The following excerpt is from Tom Melchior's new book "Scott County Baseball". Tom graduated from Belle Plaine H.S. in 1954 and is a retired teacher and ball player. The '09 Henderson Tigers weren't the only team to ever have to forfeit a ball game! Read below.
May 25, 1904: Belle Plaine Herald
Henderson Forfeits Game. Contest Marred by the Action of Visitors in Leaving Grounds.
“August Bosel tried rough work with Burns by blocking him, roughly pushing and rubbing in his elbow uncomfortably. He waded into his bigger antagonist. They clinched, but several Belle Plaine players near first promptly separated the combatants.
“Suddenly a fan by the name of Mr. Wiest raced across the diamond and kicked Burns in the face. A police officer arrested Wiest and removed him from the diamond. A few of the Henderson players used this arrest as a pretext for not continuing the game. The umpire forfeited the game to Belle Plaine.”
If interested in purchasing a copy of this book please email Tom at
tsmelch@msn.com.