Changing of the guard at the T.A.C. The presidential gravel exchanges hands on January 4, 1968, as new officers of the Tacoma Athletic Commission are announced. Stan Naccarato, seated left, accepts the gravel from outgoing president Tom Cross while Howie Krewson looks on. Standing and observing are : (L-R) Treasurer Joe Macaluso, Secretary Robert Nelsen, Third v.p. - Bill Rohrs and Second v.p., Hal Brotman. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Athletic Commission. (TNT 1-7-68, B15)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Naccarato, Stan; Cross, Tom; Krewson, Howard; Macaluso, Joe; Nelsen, Robert; Rohrs, Bill; Brotman, Hal;

Six new officers of the Tacoma Athletic Commission posed for a group portrait at TAC headquarters on December 30, 1969. Included in the group are: President Hal Brotman and Frank Ruffo (front); Hank Semmern, Tom Paine, Dick Greco and Forrest Rodgers (standing). Photograph ordered by Tacoma Athletic Commission.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Brotman, Hal; Ruffo, Frank; Greco, Dick; Rodgers, Forrest; Paine, Tom; Semmern, Hank;

University of Washington quarterback extraordinaire Sonny Sixkiller visited Tacoma Athletic Commission headquarters, 735 Commerce St., on December 3, 1970. The T.A.C. official standing next to Mr. Sixkiller has not been identified. A sophomore from Ashland, Oregon, Mr. Sixkiller was a full blooded Cherokee. Never highly recruited by Oregon schools because of his (then) size, Mr. Sixkiller would finish his season as the country's #1 passer. His teammates, Rank Baty, Ace Bulger and Rick Huget (pictured in D159368, image 8) accompanied him to Tacoma. The UW rebounded from a dismal 1-9 record the year before to finish at 6-4, including a crushing 61-20 defeat of the UCLA Bruins. Mr. Sixkiller's passing became the Dawgs' chief offensive weapon. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. (TNT 12-8-70, p. 16 - article)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Sixkiller, Sonny;

T.A.C. officials and guests. Husky quarterback Sonny Sixkiller (back row, third from right) and three of his teammates paid a visit to the Tacoma Athletic Commission on December 3, 1970. T.A.C. members seated (left to right) are: Hank Semmern, Tom Paine, professional golfer Ken Still, and president Hal Brotman. Forrest Rodgers (extreme right) is in the back row along with Sonny Sixkiller and his teammates. Teammates Rank Baty, Ace Bulger and Rick Huget are all graduates of Washington high schools. (teammates order unknown) Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission. (TNT article 12-8-70, p. 16)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Sixkiller, Sonny; Semmern, Hank; Paine, Tom; Still, Ken; Brotman, Hal; Rodgers, Forrest; Baty, Rank; Bulger, Ace; Huget, Rick;

Annual installation of new officers of the Tacoma Athletic Commission occurred on January 19, 1973. The six board members posed for a group portrait above; all but one wore their jackets with the commission's emblem. Photograph ordered by the Tacoma Athletic Commission.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma);

Tacoma Schwingfest. "Crown Girls," a group of young women wearing formal gowns and sashes, pose proudly with a group of wrestlers proficient in the art of Schwingen, or Swiss Wrestling, in August of 1937. Most of the men are wearing traditional laurels on their heads. Martin Betschart holds the Swiss flag on a stage decorated with stars, scrolls, and art deco motif. Front row is (youth) Champion Buebe Schwinger Al Burgener. "Crown Girls" (L-R) Mary Keller, Alice Widmer, Lena Jelasich, Ida Fassbind, Evelyn Bucher, Louise Query, Martha Muller, Ruby Etter, Ann Schnider. Schwingers are (L-R): Frank Betschart, Al Ming, Sr., Adolph Imhof, Karl Kessler, Eugene Weber, Max Holenstein, Robert Spichtig, Ben Holdener, John Balmer. Musicians in next row are: (L-R): Charlie Steiner, Joe Burgi, Ed Schwarzenberger, Egon Schmidt. At the top are: (L-R): unidentified, Al Bacher, Martin Betschart. (Swiss Sportsmen's Club of Tacoma: p. 17)

Wrestling--Tacoma--1930-1940; Swiss Americans--Tacoma; Ethnic groups--Tacoma; Tacoma Schwinger Club (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;

Hoyt, Pat at Ice Arena. The talented Pat Hoyt was one of Tacoma's skating stars in 1944. Photo was taken at the Lakewood Ice Arena, Tacoma's only ice skating rink.TPL-7768

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

Metropolitan Park District announced that the playgrounds were officially opened for Summer. Many recreational and educational activities have been planned. View of playground leaders and supervisors for Tacoma Parks. Names appear in newspaper (T. Times, 6/19/46, p. 3).

Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Physical education--Tacoma; Tacoma Metropolitan Park District (Tacoma);

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;

In April of 1935, Paradise at Mount Rainier was home to the US national alpine championships in the downhill and slalom. Most of the competitors were also vying for positions of the 1936 Olympic ski team. Spectators hiked an average of two miles one way in 12-20 foot snow to view the events. They also did a little skiing of their own. Skiers were photographed skiing off the roof of a snow-covered Paradise Lodge. Several groups of skis and ski poles have been placed on-end in the snow. Stock negative.

