Griffons thrown into Series

Nevada Griffon starting pitcher Chris Klick will join the rest of his teammates in Wichita, Kan., Thursday as they play in the National Baseball Congress World Series.

It isn't conventional, but the Nevada Griffons will be playing in the National Baseball Congress World Series beginning Thursday.

The Griffons, who for the first time in years did not earn a qualifying bid into the series, were added as a substitute to the tournament held in Wichita, Kan.

The Griffons were told of their addition to the field Saturday afternoon, when team Assistant General Manager Jeff Post was called by NBC World Series Tournament Director Jerry Taylor.

"He told me they had a team that canceled on them," Post said. "He'd seen the Griffons and thought we were a very competitive team."

Post said the at-large bid is great for the team and the players.

"It's what we work all summer for," he said. "Our ultimate goal is to get (the players) to the World Series so they can be showcased to all the scouts there."

The Griffons will open play in the second round of the tournament, taking on the Prairie Gravel, a team from the Chicago Suburban Baseball League.

The Gravel are a mixed team of professional and collegiate players, that won their league championship to earn their spot in the NBC World Series.

The two teams will play Thursday at approximately 8:30 a.m., at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

The late addition of the Griffons puts five of the six Jayhawk League teams in the Series, with only Liberal not playing.

Post said the Series bid also came with a price -- roughly $1,000 per night to put the team up in a hotel while they play. Anybody interested in helping the Griffons with their costs can call Post at (417) 667-6159.