Baseball and Beer: Emil Sick and his Seattle Rainiers Baseball Club

The Seattle Rainiers were a professional baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) before the Seattle Mariners were even a thought.

Origins and Early Years of the Seattle Rainiers

The team was initially named the Seattle Indians when founded in the early 1900s.  They were renamed the Seattle Rainiers after being purchased by Emil Sick, a brewery magnate who owned Rainier Brewing Company.

Sicks Stadium, Home of the Seattle Rainiers

The Rainiers played their home games at Sick's Stadium, a venue specifically built for the team by Emil Sick. 

Sick's Stadium opened on June 15, 1938, as the Seattle Rainiers' home turf in the Pacific Coast League. It was named after Emil Sick, the team owner and head of Rainier Brewing Company. After Emil Sick died in 1964, the park's name changed from "Sick's Stadium" to "Sicks' Stadium" to reflect shared ownership among his family members.

The "Original" Professional Baseball Stadium in Seattle, Washington

Before Sicks Stadium, Dugdale Field was built in 1913 in the Rainier Valley and was the home of the Seattle Indians and Seattle Giants. The park's capacity of 15,00 was named for Danue Dudgale, a Baseball Pioneer who founded several teams. However, the park eventually burned down in 1932 due to suspected arson.

End of the Rainiers' Era in Seattle

The Rainiers' last year was 1968. Seattle had been granted an expansion team in the American League, the ill-fated Seattle Pilots, which began play in 1969. The Pilots would last but one year in Seattle before being moved to Milwaukee in 1970.

The Tacoma Rainiers

The now Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They play in Tacoma, Washington, at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960. The team has been in the PCL since 1960 and became the Rainiers in 1995. They have won the PCL championship six times: in 1961, 1969, 1978, 2001, 2010, and 2021.

Legacy of the Seattle Rainiers

The Seattle Rainiers history is a testament to the vibrant sports culture in Seattle before the arrival of major league baseball. Their legacy continues to influence the city's love for the game and stands as a testament to the "Emerald City's" rich baseball history.