Baseball game at Tenino, WA, ca. 1915
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Play Ball! A Slide Show of the History of Early Baseball in Washington
This is a HistoryLink Baseball Memories Slide Show by Seattle Baseball historian David Eskenazi, recounting early baseball in Washington. Written and curated by David Eskenazi. All images copyright 2003, David Eskenazi. Produced by Alyssa Burrows.
Eighteen ninety was the first year of professional baseball in Washington state. Three of the four franchise cities in the 1890 Pacific Northwest League were Washington-based: Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane, with a Portland, Oregon, team rounding out the league.
Amateur, town team, and semi-professional baseball in Washington state pre-dated pro baseball by several decades. As in other states, development and expansion of baseball in Washington reflected the social and economic growth of the state itself. Town teams and city leagues sprung up in cities and regions of every size, and were often sponsored and supported by the dominant industries of their particular region. From the 1890s forward, professional, semi-pro, and amateur teams and leagues abounded across the entire state. Until air travel became common, most professional teams in Washington State competed with same-state franchises, along with teams from California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Western Canada.
A number of prominent major leaguers were Washington-born and played in the state, including Snohomish-born Hall of Famer Earl Averill, Chehalis-born early century star pitcher Vean Gregg, and Seattle-born Mariner’s star John Olerud. John Olerud Sr. was a member of Seattle’s last professional championship baseball team -- the 1966 Pacific Coast League Seattle Angels. A year earlier, Earl Averill, Jr. donned a Seattle Angels uniform to cap off his professional career, which included seven years in the major leagues.
Colorful team nicknames were the order of the day in the early part of the century. Consider the franchises in the 1903 Class D Southwest Washington League: the Aberdeen Pippins, the Hoquiam Perfect Gentlemen, the Centralia Midgets, and the Olympia Senators. Other team nicknames included the Seattle Clamdiggers, Siwashes, Purple Sox and Indians, Everett Smokestackers, Grays Harbor Lumberman, Chehalis Gophers, Raymond Venetians, North Yakima Braves, and the Spokane Hawks.
The longest tenured and highest level professional leagues with Washington state franchises include the:
- Pacific Coast League (1903-1906, 1919-1968)
- Northwestern League (1906-1917)
- Western International League (1937-1954)
- Northwest League (1955-present)
- American League (1969, 1977-present)
Popular semi-professional and city leagues also flourished, particularly in the first 40 years of the twentieth century. The Timber League, Puget Sound League, Northwest League, and Tacoma and Spokane City Leagues were amongst the fastest and most entertaining, and cultivated many future pro stars.
Baseball game at Tenino, WA, ca. 1915
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1914 Tacoma Tigers Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1914 Tacoma Tigers Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A 1908 Spokane City League program cover
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A 1908 Spokane City League program cover
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1922 Snohomish baseball team
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1922 Snohomish baseball team
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Sicks’ Stadium, ca 1939.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Sicks’ Stadium, ca 1939.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1938 Seattle Rainiers at training camp in El Centro, CA. Left to right: Mike Hunt, Bill Lawrence, Bob Hagerty, Len Gabrielson, Dick Gyselman and Herman Michael
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1938 Seattle Rainiers at training camp in El Centro, CA. Left to right: Mike Hunt, Bill Lawrence, Bob Hagerty, Len Gabrielson, Dick Gyselman and Herman Michael
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A 1914 Seattle Nippon Baseball Club souvenir pinback button
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A 1914 Seattle Nippon Baseball Club souvenir pinback button
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Seven year-old Dale Noyd, ca. 1938, dressed as a Wenatchee Chief.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Seven year-old Dale Noyd, ca. 1938, dressed as a Wenatchee Chief.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A 1942 Old Woody souvenir contest card featuring Dewey Soriano
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A 1942 Old Woody souvenir contest card featuring Dewey Soriano
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1913 Omak Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1913 Omak Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Montesano Ballpark, 1910, home of the Washington State League Montesano Farmers Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Montesano Ballpark, 1910, home of the Washington State League Montesano Farmers Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The Montesano “Old Timers” team, taken July 22, 1931. This photo includes: Marty O’Toole (1st row, far left), Roy Grover (1st row, 2nd from left), and Ham Hyatt (1st row, 4th from left).
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The Montesano “Old Timers” team, taken July 22, 1931. This photo includes: Marty O’Toole (1st row, far left), Roy Grover (1st row, 2nd from left), and Ham Hyatt (1st row, 4th from left).
