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How Semi-Pro Baseball Thrived In 29 " Montana: the Magazine of BASEBALL CAN SURVIVE: HOW SEMI-PRO BASEBALL Continental Commands, 1821­ THRIVED IN WICHITA DURING THE 1930s AND 1940s Letters Sent, 22 May, 1866. by Travis Larsen Confederate prisoners released ... 866. See D. Alexander Brown, The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. s Press, 1963), 1-3. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been ~ anics and the Great Depression erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball lllsidered so secure that during has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part ofour past, tenberg Bible in its vaults for Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be 7e Age: 100 years ofBanking in agam. Newcomen Society in North bank's origins, growth, and , and Robert S. Pulcipher, The Terrence Mann (James Earl Jones) to Ray 1. Robert S. Pulcipher (Denver: Kinsella (Kevin Costner) in 1989's Field ofDreams It could idolize a decent and es a Day on Beans and Hay, 70­ In 1989, Kevin Costner portrayed an Iowa com farmer who plowed Ticers and Graduates ofthe U.S. up his crop to build a baseball field. Costner's character did this lment, in 1802, to 1890 with the unthinkable act after hearing a mysterious voice call out to him saying, ed. (Boston: Houghton, Mift1in, "If you build it, he will come." In the early 1930s, a Kansas sporting goods salesman by the name of Raymond "Hap" Dumont heard his own ree Press-Tribune, 5 .Tune 1920. voice coming from the wheat fields of Kansas, a voice that told him to aton, 1909-1911, Eaton Family seek funding for a new ballpark and to establish a national semi­ professional baseball tournament. Dumont, who already managed the Kansas State Semi-professional Baseball Tournament, attacked the new idea with gusto. The Kansas State Tournament, played on Island Park on .. Ackerman Island in the middle of the Arkansas River, proved to be immensely popular with many Wichitans and Dumont figured a national tournament could be even more popular. However, shortly after the 1933 season ended, the wooden stadium burned to the ground due to a careless Travis Larsen is currently working on a Ph.D. in history at Oklahoma State University and is also an adjunct professor ofhistory at Fort Hays State University. He earned his M.A. and B.A. in history from Fort Hays State University. 30 cigarette butt. Since the Kansas State tournament could not be played national tournament, amo without a stadium, Hap Dumont needed to find a way to convince the city persuading the city governr to build a new ballpark. The idea Dumont struck upon involved idea in the midst of the Gn promoting and organizing a national semi-pro baseball tournament. The city built Lawrenct In baseball circles, a national semi-professional tournament had been Stadium) just west ofthe A considered in New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. The Wichita what was then known as P, Eagle wrote, "A national just wasn't possible for a number of reasons. significant sum of mone: Too much expense, failure to get genuine representation of teams from Wichita. 4 Withhelpfromth coast to coast, and an utter lack of a central governing organization were the Civil Works Administ chief drawbacks in staging a national tournament. ,,1 A few regionalized seated 6,000 fans and coule tournaments, such as the Denver Post and the Houston Post tournaments, room-only fans. With the n proved to be successful, but a national tournament had never been tried. formulated a plan for a suce Dumont knew that if he could get a new baseball stadium, a national to be held in Wichita the nc tournament could succeed in Wichita. Dumont also understood that he Baseball in Kansas, up t needed to be ahead of the curve and promote a different game than the For whatever reasons, man one that Major League Baseball did. 2 to draw fans. The interest iJ Dumont, the father of the National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress's to support the various il governing body and the architect of the national tournament, was a nineteenth and early twen sporting goods salesman, as well as a boxing and wrestling promoter. tournament would attempt Dumont, who was born in Wichita in 1904, grew up wanting a place in Organized baseball in show business. After graduating from Wichita High School (now National League baseball tl Wichita East), he ventured into vaudeville but did not make it as a on African-American basel comedian. He then drifted into sports writing and was the sports editor the baseball world, keepin for the Hutchinson News. Additionally, he became involved in decided to tap into this tale promoting baseball when circus employees who were in town for a show all black players, as well as asked Dumont to find a baseball team for them to play due to the Blue players, to his 1935 tournar Laws in Kansas at the time. Kansas Blue Laws prohibited circus show that were made up of othe performances on Sundays, so the employees would find a team to play minor league baseball tearr baseball against and then charge admission to earn a little extra money. proceed at an even more fur Promoting baseball suited Dumont fine, and he warmed up to the idea by to further his plans for the promoting more games around the Wichita area. 3 One ofthe first orders c The National Baseball Congress (NBC) was formed in 1931 as an Negro League pitcher Sa umbrella organization for semi-professional baseball. Dumont also used Baseball Congress nation the NBC to sell sporting goods from Goldsmith's department store. Bismarck, North Dakota a While Dumont's everlasting achievement is the establishment ofthe NBC Dumont's offer, provided· 31 ment could not be played national tournament, among his greatest accomplishments might be Ia way to convince the city persuading the city government to build a new stadium to house his grand ,nt struck upon involved idea in the midst of the Great Depression. I baseball tournament. The city built Lawrence Stadium (since renamed Lawrence-Dumont ional tournament had been • Stadium) just west ofthe Arkansas River near the old Chisholm Trail in in Francisco. The Wichita what was then known as Payne's Pasture at a cost of about $125,000, a : for a number of reasons. significant sum of money for the economically depressed city of Iresentation of teams from Wichita.4 With help from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and verning organization were the Civil Works Administration (CWA) the city built a stadium that lent."! A few regionalized seated 6,000 fans and could accommodate an additional 2,000 standing­ [0uston Post tournaments, room-only fans. With the new stadium completed in 1934, Dumont then nent had never been tried. formulated a plan for a successful national semi-pro baseball tournament 5eball stadium, a national to be held in Wichita the next summer. nt also understood that he Baseball in Kansas, up to this point, lacked a clear, distinctive history. a different game than the For whatever reasons, many ofthe professional teams in Wichita failed to draw fans. The interest in the game certainly thrived, but people failed -Pro Baseball Congress's to support the various incarnations of teams throughout the late tional tournament, was a nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.5 Dumont and his national ~ and wrestling promoter. tournament would attempt to change that. rew up wanting a place in Organized baseball in the 1930s consisted of the American and .chita High School (now National League baseball teams and their minor league affiliates. A ban but did not make it as a on African-American baseball players in organized baseball shadowed ~ and was the sports editor the baseball world, keeping out some of the best talent. Hap Dumont he became involved in decided to tap into this talent pool by inviting some teams composed of 10 were in town for a show all black players, as well as teams that consisted ofboth white and black m to play due to the Blue players, to his 1935 tournament. Dumont also planned on inviting teams ws prohibited circus show .. that were made up of other races as well. The departure of Wichita's would find a team to play minor league baseball team, the Wichita Aviators, prompted Dumont to I earn a little extra money. proceed at an even more furious pace to put together the stadium deal and ~ warmed up to the idea by to further his plans for the national tournament. ea. 3 One ofthe first orders ofbusiness for Dumont was to invite the great ,vas formed in 1931 as an Negro League pitcher Satchel Paige to participate in the National isebal1. Dumont also used Baseball Congress national tournament. Paige, who played for a ;mith's department store. Bismarck, North Dakota auto dealership magnate at the time, accepted ~ establishment ofthe NBC Dumont's offer, provided the Wichitan would pay him $1,000 to bring 32 his Bismarck semi-pro "colored" team to the tournament. Of course, The Bismarck team piled Dumont did not actually have Paige's "salary" at the time he promised it, Plymouth Sedan, supplied 1 but he counted on the crafty hurler to draw big enough crowds to pay the automobile dealership in money out of the gate receipts. Paige's Bismarck team was not the only "barnstormed" through the team of color to be represented in the first NBC tournament. Four other expenses. One of these g: teams composed ofAfrican-Americans entered the tournament: the Texas McPherson, KS.
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