The 6th Avenue Colts fielded two baseball teams in the summer of 1954, participating in both the Bantam and the PeeWee divisions. Seventeen beaming boys and their head coach and manager, Si Hovee, posed with banners on a sunny day in June. All the players are dressed in regulation uniforms with the team emblem sewn on. The teams were sponsored in the Tacoma Recreational Baseball League by the Greater 6th Avenue, Inc., a business and civic organization. The 6th Avenue merchants paid $500 out of their own pockets for the boys to participate in the city's united baseball program, as a way to help them keep busy in wholesome activities. The PeeWee Colts ended up being the PeeWee League Champs as they were undefeated in regular play and won the PeeWee Tournament at Peck Field. At the far left in the second row is Brian Cloherty. He went on to play at Bellarmine High, Seattle Univ., and Eastern Washington State (now Eastern Washington University). (TNT 6-30-54, B-7 - Ad, TNT 8-22-54, C-19)) TPL-8619 (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Banners--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Cloherty, Brian; Hovee, Si;

A young baseball player is shown just completing his throw in an August 29, 1954, photograph. The logo on his cap indicates that he is a member of the Cheney Studs, an amateur team sponsored by local lumberman and philanthropist, Ben Cheney. The young man is in a uniform with "Seattle" on the jersey instead of the customary pinstriped Studs uniform. The Cheney Studs had teams in other cities besides Tacoma, including Medford, Oregon, and perhaps in Seattle as well. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

In September, 1955, the Richards Studio accompanied local philanthropist and baseball aficionado Ben Cheney to Battle Creek, Michigan. His Cheney Studs team, composed of local high school and college level stars, participated in baseball tournaments there. Mr. Cheney is shown in this September 21, 1955, photograph sharing the 1955 Coca Cola Bottler Award for the American Baseball Congress Northwest Sectional Champions with Studs player George Grant. The table beside him is filled with smaller individual trophies to be given to team members; two of the Studs, Bob Jacobs and Dick Minice, hold trophies in their hands. Coach Joe Budnick is holding the large trophy awarded to the Studs as National Runner-up in the A.B.C. tournament. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber. (TNT 9-25-55, B-14)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; Awards; Budnick, Joe; Grant, George; Jacobs, Bob; Minice, Dick;

Ben Cheney gets a geography lesson as a member of the 1955 Cheney Studs baseball team smilingly points to South Africa on the globe as the next destination for some members of the amateur team. Mr. Cheney loved sports and sponsored a variety of teams. His Cheney Studs had recently returned from Battle Ground, Michigan, as the national runner-up in the American Baseball Congress tournament. Team members are photographed wearing their new letterman jackets. Three of the Studs were named to the fourteen-man United States amateur baseball team chosen to tour South Africa on a three month goodwill, exhibition tour. From left to right are: Ben Cheney, Pitcher Monte Geiger of Bremerton, First baseman Ron Dodge of Olympia, Coach Joe Budnick, and Shortstop Dick Naish of Seattle. Geiger, Dodge and Naish were selected out of thousands of applicants. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co. (TNT 10-6-55, B-9, TNT 11-5-55, p. 8. TNT 11-7-55, p. 22)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; Globes;

Back of Photo:
Cheney Baseball Stadium

On April 21, 1928, the McKinley Hill Presidents baseball team, providing excellent advertising for the Arthur Bryant Motor Co. Chevrolet dealership, lounged on the two new Chevys parked inside the Lincoln Bowl. The Chevys were probably part of the parade of businesses that led the way to the Lincoln Bowl for the opening day of the 1928 Tacoma City League baseball season. With 2000 fans in attendance, the Washington Co-ops, the 1927 champions, defeated the McKinley Hill Presidents, who were 1927's runners-up. Elwood "Andy" Anderson of the Co-ops outdueled "Ocky" Haugland of the Presidents, 4-2. (TDL 4-22-28, C-1) G53.1-027; TPL-461

Baseball players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Baseball--Tacoma--1920-1930; Chevrolet automobile; Signs (Notices); Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma);

