User:Sorlien/sandbox

The 9 Sorlien Brothers Baseball Team
The Sorlien brothers baseball team consisted of nine brothers from Bode, Iowa; Albert (29), James (23), Magnus (21), Carl (27), Henry (32), Arne (19), Syver Olvin (17), Oscar (25) and Leon (15).Their father John played without glove, mask and chest protector. The town’s baseball diamond was on their farm.

Someone from Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) found out about the Sorlien brothers and challenged them. The game was played on May 24, 1915 at College Ball Park. Admission was 25¢. The brothers already had a connection to Luther College prior to their baseball game. Three of the oldest boys had attended Luther between 1901 and 1912. Arne and Syver Olvin were in their first years in high school and Leon in eighth grade and went onto play for Luther after WWI.

The game was widely reported in the news media and was picked up on the wired services throughout the country. This unique game brought a a crowd to the stands. The teams were tied well into the eleventh inning when one of the brothers hit a home run. After that the Luther team scored two runs to beat the brothers.

After the Luther game, baseball promoters had asked the brothers if they would play barnstorming games in the United States. An Iowan professional baseball team offered Arne and Olvin contracts, but the two brothers said no. They played games in the surrounding towns and leagues of the Negro League would stop by for games. Some Negro League teams stayed at the Bode hotel.

The game was a passionate hobby of the brothers for they were bankers, farmers, a teacher, Director of Choral and Instrumental Music Director for 38 years in Fargo, North Dakota and another one was a minister. Four served with distinction during WWI.

Category:Baseball teams in Iowa Category:Amateur baseball in the United States Category:Family history Category:Norwegian American history