2016 National Baseball Congress World Series

The 2016 National Baseball Congress World Series saw major changes as the double-elimination format, which had been used since the inaugural tournament in 1935, was replaced by World Baseball Classic-style pool play. This guaranteed teams of playing at least three games, rather than a possible two.

The series still went with the "First Week" and "Championship Week" brackets, with the top two teams in the first week advancing to Championship Week. At the end of Championship Week pool play the top two teams in each pool advanced to single-elimination quarter-finals then semi-finals.

This tournament saw the appearance of the Kansas Stars, a collection of former Major Leaguers headlined by Roger Clemens. They were eliminated in the semi-finals.

30 teams from eight different states took part in the competition, which was won by the Santa Barbara Foresters who beat the Hays Larks in the final. It was the sixth NBC title for the Foresters, tying the Alaska Goldpanners for most all time. Hays are now 0-5 in NBC championship games.

Santa Barbara pitcher Jacob Patterson of Texas Tech was named MVP.

First Week

(Pool winners advance)

• Pool A
• Liberal BeeJays 3-0
• Park City Rangers (KS) 2-1
• Fort Worth Whitetails (TX) 1-2
• Laurel Black Cats (MS) 0-3

• Pool B
• Kansas Cannons 3-0
• El Dorado Broncos 2-1
• Austin Action (TX) 1-2
• Inland Empire Golden Bears (CA) 0-3

• Pool C
• Burger King Capahas 2-1
• Colorado Cyclones 2-1
• Wichita Sluggers 1-2
• Salina Blue Jays (KS) 1-2

• Pool D
• Valley Center Diamond Dogs (KS) 3-0
• Colorado Sox 2-1
• Game Day Saints (CO) 1-2
• Ozark Generals (MO) 0-3

• Playoffs
• Liberal 7-3 Burger King
• Valley Center 8-2 Kansas Cannons

• Liberal and Valley Center both advance to Championship Week.

Championship Week

(Top 2 in each pool advance)

• Pool A
• Hays Larks 3-0
• Northwest Honkers (WA) 2-1
• San Diego Waves 1-2
• Hutchinson Monarchs (KS) 0-3

• Pool B
• Seattle Studs 3-0
• San Diego Force 2-1
• Dodge City Athletics (KS) 1-2
• Valley Center Diamond Dogs (KS) 0-3

• Pool C
• Santa Barbara Foresters 3-0
• Alaska Goldpanners 2-1
• Haysville Aviators (KS) 1-2
• Sharp End Athletics (TX) 0-3

• Pool D
• NJCAA National Team 3-0
• Kansas Stars 2-1
• Liberal BeeJays 1-2
• Sterling Xpress (CO) 0-3

• Quarter-finals
• Santa Barbara 11-0 Northwest Honkers
• Hays 13-7 Alaska
• Kansas Stars 10-2 Seattle
• San Diego Force 12-8 NJCAA National Team

• Semi-finals
• Hays 9-6 Kansas Stars
• Santa Barbara 7-6 San Diego Force

NBC World Series Final

Santa Barbara Foresters 6-2 Hays Larks

Further Reading

• Jeffrey Lutz: "Roger Clemens heads roster of MLB alums to play together in NBC World Series", The Wichita Eagle, July 17, 2016. [1]