Helsley had one of the best ERAs in the league at 1.25.  Additionally, he accounted for 19 saves and punched out 94 batters.  Helsley’s performance during the season led to being named an All-Star and was ranked as one of MLB Now’s Top 10 Relief Pitchers leading up to the 2023 season.

The 89^th NBC World Series, powered by Evergy, runs August 3^rd-12^th.  All games will be played at Wichita State’s Eck Stadium, home of Tyler Field.  Tickets are available at nbcbaseball.com or by calling 316-265-6236.

National Baseball Congress Announces Promotions for 89th NBC World Series 

The National Baseball Congress World Series, powered by Evergy, returns fully to Wichita in 2023 with 10 days of baseball action and entertainment at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium from August 3-12th.  Welcoming 16 teams from across the country for the 89th playing, the NBC World Series has been held in Wichita every year since 1935. 

2023 NBC World Series Promotions 

Full Tournament 

• Youth Wear a Jersey, Get in Free! presented by Evergy. 

• All kids 14 and under who wear their youth sports jersey to the game receive free entry, when accompanied by a paid adult. 

• $5 General Admission Tickets available for purchase at all QuikTrip locations in Wichita – Fans can purchase single-day, general admission tickets for $5 at all Wichita QuikTrip locations. General admission tickets can also be upgraded to reserved tickets at the WSU box office for an additional $5. 

August 3-12 – Eck Stadium at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas 

August 3-10: Games daily at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 8:30pm 

August 11: Games at 6:00 and 8:30pm 

August 12: Championship Game at 7:00pm 

Gates open daily one hour before first game 

Thursday, August 3 – NBC World Series Opening Day 

• Opening Night of the 89th NBC World Series with special guests and entertainment, and your first chance to see the 2023 teams in action 
• NBC World Series Poster Giveaway for the first 2,500 fans 

Friday, August 4 – Military Appreciation Night presented by Davis-Moore Auto Group 

• BOGO ticket for all current and former Military members with Military ID or DD-214 at the box office 

Saturday, August 5 – Homerun Hangout 

• Music, yard games, giveaways, and prizes 

Sunday, August 6 – Kids Take Over presented by Mel Hambleton Ford 

• Kids have the opportunity to see behind the scenes as PA announcer, emcee, photographer, grounds crew and more. Pre-registration required – more information at nbcbaseball.com. 
• Root Beer Float Day – Root beer floats available for purchase 

Monday, August 7 – Giveback Day 

• Food Drive benefitting Kansas Food Bank 

Tuesday, August 8 – Teacher Appreciation Day

• BOGO tickets for all local educators and school employees with work ID at the box office 

Wednesday, August 9 – First Responders Night 

• BOGO Tickets for all first responders and medical personnel 
• Emergency & work vehicle display 

Thursday, August 10 – Aviation Night & Women in Sports Night 

• Appearance by Maybelle Blair, former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player 
• Pre-game celebration of women in sports 
• STEAM activities throughout the concourse 
• Special appearances & surprises as we celebrate the Air Capital of the World 

Friday, August 11 – Carnival Night 

• Appearance by Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act 
• Magical experiments and entertainment throughout the ballpark 

Saturday, August 12 – Championship Night 

• Hall of Fame Ceremony – preceding first pitch 
• Youth Jersey Giveaway, presented by Burns & McDonnell  for the first 400 kids ages 12 and under
• Post-Game Fireworks 

Buy Tickets

2023 Terry Brewster Award Recipients Announced with NBC World Series

Community Volunteer All-Star Recognizes Wichita-Area Volunteers

The National Baseball Congress announced the 20 community members who will be recognized as Terry Brewster Community Volunteer All-Stars at the 2023 NBC World Series, powered by Evergy.

The Terry Brewster Community Volunteer Award is given annually in honor of long time NBC supporter and former board member Terry Brewster. Volunteers are nominated by members of the community, and then winners are selected by a committee. More than 50 nominations were submitted in 2023 for local volunteers.

The 2023 honorees receive four tickets to an NBCWS game where they will be recognized during the feature game, and have their story shared. The community is invited to attend the games and help celebrate these dedicated residents who volunteer their time, talent, and resources for the benefit of others.

2023 Terry Brewster Community Volunteer Award Honorees

The 89^th NBC World Series kicks off at Eck Stadium in Wichita August 3^rd – 12^th. The largest summer collegiate national championship in the country, the NBC World Series is one of the longest running sporting events in United States. More than 800 NBC alumni have gone on to play in Major League Baseball. Tickets to the 2023 NBCWS start at only $10 and are available at nbcbaseball.com.

