The 1935 season was one of high expectations and interesting situations.

In 1934 the Cardinals owned the rights to every player in the league, essentially making the league a "farm" operation of the Cardinals. At the end of the year at least 12 players were picked up by the Cardinals and placed in higher leagues. The Beatrice team was hit hard at the end of the 1934 season with five starters moved up to a higher classification. In addition, Joe McDermott, manager of Norfolk was picked to be the new manager at Omaha in the Western League and Brookhaus retired after a difficult 1934 season in Beatrice.

Beatrice named Dee Walsh as their manager for 1935. He took ill and was unable to even start the season. After asking for assistance from the Cardinals, Charles Stis was named manager for the Blues.

In January of 1935 Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis decided to outlaw arrangements like St. Louis had with the Nebraska State League. They were afraid that St. Louis would eventually own all the "rookie" leagues. The new rule was that a major league club could only have "farm" teams not leagues. They allowed the current relationship to continue for the 1935 season but that would be the last.

Norfolk won the first half of the season. In July they went 15-4 in 14 days to take the first half crown. Frank Wagner, submarine pitcher, won 8 in a row ending his streak on July 15th. Bud Cabble spent three weeks in Denver in late June and early July taking care of his sick wife. He returned in late July and promptly ran off seven straight victories.

The second half was owned by Sioux Falls. Norfolk came back to win the playoffs and the League championship. In July, umpire Lou Le Barge quit before a game in Sioux Falls. He had made some questionable calls in the game the night before. The threats by some of the locals caused him to quit rather than go to the ballpark. The game on July 17th went 17 innings using replacement umpires. The Canaries managed to pull out a 4-3 win against Norfolk. Beatrice manager Charles Stis, who replaced a sick Thomas Walsh in April, was picked as an umpire for the remainder of the year leaving Beatrice to pick a third manager for the season.

At the end of the year the Cardinals decimated the NSL teams. Ten players were given tryouts with Cedar Rapids, a St. Louis farm club in the Western League. Twelve players were optioned by the Cardinals via their Columbus farm club and placed with higher classification clubs. In all, 23 players were signed by the Cardinals. Since the four teams only carried 14 players each, 23 of 52 players were promoted at the end of the season.

Columbus signed seven players from Lincoln: (Les Dunkle (p), Robert Richards, Richard Ticachek and Jack Gasaway (of), Jack Juelick, Norman Peterson and Jim Irving (if)). From Norfolk the Cards via Columbus chose Orie Arntzen and Ken "Whity" Miller (p) and Howard Swanson (of). Frank Locke (p) was chosen from Sioux Falls and Jude Mathews (p) was taken from Beatrice.

The Cards chose the following players via Cedar Rapids. They signed Jimmy Ronsiek (p), Bill Sekeres (p), Joe Dobbins (2nd), Justin Keenoy (ss) from Beatrice. Tom Perry (p), Ron Spencer (p) and Marvin Pelton (cf) were signed from Sioux Falls, Bud Cabble (p) from Norfolk and Wayne Rossbach (p) and Albert Filbert (1st) from Lincoln.

The league then entered the 1936 season cash rich but player poor.

Nebraska State League 1935 All Stars.

Bennie Warren, a repeat all star catcher in 1935. He was from Elk City Oklahoma and made his major league debut when he was 27 years old on September 13, 1939. He had a six year career as a $ Philadelphia Phillies and the NY Giants. He died in Oklahoma City in 1994.

Orie Arntzen struck out 184 batters to lead the league. The right handed Norfolk flinger from Beverly Illinois made it to the majors in 1943. At 33 years old he had 4 wins and 13 losses in 32 games for the Philadelphia Athletics. He had 66 strike outs in 164 innings pitched. Orie settled in Cedar Rapids for the off season. In 1948 he was 15-4 for Albany following a difficult back surgery. In 1949, the 40 year old Orie had a 25-2 record with the Albany Senators in the Eastern League. He was named the most valuable player in the league, given a special award in Cedar Rapids and named minor league player of the year by the Sporting News. He finished his career in 1950. He died in Cedar Rapids Iowa in 1970.

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