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Law Department Baseball Litigation Records, 1932-1977

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Law Dept.
Title
Law Department Baseball Litigation Records
Dates
1932-1977 (inclusive)
1964-1977 (bulk)
Quantity
6.4 cubic feet, (7 boxes)
Collection Number
4402-02
Summary
Records relating to the Seattle Pilots' short residence in the city, including maintenance files for Sick's Stadium and documents relating to various lawsuits after the team left Seattle.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

The Seattle Pilots were the city's first major league baseball team, but were in the city for only one season before relocating to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers. The team played in Sick's Stadium, which was a minor league park built in 1938. The stadium had to be extensively renovated to accommodate the team, and construction work continued right up to the first home game on April 11, 1969. Less than two months later, the American League declared the facility to be "inadequate" for a major league team.

Complaints about the stadium, coupled with low attendance and finances in the red, led to threats by the Pilots' owners to leave Seattle. When the state of Washington obtained a temporary injunction to stop the move, the team's parent company, Pacific Northwest Sports Inc., declared bankruptcy. However, Bud Selig had already worked out a deal to buy the team and move them to Wisconsin, a change that the American League approved. The team went to spring training as the Seattle Pilots but were the Milwaukee Brewers by the time the season started - a move so sudden they didn't even have uniforms made in time.

The city, the state, and King County joined together in a lawsuit against the American League in 1970, seeking $32 million in damages. The suit was delayed while the league floated proposals to move various other teams to Seattle, but in 1976 the case finally came to court in Snohomish County. Eventually the league offered to locate another franchise in Seattle in exchange for the plaintiffs dropping the lawsuit. By this time the Kingdome was nearing completion, so a new team would have a suitable home without the headaches of Sick's Stadium. The plaintiffs agreed to this settlement, and the Seattle Mariners debuted in 1977.

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Content Description

The records in this series document the maintenance and renovation of Sick's Stadium, as well as the various lawsuits that ensued when the Pilots left Seattle. There are also a number of files relating to plans to build a new multi-purpose stadium in the city (the Kingdome). One discrete set of materials come from the files of Henry Berg, who was the Maintenance and Construction Supervisor at Seattle Center and was responsible for overseeing the renovation of Sick's Stadium.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Baseball Litigation Records, Record Series 4402-02. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The records are arranged in five categories:

  • Henry Berg Files
  • Sick's Stadium
  • New Multi-Purpose Stadium
  • Court Documents
  • Other Related Material
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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

  • Henry Berg Files

    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium, Sky Hi Equipment / Century Construction
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/1
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium, Sky Hi Equipment / Century Construction
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/2
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium, Venture Construction
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/3
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium, Venture Construction
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/4
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium
      Dates: 1966-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 1/5
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium, Sky Hi Equipment Co. / Century Construction
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/6
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium Renovation
      Dates: 1967-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/7
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium Trailer
      Dates: 1969-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 1/8
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium Correspondence
      Dates: 1966-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/9
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium Punch Lists
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/10
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium- Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc.
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/11
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Industrial Electric Field Lighting
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/12
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Renovation
      Dates: 1967-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/13
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Construction
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/14
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Construction Drawings
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/15
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Construction Correspondence
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/16
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Renovation - Plans and Bids
      Dates: 1967-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 1/17
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Locks
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/18
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Venture Construction
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/19
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Sound System
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/20
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Water Main Installation
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/21
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Fire Stairs
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/22
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Safeway Scaffolding
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/23
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Fence
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/24
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Sound Elevator
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/25
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Guard
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/26
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Maintenance
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/27
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Sound System
      Dates: 1968-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/28
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Coordinating Meetings
      Dates: 1968-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/29
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Electrical Vault
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/30
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Drainage System
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/31
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Scoreboard
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/32
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Fire Protection System
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/33
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Press Box Air Conditioner
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/34
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Sound System
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 1/35
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1968-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/36
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1968-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 1/37
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1968-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 2/1
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Testing Lab Reports
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/2
    • Description: Henry Berg Files - Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 2/3
  • Sick's Stadium

    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box/Folder 2/4
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box/Folder 2/5
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box/Folder 2/6
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 2/7
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 2/8
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (Jan-Mar)
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/9
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (Apr-May)
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/10
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (June)
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/11
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (July-Aug)
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/12
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (Sep-Dec)
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/13
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (Jan-Feb)
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 2/14
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (Mar-Apr)
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 2/15
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Correspondence (May-Jan)
      Dates: 1970-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 2/16
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Bleacher Contract
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/17
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Bleacher Contract
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/18
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Board of Public Works
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 2/19
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Conversion
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 2/20
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Meeting of Seattle Center and Seattle Pilots Representatives
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 3/1
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Parking
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/2
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Restrooms, Press Box, Hoistway Contract
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/3
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Seattle Center/Rental/Lease Issues
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 3/4
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - TV Platforms
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/5
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - TV Towers/Elevators
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/6
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Work Orders (Seattle Center)
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/7
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1968-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/8
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1965-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 3/9
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 3/10
    • Description: Sick's Stadium - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1971-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 3/11
  • New Multi-Purpose Stadium