Members of the Tacoma Railway & Power Company baseball team and their "mascot" stare stoically at the camera in an April 30, 1925, photograph. L-R back row (last names only given): Bonney, Rice, Kaperick, Pyfer, Hull, Fagon, James, Gordon (Captain). Middle row (L-R): Pryor, Arnold, Kendziora, Hendry, Berry, Billsborrow. Front row (L-R); Mynhier, Williams, Kennedy, "Jargo Jr."-mascot, Purcell, Wharton, Berg. Behind them are the covered stands of Athletic Park, located on Sprague Avenue between 14th & 15th Streets, where fans could watch games in comfort. The TR & P team competed in the 6-team Commercial League in 1925; they were joined by teams from the Rhodes Bros., City Lumber, American Institute of Banking, Harmon & Co. and Washington Coop. Egg. The Commercial League opened their 1925 season at Athletic Park on April 27th, matching up the previous year's champs, the TR & P with the league runner-up, Rhodes Bros. This time Rhodes Bros. came up winners in seven innings with a 5-2 score. (TDL 4-26-25, C-2, 5-2-25, p. 6; TNT 5-19-25, p. 17) G53.1-038 TPL-10076

Baseball players--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The 1930 McKinley Avenue baseball team, apparently also known as "McKinley Hill," played in the five-team City League. The team won their season opener on April 26, 1930, with an 11-inning victory over the 38th Streeters. On May 1st, they battled to a 0-0 tie in their second game against South Tacoma in the Lincoln Bowl. Taking on the role of player-coach was shortstop Vince Duckwitz. (TDL 5-2-30, p. 8-article) TPL-9235; G53.1-004

Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lincoln Bowl (Tacoma);

ca. 1926. Dressed in pinstriped uniforms are the Cammarano Bros. baseball team, circa 1926 or 1927. The Cammarano Bros. were Tacoma bottlers and distributors of carbonated beverages and beer. They sponsored employee baseball teams for many years who competed in local leagues. Names of the above players were not given. (Photograph courtesy of the William Cammarano Collection) TPL-10407

Cammarano Bros. (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1920-1930; Uniforms;

Tacoma City League's first baseball game of the season. Daffodil Queen Helen Edgerton of Puyallup (second woman from left) and her court are posed with ball players from the Superior Dairy team. The men's uniforms have a milk bottle emblem with initials "S.D." on them. Bleachers at Lincoln High School filled with capacity crowd. The two top finishers in 1935 are playing the season opener; champs Beacon Oilers versus second place Superior Dairy. (T.Times 4/27/1936, pg. 1)

Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Beauty contestants--Tacoma--1930-1940; Edgerton, Helen; Uniforms;

The 1937 season opener, a double header between the Tacoma Tigers and the Vancouver Maple Leaf. Distant view of baseball teams in play. Stadium in background is filled with capacity crowd of around 4,000 spectators. Tacoma split the double header, but lost the four game series 3-1.

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

Close-up of spectators in stands at the 1937 season opener for the Tacoma Tigers baseball team. This group was part of the 4,000 fans that crammed into Tacoma Athletic Park to watch the Tigers split the double header with the Vancouver Maple Leaf. (T. Times 5/3/1937, pg. 11)

Baseball--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Tacoma Athletic Park (Tacoma); Sports spectators--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Tacoma Giants owner Ben Cheney with former outfielder Hank Sauer during a spring training visit to the Tacoma team's parent club, the San Francisco Giants.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Sauer, Hank, 1917-; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971;

Diamond T Baseball (boys) Team. In July of 1940, at the commencement of the second half of the Junior League games, Diamond T was in the basement of the standings with no wins and 2 losses. (T. Times 7/16/1940, pg.11)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Opening of the 1938 baseball season, May 5. Crowd behind stadium fence watching game.

