Members of baseball team associated with the A. Mirenta & Co., Inc., most of whom are wearing striped uniforms, pose outside the company's office in possibly the late 1920's or 1930's. Company president August Mirenta is believed to be the man dressed in suit and tie in back row. Many Tacoma businesses sponsored athletic teams for several decades as a means to foster camaraderie and goodwill among employees. Gus Paine, who according to his obituary was an "avid baseball fan," is believed to be seated first row, extreme right. Mr. Paine, a prominent sports figure and local businessman, played in several baseball leagues in his youth. He also spent two years as a catcher for the House of David team. He was heavily involved in civic responsibilities with membership in the K Street Businessmen's Assn., Sons of Italy, Fircrest Golf Club, Tacoma Athletic Commission, Tacoma Elks Lodge and the Tacoma-Pierce County Independent Insurance Agents Assn., among others. Photograph ordered on June 7, 1976, by Gus J. Paine Insurance. (TNT 4-14-83, E-12-obituary)

Baseball players--Tacoma; Uniforms;

Tacoma Baseball Club. Mel Knezovich, Gordon Walden, Lefty Bob Kerrigan and Cline Hufford were expected to be the "big four" starting pitchers for the Tigers during their 1950 season. They would be backed up by Gil Loust, Bob Penner, Don Carter and Vince Lazor. (TNT, 4/19/1950, p.20)

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The 1956 Tacoma Cheney Studs baseball team. The team was made up of the best amateur players from local high school and college teams. Bottom row, third from left, is Joe Budnick, Studs manager and University of Washington coach. The 1956 Studs contained many of the team members from the previous year, plus several new outstanding players. To the right of Joe Budnick are Luther Carr, George Kritsonis and George Grant. In the back row, third from the right is Ron Dodge. Other players included Mel Manley, Monte Geiger, Pete Walski and Gary Moore. The team won the Seattle City League Crown, finished second in Tacoma's City League and third in the Northwest International League. They lost to Tacoma's Shoemen in the Washington State Amateur Baseball Championship. The Shoemen came from behind to win 5 straight games, including one double header, to be the representative for the state. The Shoemen continued on to win the Amateur World Series, the American Amateur Baseball Congress, in 1956.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington Cheney Studs (Tacoma);

A young baseball player with the 1955 Washington Cheney Studs team. The Cheney Studs were an amateur team made up of the most talented high school and college talent in the Seattle-Tacoma area. This is possibly Fred Emerson who played outfield for the Studs. During the school year, Fred attended the University of Washington. He was 18 years of age, 5'11", 180 pounds and a native of Kent, Wa. After a stellar winning season, the Studs finished second at the American Baseball Congress in Battle Creek, Michigan, behind the team from Houston, Texas.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Washington Cheney Studs (Tacoma);

A trio of young ladies appear to be crooning into the microphone at the Seattle banquet honoring the Washington Cheney Studs baseball team. The October 30, 1955, gathering was to acknowledge the feats of the young amateur players, and award them with trophies and new jackets. A portrait of sponsor Ben Cheney graces the occasion. Sepia photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Banquets; Awards;

Group portrait-- Washington Cheney Studs. Members of the Cheney Studs baseball team and their coaches gather in front of a portrait of benefactor Ben Cheney and the massive trophies awarded them at the September American Baseball Congress tournament. The players were being honored at a banquet held in Seattle on October 30, 1955. Trophies and new jackets with the Cheney Studs logo were given to the team at that time. Sepia photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Banquets; Awards; Group portraits;

Pictured on September 6,1955, is a member of the Cheney Studs, a baseball farm team. The young player appears to be looking intently off in the distance as he leans on a wooden bat. Until his death in 1971, Ben Cheney sponsored thousands participating in the sports of baseball, football, basketball and bowling in the Pacific Northwest. Cheney was instrumental in obtaining the Pacific Coast League franchise for Tacoma in 1960; the team would be called the Tacoma Giants with the San Francisco Giants as their parent club.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Uniforms; Sporting goods;

