Suffrage and Shropshire’s Baby

As voting rights for women gained steam in 1915, Nashville Vols club owner and president Clyde Shropshire supported the movement as he best knew how: he determined that the game between his ball club versus the Birmingham Barons on July 23 would be Suffrage Day at Sulphur Dell.

Sports writer Blinkey Horn made an announcement in a column “Vols and Barons Will Play on July 23 for Cause of Suffrage”:

Shropshire’s generosity was to include $25 from his own funds for special prizes to players. The first player of either team to hit a home run would be awarded $10, and $5 each to the player with the first triple, run scored, and stolen base. He also announced that the movement would receive a portion of gate receipts.

Mrs. George Dallas, vice-president of the Nashville Equal Suffrage League, headed up the day’s event. She had a special booth constructed outside the entrance to the ballpark for patrons to purchase tickets to the game. Grandstand box seats were decorated in suffrage colors, yellow and white, and ladies sold all sorts of concessions, “cigars, peanuts, lemonade, popcorn, and the various substances obtainable at a baseball game.” Ladies roamed the stadium to hand out flyers, explaining the reasons why the voting franchise should be extended to the fair sex. Nashville won over Birmingham 6-3, but there was no mention of the proceeds.

Perhaps as a gesture to Shropshire’s endorsements, his daughter was selected mascot of the game.

The next season another game was planned in support of suffrage, once again with the full support of Shropshire. Designated as “Suffrage Day at Sulphur Dell” on August 21, 1916, yellow banners decorated the ballpark to commemorate “Votes for Women” and Nashville won over the New Orleans Pelicans 6-1. Ladies from the Equal Suffrage League sold tickets, soda pop, peanuts, and other concessions. Yellow sashes and streamers were part of the repeat celebration.

An addition to the event was the awarding of a cake to the ugliest and prettiest ball player, and one for the most popular fan. The cakes were on display in Nashville store windows in the days leading up to the game. The fund-raising endeavor was once more noted as successful.

Repeated in 1917, the game was won by Nashville over New Orleans 5-3 but with no mention of the suffrage movement except for an article the previous week.

Clyde Shropshire was a notable attorney in Nashville, held prominent positions on the board of several businesses, and was elected to the Tennessee State House of Representatives on November 3, 1914 as a Democrat. A staunch supporter of suffrage, prohibition, and tax equalization, he served as Speaker of the House 1917-1919.