Tacoma Rockets were ready to begin another winning season. They beat Portland and West Minster and were now getting ready to play against the Vancouver Canucks. Team manager, Dave Downie, felt his team would continue their winning streak. The Tacoma Rockets had their home games at the Tacoma Ice Palace. View of hockey player trying to block the other player's aim.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Skaters; Skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma); Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

In this photograph from October, 1947, Rudy Filion of theTacoma Rocket hockey team practices at the Tacoma Ice Palace, 3801 So. Union Ave. The Rockets played their season opener on Tuesday night, Oct. 21st, against the Portland Eagles. The Rockets won 6 to 1 in one of the roughest stick swinging duels ever witnessed at the local rink. (T. Times, 10/20/47, p. 6).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Skaters; Skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma); Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Filion, Rudy

View of Patsy Hamm and Jackie Boyle, champion ice skaters from Tacoma; last year they won National Recognition in the major league events held at Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1949 they have competed in many local and regional ice skating events, including the recent Lakewood Ice Club's fund raiser.

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Winter sports--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Skaters; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Hamm, Patsy; Boyle, Jack;

Eight players from the four high schools in the Tacoma High School Hockey League and their coaches posed for a News Tribune photographer in January of 1949. The league, which played at the Tacoma Ice Palace, 3801 So. Union Avenue, was just starting its second season. The players were: (l to r) Bob Jack and Jim Beaty of Lincoln; Gordon Earley and Don Gilbertson of Clover Park; Bob Moore and Carl Peterson of Stadium; and Don McNally and Joe Hamilton of Bellarmine. The coaches (kneeling, l to r)were: Alex Watt, Doug Stevenson, Dick Milford and Ronnie Rowe, all members of the professional Tacoma Rockets team. The first night of action, on January the 13th, paired Stadium and Clover Park at 7 p.m. and Lincoln against Bellarmine at 8:20 p.m.(T.N.T. 1/9/49, p. B-7).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma);

Four unidentified young players on the hockey team sponsored by the Barbecue Inn take a milk break in front of the Tacoma Arena, 3801 South Union Avenue, in February of 1953. In 1953, Hockey in Tacoma wasn't confined to Tacoma's professional team, the Rockets. Thanks to the Metropolitan Park District and the Tacoma Hockey Club, approximately 250 boys and young men in Tacoma were able to compete in three leagues that played at the Arena on Monday and Thursday nights. No other town on the pacific coast had a hockey program that compared to Tacoma's. The Barbecue Inn was at 8102 Maple Street S.W. in Lakewood. (TNT 2/22/1953 p.B-5) Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Electric signs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Signs (Notices);

A member of the I.O.O. F. hockey team prepares to enter the game as he swings open the heavy rink door in this February, 1953, photograph. A small, but intent, group of supporters sit behind the team bench. This may be a mixed practice or game as a member of the Barbecue Inn team is on the same Tacoma Rockets bench. It would be expected that the "home team" be assigned the Tacoma Rockets section. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports spectators--Tacoma;

A young hockey player modestly signs an autograph for two admiring fans in this February, 1953, photograph. He apparently took time off from practice to chat with the spectators as he is dressed in full hockey gear, sans helmet. Hockey was very popular in the 1950's in the Tacoma area; there were many teams involved in the sport ranging from the Under-12's to high school teams. The Tacoma Rockets was the area's semi-pro team whose players and scores were reported on in the daily newspaper on a regular basis. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin. TPL-8262

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports spectators--Tacoma;

The Ice Arena at 38th and Union was owned by Sam Bergesen and Fred Urban and was home to both the Tacoma Rockets and the Tacoma Figure Skating Club. Members of the skating club offered classes for beginning enthusiasts. In this photograph, taken in 1948, Shirley Lander is helping Charles Tibbs, 8, of Rt.11, Box 598, Tacoma. Judy Whitney, 7, of 1104 So. Union is receiving some pointers from Helen Hatcher.

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Winter sports--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Children playing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children exercising; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lander, Shirley; Tibbs, Charles; Whitney, Judy; Hatcher, Helen;

All eyes properly follow the puck as it seems to be heading past the goalie toward the open net in this February, 1953, photograph. The goalie is on his knees in front of the net as a member of I.O.O.F. 232 completes his shot. Several players have lost their footing and are resting on the ice. This scrimmage or game apparently took place at the Arena on South Union Avenue. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma;

Even young hockey players get bumped and bruised and deserve a massage. Here a trainer or coach rubs some liniment onto the boy's back while a teammate looks on in this 1953 photograph. The player is lying on a thin mattress placed on a long table in the team's dressing room; uniforms and equipment are hanging from cubicles. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Massage;

Jerry Fodey, one of two goalies on the 1948-49 Tacoma Rockets, demonstrated his technigue for the cameras in December of 1948. The Rockets were in second place in the Pacific Coast Hockey League, seven points behind the league leading New Westminster Royals. In November they had won five straight games, the longest winning streak in club history. The Rockets played in the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 South Union Avenue. (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 21).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma);

Aspiring hockey stars Jack Stewart, Mike Johnson and Mike Shork all manage to fit in the goal as they prepare for an Under 12 peewee league game in November, 1951. The boys would be on the ice between the first and second periods of the Tacoma Rockets-New Westminster Royals match sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. Dave Tuell, T.A.C. president and Joey Johns, commissioner of the junior league, flank the young players. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Athletic Commission. (TNT 11-11-51, p. B-14) TPL-7194

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Stewart, Jack; Johnson, Mike; Shork, Mike; Tuell, Dave; Johns, Joey;