From a Bismarck boxcar to Cooperstown: The overlooked genius who helped integrate baseball
The plaque at the National Baseball Hall of Fame describes Hilton Smith as “a quiet and confident righthander.” For a man who spent most of his career in …
WICHITA, Kansas — Every July, as the sun beats down on Eck Stadium and the crack of wooden bats echoes across the Kansas plains, a familiar sight emerges from the visitor’s dugout. The Seattle Cheney Studs, in their classic pinstripes …
NBC Baseball Foundation Announces 2026 Board of Directors
The NBC Baseball Foundation has unveiled its 2026 Board of Directors, bringing together an impressive lineup of civic, business, and community leaders who will guide the Foundation’s mission to connect communities through baseball, …
How a 5’7″ catcher from Wichita became one of Kansas baseball’s most enduring figures
Mark Standiford was seven years old when he first fell in love with Lawrence Stadium. It was the early 1970s, and he was a bat boy for …
Originally published in the 1990 NBC World Series program
Toronto rookie sensation John Olerud, NBC Graduate of the Year who is as personable as he is talented, will never forget the game. In a fourth round contest in the 1988 NBC World …
Originally Published in the 2014 NBC World Series Tournament Program
For 80 years, the National Baseball Congress World Series has been calling Wichita, KS home. This series has embedded itself in the hearts of long-time baseball fans, some of which have …
Ryan Helsley signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in late November 2025, continuing a career path that includes roots in the National Baseball Congress World Series. For those who follow the NBC’s tradition of developing talent, …
For decades in Wichita, aviation workers did more than build bombers and airliners—they also powered some of the greatest teams in National Baseball Congress history.
When Factory Workers Became Champions
In the 1940s and 1950s, Boeing employees weren’t just assembling B-29 Superfortresses …
Before becoming known as the original “Mr. Padre,” Randy Jones established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in National Baseball Congress history with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.
Jones starred for the Glacier Pilots in 1970 and 1971, compiling a …
National Baseball Congress Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class
Garrett Breda, Hilton Smith, and Mark Standiford Join the Prestigious Ranks
Wichita, Kansas – November 5, 2026 – The National Baseball Congress (NBC) is proud to announce the inductees for the 2026 class …
Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith Among Historic Players Named to Tournament Rosters
In a careful archival project, the complete All-American rosters from the 1935 and 1936 National Baseball Congress tournaments have been recovered and verified. These inaugural years of the NBC …
How Two Wichita Institutions Created a Baseball Pipeline That Changed Everything
When Gene Stephenson stood on an empty field at Wichita State in 1978, most people thought bringing back baseball was a lost cause. The university had dropped the sport seven …