History
Built as a WPA project and named for mayor Charles Lawrence, the stadium opened in 1934. Sportswriter Hap Dumont launched the National Baseball Congress tournament there in 1935, and it stayed for more than 80 years.
Texas League, American Association and independent teams also called it home. After the Wingnuts' Labor Day game in 2018 the city demolished the stadium and built a new park for the Double-A Wind Surge on the same ground.
Why it matters: It was the longtime home of the NBC World Series, one of amateur baseball's best-known tournaments.
Timeline
- March 4, 1934Groundbreaking[1]
Work began on the WPA-built stadium.
- 1935
Hap Dumont's National Baseball Congress tournament debuted, featuring Satchel Paige.
- 1978Renamed Lawrence-Dumont[1]
Dumont's name was added to the stadium.
- September 3, 2018Last game[2]
The Wingnuts beat Sioux City 4-1 in the final game.
- November 2018Demolished[1]
The stadium was demolished for a new ballpark.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Site of the new ballpark built for the Wichita Wind Surge (Equity Bank Park, per Wikipedia)[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Wichita Aeros | American Association · 1970–1984 |
|---|---|
| Wichita Wranglers | Texas League · 1987–2007 |
| Wichita Wingnuts | American Association (independent) · 2008–2018 |
| National Baseball Congress World Series | NBC · 1935–2018 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Lawrence Stadium (1934–1978) |
|---|---|
| Location | 300 S. Sycamore St., Wichita, Kansas[1] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football |
| Level | Minor League, Independent |
| Opened | 1934[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | September 3, 2018[1,2] |
| Demolished | November 2018[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Final capacity | 6,400[1] |
| Capacity notes | 6,400 for baseball; 12,500 for football. |
| Closure | The city replaced it with a new stadium for an affiliated minor league team. |
Documented details
- Satchel Paige was paid $1,000 to bring his Bismarck team to the first NBC tournament.[1]
Sources
- Lawrence–Dumont Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, opened, teams
- Fans reminisce, speculate on last day of baseball at Lawrence-Dumont, The Sunflower (Wichita State University). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.