Grasshoppers ravaged crops and lightning struck the brick factory here 75 years ago. There was a move afoot to set the salaries of city commissioners at $5 a month. A dedication ceremony was held for the new baseball park on Washington Street.
And on the national scene, "Wrong Way Corrigan" was getting a rousing welcome back in the United States after a trip-by-error to Ireland. He returned to this country aboard the liner Manhattan.
In his "Looking Through the Knothole" column in the Herald, Sports Editor C.D. Locklin wrote there was a certain amount of satisfaction among North Dakota grid followers with the appointment of nationally famous "Red Rabbit" Jarrett as assistant coach.
Jarrett was "a strictly North Dakota product," Locklin wrote. "He was born in Grand Forks and educated at Central High School and the university. And Jarrett's seven years of coaching had been in the state."
Jarrett was the first UND alumnus ever named to a fulltime position on the grid coaching staff, Locklin noted. And he was appointed to the important post of varsity backfield.
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"As a matter of fact," Locklin concluded, "he is only the second North Dakota alumnus in a major coaching berth with the Sioux." Jarret continued with an outstanding career at UND.
The Sioux nickname succeeded the Flickertail name for the UND football team in 1932.
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n The most severe damage by grasshoppers was to flax in August 1938, according to Grand Forks County Agent William Page. The loss could reach 50 percent, he said.
And there was damage to potatoes, corn, clover and garden vegetables.
In spite of the grasshoppers, the first load of 1938 potatoes was shipped by Bannach Beverage & Potato Co. of East Grand Forks in August. It was the first shipment out of the Red River Valley that year. And the sugar beet crop looked good, the Herald reported. That followed the 1937 crop with 10 tons per acre.
n Lightning struck the tinder-dry brick drying racks at the Red River Valley Brick Company yards at 1800 N. Fourth St., early on August 19, 1938. The blaze destroyed at least 10 racks that were more than 75 yards long. Power lines were burned through the brick yards.
n Johnny Mostil's Grand Forks Chiefs were returning late in August to watch the new ball park dedication before a game with the Wausau (Wis.) Lumberjacks.
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Herman White, president of the Northern League, took part in the ceremonies along with J. Earl McFadden, president of the Grand Forks City Commission, and Joe Holte, president of the Grand Forks Baseball Association.
Grand Forks hosted the American Legion regional baseball tournament 75 years ago. It ended up with teams from Lincoln, Neb., and Pierre, S.D., in the championship game on Aug. 14. Lincoln copped the title with a 6-2 win.
n As always in summer of years long gone, there was a circus in Grand Forks. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey came to town. Ken Rolf retained his city golf title in the tournament at Lincoln Park.
There was a big dance at the Eagles Hall with music by Olaf Roisum and his band. And those who liked curb service could find it at Red's Lunch. That was one block south of the new ball park on 823 S. Washington St.
The café offered Southern style barbecue and "delicious" hamburgers.
