A Striking Day for Seattle Baseball
A railroad strike in Portland forced players to arrive exhausted and without gear, but the game went on to a roaring crowd of 3,500.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Seattle Athletics added new luster yesterday by defeating their ancient enemies, the Multnomahs. It was a pitcher's duel between Thornton and Smith, and Thornton came out ahead. The Portland boys put up a brave fight, but were badly handicapped by the strike on the Northern Pacific Railroad. Their train was delayed, and in the hurry of leaving, their trunk—containing uniforms, bats, and gloves—was left behind. The team presented a strange appearance on the field, wearing a mix of their own remaining suits and uniforms borrowed from the local Y.M.C.A. team. Ainsley used a borrowed mask, and the team all played in tennis shoes purchased after reaching Seattle. Despite the chaos, 3,500 people turned out to watch, marking the biggest crowd of the season.
“The team presented a strange appearance when they walked on the field arrayed in uniforms patched up out of three suits which were brought with them and some loaned them by the local Y. M. C. A. team.”
This 1894 report captures the fragility of early professional sports in the West, where labor unrest and transit delays could nearly derail a game. It is a reminder that even before the age of luxury travel, fans and players alike were willing to cobble together a spectacle against all odds.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.