Wichita, KS

Wichita is located in central Kansas, on the Arkansas River, 80 miles southwest of Topeka, KS. Wichita was the site of the 1949 College World Series, after which the event found a permanent home in Omaha, NE. Since 1935, it has hosted the National Baseball Congress World Series.

The names of teams from Wichita in the first two decades of the 20th century were quite fluid, with Jobbers, Witches and Wolves all being used at various times, and sometimes simultaneously.

Teams that have played here

• Wichita Braves, Kansas State League (1887)
• Wichita Braves, Western League (1887)
• Wichita Jobbers, Western Association (1905-1908)
• Wichita Jobbers, Western League (1909-1911, 1918-1920)
• Wichita Witches, Western League (1912-1917, 1921-1922)
• Wichita Izzies, Western League (1923-1926)
• Wichita Larks, Western League (1927-1928)
• Wichita Aviators, Western League (1929-1932)
• Wichita Oilers, Western League (1933)
• Wichita Indians, Western League (1950-1955)
• Wichita Braves, American Association (1956-1958)
• Wichita Aeros, American Association (1970-1984)
• Wichita Pilots, Texas League (1987-1988)
• Wichita Wranglers, Texas League (1989-2007)
• Wichita Wingnuts, American Association (2008-2018)
• Wichita Wind Surge, Double-A Central (2021)
• Wichita Wind Surge, Texas League (2022- )

Persons who were born here

• Travis Banwart, minor league pitcher
• Jeff Berblinger, infielder
• V. Jerry Blue, National Baseball Congress executive
• Fritz Brickell, infielder
• Greg Brummett, pitcher
• Jason Burch, minor league pitcher
• Clay Christiansen, pitcher
• Craig Dingman, pitcher
• Darren Dreifort, pitcher
• Hap Dumont, amateur baseball executive
• Jeff Farnsworth, pitcher
• Kyle Farnsworth, pitcher
• Milton Glickman, minor league owner
• Garrett Gould, minor league pitcher
• Billy Hall, minor league infielder
• Halley Harding, infielder
• Gail Henley, outfielder
• John Holland, General Manager
• Brian Johnson, minor league catcher
• Rod Kanehl, infielder
• Don Lock, outfielder
• Ike McAuley, infielder
• Larry McWilliams, pitcher
• Dayton Moore, General Manager
• Gaylen Pitts, infielder
• Ronn Reynolds, catcher
• Jeff Richardson, pitcher
• Nate Robertson, pitcher
• Roger Slagle, pitcher
• Daryl Spencer, infielder
• Danny Thompson, infielder
• Blake Treinen, pitcher
• Logan Watkins, infielder
• Art Weaver, catcher
• Duane Wilson, pitcher
• Chris Wimmer, minor league infielder

Persons who died here

• Tom Angley, catcher
• Virgil Barnes, pitcher
• Lloyd Bishop, pitcher
• V. Jerry Blue, National Baseball Congress executive
• Bob Boyd, infielder
• Fred Brickell, outfielder
• Fritz Brickell, infielder
• Lou Clinton, outfielder
• Glenn Davis, minor league pitcher
• Hap Dumont, amateur baseball executive
• Art Evans, pitcher
• Larry Foss, pitcher
• Owen Friend, infielder
• Ken Gonzales, scout
• Lacey Guice, Negro Leagues outfielder
• George Hale, catcher
• Gus Hetling, infielder
• Frank Isbell, manager
• Woody Jensen, outfielder
• Ken Johnson, pitcher
• Tex Jones, infielder
• Wilson Joseph, infielder
• Don Lock, outfielder
• Howie McFarland, outfielder
• Rufus Meadows, pitcher
• Red Phillips, pitcher
• Willie Ramsdell, pitcher
• Jug Thesenga, pitcher
• Bob Thurman, outfielder
• Duane Wilson, pitcher
• Ralph Winegarner, pitcher
• Spades Wood, pitcher

Educational institutions located here

• East High School
• Friends University
• Life Prep Academy
• Newman University
• Northwest High School
• Southeast High School
• Wichita Heights High School
• Wichita North High School
• Wichita South High School
• Wichita State University
• Wichita West High School
• Word of Life High School

Further Reading

• Brian Carroll: "Beating the Klan: Baseball Coverage in Wichita Before Integration, 1920-1930", in The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 37, 2008, pp. 51-61.