The Day the Silence Was Golden
A local baseball match in Seattle turns into an oddly hushed affair, proving that true sportsmanship doesn't require a shouting match.
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.
A local baseball game was played on Queen's Birthday between the Victoria boys and a Seattle team. The play was of a remarkable character, as not a single word or oath was spoken by any player during two hours and forty minutes. When the Victoria boys made a commendable play, they were accorded due credit by the spectators. In the first inning, Wooton, catcher for the Victoria, received a ball on the thumb, which caused him to retire, Gowe taking his place behind the bat. In the fourth inning, running from second to third, Fairbanks, of the Seattle, fell and injured his leg and the side of his head (the latter severely), but continued to play through all the game. The playing of Borwell at the base was the novel feature of the game. He played short the base during all nine innings without having a missed ball or making an error. Considerable money changed hands on the result, a smaller part of which, however, was held against wagers pending a recount.
“The playing of Borwell at the base was the novel feature of the game. He played short the base during all nine innings without having a missed ball or making an error.”
This 1885 account of a 'noiseless' game highlights a Victorian-era ideal of stoic sportsmanship that contrasts sharply with the high-decibel, analytical intensity of modern professional baseball. While the gear and the rules have evolved, the local obsession with box scores and the quiet drama of a perfect defensive performance remains a staple of Seattle's sporting culture.
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