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

Russell H. "Russ" Michael (far right) poses in front of his service station at 3740 So. M. St. with the baseball team that he sponsored. The team had just won the Twilight League Baseball Championship for 1938. Russ Michael opened his station in 1936. He had previously worked at the Michael Brothers Service Station. In the 1950s he started Michael's Oil Service at 1315 So. 38th. Russ Michael died April 14, 1991 at the age of 79.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1930-1940; Awards; Michael, Russell H.;

The 1939 Lincoln High School Baseball Team portrait. Fifteen players in uniform surround team manager Bob Wayno, dressed in casual dark jacket and wearing a baseball cap. The pitcher for the team was Bob Kohant. The team was coached by Eddie Schwartz. (T. Times)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Wayno, Bob;

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

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

ca. 1937. Sales Grange baseball team in front of their sponsor's storefront, Saxton Lumber Co., 6030 South Tacoma Way. The team is believed to be from Parkland and competed in the City League Baseball group. Saxton Lumber Co. was owned by Malcolm N. Saxton. (filed with Argentum)

Baseball players--Parkland--1930-1940; Saxton Lumber Co. (Tacoma);

The Western State Hospital "Tillicum Chiefs" of the Twilight League had won 23 games in the 1942 summer season and were in the playoffs for the circuit title. Manager Clink Jacobs (left) gives some tips to his players.

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

Back of Photo:
Cheney Stadium
Kellman

Back of Photo:
Cheney Baseball Stadium
Dedication

Back of Photo:
Cheney Baseball Stadium

Back of Photo:
Peck Field

Walde Krauklis picture of baseball team. View of Tacoma's 3 and 0' Club playing baseball on Christmas Day, fans are in background cheering them on.

Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Athletic fields--Tacoma; 3 and O' Club (Tacoma);

Lincoln High School boys baseball players. L-R, front row, Don Berge, Frank Dalsanto, John Hansler, Dick Columbine and Louis Raphael. Second row, Al Malanca, John Scalara, Dean Mellar, Bob McGuire, Joe Sharman and George Marcoe. Third row, Milt Hegstrom, Jack Smith, Len Vallor, Vern Kohout, Tony DeLuca, Roy Jacobsen and coach Phil Sorboe. (T.Times, 5/12/1945, p.5) 7" x 11 1/4" format.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;

This publicity photograph for a Tacoma Tigers game against Salem was taken on July 17,1950. Floyd (Lefty) Isekite, one of the great southpaws of the Western International League, demonstrates a pitching grip for Clarence Stave. Stave, peering over his sunglasses, was a retired umpire. Earl Kuper, at the far right, had been a catcher and manager for the Tigers. The three committeemen were promoting Tacoma Athletic Club night, August 1, at Tiger Stadium. (TNT 7-23-50, B-7)

Baseballs; Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sporting goods; Isekite, Floyd; Stave, Clarence; Kuper, Earl;

In July of 1947, Art Spencer, the athletic supervisor of the Metropolitan Park District, presented a trophy to Chuck Miller of the Tacoma Boys' Club baseball team, winners of the Class C City Championship. The team included: (front row) Chuck Miller, Fred Dietrick; Ray Schatz, Bob Morris and Coach Bill Mullen; (back row) John Aires, Larry Hoover, Ron Schiesz, Jim Cartwright, Jack Morris, and Bob Gariepy. (T.Times, 7/11/1947, p.2)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Awards; Tacoma Boys' Club (Tacoma); Spencer, Art; Miller, Chuck; Dietrick, Fred; Schatz, Ray; Morris, Bob; Mullen, Bill; Aires, John; Hoover, Larry; Schiesz, Ron; Cartwright, Jim; Morris, Jack; Gariepy, Bob;

The Tacoma Tigers were starting the Western International League series with a double header against the Salem Senators. The Salem Senators won both games against Tacoma, 7 to 3 and 2 to 1. View of opening day baseball game; the Tacoma Tigers against the Salem Senators at Tiger Ball Park (T.N.T., 4/25/49, p. 16).

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball umpires--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sports officiating--Tacoma; Athletic fields--Tacoma; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma);

This unidentified Tacoma Tigers "bat person" was all ready for the 1949 season opener scheduled for Friday April 22. Unfortunately, it rained. The first game of the season was not played until Sunday the 24th. On that day the Tigers faced the Salem Senators in a double header. Before a home town crowd of 4,535 fans they lost both games, 7-3 and 2-1. (TNT 04/25/1949, p. 16)

Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Uniforms; Sporting goods; Athletic fields--Tacoma; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma);