The Sunday Ballot: How Kennewick’s Baseball League Was Born (and Who Got Left Out)
In April 1914, local businessmen gathered at the Commercial Hotel to launch a new Valley baseball league. But as they celebrated the formation of the team, a quiet but significant exclusion was taking place: players bound by religious vows were barred from the field.
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.
Kennewick is going to see league baseball this season. It may be the bushiest kind of bush ball, it will be real league stuff at the same time, for the Valley Ball League was officially organized last Friday night when an enthusiastic crowd of "fans" from the city, the Highlands and Finley met at the Commercial Hotel.
Those who came early enjoyed several selections by VanNorsen’s orchestra, but as soon as the Finley delegation arrived, the thing got down to business. A. Kjosness was chosen temporary chairman and J. F. Martin called to outline the purpose of the meeting. Mr. Martin explained that the original plan of forming a league to consist of Kennewick, Pasco, Connell and [Finley] had practically been abandoned in favor of the valley league.
Mr. Martin advised that if the league be formed it be done in a business-like manner, in regular big-league style and that each town select its own officers who would meet later to organize a board of control, adopt a constitution and work out the schedule of games. F. J. Kraber of Finley spoke heartily in favor of the proposed league as also did a number of the local business men.
All agreed that a series of games between the neighboring communities would furnish just as much fun and create as much interest as would a schedule between Kennewick, Pasco and other out-of-town teams, and at practically no expense, as there will be no railroad fares nor hotel bills to trouble the managers of the valley league.
The election of officers for the city team followed, Mr. Kjosness being made permanent president; Geo. Fairchild, vice president; Guy Haydon, Secretary-treasurer and Bert Lloyd manager. Conventions have since arisen that make Mr. Lloyd reluctant to act and another manager may be appointed at his request.
Donations of labor and material have been made, sufficient to build the grandstand in good shape and what little cash will put the grounds in order for the season will be raised by giving a big benefit dance at the Commercial Hotel hall on Friday evening; the 17th.
The schedule has not yet been arranged, the first games will undoubtedly be played on Sunday, the 12th. The Highlands team will use the Kennewick grounds for their home games. As between the city and the Highlanders teams, it appears on paper as though the Highlanders will have the best of it, as in making up the city team it will be necessary to do without the services of any who have signed on the Brotherhood nine, thus pledging themselves "against" playing Sunday ball.
This 1914 account reveals how deeply religious observance shaped local community life and leisure. The explicit exclusion of players from the "Brotherhood nine" (likely Seventh-day Adventists or similar groups who observed Saturday Sabbath) highlights a time when commercial sports leagues had to navigate strict moral codes. Today, while Sunday games are standard, the tension between commercial scheduling and religious observance remains a relevant issue in youth and amateur sports.
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