Kentucky Baseball League Named "Smoking Kills"
"Smoking Kills"
The Name of A Kentucky Baseball Team

The SMOKING KILLS Baseball League was founded in 1998 in Kentucky. In 1999, it expanded to include over 100 kids and youth of ages 11-14. This year the teams have played throughout Kentucky, St. Louis, Indiana, and Disney World Wide World of Sports Center.

The team was founded by Mike Sawyer, a longtime dedicated activist. His concern is that 47% of Kentucky teens and 30.8% of Kentucky adults smoke. So he deems that Kentucky is certainly the place to have this unprecedented team name.

The teams are sponsored by Kentucky ACTION of Louisville and by the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids of Washington, DC.

The league founder, Mike Sawyer, can be contacted at TobaccoKills2000@aol.com.

The "SMOKING KILLS" age 12-under team just won the first Owensboro Fall Players tournament in Owensboro, KY the weekend of 11-12 September 1999. They have won 5 invitational 12-under tournaments this 1999 season.

           Concern about tobacco is definitely needed, due to its role in so many evils and tragedies of life. Here are some examples, detailed at various websites

Abortion Addiction AIDS
Alcoholism Alzheimer's Birth Defects
Brain Damage Breast Cancer Crime 
Deforestation Divorce Drugs
Emphysema Fires Hearing Loss
Heart Disease Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration
Mental Disorder Seat Belt Disuse SIDS
Suicide Tuberculosis Total List

A 6 June article about this team appeared in the KENTUCKY POST entitled "'Smoking Kills,' team shirts say," by Peggy Kreimer, Post staff reporter.

Examples of Kentucky
Court Cases Involving Tobacco
Nash v Page, 80 Ky 539, 44 Am Rep 490 (Sep 1882) (public tobacco warehouse must serve public without discrimination, not select bidders nor reject producers)

Talbott v Stemmons' Executor, 89 Ky 223; 12 SW 297 (24 Oct 1889) (the Kentucky Appeals Court upheld a decedent's promise to give her "grandson . . . five hundred dollars at [her] death if he will never take another chew of tobacco or smoke another cigar up to [the time of her] death")

Western District Warehouse Co v Harris, 16 Ky L R 93 (30 May 1894) (uninsured tobacco warehouse fire)

Garrett v T. H. Garrett & Co, 24 CCA 173; 78 F 472 (CA 6, 8 Dec 1896) (business practices case, alleging imitative labels and wrongful use of trade name)

Western Assurance Co v Ray, 105 Ky 523; 49 SW 326 16 ALR3d 774 (1 Feb 1899) (fraud allegations case, insurance company allegations of policyholder fraud by overvaluing loss at $13,370 vs $8,370)

Chesapeake & O R Co v Com. of Kentucky, 179 US 388; 21 S Ct 101; 45 L Ed 244 (3 Dec 1900) (segregation era railroad passengers case; Kentucky law ordered railroad to provide segregated cars; pursuant to the law, blacks were forced into the "smoking car . . . alleged to be small, badly ventilated, unclean, and fitted with greatly inferior accommodations")

Louisville & N R Co v Eubank, 184 US 27; 22 S Ct 277; 46 L Ed 416 (27 Jan 1902) (shipping charges case)

Pannell, et al v Louisville Tobacco Warehouse Co, et al, 113 Ky 630; 68 SW 662 (Ky App, 6 June 1902) (business practices case, involving state law setting maximum warehousemen charges)

Pannell, et al v Louisville Tobacco Warehouse Co, et al, 82 SW 1141 (Ky App, 12 Nov 1902). SCB: 113 Ky 630; 68 SW 662

American Tobacco Co v Commonwealth, 115 SW 754 (Ky App, 29 Jan 1909) (anti-trust case)

American Tobacco Co v Commonwealth, 115 SW 755 (Ky App, 3 Feb 1909) (reversing conviction)

American Tobacco Co v Commonwealth, 115 SW 756 (Ky App, 3 Feb 1909) (indictment was not written pursuant to the revised statute)

American Tobacco Co v Com, 116 SW 1176 (Ky App, 25 March 1909) (monopoly case re ban on raising/lowering prices above/below market value). SCB: 115 SW 754

Watson v Kentucky & Indiana Bridge & R Co, 137 Ky 619; 126 SW 146 (Ky App, 18 March 1910)

Collins v Com of Ky, 141 Ky 565; 133 SW 233 (13 Jan 1911) (tobacco farmer pooling case, convicted for selling outside pool)

Maloney v Com of Ky, 141 Ky 570; 133 SW 235 (13 Jan 1911) (tobacco farmer pooling case, convicted for selling outside pool)

Hershberg v City of Barbourville, 142 Ky 60; 133 SW 985; 1911 Ky LEXIS 130; 34 LNS 141; Ann Cas 1912D, 189 (3 Feb 1911) (issue of constitutionality of cigarette smoking ban)

American Tobacco Co v Bland, 145 Ky 157; 140 SW 69 (27 Oct 1911) (business case, resisting worker compensation claim)

Burley Tobacco Society v Monroe, 148 Ky 289; 146 SW 725 (Ky App, 10 May 1912) (tobacco farmer pooling case)

Lebus v Stansifer, 157 SW 727 (Ky App, 17 June 1913) (pooling case)

Int'l Harvester Co of America v Com of Kentucky, 234 US 216; 34 S Ct 853; 58 L Ed 1284 (8 June 1914) (Kentucky law allowed tobacco growers to market in combination, but banned manufacturers from doing so; convicted IHC in three different courts; IHC appealed on constitutional grounds including vagueness, and prevailed). SCB: (a) 147 Ky 564, 144 SW 1064, (b) 144 Ky 795, 146 SW 12, and (c) 148 Ky 572, 147 SW 1199

Collins v Com. of Kentucky, 234 US 634; 34 S Ct 924; 58 L Ed 1510 (22 June 1914) (farmer vs tobacco pool case). SCB: 141 Ky 565; 133 SW 233

Malone v Com. of Kentucky, 234 US 639; 34 S Ct 926; 58 L Ed 1512 (22 June 1914) (farmer vs tobacco pool case). SCB: 141 Ky 570; 133 SW 235

Commonwealth v American Tobacco Co, 162 Ky 716; 172 SW 1085 (11 Feb 1915) (tax case)

American Tobacco Co v Troutman, 175 Ky 436; 194 SW 543 (4 May 1917) (business case, resisting worker compensation claim)

Tandy & F. Tobacco Co v Hopkinsville, 174 Ky 189; 192 SW 46 (23 Feb 1917)

American Tobacco Co v Bowling Green, 181 Ky 416; 205 SW 570 (27 Sep 1918) (tax case)

R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co v City of Lexington, 181 Ky 503; 205 SW 592 (4 Oct 1918) (license case)

Potter v Dark Tobacco Growers' Co-op Assn, 201 Ky 441; 257 SW 33 (Ky App, 21 Dec 1923) (four-year pooling agreement)

Brame v Dark Tobacco Growers Co-op, 212 Ky 185; 278 SW 597; 62 CJ 1075 n 8 (18 Dec 1925)

Burley Tobacco Growers Co-op Assn v Samples, 215 Ky 276; 284 SW 1069 (Ky App, 22 June 1926) (tobacco pooling case; issue of whether the entire crop was delivered, was for the jury to decide)

Burley Tobacco Growers Co-op Assn v Devine, 217 Ky 320; 289 SW 253 (Ky App, 17 Dec 1926) (a tobacco farmer can stop raising tobacco; but not to evade the tobacco pool, via pretense of having transferred the farming to his daughter)

Liberty Warehouse Co v Grannis, Ky Attorney General, 273 US 70; 47 S Ct 282; 71 L Ed 541 (ED Ky, 3 Jan 1927) (trade case)

