The Sporting Times
April 23, 1916
Manhattan, New York
Richmond, Virginia—Baseball, America’s favorite pastime, has become an unexpected battlefield for rising nationalist fervor in the River City. With the Richmond Rifles’ recent homestand against the Philadelphia Brewers from April 21–23, tensions brewed over the Philly club’s ownership by the German-born Boeslager brothers. As anti-German sentiment surges across the country, certain groups in Richmond called for a boycott of the games, claiming the Boeslagers represent a foreign influence unwelcome on American soil.
Organizations such as the Richmond Nativist League (RNL) stoked the flames of bigotry with inflammatory rhetoric, demanding the Rifles refuse to take the field against the Brewers. Flyers distributed throughout the city accused the Boeslagers of “un-American interests” and baselessly claimed that proceeds from their team are supporting Germany’s war efforts. Such assertions lack evidence and underscore a growing wave of ignorance that threatens the spirit of sportsmanship.
The War in Europe: An Escalating Crisis
Across the Atlantic, the Great War continues to devastate Europe, with no end in sight. By April of 1916, the Battle of Verdun, a brutal campaign between French and German forces, has entered its third month, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. The Western Front remains locked in bloody stalemate, with trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland.
On the seas, German U-boat activity has increased, despite the recent Sussex Pledge to limit unrestricted submarine warfare following mounting tensions with the United States. In Ireland, the political landscape is shifting as nationalist groups plan the Easter Rising, signaling unrest in territories under British control. Meanwhile, Eastern Europe witnesses continued clashes between Russian forces and the Central Powers, with civilians suffering in unprecedented numbers.
Though the United States remains officially neutral, American companies profit from arms sales to Allied nations, while German-American citizens face growing suspicion at home. As fears of espionage and sabotage mount, German-Americans like the Boeslagers are increasingly targeted, leading to incidents like the controversy now embroiling Richmond.
Richmond owner Michael Monroe, also owner of the old Tredegar Ironworks, has already converted multiple depots and steelworks factories into arms and ordnance manufactories for Great Britain under a federal license.
A Boiling Point
The controversy has already caught the attention of Commissioner Jacob Parker, who issued a stern warning to Virginia Governor Henry C. Wainwright. In a telegram sent last week, Parker made it clear that if the Governor cannot guarantee the safety of the Philadelphia Brewers and ensure an orderly environment at Libby Hill, Richmond’s games will be forfeited to Philadelphia.
“Baseball is a unifying force in this nation,” Parker wrote. “It has no place for the poisonous ideologies that seek to divide us. If Richmond cannot host this series with the dignity befitting our sport, they forfeit their right to participate.”
This is not the first time that Commissioner Parker has intervened directly in social concerns surrounding the game. In 1905, the Klu Klux Klan staged a protest of the LBL’s first (and only) exhibition game between the Legacy and Negro leagues in Philadelphia. A congressional inquiry discovered that many of the protestors were railed south by longtime Virginia Senator Samuel Watson (Watson’s son is the President of Baseball Operations for the Rifles and a close associate of Monroe). The protests and threats ended when Commissioner Parker convinced President Theodore Roosevelt to send federal troops to Philadelphia.
These tensions come on the heels of a legal battle between Richmond owner Michael Monroe and the league office. Monroe recently launched the sport’s first ever wireless radio broadcasts, with advertising disputes likely to hit circuit courts next year.
A History of Excellence, Not Espionage
The Boeslager brothers, Walther and Karl, immigrated to the United States in the 1870s and built their fortunes through hard work and innovation. They have owned the Brewers since 1890 and are well-regarded in baseball circles for their commitment to fair play and the development of talented players. The Brewers’ roster is as American as any team in the league, yet their ownership has become a lightning rod for anti-German prejudice.
A Threat to the Rifles’ Season
The Richmond Rifles’ players and management have remained largely silent on the matter, though sources close to the team suggest they are deeply concerned about the potential fallout. Forfeiting further games would deal a significant blow to the Rifles’ standing in the Eastern League and alienate fans who simply want to watch their team compete.
“I just want to play ball,” said the outspoken veteran Catcher Celestin Robley. “What’s happening off the field isn’t for us to decide, but it’s hurting everyone involved—especially the rooters.”
When telegrammed for a comment by the Sporting Times, Monroe’s office responded: “Oh, is Robley still on the team?”
Governor’s Response
Governor Wainwright, under mounting pressure, issued a statement urging calm but stopped short of condemning the actions of the Nationalist groups. “While I respect the right of citizens to voice their opinions,” he said, “I encourage all Virginians to uphold the values of civility and fair play that make our state and our nation strong.”
Critics argue that Wainwright’s tepid response only emboldens the agitators and puts Richmond’s reputation at risk.
The Series
Whiles hundreds of protestors carrying anti-German signs marched up and down Libby Hill and chanted “Go home […]” during all three of the games, the Richmond Municipal Police were on-hand and only small breakouts of violence were recorded.
Following the series, Commissioner Parker fined the Richmond Rifles $1500 for the language behavior of their fans, but did not forfeit their 2-1 series victory over the Brewers. The chants and jeering were loudest as Second Basman James Honeyfield hit a two-run double off Philly’s Winfield Clark to walk off the game for the Rifles. The anti-German RNL representative called the series win a “moral victory for native soil.”
Commissioner Parker warned the Richmond office that he is prepared to escalate the situation. Philly is scheduled to return to Libby Hill May 9-11 and June 16-18. Representatives from the NRL are already ramping up larger protests, issuing a statement in the Richmond Times decrying Parker as a “[…]-lover.”
The Bigger Picture
While the brewing conflict may seem confined to Libby Hill, it reflects larger anxieties sweeping the nation. As war rages in Europe, Americans find themselves grappling with questions of loyalty and identity. But in their haste to condemn, many forget that the United States remains neutral and that countless German-Americans have contributed to this country’s growth and prosperity.
Baseball has long been a bridge across divides, a stage for common ground. Whether Richmond’s citizens can rise above their prejudices and let the game play on may determine more than the Rifles’ fate—it may define Richmond’s place in the national conversation.
For now, all eyes are on the Governor, the Rifles, and the people of Richmond. Will they stand united for the love of the game, or will ignorance and fear strike out what makes baseball—and America—great?
(Printed with permission from the Legacy League Commissioner’s Office.)