Old Missoula

Indian Baseball Challenge – 1909

Play Ball You Kids.

Over across the river there is an Indian camp of considerable size, representing the entourage of Chief Plenty-Horses. There are about 40 young bucks and as many small boys in the camp, and they are spending much of their leisure time – which is all of the time – in playing baseball. Some of the youngsters are proficient at the game, and the old chief is proud of their skill. He touts the team all the time that he can get anybody to listen to him. Yesterday he made the suggestion that it would be a good chance for the boys of Missoula to learn the fine points of the game by going against his lads, and, to start things going, Chief Plenty-Horses issued a challenge to any team of boys in Montana, the members to be not more than 15 years old. On account of the fact that his camp is at present in Missoula, and the further fact that he expects to stay here for a while, the chief would much prefer that the challenge be accepted by some Missoula team. The chief promises a good game, and says it will be worth seeing. Any acceptance of the challenge may be sent to The Missoulian’s sporting editor, and arrangements as to dates and terms will be made later. Plenty-Horses is very much in earnest, and says he will stick around for a while and see if the game cannot be arranged. Meantime the Indians are practicing regularly and getting into fine form, and if there are any white boys who are not more than 15 years old who think they can take the measure of the Indians here is an opportunity for them to play the great American game with the real thing in Americans.

The above article appeared in The Weekly Missoulian on May 28, 1909.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349013145/?terms=%22Miss%2BHollenbeck%22

Indian Chief’s Defi Is Promptly Taken Up

Yesterday the Red Sox exhumed the hatchet where Chief Plenty-Horses had buried it, accepted his challenge, picked up the gage of battle, called his bluff, saw his bet and sent word to the sporting editor of The Missoulian that the Indian baseball team need wait no longer than Saturday to satisfy its craving for action. The Red Sox are interested in the game alone, and in their reply to the chief’s challenge say that the contest may be pulled off anywhere and at any time on the coming Saturday. The Red Sox aggregation is one of the best juvenile teams in the city.

The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on May 28, 1909.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349010216/?terms=%22Plenty-Horses%22

Chief Victor – Plenty Horses

Salish Chief Victor was sometimes known by Indians as Chief Plenty Horses. His father Three Eagles met with Lewis and Clark in the Bitter Root. Although Chief Victor’s son, Charlo, was still alive in 1909, it’s more likely that his grandson, Martin Charlo, was the Chief referred to here. Martin was active in Missoula culture, riding and dancing in costume in parades in those days. Eighty-four years old, Martin Charlo died at Jocko, Mt. in 1941.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/352365605/?terms=%22Chief%2Bmartin%22

There is no record of a game taking place between the 15 year old’s that summer.