RAYMOND “HAP” DUMONT
1904 – 1971
Inducted – 1975

Founder of the National Baseball Congress organization in 1935, Raymond Harry Dumont is considered on of the greatest promoters and innovators in baseball history. The NBC National Tournament was started by Dumont in 1935 and each August, brings 32 semi-pro teams to Wichita, Kansas from all over the country for a two-an-a-half week tournament. Dumont was instrumental in the building of Lawrence Stadium in Wichita, which was renamed Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 1978. He started the first Kansas state tournament in 1931. Described as “baseball’s man in motion,” Dumont’s contributions and innovations to the game are many, including the pneumatic home plate duster, a timer limiting pitchers 20 seconds between pitches, a machine to bring baseballs to umpires, 5 a.m. games for late-shift aircraft workers, microphones on umpires, and women umpires. The National Baseball Congress is one of only two businesses sanctioned to print the official rules of baseball (the other is The Sporting News). “NBC Hap Dumont” youth baseball tournaments are also held each year at the regional, state and national level. Dumont was a sports writer for the Wichita Eagle-Beacon and sports editor for the Hutchinson News. Born December 26, 1904 – Wichita, KS. Died July 3, 1971 – Wichita, KS. Graduated Wichita High School, 1923.