On December 6, 1941, the "Evergreen Bowl" football game, held in Tacoma at the Stadium Bowl, pitted the Washington State College Cougars against the Southwest Conference Champion Texas A & M Aggies. The WSC alumni association borrowed two cougars from the Washington state game farm near Steilacoom and paraded the streets of Tacoma with their mascots. The big "cats" were housed in a cage mounted on a gaudily-painted truck. A crowd estimated at 30,000 packed the Bowl for the afternoon game to see the Cougars put up a spirited fight before falling 7-0. WCS had a chance to transfer the game to the Cotton Bowl but did not let Tacoma down, giving the city a taste of big-time collegiate football. (T. Times 12/4/1941, pg. 13-alt. photo; T.Times 12-8-41, p. 15-article on game)

Pumas; Mascots; Football--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State College (Pullman)--Associated objects;

Tacoma's Washington State College (now W.S.U.) alumni association borrowed two cougars from the Washington state game farm near Steilacoom and paraded them through the streets of Tacoma in December of 1941 to drum up excitement for the big W.S.C. - Texas A&M football game held on Saturday afternoon, December 6th. The big "cats" were housed in a cage mounted on a gaudily-painted truck. The "Evergreen Bowl" game, Tacoma's first brush with big time college football, was attended by 30,000 screaming fans who watched the Southwest Conference Champ Aggies defeat the Cougars 7-0. (T. Times 12/4/1941, pg. 13-alt. photo)

Pumas; Mascots; Football--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington State College (Pullman)--Associated objects;

Army football game at Clover Park High School. A large crowd has gathered at Walter J. Thompson Field on November 4, 1941. (T. Times)

Football--Lakewood--1940-1950; Clover Park High School (Lakewood); Sports spectators--Lakewood;

Coach Ralph Lackey went over play instructions with Clover Park Warriors Jimmy Allphin (standing left), DeVere Bailey (standing right), (crouching, l to r) Mark Pitman, Walter Mienzen and Steve Tish, to help prepare them for the 1941 Pierce County League title game against the Fife Trojans held on Friday November 7, 1941. Going into the game, each team had won six straight league games. The Warriors defeated the Trojans 7-0, winning their first major sports championship. The only touchdown in the game was scored by 208-pound fullback, Steve Tish. (T.Times 11/6/1941 p.17)

Clover Park High School (Lakewood); Football players--Lakewood--1940-1950; Lackey, Ralph; Allphin, Jimmy; Bailey, DeVere; Pitman, Mark; Mienzen, Walter; Tish, Steve; Football--Lakewood--1940-1950; Students--Lakewood--1940-1950;

Four determined players on the Bellermine Bells football team practiced a "quarterback sneak" in September of 1940. The players are identified as (l to r, front row) #61 Jim McNertney, #62 George Oswald, #63 Ray O'Leary and #60 Bing Fournier, quarterback. The 1940 Bells, coached by Hank Haug, were plagued by injuries and had lost many of their 1939 star players to graduation. They managed to pull off a 6-6 tie against the heavily favored Puyallup in their first game of the season. (T. Times 9/25/1940, pg. 18)

Football--Tacoma; Football players--Tacoma; Private schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Students--Tacoma; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma)--Sports; O'Leary, Ray; McNertney, Jim; Oswald, George; Fournier, Bing;

Action shot of the Clover Park football team. Photograph taken on November 19, 1940.

Football--Lakewood--1940-1950; Football players--Lakewood--1940-1950; Clover Park High School (Lakewood);

The concrete bleachers at Stadium Bowl are empty of people but untidy with scattered litter, probably programs or newspapers, after the annual Thanksgiving Day football game between Stadium and Lincoln High School in 1939. The State Historical Museum building is in the background.

Stadium Bowl (Tacoma); Bleachers--Tacoma; Refuse--Tacoma; Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington State Historical Building (Tacoma);

Two Stadium High School yell leaders and twelve Lincoln High School majorettes pose below the Stadium Bowl's football-shaped scoreboard. Despite being on the losing end of the Thanksgiving Day game between Stadium and Lincoln, the Lincoln students sport brave smiles. The game was held on Thursday, November 23, 1939. A crowd of 12,000 to 15,000 spectators watched as the Stadium Bengals beat the Abes for the sixth year in a row. Stadium would retain the city crown although it did not win the Cross-State League trophy. Standing between the two unidentified Stadium cheerleaders is Josephine Ludwig of Lincoln. The other Lincoln students are, L-R, Myrtle Gordon, Betty Yenne, Ann Scopoli, Bernice Berhartsen, Doris Long, Virginia Griffin, Helen Sandquist, Beverly Steele, Lois Ammon, Dorothy Warter and Evelyn Lannigan. (T. Times 11-24-1939 p.11)

Drum majorettes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Cheerleading--Tacoma--1930-1940; Scoreboards-- Tacoma--1930-1940; Stadium High School (Tacoma); Football--Tacoma--1930-1940

Bellarmine High School Football Squad, four players in practice jerseys with leather helmets posed with their coach. Pictured from left to right are Bob O'Connell (center), Bob Weaver, returning letterman and powerhouse of the backfield (left Half), Coach Leo Eckstein, Harry Lunetti (Right Half) and By Tardiff (Quarterback.) These players are the experienced mainstays for the 1939 Bell Eleven. (T. Times 9/14/1939, pg. 17)

Football--Tacoma; Football players--Tacoma; Private schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma)--Sports; O'Connell, Bob; Weaver, Bob; Eckstein, Leo; Lunetti, Harry; Tardiff, By;

Stadium High School football. Young man with number 87 on sweatshirt holds bundle of football helmets as he poses for portrait with his foot on a metal wheelbarrow and his hand on a shovel.

Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Sports; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Wes Hudson, co-captain of the 1939 Stadium High School varsity football team, in action. Wes was beginning his third year as a regular on the Tiger team at the time of this September, 1939, photograph. He played quarterback and handled the punting. According to the Tacoma Times, prior to the start of his senior year, he had never played on a losing team and he had never carried the ball. He was strictly a blocker, clearing the way for the other back field men, and highly regarded as such by coach John Heinrick. His undefeated record would change in the 1939 season as the team lost the Cross-State League trophy to Everett, coached by former College of Puget Sound coach Roy Sandberg, but defended their city crown for the sixth consecutive year. He also carried the ball successfully in the latter part of the season. Wes Hudson was also a standout in varsity basketball and track. He was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame in 1971. (T. Times 9/16/1939 pg. 7; 1939 & 1940 Stadium yearbook, the "Tahoma") TPL-8707

Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Sports; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hudson, Wes;

Group portrait of Puyallup High School Vikings and coach Al Dahlberg in Viking Field in November of 1939. For the 3rd time in 5 years, the 1939 Vikings won the Puget Sound Conference Title. The strength of the team rested mainly in the line, where four players, nicknamed the "Four Mules," wreaked havoc on the other teams. Coach Dahlberg appears to be pointing out to the rest of the regulars how the four mules operate. Pictured are, front row, left to right: Ralph Calligan, Ray Elliott, Ray Adams, Jack Kelley, Jack Durga, Fred Strankmann and Chet Rees. Back row, left to right: Lind Simonsen, Francis Marcoe, Ned Jordan, Walt Parks, Buck Buchanan, Eddie Myers (team captain and quarterback), Coach Dahlberg, Wayne Snider, Gail Bruce, Bob Cochran and Walter Burr. The team finished the season with 8 wins, 1 tie and 1 loss. Coach Dahlberg and his two brothers, Jiggs and Harry, were all high school coaches. (T. Times 11/21/1939, pg. 13)

Puyallup High School (Puyallup); Football players--Puyallup; Dahlberg, Al;

Coach Al Dahlberg and young boy with three Puyallup High School football players. The 1939 Puyallup Vikings were the Puget Sound League Champions.

Puyallup High School (Puyallup); Football players--Puyallup; Dahlberg, Al;

ca. 1939. Five Poulsbo High School players catch five footballs thrown simultaneously in practice in 1939. Goal post and buildings in the distance. The Poulsbo Vikings were the North Kitsap District Class B Champions and had been undefeated since early in 1937. However, they lost the 1939 state Championship to the smaller and quicker Fife Trojans, 7-0. Photograph ordered by Harold Shaw.

Poulsbo Hight School (Poulsbo); Football players--Poulsbo;

ca. 1939. Coach and three Orting High School football players standing near brick school building.

Orting High School (Orting); Football players--Orting;

ca. 1939. Pacific Lutheran College football coach Clifford O. Olson. After the completion of the football season, Tacoma honored Olson by unanimously voting him Sportsman of the Year. The 1939 team finished with admirable record of 7 victories and 1 loss. They were co-champions of the new Washington Intercollegiate Conference and the Associated Press poll named them the Northwest's outstanding small college team. (1940 PLC yearbook "Saga")

Olson, Clifford; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1930-1940; Football--Parkland--1930-1940;

No, it's not the Rockettes, it's Coach John Heinrick and his 1939 Stadium High School football team during a practice session. Coach Heinrick, in his fourth year of coaching, was riding the crest of two undefeated seasons with the Tigers. 1939 was not a record year however, as the Blue and Gold suffered its first defeat in 23 games. Having put the pressure of continuing the undefeated tradition behind them, they fought back to win the city crown for the 6th consecutive year. The Tacoma Times lauded their courage and stamina in the face of defeat and voted the entire team onto their high school football honor roll. Team members, left to right, are Vern Miller, Rod Giske, Roy Murphy, Jack Wilson, Austin Fengler, Wes Hudson, Marion Klarich, Dick Beckman, Chuck Horjes, Bill Gustafson and Fred Angus. (T. Times 10/30/1939, pg. 11) TPL-9195

Heinrick, John; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. College of Puget Sound head football coach in 1939, Leo Frank. The Loggers had a disappointing season in 1939, finishing with 1 win and 3 losses. (1940 CPS yearbook "Tamanawas.")