    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Mayor's Correspondence
      Dates: 1966
      Container: Box/Folder 3/12
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Mayor's Correspondence
      Dates: 1967
      Container: Box/Folder 3/13
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Mayor's Correspondence
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 3/14
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 3/15
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 3/16
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 3/17
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium
      Dates: 1971
      Container: Box/Folder 3/18
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium
      Dates: 1972
      Container: Box/Folder 3/19
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box/Folder 3/20
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Forward Thrust
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 3/21
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Parking
      Dates: 1968-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 3/22
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - News Clippings
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 4/1
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Citizen Comment
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 4/2
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Citizen Comment
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 4/3
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Parking Study
      Dates: 1968
      Container: Box/Folder 4/4
    • Description: New Multi-Purpose Stadium - Citizen Participation
      Dates: 1972
      Container: Box/Folder 4/5
  • Court Documents

    • Description: Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Bankruptcy, Correspondence
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/6
    • Description: Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Bankruptcy, Correspondence
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/7
    • Description: Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Bankruptcy, Partial Pleadings
      Dates: 1970-1968
      Container: Box/Folder 4/8
    • Description: Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Bankruptcy, Pilots Settlement
      Dates: 1970-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 4/9
    • Description: Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Bankruptcy, Memos
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/10
    • Description: Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Bankruptcy, Extra Pleadings
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/11
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Pleadings
      Dates: 1970-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 4/12
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Pleadings
      Dates: 1970-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 4/13
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Briefs
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/14
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Notes and Research
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/15
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Extra Pleadings
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/16
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Correspondence
      Dates: 1968-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 4/17
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Extra Pleadings
      Dates: 1970-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 4/18
    • Description: City v. Pacific Northwest Sports Inc. - Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1967-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 4/19
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League - Paul Anson Deposition and Exhibits
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box/Folder 4/20
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League - Edward Heavey Deposition and Exhibits
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box/Folder 4/21
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League - Edward J. Johnson Deposition and Exhibits
      Dates: 1973
      Container: Box/Folder 4/22
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League - Parking and Overtime
      Dates: 1968-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/1
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1970-1976
      Container: Box/Folder 5/2
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1974-1975
      Container: Box/Folder 5/3
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1974-1976
      Container: Box/Folder 5/4
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/5
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1968-1973
      Container: Box/Folder 5/6
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1969-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/7
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/8
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/9
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/10
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/11
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/12
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1973-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/13
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/14
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1969-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 5/15
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League - Continuance Agreement
      Dates: 1974-1975
      Container: Box/Folder 5/16
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1975-1977
      Container: Box/Folder 5/17
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1970-1974
      Container: Box/Folder 6/1
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1974-1977
      Container: Box/Folder 6/2
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1974
      Container: Box/Folder 6/3
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1970-1972
      Container: Box/Folder 6/4
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1971
      Container: Box/Folder 6/5
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1971
      Container: Box/Folder 6/6
    • Description: State/County/City v. American League
      Dates: 1970-1971
      Container: Box/Folder 6/7
    • Description: Exhibits - Remodeling and Renovation
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6/8
    • Description: Exhibits - Remodeling and Renovation
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6/9
    • Description: Exhibits - Remodeling and Renovation
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6/10
    • Description: Exhibits - Remodeling and Renovation
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6/11
    • Description: Exhibits - Remodeling and Renovation
      Dates: 1964-1973
      Container: Box/Folder 6/12
    • Description: Exhibits - Appraisal of Sick's Stadium
      Dates: 1965-1973
      Container: Box/Folder 6/13
    • Description: Exhibits - Mayor Uhlman
      Dates: 1970-1976
      Container: Box/Folder 6/14
  • Other Related Material

    • Description: Newspaper Clippings
      Dates: 1969
      Container: Box/Folder 6/15
    • Description: Newspaper Clippings
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 6/16
    • Description: Ordinances, Clerk Files, Resolutions
      Dates: 1943-1973
      Container: Box/Folder 6/17
    • Description: Ordinances, Clerk Files, Resolutions
      Dates: 1932-1969
      Container: Box/Folder 7/1
    • Description: Professional Baseball Rules, Constitution
      Dates: 1966-1976
      Container: Box/Folder 7/2
    • Description: Pilots - Public Statement (Mayor's Files)
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 7/3
    • Description: Pilots/Major League Baseball - Mayor's File
      Dates: 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 7/4
    • Description: Pilots - Mayor's File
      Dates: 1969-1970
      Container: Box/Folder 7/5

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Sick's Stadium (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Baseball--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Kingdome (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Litigation--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Stadiums--Washington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Berg, Henry
  • Uhlman, Wesley C. (Wesley Carl), 1935-

Corporate Names

  • American League of Professional Baseball Clubs
  • Pacific Northwest Sports, Inc.
  • Seattle Pilots (Baseball team)

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)
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