Big Brawl in Ballard

From the Ballard Bugle Archives March 20, 1950
By Tom Finkel

Ballard is the neighborhood famous for blond hair and blue eyes. It's older, ruled by the Scandinavian values of peace and tolerance—a small town next to a big city.

According to the Seattle Police report, last Saturday there was a big brawl in the fishing community of Ballard.

A group of Norwegians and Swedes started fighting in the Valhalla Tavern over and argument about the war between the Norwegians and the Swedes in the 1700s.

After awhile the fighting spilled out into Market Street. The Swedish group started throwing Firecracker at the Norwegian group. The Norwegians where picking up the Firecrackers, lighting them and throwing them back at the Swedes.

The fight soon broke up, when the Swedes ran away. Several arrests where made for drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

Sargent Moore of the Seattle Police Department, stated that there has been bitter animosity between the Norwegians and the Swedes since the 1700s when Norway was under Swedish rule. He continued to say that there have been Brawls before, But this is the first time that the fighting has escalated to the use of Firecrackers.