Burley Tobacco Growers Co-op Assn v Boyd, 6 SW2d 241 (Ky App, 1 May 1928) (failure to account for the tobacco delivered to the pool)

Burley Tobacco Growers Co-op Assn v Tipton, 11 SW2d 119 (Ky App, 27 Nov 1928) (case re the 1% fee to the pooling association, issue of its alleged inactivity)

American Tobacco Co v Grider, 243 Ky 87; 47 SW2d 735 (18 March 1932) (business case, resisting worker compensation claim)

Axton-Fisher Tobacco Co v Ziffrin Trunk Lines, 36 F Supp 777 (WD Ky, 10 Feb 1941) (cigarettes shipment case, issue of shipper responsibility, and insurance and/or common law liability)

American Tobacco Co v Whitney Transfer Co, 291 Ky 281; 163 SW2d 817 (Ky App, 19 June 1942) (case involving shipper fire destroying cigarettes in transit)

United States v American Tobacco Co, et al, 39 F Supp 957 (Ky), aff'd 147 F2d 93 (CA 6, Ky, 4 Dec 1944) aff'd 328 US 781; 66 S Ct 1125; 90 L Ed 1575 (1946)

Bauman's Administrator v Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co, 305 Ky 344; 204 SW2d 327 (27 May 1947) (worker killed on job during horseplay, when coworker splashed alcohol on him, told another to strike a match, Bauman went up in flames and was killed)

Gentry v Alexander, 311 Ky 344; 224 SW2d 143 (1 Nov 1949) (tobacco farmer rights case, and containing a description of the tobacco-raising process)

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co v U.S., 201 F2d 819 (CA 6, Ky, 11 Feb 1953) (suit to recover excessive profits, defenses allowed)

General Drivers, Warehousemen, & Helpers, Local Union No. 89 v American Tobacco Co, 264 SW2d 250 (2 June 1953 mod 5 Feb 1954) (business practices case, labor relations issues including union picketing) rev'd 348 US 978; 75 S Ct 569; 99 L Ed 762 (4 April 1955)

U.S. v Bohannon Co, 232 F2d 756 (CA 6, Ky, 2 May 1956) (fire-destroyed tobacco)

Opinion of Attorney General of Kentucky, No 60-695, 1 UCCRS 679 (18 July 1960) (crop location description by farm name)

Kentucky Tax Commission v American Tobacco Co, 370 SW2d 590 (Ky App, 19 April 1963) (tax case)

American Tobacco Co v Sallee, 419 SW2d 160 (Ky App, 5 May 1967) (worker compensation case)

Robinson v American Broadcasting Companies, 328 F Supp 421 (D ED Ky, 1 June 1970) aff'd 441 F2d 1396 (CA 6, 30 April 1971) (censorship case)

(Levan v Philip Morris Tobacco Co, 459 SW2d 73 (Ky App, 16 Oct 1970) (worker compensation case)

Calvert v Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co, 465 SW2d 75 (19 March 1971) (business case, resisting worker compensation claim)

McCrary v Philip Morris, Inc, 472 SW2d 882 (Ky App, 5 Nov 1971) (worker compensation case)

Bailey v American Tobacco Co, 462 F2d 160 (CA 6, Ky, 16 June 1972) on remand WD Ky 1975 WL 298 (employment discrimination case, issue of pattern of racial discrimination and segregation)

Cooper v Philip Morris, Inc, 464 F2d 9; 20 ALR Fed 957 (CA 6, Ky, 29 June 1972) on remand, WD Ky 1974 WL 318 (employment discrimination, employee civil rights case)

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co v United States 369 F Supp 1283 (WD Ky, 9 March 1973) (income tax case involving request for refund of tax related to storage sheds) affirmed 491 F2d 1258 (CA 6, Ky, 28 Feb 1974)

American Synthetic Rubber Corp v United Cork, Rubber, Linoleum and Plastic Workers of America, 67 Lab Arb (BNA) 603 (Ky, 5 Oct 1976) (smoker suspended 10 days for on-job smoking)