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Bobby Morris, namesake of the playfield on Capitol Hill, playing for the Seattle Cubs in 1928
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Bobby Morris, namesake of the playfield on Capitol Hill, playing for the Seattle Cubs in 1928
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Pearl Murray of the Chehalis Proteges Baseball Club, 1911
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Pearl Murray of the Chehalis Proteges Baseball Club, 1911
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Joe Martial, the longtime groundskeeper at Sicks’ Stadium, ca. 1939
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Joe Martial, the longtime groundskeeper at Sicks’ Stadium, ca. 1939
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
An Everett vs. Marysville baseball game at Marysville, ca. 1912
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
An Everett vs. Marysville baseball game at Marysville, ca. 1912
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Levi McCormack of the Seattle Rainiers at spring training in El Centro, CA. in 1938
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Levi McCormack of the Seattle Rainiers at spring training in El Centro, CA. in 1938
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Manager of the Seattle Rainiers, Jack Lelivelt (1885-1941), 1940
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Manager of the Seattle Rainiers, Jack Lelivelt (1885-1941), 1940
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Heine Jensen of the North Yakima Braves Baseball Club, 1913
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Heine Jensen of the North Yakima Braves Baseball Club, 1913
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1916 Spokane Indians Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1916 Spokane Indians Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A baseball game at Granite Falls, 1911
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
A baseball game at Granite Falls, 1911
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Sylveanus "Vean" Gregg, left-handed pitcher of the 1923 Seattle Indians
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Sylveanus "Vean" Gregg, left-handed pitcher of the 1923 Seattle Indians
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The Emerson School Baseball Team, ca. 1932. Dewey Soriano is in the back row, far left, and Fred Hutchinson is in the middle row, far right.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The Emerson School Baseball Team, ca. 1932. Dewey Soriano is in the back row, far left, and Fred Hutchinson is in the middle row, far right.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Fasleywine of the Bellingham Baseball Club, “getting a high one,” ca. 1908-1915.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Fasleywine of the Bellingham Baseball Club, “getting a high one,” ca. 1908-1915.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Hal Turpin, 1940
David Eskenazi Collection
Hal Turpin, 1940
David Eskenazi Collection
Dewey Soriano, Edo Vanni, and Ray Orteig, pictured here as members of the 1949 Western International League Yakima Bears
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Dewey Soriano, Edo Vanni, and Ray Orteig, pictured here as members of the 1949 Western International League Yakima Bears
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
C.D. Wineholt, the Manager/Catcher of the Raymond Cougars Baseball Club, 1910.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
C.D. Wineholt, the Manager/Catcher of the Raymond Cougars Baseball Club, 1910.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Karl “Junk” Walters of the Walla Walla Bears Baseball Club, August 1, 1914.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Karl “Junk” Walters of the Walla Walla Bears Baseball Club, August 1, 1914.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Electric Park in Aberdeen on its opening day in 1908
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Electric Park in Aberdeen on its opening day in 1908
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
D. E. Dugdale, while playing for the Washington Senators, 1894
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Walter Cartwright, 3rd baseman of the Spokane Indians Baseball Club, ca. 1910-1912
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Walter Cartwright, 3rd baseman of the Spokane Indians Baseball Club, ca. 1910-1912
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1913 Black Diamond Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1913 Black Diamond Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1938 Bellingham Chinooks Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The 1938 Bellingham Chinooks Baseball Club
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Schmutz and Rose of the 1915 Seattle Giants in Dugdale Park
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Schmutz and Rose of the 1915 Seattle Giants in Dugdale Park
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Seattle Rainiers Roll of Honor trophy presented to Hal Turpin, August 12, 1954
David Eskenazi Collection
Seattle Rainiers Roll of Honor trophy presented to Hal Turpin, August 12, 1954
David Eskenazi Collection
An anonymous player for the Black Diamond baseball team, ca. 1915
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The T.T. Minor School baseball team, 1896. Future Northwest pro C.D. Wineholt is front row, left.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
The T.T. Minor School baseball team, 1896. Future Northwest pro C.D. Wineholt is front row, left.
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection
Contestant in Seattle Times Pitcher's Contest, ca. 1924
Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives
Royal Colored Giants Baseball Team, Powell Barnett (right front in vest), manager, ca. 1945
Courtesy Douglas Q. Barnett
Earl Sheely, while playing for the Walla Walla Bears, 1913
Courtesy David Eskenazi Collection