The Fruit Eaters’ Perfect Game: How Wenatchee’s Amateurs Shut Out Seattle’s Prospects
In a stunning display of local pride, the Wenatchee Fruit Eaters defeated the heavily favored Seattle Electrics with only one earned run, showcasing a team that managers claimed could beat any amateur squad in the state.
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.
ADD ANOTHER LAUREL TO THEIR WREATH
LOCAL BASEBALL TEAM EASILY DEFEATS THE ELECTRICS FROM SEATTLE. SAID TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST AMATEUR TEAMS IN THE NORTHWEST
A large crowd witnessed the game between the Seattle Electrics and the Wenatchee Fruit Eaters. The team from Seattle played like a bench of bailors beside the clean cat game of the locale.
The Seattle team was first to bat but did not score till the 8th inning when a low throw from Godfrey on 3rd let in Pricketts. With the exception of this error the home team put up a game that could not be beaten by any amateur team in the state.
The notable features of the game were the pitching of Parrish, fielding of right fielder Miller, who gobbled onto everything that came his way, the base running of Hooligan Miller, the excellent work on first, and the long hit of Slate Green.
The Seattle pitcher, Jones, whose curves were so easily solved by the Fruit Eaters, was removed from the box after the 6th inning and replaced by an inferior man.
With the exception of an occasional bad play at critical times, the home team have played their last few games like a bunch of leaguers. The old standby, Buxton, put up a faultless game at the home plate and if limbered up occasionally could play the game as he did years ago in the fast Minnesota league. Bill Green, the genial mixologist at the Twinwater saloon umpired the game to the satisfaction of all.
Mr. Harris, the manager of the local team states that next Sunday ladies will be admitted free. It is not known at this time what team will be the opponents.
Will probably be some of the coast leagues that have been here recently.
Baseball in 1905 Wenatchee was more than a pastime; it was a civic identity marker for a town rapidly defining itself against Seattle. The 'Fruit Eaters' name reflects the agricultural backbone of the region, while the mention of 'ladies admitted free' highlights how sports were used to draw community gatherings and reinforce social norms of the era.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.