Arena of Death. Man riding motorcycle around the wall of a wooden arena. Exhibit at 1937 Western Washington Fair.

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Tacoma boxer Freddie Steele, United States and National Boxing Association Middleweight Champion of the World, standing between his manager Eddie Miller (believed to be the man on the left) and another man. The handsome Freddie Steele, born Frederick Earl Burgett, has always wanted to be a boxer. At the age of 12, he began hanging out in the Tacoma Gym, located on Tacoma Ave. near 9th St., managed by Dave Miller. His determination and natural talent shone through and Miller became his teacher and mentor. Steele went professional as a featherweight shortly after his 15th birthday in 1927. He became World Champion Middleweight when he won a 15 round decision July 11, 1936 in Seattle against Babe Risko. He held the crown from 1936-1938. On August 25, 1937, Dave Miller died suddenly at the age of 36. Steele, distraught at the loss of his manager and friend, continued to fight with Dave Miller's brother Eddie as his new manager, winning a title defense bout against Ken Overlin. On July 28, 1938, Steele lost his title bout against Seattle boxer Al Hostak. He retired after the loss and became an actor. In his professional career, out of 133 fights, he lost only 5.

Steele, Freddie, 1912-1984; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Pincurled teacher with a lizard floating in an open jar. Photograph was taken in September of 1937.

Lizards; Specimens; Teachers--1930-1940; Hairstyles;

Elderly group at Armory. A group of women surround one of Tacoma's early pioneer men at a banquet held at the Armory in September of 1937. Portraits of United States Presidents hang on the wall; a single lightbulb dangles on a knob wire above the group. (T. Times).

Banquets--Tacoma--1930-1940; Pioneers--Tacoma--1930-1940; State Armory (Tacoma);

Cropped version of D836- image 1: Mrs. Rae at her roll-top desk. Taken for Mr. E.T. Short at the Tacoma Times. (T. Times).

Desks;

Holland Furnace Company booth at Western Washington Fair in Puyallup. According the their sign, Holland had stores in Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia and Bremerton. Their store in Tacoma was located at 625 St. Helens Ave. (filed with Argentum)

Holland Furnace Co. (Tacoma);

William Hardie, the Lincoln High School track coach, posed with five of his track men in September of 1937. The Lincoln Abes track team had won the state track title three consecutive years. With six returning letterman on the 1937-38 team, coach Hardie was hoping to make it four in a row. Standing in the back row are, left to right, Hardie, Rankin, Wilcox and Sharp. Kneeling in front are Harold H. Berndt (left) and Lincoln's best "sprint man" Tommy Jones (right). (T. Times May 19, 1937, pg. 3) (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Track athletics--Tacoma--1930-1940; Runners (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940; Running; Hardie, William; Berndt, Harold H.; Jones, Tommy;

Unidentified house and garage; photograph ordered by Cavanaugh Lumber Co. in September of 1937. Possibly located in University Place. (filed with Argentum)

Cavanaugh Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

Interior view of Edward Bright's Beauty Parlor. Two operators by customer stations, man by doorway to back room, curling machine, desk with phone, display cards on high shelf.

Edward Bright's Beauty Parlor (Tacoma); Beauty shops--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This daredevil is balanced on a block placed on top of the fuel tank of his motorcycle. The motorcycle, its motor racing, is balanced on two sets of rollers mounted in a specially designed platform. The "Arena of Death" was just one of the spectacular sideshows that attracted crowds to the 1937 Puyallup Fair. For a small fee, fairgoers could watch as the young stunt rider raced his motorcycle up onto and around the walls of the circular track inside the building behind him.

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Arena of Death. Man riding a motorcycle around up the wall of a wooden arena.

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Inside the "Arena of Death" at the 1937 Puyallup Fair. A stunt man rides his motorcycle around the walls of the wooden arena with his feet propped up on the handlebars. The announcer admonishes "Don't try this at home!"

Daredevils; Stunt performers; Midways--Puyallup--1930-1940; Motorcycles--1930-1940; Western Washington Fair (Puyallup); Fairs--Puyallup--1930-1940;

Golf tournament at the Tacoma Country Club. A large crowd of spectators walk on the course at the golf event. The club house building and water tower are visible in the background. (T. Times).

Sports - Ball Games - Golf - TournamentsFacilities - Sports Facilities - Golf CoursesOrganizations - Clubs - Social Clubs - Country Clubs - Tacoma Country Club

Stadium High School Tigers Track Team, circa 1937. Eight team members pose for portrait with school turrets and finials in background. Team members' last names were, in no particular order, McCord, Londos, Reynolds, Bennatts, Smith, Watts, Long and Johns. (T. Times)

Track athletics--1930-1940; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Sports;

Tacoma boxer Freddie Steele, United States and National Boxing Association Middleweight Champion of the World, standing with his manager Eddie Miller. Miller took over the management of Steele's career after the death of his brother and Steele's mentor Dave Miller.

Steele, Freddie, 1912-1984; Boxers (Sports)--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Two young girls, identified only as "Dick Smith's little girl and playmate," are wearing roller skates while standing in front of Margaret Smith's restaurant with a black Cocker Spaniel. Smith's confectionery and lunch room advertised a hotdog for 10 cents and "Home Cooked Dinners." Richard Smith, a lineman for Tacoma Rail & Power Co., and wife Margaret resided at 609 South State St.