Frank, Leo; College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Football--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Bob Weaver, #64 for the 1939 Bellarmine Bells, about to catch the football in mid-stride in this photograph dated September 12, 1939.

Football--Tacoma; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weaver, Bob; Private schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma)--Sports;

Fullback for the 1939 Bellarmine football team, Ray O'Leary is frozen in a classic football pose.

Football--Tacoma; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Private schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma)--Sports; O'Leary, Ray;

Wearing a #24 practice jersey and caught in the act of running is Dick Hutt of the Bellarmine Bells. Hutt played Right Guard for the prep school's 1939 football team.

Football--Tacoma; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Private schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bellarmine High School (Tacoma)--Sports; Hutt, Dick;

Unidentified player #66 of the Stadium High School varsity football team. During the season, #66 was worn by Stadium's crack ball toter Marion (Johnny) Klarich. Playing left tackle, Klarich was one of the stars of the team. At the end of the season, he was also placed on the first-string All Cross-State eleven.

Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

Unidentified player #62 of the Stadium High School varsity football team. During the season, #62 was worn by player Dick Hiltbrunn.

Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

Unidentified player #70 of the Stadium High School varsity football team. During the season, the #70 jersey was worn by left tackle Bill Gustafson. The Tigers, undefeated the previous two years, would suffer some setbacks but still manage to retain their city title.

Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Gig Harbor High School 1939 football team. Front row, left to right, George Gilreath, John Swenson, John Peterson, Donald Ribbe, Coach Husby, Elmer Skahan, Roland Spadoni, Melvin Johnson, Jack Finnigan and Donald Reed. Second row, l to r, Christian Wally (manager), Bill Wight, Marvin McCartney, Bert Perry, bill Parrish, Robert Ryan, Donald Sehmel, James Russo, Jack Wagner, Bill Hayes, Douglas Stremme, Glen Perkins and Edgar Best. Third row, l to r, Frank Foutch, Francis Hahn, Ray Edwards, John Bowman, Warren Watson, Harry Reed, Charles Parkman, Preston Challender, Howard Reed, Roland Adolphson and Richard Brown. The team, coached by Einar Husby, had a respectable season, finishing with 3 wins, 2 ties and 1 loss to the stronger Vashon Pirates. (T. Times 11/2/1939, pg. 26)

Football players--Gig Harbor; Gig Harbor High School (Gig Harbor);

ca. 1939. Football Jamboree. Group of eight football players draw numbers from hats held by man standing behind a microphone in this night time scene. Ordered by Harold Shaw.

Football players--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Group portrait of Fife High School football team, the Trojans. Coach Bill Vinson at far right rear. Player number 10 identified as Frank Spear. Approximately half of the team is made up of Japanese Americans. The 1939 Trojans were the State Class B Football Champions. They were also the state's highest scoring team; finishing the season with 328 points and a ten game unbeaten streak. (T.Times 11/16/39, pg. 19; 11/18/39, pg. 13)

Fife High School (Fife); Vinson, Bill; Spear, Frank; Football players--Fife;

ca. 1939. Group portrait of Fife High School football team, the Trojans. Coach Bill Vinson at far right rear. Player number 10 is Frank Spear, cited by the Tacoma Times as a player of the week. Half of the team is made up of Japanese-American players. Fife was having a very successful year, winning 9 straight games on their way to becoming the Pierce County B League Champions. They continued on to defeat the favored Poulsbo Vikings 7-0 to become the State Champions. Although the Trojan linemen were much outweighed, in one case by over 40 pounds; they were faster and more agile than their opponents. (T. Times 11/16/1939, pg. 19; 11/18/1939, pg. 13)

Fife High School (Fife); Vinson, Bill; Spear, Frank; Football players--Fife;

State Champion Fife High School Trojans tumble to the ground in a heap in this November 1939 portrait. The victorious Trojans won the State Class B Football Championship with a 7-0 victory over the favored Poulsbo Vikings. At the top of the pyramid is Pete Mello. Directly below are Pete Cereghino, Frank Spear and Milton Iida. 3rd Row: Seiichi Yamada, Bob Vinson and Frank Evancich. 4th Row: Kenji Yaguchi, Masaru Tamura, Yohei Sagami and Joe Trucco. Bottom row: Howard Bryan, Willie Haminishi, Tom Pruett and Ben Holdner. The Trojans, under the direction of Coach Bill Vinson, had a 10 game unbeaten season, and were the state's highest scoring team, scoring 328 points to their opponents' 19. Although much of the team was small and outweighed by their opponents, they were fast and agile. (T. Times 11/16/1939, pg. 19; 11/18/1939, pg. 13)

Fife High School (Fife); Spear, Frank; Football players--Fife;

ca. 1939. College of Puget Sound assistant football coach, Lou Grant. Grant also served as the head coach of the varsity basketball squad. The 1939 CPS football team finished near the bottom of the barrel of their division, but the basketball team finished at the top. (1940 CPS yearbook "The Tamanawas.")

College of Puget Sound (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Grant, Lou; Coaches (Athletics)--Tacoma--1930-1940;