Back of Photo:
Peck Field
Athletic Park

Back of Photo:
Peck Field

Back of Photo:
Peck Field

Panorama of Women's Equine Polo team with little girl in uniform in front of military officer.

Group of swimmers and sunbathers on an unidentified lakeside dock with a diving tower, multiple diving boards and a water polo hoop.

Slightly overhead view of posing group at the Lakewood Ice Arena.

On April 13-14, 1935, Paradise at Mount Rainier was home to the greatest sporting event ever held in the Northwest. It was the location for the national downhill and slalom championships. Also at stake were positions on the 1936 US Olympic ski team. Parking for spectators, and the final stop for mass transit, was located at Narada Falls. 7,000 spectators then hiked to Paradise in 12 - 20 foot deep snow to view the matches. It was about 2 miles one way to the slalom course and 1 mile to the downhill course. By the mid 1930's alpine skiing had exploded in growth as a US leisure sport, boasting almost a million skiers across the country. Radio broadcasters carried reports of the tournament and the ski conditions of the Northwest to ski enthusiasts all across the US. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940;

In April of 1935, Paradise at Mount Rainier was home to the national downhill and slalom championships. It was the first time that this contest had ever been held in the west. This photograph, taken during the tournament held April 13-14, showed the Paradise Lodge and the Paradise Inn surrounded by deep snow despite the spring date. Skiers and spectators dot the snow. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940;

On April 13-14, 1935, Paradise at Mount Rainier was host to the biggest sporting event ever held in the Northwest. It was the site of the national downhill and slalom championships with positions on the US ski team for the 1936 Olympics also at stake. Skiers and spectators were photographed lined up on either side of a ski run watching tournament skier number 20 maneuver down the slopes. This was most likely a portion of the slalom course that ran down the east side of Alta Vista, a zig zag descent of 1500 feet. Spectators had to hike two miles one way from Narada Falls to the slalom course. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940;

Close-up portrait of unidentified teen skier wearing the number 63 during the 1935 National Women's Downhill and Slalom championship held at Paradise, Mount Rainier. This was the first national championship for women in these two events. Varying newspaper sources number the female entrants from 11-14, including the Smith sisters from Tacoma and Grace Carter from Seattle, who placed second in the combined. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Athletes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940;

Over 7,000 spectators turned out April 13-14, 1935 to view the national downhill and slalom championships held at Paradise, Mount Rainier. This was the first time this event had been held in the west. Fifty-nine male skiers were registered to race, along with eleven women. The downhill started at Sugar Loaf, 8,500 feet above sea level, and dropped to Panorama Point and then to Edith Creek Basin, a 3,000 foot drop (35%) downward to the finish. On the day of the race, mist and fog shrouded the course in the morning. The top part of the course was icy and the lower part fast and treacherous. As the sun came out, the snow at the bottom of the course began to melt making it soft. Winner Hannes Schroll ran the course at an estimated speed of 75 mph.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940;

Winning skiers claim their trophy at the Paradise Winter Sports Carnival on Sunday, February 13, 1938. First place winner in the Service Club downhill race is Orville Stewart, center, representing the Junior Chamber of Commerce. On the left is Leonard Berglund of the Young Men's Business Club. The woman is unidentified. (photo is misnumbered) (TNT 2/14/1938, pg. 1)

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Winter sports--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Stewart, Orville; Berglund, Leonard;

On April 13-14, 1935, the nation's premier alpine event was held at Paradise, Mount Rainier. The Northwest slopes were the site of the national downhill and slalom championships. Also at stake were positions on the 1936 US Olympic team. This was the first time that a major US skiing event had been held in the west. Skier number 59 was photographed maneuvering through the competition course. Over 70 skiers, 59 men and 11 women, threw their hats into the ring for a chance at the national title. Hannes Schroll of Austria won the men's downhill, slalom and combined. Ellis-Ayr Smith of Tacoma won the women's downhill and combined with her sister Ethlynne (Skit) taking the prize in the slalom. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940;

Tacoma's best hope for a medal in the Men's National Championships in downhill and slalom in 1935 was Carlton Wiegel. The competition was held April 13-14, 1935 at Mount Rainier. The contest also served as the finals in the US Olympic trials and it was the greatest sporting event ever held in the Northwest. Wiegel was a native Norwegian who inherited his love of the sport. At the time of the competition however, he was hampered by an old ankle injury and finished 13th in the Downhill and failed to finish in the first 20 of the slalom. (TT, TNT, TDL 4/12-15, 1935)

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Athletes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Wiegel, Carlton;

Hannes Schroll, the Austrian daredevil on skis, came to the Northwest in April of 1935 to compete in the US national men's downhill and slalom competition. He finished the competition by winning both events as well as the combined. A member of the European ski racing elite, he was the holder of 87 European titles when he came to the US. He remained to become the director of the Badger Pass resort in Yosemite. In 1937, he and an Austrian copatriot purchased 696 acres at Donner Summit in California. The pair, with a group of investors including Walt Disney, developed the Sugar Bowl resort and ski area. But Tacoma will always remember him best as the Wild Man who yodeled as he hurtled down the mountain at 75 mph. (TT, TNT, TDL 4/12-15, 1935)

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Schroll, Hannes;

ca. 1939. Hockey players performing drills at Lakewood Ice Arena circa 1939. One player is down on ice with puck under him; Griffin Fuel Company player above him with stick raised.

Ice hockey players--Lakewood; Ice hockey--Lakewood--1930-1940; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood);

ca. 1939. Three female skiers at Mount Rainier, possibly Annie Wright students. They are tentatively identified as, left to right, Anne Chapman of Tacoma, Marie Eckstrom of Tacoma and an unidentified skier.