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

Richard (Dick) Durrance, head of the formidable Dartmouth ski team, finished second in combined points at the National Mens final in the downhill and the slalom held April 13-14, 1943 at Paradise, Mount Rainier. The precision skier was favored to win in the slalom, but took a fall trying to equal the speed of fellow competitor Hannes Schroll and finished third. The competition was also a trial for the US Olympic team for the 1936 games in Germany. Durrance was named to the team and finished 8th in slalom and 11th in downhill. During his career, he was a 17 time national champion and was one of the first Americans to compete successfully with the Europeans. Following World War II, he managed the Aspen Ski Corporation and put Aspen on the map by making it the site of the 1950 World Championships. He died June 13, 2004. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Durrance, Richard;

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;

Hannes Schroll, the madman of the Alps, threw all caution to the wind and won the National Men's Championship in downhill and slalom in a burst of speed. The contest was held April 13-14, 1935 at Paradise, Mount Rainier, and it was the greatest sporting event ever held in the Northwest. Austrian Schroll was already the holder of 87 European titles before winning the downhill, slalom and combined at Paradise. He travelled a blazing 75 mph on his wooden skis, startling spectators as he zoomed out of the fog yodeling and waving his Alpine hat. The 25 year old skier also ran a tourist bureau in Austria and did guide work in the Alps. He stayed in the US to act as director of the ski resort at Badger Pass in Yosemite. In 1937, he went in with a number of investors to purchase 696 acres at Donner Summit in California. This area became the Sugar Bowl ski resort. Stock negative.

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

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;

This is a close-up of Tacoma skiers Ethlynne "Skit" Smith (later Babson) at left and Ellis-Ayr Smith. The Tacoma sisters dominated the first women's national downhill and slalom competition held at Paradise, Mount Rainier, on April 13-14, 1935. Ellis-Ayr won the downhill with her sister taking the win in slalom. The girls had been skiing about two years at this time and were members of the Washington Ski Club. They resided with their mother at 3012 North 16th Street in Tacoma. At the 1936 Winter Olympic Games at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Ellis-Ayr was a member of the United States team but did not compete. Stock negative.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Athletes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Babson, Ethlynne; Smith, Ethlynne; Smith, Ellis-Ayr; Families--Tacoma--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;

In April of 1935, Paradise on Mount Rainier was home to the national downhill and slalom competitions. This was the first time that this major skiing event had ever been held in the west. Seventy skiers were scheduled to compete. The flags of four of the competing nations waved proudly above the snow. They are the flags of, left to right, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States.The men's alpine competition was won by Austrian Hannes Schroll who delighted the crowd of spectators by yodeling as he sped down the course. Stock negative.

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

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 sisters Ellis-Ayr (left) and Ethlynne ("Skit") Smith (later Babson) smile broadly for the camera on April 14, 1935 after winning the first ever Women's Downhill and Slalom national titles. The national championships were held for the first time in the west April 13-14 at Mount Rainier's Paradise Valley. The competition was also part of the trials for the 1936 Olympic team but at that time women did not compete in the Olympics in either event. The sisters, who had only been skiing for a couple of years, had attended Stadium High School, the University of Washington and were members of the Washington Ski Club. (T. Times, TNT, TDL 4/12-15, 1935)

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Athletes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Babson, Ethlynne; Smith, Ethlynne; Smith, Ellis-Ayr; Families--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Tacoma sisters Ellis-Ayr (left) and Ethlynne "Skit" Smith posed for photographers on Mount Rainier on April 14, 1935 after winning the first ever women's National championships in downhill (Ellis-Ayr) and slalom (Skit) on April 13-14. The two day national competition, held at Paradise on Mt. Rainier, attracted skiers from throughout the United States and Canada and from several European countries including Switzerland and the Netherlands. The pair had only been skiing a couple of years but were devoted to the sport. They skied every weekend by hiking up Mount Rainier to the glaciers where there was snow year round. The all around athletes also rode horses, played tennis and golf, and swam. (TNT 4/15/1935, pg. 1) TPL-9424

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Athletes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Babson, Ethelynn; Smith, Ellis-Ayr;

Ethlynne (Skit) Smith, a light dusting of snow on her hair and clothes, posed for the camera during the first ever Women's National Championships in downhill and slalom held at Mount Rainier April 13-14, 1935. "Skit," 23 years old, would triumph and become the first woman national champ in the slalom. She and her sister Ellis-Ayr, who won the downhill, had been skiing about two years. The pair had graduated from Stadium High School, where Skit had earned her nickname by writing a humor column for the school newspaper. She later married and continued to win ski races under the name Skit Babson.

Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Athletes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiing--Tournaments--1930-1940; Babson, Ethlynne;

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. 1936. Skiers waiting in line and watching a skier maneuver through the snow. Flags mark the ski trail.

Sports - Winter Sports - Skiing

Tommy Gibbons, the former heavyweight title contender from St. Paul, Minnesota who went 15 rounds with Jack Dempsey on July 4, 1923, visited the Tacoma Boys Club in April of 1947. He spent some time with the boys giving them boxing tips and signing boxing gloves. Gibbons, the 13-year Sheriff of Ramsey County, Minnesota, had long been interested in boys club activity. He had stopped in Tacoma on his way home from touring the West Coast. He was trying to sway the 1951 American Bowling Congress to St. Paul, Minnesota. The boys in the photograph were not identified in the newspaper articles. (T.Times, 4-30-47, p. 13-article; T. Times, 5/1/47, p. 18-article on visit to Tacoma).

Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Children--Clubs--Tacoma; Publicity photographs; Tacoma Boys' Club (Tacoma); Boxing--Tacoma; Gibbons, Tommy;

Tommy Gibbons is back in the ring, only this time he is giving the boys at the Tacoma Boys Club boxing tips. Gibbons is now the Sheriff of Ramsey County, Minnesota and is very active in aiding to prevent juvenile delinquency. Tommy's stop in Tacoma was one of many throughout the West Coast, he was campaigning to get support for the 1951 National Bowling Congress (T. Times, 5/1/47, p. 18).

Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Children--Clubs--Tacoma; Publicity photographs; Tacoma Boys' Club (Tacoma); Boxing--Tacoma; Gibbons, Tommy;

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);