Chet Brewer and the 1935 Bismarck Churchills
When you look back at the legendary 1935 Bismarck Churchills, the first integrated team to win a national championship, one name usually dominates the conversation: Satchel Paige.
Paige’s brilliance during the 1935 National Baseball Congress (NBC) semi-pro tournament in Wichita, Kansas, is well-documented. But the Bismarck Club didn't win that grueling tournament with just one pitcher. They relied heavily on another powerhouse who has been largely erased from the team's visual history: Negro Leagues legend and international pitching star, Chet Brewer.
The reason Brewer is so often overlooked comes down to unfortunate timing. When the famous official team photograph was taken, Brewer hadn't arrived yet. Because his face is missing from that iconic image, he's frequently omitted from historical rosters and the official 1935 NBC All-American lists.
Image: Newspaper article detailing Chet Brewer's late arrival.
The Bismarck Tribune (Bismarck, ND), Aug 12, 1935, 6.
Yet, Brewer was instrumental in Bismarck's perfect 7-0 championship run. While Paige earned four victories in the tournament, Brewer secured the other three. He was a dominant force on the mound, acting as the perfect counter-punch to Paige. Chet didn't have as many strikeouts as Satchel, but in true Brewer form, his over-the-top sinking curve resulted in multiple groundouts to his infielders.
If you look closely at the post-tournament celebration photo
Below is the team’s seven-game record of the 1935 Wichita Semi-Pro Tournament, showcasing how Paige and Brewer alternated starts to lead the Bismarck Club to an undefeated championship:
1935 Bismarck NBC Tournament Run (7-0)
Date | Opponent | Score | Winning Pitcher | Pitcher’s Stats | Box Score |
Aug 15 | Monroe Monarchs | 6-4 | Satchel Paige | 9 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 16 K, 2 BB | |
Aug 18 | Wichita Watermen | 8-4 | Chet Brewer | Brewer: 7.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 K, 2 BB Paige: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB | |
| Aug 20 | Denver United Fuel | 4-1 | Satchel Paige | 9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 12 K, 0 BB | |
| Aug 22 | Shelby | 7-1 | Chet Brewer | 9 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 9 K, 3 BB | |
| Aug 23 | Duncan OK | 3-1 | Satchel Paige | 9 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 16 K, 1 BB | |
| Aug 25 | Omaha Ford V-8's | 15-6 | Chet Brewer | 9 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 8 K, 3 BB | |
| Aug 27 | Duncan OK (Championship) | 5-2 | Satchel Paige | 9 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 14 K, 1 BB |
The Takeaway: The 1935 Bismarck team photo only captures a single moment in time, but the box scores tell the story of the whole tournament. It's time baseball fans and official historical records, including the NBC Baseball site, update their rosters and stats to give Chet Brewer the championship recognition he earned on the mound.
Image: The Bismarck team celebrates their tournament victory. Satchel is in the foreground shaking hands with teammates; Chet Brewer is in the background (between Desiderato and Satchel).
Image: This cartoon from the 1935 tournament highlights Satchel's 4 wins, and mentions his relief appearance against the Wichita Watermen on August 18 where Brewer was the winning pitcher.
Paige & Brewer 1935 Tournament Stats | At-A-Glance Comparison