Smith, Richard--Family; Girls--Tacoma--1930-1940; Dogs--Tacoma--1930-1940; Restaurants--Tacoma--1930-1940; Roller skates;

Peoples Department Store employees. Portrait of seventeen women and eight men posing on sales floor. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Times. (filed with Argentum)

Department stores--Tacoma; Peoples (Tacoma)--People;

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Tacoma in October of 1937 he was greeted at the Tacoma Union Depot by 11 year old Lorraine July. Miss July, a fellow victim of infantile paralysis, came to the station with her aunt, Mrs. E.F. Brown to present the President a large bouquet of flowers. She was stricken with polio at the age of four, and had twice received letters of encouragement from the President. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9).

July, Lorraine; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma);

President Roosevelt addresses a large crowd from his train at Union Depot. On the car platform with the President are his granddaughter Anna Eleanor (nicknamed Sistie) Dall, 29 year old son James, daughter Anna (Mrs. John Boettiger), his bodyguard, and grandson Curtis (Buzzie) Dall. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9).

Presidents; Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Boettiger, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Dall, 1906-1975; Dall, Anna Eleanor; Roosevelt, James; Dall, Curtis; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945;

A radioman stretches his microphone toward President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, center in profile, who looks over the large crowd gathered at the Union Depot. He was preparing to leave on the Great Northern Railway for a tour of the Grand Coulee Dam project site. The small children behind the railing are his grandchildren, Anna Eleanor (nicknamed Sistie) and Curtis (Buzzie) Dall. The men are believed to be, left to right, Senator Homer T. Bone, Harold Allen, the President's son James, Tacoma Mayor George Smitley (waving to the crowd) and the President's bodyguard (in hat.) ALBUM 1.

Presidents; Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Dall, Anna Eleanor; Dall, Curtis;

On October 1, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made an early evening speech from the back of his train at Union Depot. The train made a 15 minute stop to allow the President to board. Roosevelt was being picked up after an automobile trip around the Olympic Peninsula and a motorcade from Olympia to Tacoma. It was estimated that over 50,000 Tacomans lined the street and crowded Union Station to catch a glimpse of the popular President. The President's next destination was the site of the Grand Coulee Dam project. Visible behind the President on the train car deck are believed to be Tacoman Harold Allen, the President's son James Roosevelt, Tacoma Mayor George Smitley and the President's grandson Curtis (Buzzie) Dall. At the time of this photograph, he was in his second term as President. He died April 12, 1945, during his fourth term, of a cerebral hemorrhage. (T. Times 10/02/1937, pg. 9) TPL-1999 ALBUM 1

Presidents; Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945;

African-American porter or waiter beside President Roosevelt's train upon arrival at Union Depot at 7:35 PM for a 15 minute whistle stop. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p.9).

Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad employees;

Conductor E. M. Osborne gives his "highball" as President Roosevelt's train pulls out from Union Depot after an early evening 15 minute whistle stop in Tacoma on October 1, 1937. The President's short speech in Tacoma was sandwiched between an automobile tour of the Olympic Peninsula and a tour of the Grand Coulee dam. Cropped version of D839- series 1. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9)

Osborne, E.M.; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad employees;

Tacoma Mayor George Smitley arrives to visit President Roosevelt on his train at Union Depot. Along the motorcade and at the depot, the popular president attracted crowds estimated at over 50,000. (T.Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9)

Presidents; Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945;

Tacoma Mayor George Smitley with President Roosevelt on his train at Union Depot. Posed on the platform with the President were, left to right, Senator Homer T. Bone, Tacoman Harold Allen, granddaughter Anna Eleanor (called Sistie) Dall (at the railing), Roosevelt's son James, the President's bodyguard (wearing hat) on his left side, and Tacoma Mayor George Smitley. The President's next stop was the Grand Coulee Dam project. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9). ALBUM 1.

Presidents; Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Roosevelt, James; Dall, Anna Eleanor;

African-American porter or waiter beside President Roosevelt's train upon arrival at Union Depot at 7:35 PM for a 15 minute whistle stop.Most of the train's crew was handpicked by the President and had served him before. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p.9).

Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945;

C. J. Koenigs, steward of President Roosevelt's train, in charge of food and service, chats with Paul Starr, local Great Northern Railway official following the early evening 15 minute whistle stop in Tacoma. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9).

Koenigs, C.J.; Starr, Paul; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad employees;

Fireman Ray Foster (left) and engineer John Finn were the regular crew of the Great Northern Railway "Fast Mail" train. This photograph was taken October 1, 1937 at Tacoma's Union Station shortly before it left Tacoma for points north and west. Number 2500 was carrying President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who had made a special stop in Tacoma while on a trip to Washington state. Over 12,000 Tacomans crowded into the Union Station train yard to see and hear the President. (T.Times 10-02-1937 p.9)

Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad employees; Foster, Ray; Finn, John;

Conductor E. M. Osborne gives his "highball" as President Roosevelt's train pulls out from Union Depot after an early evening 15 minute whistle stop in Tacoma on October 1, 1937. Fifty to sixty thousand Tacomans lined the streets of Tacoma to catch a glimpse of the President as he entered the city by automobile from Olympia. More crowded into Union Station to hear his short speech. (T. Times, 10/2/1937, p. 9)

Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad employees; Osborne, E.M.;

Railroad conductor E. M. Osborne signals, with lantern in hand, that President Roosevelt's train is ready to leave Union Station. After a 15 minute stop in Tacoma to reboard the train, the President continued his tour of the Northwest. (T. Times).

Osborne, E.M.; Visits of state--Tacoma--Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 1882-1945; Union Station (Tacoma); Railroad employees;