Baseball legend Ozzie Smith coming to Wichita for NBC World Series Hall of Fame event
Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith is coming to Wichita as the keynote speaker at the 2025 National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Before he was known as “The Wizard” and became an all-time great with the St. Louis Cardinals, Smith played in the NBC World Series in 1976 with the Clarinda A’s. He is a 1992 inductee into the NBC World Series Hall of Fame.
Smith will share his insights and stories from his legendary career, offering attendees a unique opportunity to hear from one of the game’s most iconic figures. Tickets are available for $150 through nbcbaseball.com.
The 2025 class of inductees are David Benson, Alex Gordon and Phil Stephenson. The ceremony is slated for Thursday, Jan. 30, at B-29 Doc Hangar in Wichita.
Gordon, who was a three-time MLB All-Star and won eight Gold Glove awards during his career, was a key player for the Kansas City Royals during their run to the 2015 World Series. He was named the NBC Graduate of the Year in 2013 and played for the Beatrice Bruins in the 2002 NBC World Series.
Stephenson, one of the best Wichita State players in program history, has made an impact on the NBC World Series as a player, coach, general manager and commissioner. He played for the Alaska Goldpanners and Wichita Alumni teams, then was the manager for the Dodge City A’s before becoming commissioner of the Jayhawk League. He currently manages the Kansas Cannons.
Benson was one of the most dominant pitchers in NBC World Series history, as he made 20 appearances for the Seattle Studs in Wichita from 2008-19 and finished with a 10-3 record and 2.85 earned run average. He holds several tournament records, including most decisions, most starts and most innings pitched in the modern wood bat era. He was a three-time World Series champion and four-time runner-up with the Studs.
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