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May 2020 - Ballpark drinking

baseball field

The Women’s City Club of Seattle sent the following letter to City Council in 1945:

Dear Sirs,

Many of our members have experienced disagreeable episodes from indiscriminate drinking at the ball park and in our public parks.

We feel that the lack of enforcement of the Steele Act is disgraceful.

In line with the present drive against juvenile delinquency, we think that the practice of selling beer and permitting the drinking of hard liquor in the Seattle Ball Park and all the public parks is indefensible.

A large percentage of attendance at these places is our youth. These are being impressed by adult conduct.

The Seattle Base Ball Club is a matter of civic pride. Many citizens look forward to attending games but it is becoming obnoxious to the better class of people.

We hope this condition will show marked improvement.

The Steele Act was Washington State’s response to the repeal of Prohibition, regulating the sale of liquor and establishing the Liquor Control Board. The council was apparently not too concerned with the ballpark’s practices, as they placed the club’s letter “on file.”