Making a road trip easier and more comfortable, the Cheney Studs baseball team traveled by private railroad car in early September, 1955. The team was sponsored by Ben Cheney, owner of Cheney Lumber. Three young players are shown here enjoying the passing scenery. The team may have been on their way to Watertown, S.D., to compete in the initial rounds of the American Baseball Congress national tournament. They would be successful and eventually play in the championship match against defending champs Houston in Battle Ground, Michigan, where the Studs wound up in second place.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Railroad passenger cars--Tacoma;

Group picture of Pederson Fryer Farms' baseball team. Sixteen players and their manager posed for this May 14, 1960, photograph at Heidelberg Field. They represented Pederson Fryer Farms in the 1960 AAU City League. They would join Cammarano Bottlers, Criswells, Puget Sound Renders, 4th Division Trains of Fort Lewis and defending champion Woodworth Contractors in the 6-team league. Al Faulkner, formerly of the Valley League, was the new manager of Pederson's. His team consisted, among others, of ex-PLC stars Ron Coltom, Jerry Curtis, Chuck Hobbs, and city-loop veterans Don Martelli and Ray Wing, outfielders, along with Gary Moore, Chuck Robbins and new acquisition, right hand pitcher Al MaCoy. Pederson's and Cammarano Bottlers, the previous year's runner-up, were scheduled to open the City League season in the first half of a double bill on May 30, 1960. That game was apparently cancelled due to rain and Pederson's would open their season with a 3-2 victory over the 4th Division Trains on June 3rd with southpaw Ron Coltom credited for the win. (TNT 5-8-60, B-15, 5-15-60, B-10, 6-4-60, p. 9)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Pederson Fryer Farms (Tacoma); Uniforms;

The Tacoma Giants played a double-header against the Portland Beavers on April 16, 1960 for opening day in Tacoma's new Cheney Stadium. In this photo from the first game of the day a ballplayer believed to be left fielder Dusty Rhodes makes contact with the ball to the delight of the large hometown crowd in the stands. The Portland squad won the first game 7 - 2 but fell to the home team in the nightcap, losing 11 - 0 due to the 8-hit shutout by future Hall-of-Famer Juan Marichal. Opening day had to be postponed until Saturday, April 16th, due to a 59 mph spring storm, massive rains, and low temperatures. Rhodes had a successful debut with the Tacoma Giants, going 2 - 4 in both games. He had played a major role in the New York Giants World Series victory in 1954 and played for seven years in the major leagues. TPL-9762

Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Rhodes, Dusty; Cheney Stadium (Tacoma);

Opening day ceremonies at Cheney Stadium preceding Pacific Coast League matchup between the Tacoma Giants and Portland Beavers on April 16, 1960. Tacoma Mayor Ben Hanson at the microphone. Ben Cheney, Giants Board of Directors, second from right; next to him is W.D. "Rosy" Ryan, Giants vice president/general manager. "Rosy" Ryan had pitched in three World Series with the old N.Y. Giants. He saw service with Brooklyn, Boston and the Yankees, where he was a roommate of Babe Ruth. He played under skippers Miller Huggins, John McGraw and Casey Stengel. (TNT 4-12-60, D-2)

Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Cheney Stadium (Tacoma); Public speaking--Tacoma; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; Ryan, W.D.; Hanson, Ben;

The six giant light towers at the new Cheney Stadium provided excellent lighting for watching Tacoma Giants night baseball games. Spectators could see the action on the field without eye strain on this clear June 9, 1960, evening. The Giants would bounce back from losing a doubleheader the day before and defeat the Vancouver Mounties 6-0 behind the strong pitching of Eddie Fisher. With the victory, Tacoma would tie the Seattle Rainiers for third place, trailing the Sacramento Solons and Spokane Indians. The 5.012 paying customers in attendance would not only enjoy the victory, but pre-game dedication ceremonies and contests as well, and go home with a free souvenir program featuring color photographs of the team and the stadium. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber. (TNT 6-5-60, B-11. 6-10-60, A-1, p. 24) TPL-9682

Cheney Stadium (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Light fixtures;

ca. 1960. Customer's print. Ben Cheney, standing far left, proudly poses with his Cheney Studs, World's Amateur Champions for 1960. The baseball team was awarded the Quaker Oats trophy for a 50-game winning season. Each member, including the batboy, holds a miniature version of the trophy. The Studs, Seattle division, defeated Detroit 3-1 in Battle Creek, Michigan, on Tacoman Earl Hyder's home run , to capture the national American Amateur Baseball Congress title on September 21, 1960. (TNT 9-22-60, D-6)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Awards; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971;

Last day of school photographs; photo ordered by the Tacoma News Tribune. View of four unidentified boys with their baseball equipment; they are likely getting ready to start playing in a summer baseball league, possibly at the Tacoma Boys' Club.

Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children playing baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sporting goods; Children--Social life--1940-1950; Recreation--Tacoma; Boys--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Giants owner Ben Cheney with catcher Tom Haller during a March, 1963, spring training visit to the Tacoma team's parent club, the San Francisco Giants. The S.F. Giants were the defending National League champions and conducted spring training in Arizona. Tom Haller broke in with the S.F. Giants in 1961 and stayed with them through the 1967 season. He then was a Los Angeles Dodger from 1968-1971 before ending his career with the Detroit Tigers in 1972. Statistics indicate that he played a total of 1,294 games during his 12 year career with a batting average of .257. The tall (6'4") Haller was a former quarterback for the University of Illinois. ALBUM 9.

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Haller, Tom, 1937-2004; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

Same as C137871-1 without Studs logo in upper left corner. Local lumberman and philanthropist Ben Cheney has donned a Giants uniform; he is standing next to baseball star Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants. Mr. Cheney had journeyed to Arizona in March, 1963, and was present during the Giants' spring training. He was the owner of the Tacoma Giants, minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The picture with Willie Mays may have been taken in late March, 1963, when the two teams played an exhibition game. Mr. Cheney was permitted to act as first base coach for the Big League team for a couple innings. The minor league Tacoma Giants swatted their Big Brothers 10-9 with a thrilling come-from-behind ninth inning. ALBUM 9. TPL-1399 (TNT 3-28-63, B-5)

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Mays, Willie, 1931-; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

Tacoma Giants owner Ben Cheney with future Hall of Famer Willie Mays during a late March, 1963, spring training visit to the Tacoma team's parent club, the San Francisco Giants. The Big League Giants played spring ball in Arizona. The Tacoma team also took their spring training in Arizona in the Casa Grande area. This photograph may have been taken on March 27, 1963, as Mr. Cheney's team took on their Big Brothers in a thrilling slugfest. The Tacoma Giants staged a 7-run rally in the ninth inning to edge the parent San Francisco Giants 10-9. Mr. Cheney put on a suit and served as first base coach for the Big Club for a couple of innings. He was reportedly in a state of exultation over "his" team's victory. ALBUM 9. (TNT 3-28-63, B-5)

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Mays, Willie, 1931-; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

Members of the Tacoma Athletic Commission demonstrate the fine art of baseball in May of 1964, as they prepare for the second annual city high school Diamond-Go-Round to be held on May 22nd at Cheney Stadium. Wilson, Mount Tahoma, Stadium, Lincoln, and Bellarmine of the City League along with Curtis of the Seamount League will participate at the Go-Round sponsored by the Athletic Commission. All proceeds from the game were to go to the athletic funds of the high schools and Tacoma junior highs. The T.A.C. directors are: Hal Brotman at bat, Bill Larson with ball, and John McCutcheon as catcher with Bill Post, athletic director for Tacoma city schools, as umpire. The outsized Stan Musial glove, made by Rawlings, would seem to guarantee that the likelihood of passed balls would be slight. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. (TNT 5-20-64, A-12)

Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Sporting goods; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Brotman, Hal; Larson, William C.; McCutcheon, John; Post, Bill; Baseball umpires--Tacoma;

The 1936 Daffodil Queen, Helen Edgerton of Puyallup, and her court were present at the Tacoma City League's opening day of the baseball season. The bleachers at Lincoln High School were packed with spectators eager to watch the two top finishers of the previous year, the champion Beacon Oilers and second place Superior Dairy, in action. Flanking the young ladies were Gov. Clarence D. Martin at far right and Tacoma Mayor George A. Smitley at left. Queen Helen is third from right.

