When the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government wanted to document their tribe’s history, they turned to SSC professor Bruce Allardice. As part of the Tribal Government’s efforts to reclaim their heritage, the tribe set out to document the history of the baseball field on which tribal members had played baseball since (they thought) the early 1900s.
Knock Down and Skin’Em
Alaska’s First Ball Club
“Come play us in Saint Paul Island, Alaska” 1868
The Knock Down and Skin ‘Em™ ball club was founded on St. Paul Island, AK in July of 1868 by missionaries from New Haven, Connecticut. The team was composed of individuals from the Aleut community on St. Paul Island, Alaska Native individuals from Kodiak, crew members of the US vessel New London, and two tribal members/missionaries from Hawaii. In 1869, the team issued a challenge to the rest of the United States, “come play us in St. Paul Island, AK!”
On-going history of baseball in St. Paul
Prior to the rediscovery of the Knock Down and Skin’em ball club, it was known and well documented that baseball had been an important part of the community’s history. On June 14, 1942, the US Delaroff interrupted a game of baseball. Players and spectators were ordered to go to their homes and pack one suitcase of their belongings to take with them as they were evacuated from the island and placed in internment camps in Southeast Alaska.
Baseball Today
Baseball was actively played on St. Paul Island by community members until sometime in 1960-1970’s when a transition to softball occurred. The game of softball is actively played by community members during the summer and remains an important part of the community events and activities, with a community tournaments on Fourth of July and on June 14, the date of the evacuation.
The Evacuation day tournament marks the importance of the game to the community and honors the history and significance of the evacuation event. The team names (Team Funter Bay, Team Delarof, Team Baidars, and the 44’s) reflect the tie between baseball and St. Paul Island’s history by referencing historic teams and events.
Games are still played on the same field that the Knock Down and Skin’em club played on, and still draw crowds of community members to cheer their teams and honks their horns in appreciation of good plays.
The community has cheered loudly, emphatically and passionately for this game for 150 years and this love extends for any team they follow, be that for the M’s, the Baidars, LA Dodgers, or the 44’s.
Ballfield Project:
Current Goals and the Future of the Field
The Aleut Community of St Paul Island Tribal Government (ACSPI) has been working with multiple community partners to promote community, diversify the economy, and develop infrastructure, support and sustainability. The discovery of the “Known Down and Skin ‘Em” ™ ball club, has increased community interest in reconstruction and improvement of the historic ball field.
The field, in active use since 1880’s, has undergone several changes. Most notably the loss of the grass infield and outfield and the removal of the backstop. It is the goal of ACSPI and its partners, as part of a larger downtown revitalization plan, to rebuild this field and make substantial improvements to improve player and spectator safety and honor the history of the community, field and the “Knock Down and Skin ‘Em” ™ team.
The game of baseball has been played in Alaska and the Far North for over a century. History shows that baseball has been an important part of community life in Alaska. Communities played the National Pastime in winter, spring, summer and fall.
The day the U.S. Navy forced the evacuation of St. Paul Island in June 1942, a baseball game was being played on the little speck of land in the Bering Sea. Players and spectators learned they had to go home, pack one suitcase and board a ship that would carry them from the Pribilof Islands to Southeast Alaska, where they would be interned. The evacuation, they were told, was necessary to protect them from the Japanese during World War II.
Just a quick update from the brewers at the Broken Tooth: they started brewing the Pribilof Pounder two weeks ago. Brewing a light lager is challenging but thus far it’s gone well and they expect it to be something they are proud to be able to share with the community. They expect to have the beer ready and bottled sometime in early August.
The Knock Down and Skin ‘Em™ ballclub was founded on St. Paul Island, AK in July of 1868 and was organized by missionaries from New Haven, Connecticut. The team was an integrated ballclub composed of individuals from the local Aleut community, Alaska Native individuals from Kodiak, crewmembers of the US vessel New London, and two tribal members/missionaries from Hawaii.