By Jerry Taylor
The ultimate story of Raymond "Hap" Dumont and the early history of the National Baseball Congress is captured in Bob Broeg's book, "Baseball's Barnum". Enjoy the humourous exploits of Hap Dumont and the "birth" of his dreams - the National Baseball Congress.
In 1935, Hap Dumont hosted the first NBC World Series, offering Satchel Paige $1,000 to bring his barnstorming team from Bismark, ND. It didn't matter that he didn't have $1,000 to his name. He made the money from the tournament and paid Paige along with a little bit of compensation for the other teams in the field. With coverage and sponsorship from the Sporting News, baseball's bible at the time, the tournament was an instant national success.
Broeg's book contains the details of that story and many others, as he retells the early beginnings of the National Baseball Congress and the many people who made it successfull. Not only was Hap Dumont a colorful individual, but he also was a salesman. He sold Wichita, and ultimately the country on the National Baseball Congress.
You can purchase a copy of Bob Broeg's "Baseball's Barnum" by contacting Jerry Taylor. The paperback copies are $10 each; the hardbound copies are $18. Get your copy today and begin reading about Raymond "Hap" Dumont, the man, the myth, the legend.
