Destruction and firing of Nauvoo Expositor was really just a ward basketball game that got out of hand

Second run of Nauvoo Expositor

PROVO - Professors at Brigham Young University made a startling announcement today. Coming on the heels of months of research two professors of early church history declared that the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor was nothing more than "a ward basketball game that got out of hand."

Walter Gregory and Tony Summerhays, teaching at BYU since 1988, were shocked at what their research uncovered. Said Prof. Summerhays, "We initially thought the Expositor only published one issue. Turns out we were wrong. There was actually one issue before the June 7th (and final) printing."


Prof. Gregory picks up the story: "The Nauvoo 6th ward and the Commerce 19th ward had a bad history when it came to sports, almost like the BYU/UofU rivalry today. The Nauvoo ward claimed Joseph Smith, Orson Pratt and Brigham Young as members. They were considered the 'Lord's Team'. On the other hand, the Commerce ward's most famous member was Jesse Gause. They took pride in being the guys from the other side of the river. Needless to say, every time they met to play ball things were chippy."