89th NBC World Series Bids

August 3-12^th, 2023

Eck Stadium – Wichita State University

The 89^th NBC World Series, powered by Evergy, will be a three-game guarantee pool-play, followed by single elimination format. Sixteen teams will be seeded prior to games scheduled for Thursday, August 3. Seedings will be based on 2022 NBCWS finishes as a team or league, and overall body of work in 2023. Total Team Compensation is $69,000 cash, increased from $56,000 in 2022, with the top eight finishing teams receiving compensation.

As bids are finalized, the list will be updated with descriptions of all the teams. 

Automatic Bid (2022 Champion) Santa Barbara Foresters (CA):

The Santa Barbara Foresters, who play in the California Collegiate League, are arguably one of the best franchises in NBC history.  Since they were founded in 1995, they have played in every World Series, posting a 124-38 record all time at the World Series, led by NBC Hall of Famer Bill Pintard.  Their first title came in 2006, and they haven’t looked back since.  With 10 NBC World Series Championships, the Foresters return to this year’s tournament looking to win their 4^th straight title.  Foresters alumni who have gone on to MLB careers include Jeff McNeil, Ryan Helsley, and Ryan O’Hearn.

Automatic Bid (2022 Runner-up) Hays Larks (KS):

The Hays Larks out of the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Baseball League return to the NBC World Series after making it to the championship game in 2022, under the leadership of NBC Hall of Famer Frank Leo. The Larks are not new to the scene, as they have had 37 appearances in the NBC World Series, posting a 117-72 record in the tournament, and have made appearances in the championship game six times. The Larks have had multiple great players come through the program who went on the MLB careers, including Lance Berkman, Jack Wilson, and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.

AABC Stan Musial Oklahoma World Series Champion – Tulsa Sandlot (OK):

First time entry in the World Series.

AABC Stan Musial Texas World Series Champion – Arlington Baptist University Patriots (TX):

First time entry in the World Series.

Centex Collegiate Baseball League Champion – Lonestar Baseball (TX):

Lonestar Baseball will make its sixth entry in the tournament, with a 10-10 record. Seven of the wins came in 2021 and 2022, where they finished second and fifth respectively.

Centex Collegiate Baseball League Runner-Up – GPS Legends (TX):

The GPS Legends will be making their second appearance after going 1-2 in 2018.

Five Tool North Texas League – Lonestar Kraken (TX):

The Kraken make their second appearance after finishing ninth (1-2) in 2022.

Jayhawk Collegiate League First Half Champions – Great Bend Bat Cats (KS):

The Great Bend Bat Cats, who compete in the Jayhawk Collegiate League, is one of the newer teams looking to begin their NBC legacy.  The Bat Cats were founded in 2017, and in their first three seasons, they qualified for the World Series.  In 2021, the bat Cats took 5^th in the World Series.  This year, they are looking to make another run at the NBC title.

Jayhawk Collegiate League Second Half Champions – Kansas Cannons (KS):

The Kansas Cannons will be making there 9th appearance at this years World Series.  The Cannons, who were founded in 2010, are lead by former Wichita State and MLB player Phil Stephenson.  They come into the tournament with a 25-12 overall record and as the 2023 Jayhawk Collegiate League Champions. There best finish in the tournament came back in 2019, when they placed 3rd.

Hap Dumont Regional Champion: SC Blues (KS):

The Hap Dumont 19u National Showcase is a tournament hosted in Wichita every year in which the winner gets an automatic bid into the NBC World Series.  This tournament showcases some of the best high school talent in the area.  This year’s showcase Champion was the SC Blues, who will be making their first appearance.

Pacific International League Champion – Seattle Blackfins (WA):

The Blackfins make their first NBCWS appearance as the 2023 Pacific International League Champions.

Rocky Mountain Baseball League Champion – Liberal Bee Jays (KS):

The Bee Jays continue their record appearance at 54 and total tournament wins at 200. Liberal, as Rocky Mountain Baseball League champions, finished third in 2022. They have five titles in 12 title game appearances, with the most recent being 2010. Liberal’s all-time record is 200-101 and 64-36 in MWE action.

Seattle Studs (WA):

The Seattle Studs, who play in the Pacific International League, are one of the most tenured amateur programs in the country.  Since their founding in 1954, the Studs have been a dominant force in the Pacific Northwest and in more recent years, the NBC World Series.  Since 2008, the Studs have made it to seven NBC championships and have been crowned national champions three times. Tim Lincecum, who was a two-time Cy Young Award winner, four-time All-Star, and three-time World Series Champion, was a Seattle Stud before being drafted by the Giants in 2006.

Denver Cougars (CO):

The Cougars make their 18th NBCWS showing and are 25-35 all time (13-23 MWE). Their best finish was third in 2010. Denver joins Liberal and Hays as Rocky Mountain Baseball League representatives.

D-BAT Collegiate League (OK):

Hutchinson Monarchs (KS):

For complete pool play information and schedule, click here: https://nbcbaseball.com/pool-play-schedule/