Ferguson and team will be “serving up some justice”

OLYMPIA — This evening, Attorney General Bob Ferguson and his softball team will go head-to-head with Governor Jay Inslee to reignite a decades-old rivalry between the offices. Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst will call the balls and strikes as umpire, and former Attorney General and Sen. Slade Gorton will throw out the first pitch.

The rivalry game dates back to Attorney General “Subpoena” Slade Gorton and Governor “Dangerous” Dan Evans in 1969. The AGO took on the Governor’s Office (which was assisted by the Secretary of State’s Office) in four outings, earning a perfect 4-0 record.

“I expect Governor Inslee and his team to play by the rules, and if they don’t, I will hold them accountable,” said Ferguson. “I will do everything in my power to protect the dignity of my office by winning this softball game. I don’t file cases or play games I don’t think my office can win. I look forward to extending our winning streak to 5-0.”

In 1969, Attorney General Slade Gorton’s Gashouse Gang defeated Governor Dan Evans’ team, 12-6. Ferguson’s team expects a similar result.

Despite the record, Evans once described the games as a “massive encounter between the formidable forces of the offices of the Governor and the Secretary of State and mealy-meak minions of the Office of the Attorney General.”

In order to allow the Governor’s Office to redeem itself, Ferguson recently issued a challenge to Inslee to renew the rivalry. Inslee took up the challenge to try to restore his office’s embarrassing record.

Competition was fierce in Evans’ and Gorton’s day. According to a 1971 Daily Olympian report, Evans issued an executive order directing the Attorney General’s pitcher, Charley Roe, to bicycle to Walla Walla shortly before the game started.

Efforts to break the rules in today’s game will be dismissed with prejudice.

The Attorney General’s team is restricted primarily to employees in the Administrative Division, due to the difference in the size of the two offices.

Winners of the game will receive bragging rights for 365 days.

Ferguson will serve as second baseman for Team AGO, and Gov. Inslee will start for the Governor’s Office team. AGO attorneys stand ready to appeal any questionable calls with requests for an en banc review.

The game will be held at Stevens Field #1 at 300 24th Ave. SE, Olympia.

The game will begin at 5:30 p.m. and is expected to conclude around 7 p.m.

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The Office of the Attorney General is the chief legal office for the state of Washington with attorneys and staff in 27 divisions across the state providing legal services to roughly 200 state agencies, boards and commissions. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

Contacts:

Brionna Aho, Interim Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov