Full Swing for Summer

Wichita has its trademarks — the Keeper of the Plains, the nickname “The Air Capital of the World,” one of the most unique mascots in the NCAA (WuShock, of course) — but one trademark that is sometimes overlooked is the city’s deep love of baseball. The game has been played in Wichita on a professional level for more than 100 years, and continues to be a pastime the city invests in. 

“Where second base is, that used to be home plate,” said Tim Grubbs, director of corporate sponsorships and public relations with the Wichita Wind Surge, of the alignment between the new Equity Bank Park and the former Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. “There’s been baseball on these grounds since 1934.” 

Though the minor league and semi-professional teams have changed throughout the years — Wingnuts, Wranglers, Aeros and more — Wichita’s downtown has hosted professional and semi-professional baseball since the late 1800s. First on Ackerman Island, and then at Lawrence Stadium, eventually re-named Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Wind Surge, the Double-A affiliate for the Minnesota Twins, currently calls Wichita home.

Training Ground For Greatness

“We’ve had 38 guys from the Wind Surge go to the major leagues in four seasons, and we’re going to add to that this year,” Grubbs said. “It’s not just the talent that fans are seeing on the Wind Surge, but also the teams they play. We have had upwards of 500 guys play on this field through the first four seasons who have made their way to the MLB.”

This year, the Wind Surge welcomed a new manager, Brian Dinkelman, who was named Minor League Manager of the Year in 2023 at the Twins Single-A affiliate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Wind Surge also welcomed back the Twins’ number one prospect — 20-year-old Walker Jenkins, after he played the final week of last season with the Wind Surge. As the number-three prospect in all minor league baseball, Jenkins is moving quickly through the minor leagues. 

“The fact that last year was his first season in Double-A, that’s full speed ahead, obviously he’s coming right along,” Grubbs said. “We’ve got a great culture and vibe in the clubhouse, but it’s interesting, because they’re all trying to make it to the major leagues while still playing together, but they all root for each other.”

But the thing about minor league baseball is, you don’t even have to like baseball to enjoy the games and the atmosphere. In fact, for some, baseball is the backdrop to a night at Equity Bank Park. 

‘We have on-field contests, in-game promotions, we’re here to entertain families, we have a variety of great food — we’re not just selling hot dogs and pizza.’ Tim Grubbs, Wichita Wind Surge

This season, every Friday-night game ends in fireworks, the kids play area has expanded to include more inflatables, and the team will host a number of themed nights including Harry Potter Night, Margaritaville Night and even SpongeBob Night. Every Sunday kids can play catch on the field before the game, and those under 12 can run the bases after the game. 

Plus, the ballpark has expanded its food options to include things like buffalo fries and a special Wind Surge beer. 

“We have on-field contests, in-game promotions, we’re here to entertain families, we have a variety of great food — we’re not just selling hot dogs and pizza,” Grubbs said. 

The Wind Surge also plays under assumed identities throughout the season — something the team does each year. Those include the Wichita Monrovians, a nod to the Negro League team from Wichita in the 1920s, the Turbo Tubs in honor of Riverfest and the Tumba Vacas, when the entire ballpark celebrates Hispanic culture and heritage including with traditional music, performers and special food items. 

The Wind Surge also has a significant impact on the Wichita community. The team is involved in a reading program that is available to local schools, providing incentives to get kids excited about reading. The team also hosts the free Play Ball clinic in mid-June, where about 160 kids will work on improving their baseball skills alongside Wind Surge players. 

“You really get to see the players’ personalities,” Grubbs said. “They were all in those kids’ shoes when they were ten, just looking for an opportunity to play in a minor league or major league baseball stadium.”

Special to the Minnesota Twins organization, is their Week of Service, where the Twins and all affiliated teams spend time in their respective communities volunteering. This year, the Wind Surge will help with Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the Block initiative. 

“I think it’s great — it’s really rare to get our whole team out into the community, because they’re so busy — but the places we have gone have loved it,” said Hannah Jasinski, community relations manager for the Wind Surge. “It’s a good way for the players to experience Wichita.”

NBC World Series Championship Game Returns Home

Baseball is part of the identity in downtown Wichita, and this year the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series is heading back downtown for the tournament’s championship game. The tournament had been played at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium since its inception in 1935, but the closure and subsequent demolition of the stadium forced the NBC World Series to find a new home. While some games in the 2021 tournament were played at then Riverfront Stadium downtown, most of the tournament took place at WSU’s Eck Stadium. This year, the majority of the tournament will still be played at Eck Stadium, for the first time in several years the championship game will be played at Equity Bank Park.

The tournament will also bring back its Baseball ‘Round the Clock tradition, where last year teams played 11 games in 33 hours, and some brave fans stuck around for every inning. 

For a complete schedule of games and events for the Wichita Wind Surge, visit their website at milb.com/wichita. You can also keep up with the latest announcements on the NBC World Series by signing up for e-mail updates on their website nbcbaseball.com.