On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. So, check back often for new editions. To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – TUESDAY JUNE 26, 1917
There will be cloudy skies over the city today with moderately warm temperatures. The high will reach 81° with a low of 66° overnight. Philadelphia not only reached its’ goal in the Red Cross donation drive, it exceeded it. As of this morning the city had raised $3,200,000.00 with more contributions yet to be counted. Some credit for the achievement can certainly go to little patriots like Eleanor, Blake and Bernardine Kearney (shown below) who did their part for this great cause.
This morning 8 sailors from the Navy Yard were held on $1,000.00 bail by Magistrate Baker of the 4th & Snyder Avenue police station. The arrests were the result of an attempted “rescue” of one of their own who was in the jail. About 100 “jackies” stormed the police station in military formation last night to free their fellow bluecoat. The police fought them off with help from the firemen at the station next door. But the sailors regrouped and charged again. Both sides used clubs and fists. The fight went on for almost an hour when the police pulled their guns and fired several rounds into the air resulting in the sailors’ retreat. The 8 captured were beaten and bruised enough so as to make escape for them impossible.
In sports, the Army Navy football game has been cancelled for this year. Secretary of War Baker has suspended all sporting events between the military academies and other schools because they may be a distraction from the mission at hand. In baseball today, the Phillies and Giants met in a double header at National League Park in front of 20,000 fans. In the first game “Pete” Alexander had a shaky start giving up 3 runs in the 1st and then another run in the 6th. The Phillies could only score 3 of their own giving New York the victory. In the 2nd game the Phillies tied the contest in the 8th at 5 and that’s where it stayed till the 10th. Milt Stock led off with his second double of the game. He was sacrificed to 3rd by Gavvy Cravath and scored on a pass ball from Giants pitcher Ferdie Schupp, giving the Phillies a 6 to 5. The victory puts the Phillies in first place in the National League. Up in New York the A’s lost their 5th in a row to the Yankees 7 to 6.
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