El Paso Herald · El Paso, Texas · 1913

El Paso vs. Hurley, July 4th 5th 6th

Three games over the Fourth of July, 1913: El Paso vs. Hurley, greatest event ever attempted in the Southwest. Admission costs nothing extra, Saturday is Ladies' Day and children under 12 get in free, all games.

The day before the Fourth of July, 1913, the El Paso Herald carried this box, which wastes exactly none of its space. “Base Ball. EL PASO vs. HURLEY. JULY 4th 5th 6th.” Three games, one holiday weekend, the second at 4 p.m. and the third at 3:30, and beneath it the full pitch: “GREAT BASE BALL FIELD DAY, 4th JULY. Program begins 2 p. m. Ball game will commence 3:30 p. m. Greatest event ever attempted in the Southwest. No extra charge for admission. Excursion rates on all railroads.” And then the closing argument, in its own display line: “LADIES’ DAY SATURDAY. Children under 12 years old free, all games.” San Antonio was making the same appeal back in 1891, and by 1913 the kids rode along too.

Hurley was a copper town over the line in New Mexico, and a company town taking on El Paso for three straight days is exactly the kind of matchup a field day was for. Whether it was truly the greatest event ever attempted in the Southwest is a question the ad answers by not inviting questions.

The economics deserve a tip of the cap: no extra charge for admission, and excursion rates on all railroads. In 1913 the railroads would cut you a deal to go watch base ball on the Fourth. The boy in the tree would have taken the train.