Find of the Month

Each month we highlight interesting, important, and odd items from our collection, along with the stories they tell.

Most recent Find of the Month

March 2026 - Baseball trash talk

An exchange of letters saved in the Fire Chief’s General Correspondence series highlights some early trash talk between the chiefs in Tacoma and Seattle. A letter dated July 28, 1933, from Tacoma's Chief Whitaker to Seattle's Chief Corning referenced an upcoming baseball game between department staff from the two cities, to be played on Labor Day at Spanaway Park. He ended with some gentle ribbing:

We realize that you live in a fine city and have a wonderful Fire Department, but as for your football and baseball teams we are doubtful, therefore, I would advise that you give your boys plenty of coaching and practice before Labor Day, or, you may be able to pick up some good players from either Tukwilla [sic] or Kirkland.

Corning did not take this lying down, writing back to Chief Whitaker four days later with a full page and a half elaborating on just how little they feared Tacoma's fire fighters on the field of play. Some highlights:

I believe this matter was referred to the pensioners of this Department... We have little fear and feel confident that our retired men will have little difficulty in disposing of the affair to the satisfaction of all concerned...

Frankly, between us two, I feel you are taking more chances than you should by permitting your men to indulge in these more strenuous sports such as football and baseball. If you will permit me, I would suggest ping-pong, bridge, checkers, or similar light indoor sports...

Above all, do everything possible to maintain what little good-will and prestige you now enjoy from your public. Try to find some other means of giving them a good laugh rather than be accused of deliberately placing yourself in a ludicrous and ridiculous position - where they may be forced to laugh at you rather than with you.

Chief Corning eventually ran out of insults and wound down his letter, writing "Hoping, for the sakes of your families and others near and dear, to receive your apology by return mail," and signing the letter "Sympathetically yours."

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