September 9, 1924: The Hanapēpē Massacre

September 9, 1924: The Hanapēpē Massacre takes place in Hawaii. Police kill 16 striking Filipino sugarcane plantation workers.

To oppose organized labor, the Hawaiian Territorial Legislature -- dominated by non-natives -- passed the Criminal Syndicalism Law of 1919, the Anarchistic Publications law of 1921, and the Anti-Picketing Law of 1923. These laws, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison, increased the discontent of the workers.

The Filipinos, who were rapidly becoming the dominant plantation labor force, had deep-seated grievances: as the latest immigrants they were treated most poorly. Although the planters had claimed there was a labor shortage and they were actively recruiting workers from the Philippines, they wanted only illiterate workers, and turned back any arrivals who could read or write, as many as 1 out of every 6.

The conflict began when two Ilocano youth, allegedly breaking a Filipino-led labor strike, were detained and harassed by a group of Visayans at the Hanapēpē strike camp. When the local police were called to settle the dispute, they arrived with a group of heavily armed special deputies. Upon arrival, the officers issued warrants of arrest for the two detained Illocanos, causing the collection of Filipino strikers to rally in opposition.

Despite previously ridiculing the two Ilocanos, the remaining Filipinos armed themselves, and demanded the boys be released.  A violent exchange ensued wherein 16 Filipino laborers and 4 police officers were left dead.

The police rounded up all male protesters they could find, and a total of 101 Filipino men were arrested. Of these, 76 were brought to trial. Of these, 60 received 4-year jail sentences. After 8 months, the strike disintegrated, the labor movement in Hawaiʻi dwindled, and discontent among the workers rarely surfaced again.

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September 9, 1924 was a Tuesday. Actress Sylvia Miles was born. And these baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox, 5-4 at Fenway Park in Boston. Herb Pennock got his 20th win of the season. Babe Ruth went 0-for-4 with a walk, and rookie Lou Gehrig appeared as a pinch-hitter, but struck out. But Bob Meusel hit a home run.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox, 7-3 at Navin Field (later Briggs Stadium and Tiger Stadium) in Detroit. Ty Cobb, by this point also the Tigers' manager, went 1-for-3 with a walk. For the White Sox, Eddie Collins went 2-for-4 with a walk.

* The Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3 at Cubs Park (later Wrigley Field) in Chicago.

* The St. Louis Cardinals swept a doubleheader from the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-4 and 6-4 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. Over the 2 games, Rogers Hornsby went 3-for-7 with a walk and an RBI.

* The New York Giants and the Boston Braves were rained out at the Polo Grounds. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader the next day. The Giants swept, 22-1 and 8-0. Nope, that's not a misprint on the opener: Twenty-two to one. They didn't score more than 5 runs in any inning, but they scored in every inning but the 2nd (and, of course, the 9th, since it wasn't necessary).

Frankie Frisch went 6-for-7 with a home run and 4 RBIs. Emil "Irish" Meusel, Bob's brother, went 5-for-6 with 3 RBIs. Lewis "Hack" Wilson, not yet the star he would be on the Chicago Cubs, went 3-for-5 with a walk and an RBI. Hank Gowdy, no longer the star he was leading Boston's "Miracle Braves" past the Giants for the 1914 Pennant, went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and 4 RBIs. Ross Youngs also hit a home run for the Giants.

And that was just in the 1st game! In the 2nd, game, Hugh McQullain pitched a 3-hit shutout, and Travis Jackson hit a home run. Wilson, Youngs and Meusel each added another RBI.

* The Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics were rained out at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader the next day. The A's won the opener, 2-1. The Senators won the nightcap, 6-5.  

* The Brooklyn Robins (as the Dodgers were known during Wilbert Robinson's managing from 1914 to 1931) and the Philadelphia Phillies were rained out at Ebbets Field. The game was made up on an off-day, 2 days later. Brooklyn won, 8-7. Eddie Brown singled Andy High home with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning.

* And the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Browns were not scheduled.