National Anthem Stopped Baseball Brawl In 1949

Like almost everything in the nation these days, the national anthem has become a polarizing issue. But on one occasion 75 years ago, the anthem helped end a brawl in a minor-league baseball game.

It happened in Cedar Rapids, where the hometown Rockets were playing Kewanee, a Philadelphia Athletics affiliate, in a Class C Central Association game on Sunday evening, July 24, 1949. Prior to 1963, most minor leagues were classified, in descending order, as Class AA, A, B, C, and D.

Tensions came to a head with Cedar Rapids leading 16-1 in the top of the seventh. A local police captain later reported that the Rockets’ catcher, Del Marquardt, had been “needling Kewanee players, telling them to beware of bean balls.”

When a pitch came close to a Kewanee batter, he whirled around and took a swing at Marquardt, which ignited a bench-clearing brawl. Six policemen and the umpires tried to intervene, to no avail.

Finally, the public-address announcer began playing “The Star Spangled Banner,” which had a calming effect. Players on both sides stood at attention, and by the end of the song, everyone had cooled off.

Four players were ejected from the game, and two Cedar Rapids players were sent to the hospital for treatment of cuts and bruises. But the contest resumed without incident, and Cedar Rapids won 16-3. The brawl, and the anthem, were reported in papers around the nation.

Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Ill. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or [email protected].