Skiers--1930-1940; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Three female skiers at Mount Rainier, possibly Annie Wright students. They are tentatively identified as, left to right, Anne Chapman of Tacoma, Marie Eckstrom of Tacoma and an unidentified skier.

Skiers--1930-1940; Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940;

ca. 1939. Three Roy news carriers enjoy a day on skis in the snow. Fir trees in background are heavily laden with snow. (T. Times)

Skiers--1930-1940; Snow; Newspaper carriers--Roy;

Standing in stark contrast with the white snow, a large group of skiers are pictured outside the lodge at Paradise where the February, 1938, ski races and winter carnival are being held. This would be the seventh annual Tacoma winter sports carnival of ski races held at Paradise Valley. Olympian Don Fraser and Virginia Bowden (Boden), both of Seattle, would be the respective men's and women's slalom champions. Thousands of spectators and skiers would enjoy not only the races of varying categories, but also exhibition skiing by Austrian Otto Lang, skiing under floodlights, and a free carnival dance. Trophies and prizes would be awarded the victors. (T.Times 2-14-38, p. 1, 11)

Skiers; Athletes;

Ski races at Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier National Park. Spectators wait for the February 13, 1938, races to begin, surrounded by the scenic, snow-covered valley, lodges and mountains. The events were expected to attract 5000 skiers and spectators from all over the Pacific Northwest. Eventual winners of the open slalom races would be Don Fraser in the men's category for the second straight time and University of Washington student Virginia Bowden (Boden) in the women's. Future Olympic gold medalist Gretchen Kunigk (later Fraser) would vacate her Carnival Queen throne to place 5th.

Skiers; Athletes;

February, 1938, ski races and winter carnival at Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier National Park. A long line of skiers gather near the lodge. Trees and lodge roof are laden with fresh snow. 5000 skiers and spectators were expected to gather for the seventh annual Tacoma Winter Sports Carnival held during two days in February, 1938. Besides races for different abilities, there was exhibition skiing and skiing under floodlights.

Skiers; Snow;

On March 27, 1938, the Silver Skis race was cancelled due to a 60 mile an hour gale wind whipping snow particles into the skiers' faces above McClure's Rock on Mt. Rainier. It was a second year in a row that the race was cancelled and its future did not look promising. A near record crowd of 8,000 settled in to watch an exhibition slalom race that promoters put together as a substitute, as well as stunt antics of some of the ski stars on a special jump. The Silver Skis was a grueling race that required skiers to trek by foot at daybreak up to Camp Muir, 10,000 feet above sea level, and ski down. The survivor with the best time won. (T.Times, 3/28/1938, p.1).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Paradise Inn (Wash.); Skiers; Winter sports;

Burr Anderson, promising new skier, skis over crest of hill at Mount Rainier. Mountaintop in distance. (T.Times 1/18/1939, p. 7).

Skiing--Tacoma; Skiers; Anderson, Burr; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Hockey season closed with Griffin Fuel finishing first against Alt Heidelberg at Lakewood Ice Arena. L to r: Fred Kislingbury, arena manager, Captain Bill Anderson, Wenatchee Apple Queen Lois Ross and Norton Clapp. (T. Times, 4/20/1939, p. 14)

Ice hockey--Lakewood--1930-1940; Ice hockey players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Griffin Fuel Co. (Tacoma); Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Kislingbury, Fred; Anderson, Bill; Ross, Lois; Clapp, Norton, 1906-1995;

Peter Radacher, of Salzburg and Sun Valley, starts through the slalom gate during an exhibition run April 16, 1939 following the previous day's Silver Skis race. Mr. Radacher had won the previous day's race. His time in the slalom was also the tops in the field. (T. Times, 4/17/1939, p. 11).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Skiers; Winter sports; Radacher, Peter;

A large group of competitors at the Pacific Northwest Archery Association's 13th Annual Tournament held on August 5-6, 1939 at the Jefferson Park archery range posed behind a line of trophies. Sixty competitors vied for the Northwest title, with Mr. and Mrs. Pat Chambers of Portland taking home most of the men's and women's trophies. Tacoma youngsters Sonny Johns and Dorothy Axtelle won the Junior titles. Sonny Johns was a former state junior champion. (TNT 8/7/1939, pg. 11-article on results)

Archery--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bows (Archery); Awards; Johns, Sonny; Axtelle, Dorothy; Pacific Northwest Archery Association (Tacoma);

The 13th Annual Pacific Northwest Archery Association Tournament was held in Jefferson Park on Saturday and Sunday, August 5-6, 1939. This unidentified shooter is taking part in the flight shoot, an event where the objective is to achieve the furthest distance.

Archery--Tacoma--1930-1940; Bows (Archery); Pacific Northwest Archery Association (Tacoma);

Hoyt, Pat at Ice Arena. Pat Hoyt was one of Tacoma's skating stars in 1944. Photo taken at the Lakewood Ice Arena, Tacoma's only ice skating rink.

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Hoyt, Pat;

Gretchen Fraser points out her name in the decorations during a Tacoma Athletic Commission reception in honor of her victory at the 1948 Winter Olympics. Husband Don Fraser, a former Olympian, is to her right in this April 5, 1948, photo. Gretchen, the daughter of W.A. and Clara Kunigk, was also welcomed back home as she rode in the weekend's Daffodil Parade. She had won both gold and silver medals in Alpine during the Winter Olympics which were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. ALBUM 9.

Athletes; Skiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fraser, Gretchen Kunigk, 1919-1994; Fraser, Don, 1914-1994; Celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Flower arrangements;