Smitley, George A., 1872-1956; Mayors--Tacoma--1930-1940; Martin, Clarence D., 1887-1955; Governors; Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1930-1940; Edgerton, Helen; Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Crowds; Lincoln High School (Tacoma);

On August 12, 1935, the Will Hardware Juniors and the Chicken Coup All Stars, from the Bremerton Junior Baseball Club, paired off to settle the tied 6-6 baseball game of the week before. Their ace pitchers and coaches posed amiably in front of Washington Field's covered, wooden bleachers. They are identified in the Bremerton Sun as Chicken Coop pitcher McCarty, Will Hardware pitcher Bob Dowell, and coaches Mulvany, Bunker and Moon. The Coop AllStars won the game 6-1. (Bremerton Sun 8/12/1935, pg. 3)

Baseball--Bremerton--1930-1940; Baseball players--Bremerton--1930-1940; Bremerton Junior Baseball Club (Bremerton); Dowell, Bob;

On May 2, 1937, Abner Bergersen, Tacoma commissioner of public works, presented a gold watch to Tacoma Tigers player-manager Eddie Taylor for hitting the first home run by a Tiger for the 1937 season. Besides managing the team, Taylor was also the teams regular 2nd baseman. After the presentation, the Tigers went on to split a double header against Vancouver in front of 4,000 cheering fans. They won the first game 3 to 1, but lost the second 10 to 5. Tacoma lost the four game series 3 games to 1. (T. Times 5/3/1937, pg. 11)

Bergersen, Abner R.; Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Tacoma Athletic Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Cammarano Beverages "Special Delivery" truck in front of Firestone Auto Supply and Service Store. For Davis Motor Company, Diamond T Trucks. (date on photograph may be 03-12-1937) (filed with Argentum)

Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma); Firestone Auto Supply & Service Store (Tacoma); Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Davis Motor Truck Company (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Diamond T trucks;

ca. 1935. City League individual pictures, baseball player on the Cammarano Brothers team; possibly the coach.

Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940;

This was Lincoln High School's baseball team in 1938. The photograph is identical to A7195, image 1, except for the omission of printed school identification. 15 boys are in uniform, supplemented by two student managers with letterman sweaters and coach Eddie Schwarz. Coach Schwarz would lead his team in battle against the Stadium Tigers on April 21st where Stadium would defeat Lincoln 10-6 at Athletic Park. (T.Times 4-21-38, p. 15-names of team members listed)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Schwarz, Ed;

Sam Jackson, center, helped make July 23, 1939 special for two unidentified polio victims by taking them to a Tacoma Tigers double header at Athletic Park, near So. 15th and Sprague. Samuel Jackson was president of the Tacoma General Hospital and chairman of the board of the National Bank of Washington. The "Golden Jubilee" was the Tacoma celebration of Washington's 50th anniversary of statehood.

Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Tacoma Athletic Park (Tacoma); Jackson, Samuel M.;

Three boys relax and clown, ready for the 1938 Tacoma Tigers season opening game. In 1937, organized baseball had returned to Tacoma after a 15 year absence. Over 6,000 fans poured into the stands to support their local 1937 Western International League champions, the Tacoma Tigers.

Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Athletic Park (Tacoma);

Washington Hardware Juniors Baseball team. By the middle of July of 1940, the eleven teams of the Junior League were going into the second half of their playoffs with Washington Hardware near the top with 2 wins and no losses. (T.Times 7/16/40, pg. 11)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

Publicity for Renton 7-Up Ball Club. Close-up portrait of unidentified baseball player taken outdoors on July 23, 1942.

Baseball players--Renton; Uniforms;

In August of 1942, the "Tillicum Chiefs" of Western State Hospital, who played in the Twilight League, had won 23 games and were in the playoffs for the circuit title. Much of the credit went to their pitcher Dick Smith who returned to Santa Clara University before the final playoff games. Pictured in the back row, left to right, Clink Jacobs (mgr.), Dick Smith, Fred Hebert, unidentified patient who served as mascot, Howard Johnson, Phil Jacobs and Garry Robinson (business mgr.) Front row, left to right, Bus Mitchell, Lorny Merkle, Johnny Ward, Dewey West and Bob Huegel. Chuck Rasmussen, Bud Clausen and Red Little were absent. (T. Times 9/4/1942, pg. 12)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western State Hospital (Lakewood)--baseball players;

Unidentified player with the Western State Hospital "Tillicum Chiefs."

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Western State Hospital (Lakewood)--baseball players;