Olympic Stain, Inc (Division of Comerco, Inc) v General Drivers and Dockhands, 77-2 Lab Arb Awards (CCH) § 8383 (Ky, 15 Aug 1977) (smoker suspended six months for on-job smoking)

Bank of Danville v Farmers Nat'l Bank, 602 SW2d 160; 29 UCCRS 1020 (Ky, 24 June 1980) (identification issue)

Director, Office of Workers' Comp Programs v Rowe, 710 F2d 251 (CA 6, Ky, 17 June 1983) (worker's compensation case)

Calloway v Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co, 675 SW2d 389 (Ky, 13 Feb 1984) (worker compensation case, witness fee issue)

Melancon v Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp, 621 F Supp 567 (WD Ky, Louisville Div, 7 Nov 1985) (product liability case)

Harper v Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co, 717 SW2d 502 (Ky App, 27 June 1986) (worker compensation case, back injury)

Reeves v Reeves, (Circuit Court, Ky, June 1988) (child impacted by second-hand smoke case)

Bishop v Philip Morris, USA, 771 F Supp 188 (WD Ky, 22 Feb 1990) aff'd 915 F2d 1570 (CA 6, 2 Oct 1990) (employee discharge case)

Philip Morris, Inc v Poynter, 786 SW2d 124 (Ky App, 23 March 1990) (worker compensation case)

Lamb v Philip Morris, Inc, 915 F2d 1024 (CA 6, Ky, 28 Sep 1990) cert den 498 US 1086; 111 S Ct 961; 112 L Ed 2d 1048 (19 Feb 1991) (domestic growers' case against tobacco importers alleging violations of antitrust law and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)

Stanfield v Hay, 849 SW2d 551 (Ky App, 28 Aug and 13 Nov 1992) (Details)

Moore v Philip Morris Companies, Inc, 8 F3d 335 (CA 6, Ky, 13 Oct 1993) (employee's widow pension case)

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp v Merrell Williams, Henry Waxman, et al, Case No. 94-5171, 314 US App DC 85; 62 F3d 408 (15 Aug 1995) (lawsuit re whistleblower-provided documents to Congress, causing chink in tobacco taboo, eventually the coumarin exposé)

Adams v Philip Morris, Inc, 67 F3d 580 (CA 6, WD Ky, 18 Oct 1995) (discrimination case, alleging replacement lacked experience with high speed cigarette machines)

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp v Wigand, 913 F Supp 530 (WD Ky, 24 Nov 1996) (litigation concerning Dr. Wigand, the famous exposer of coumarin in tobacco, long kept secret due to the tobacco taboo.)

Patricia Effinger v Philip Morris, USA, 984 F Supp 1043 (WD Ky, 4 June 1997) (employee sexual harassment case)

Peabody Coal Co v Hill, 123 F3d 412 (CA 6, Ky, 8 Aug 1997) (smoker, 37 year miner, black lung case)

Kentucky Laborers Dist. Council Health & Welfare Trust Fund v Hill & Knowlton, Inc, 24 F Supp 2d 755 (WD Ky, 30 Sep 1998) (insurer cost recovery lawsuit, for coverage of care for sick smokers, pursuant to RICO and anti-deceit laws, etc.)

Warfield Tobacco, Inc v R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co, 34 F Supp 2d 1050 (ED Ky, 6 Jan 1999) (trade case with unfairness issues involving buydowns/rebates)

Hill v R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co, 44 F Supp 2d 837 (WD Ky, 2 April 1999) (product liability case dangerous tobacco by widow of deceased smoker, issues include fraud and misrepresentation)

Lexington-Lafayette Cty Food and Beverage Ass'n v Urban County Government, No. 2003-SC-0978-TG; 131 SW3d 745; 2004 Ky LEXIS 94 (22 April 2004) (upholding smoke-free pure air rights law, government has right and duty to protect safety and health)