ca. 1935. Naubert's baseball team. Eleven baseball players and bat boy posed for team portrait at baseball field.

Sports - Ball Games - Baseball - Team Portraits

Exterior of the Lakewood Ice Arena. Lakewood industrialist Norton Clapp purchased the old Oakes dance pavilion on the shores of Steilacoom Lake in 1936, largely due to his wife's interest in ice skating. After two years as a private party place, it was remodeled to resemble a Swiss mountain chalet and opened to the public in 1938. It had parking space for 500, an attractive glass enclosed "Wirtschaft" (snack bar) and spectator seating for 600. The opening crowds were so large that the opening went on for 2 days. Over the years, the Lakewood Ice Arena became known as the "Home of Champions" due to the large number of world class figure skaters that its club produced. In 1974, the building was closed temporarily as a fire hazard. On Oct 1, 1982, the roof and the west wall collapsed; a few months later the building was demolished. ("History of Figure Skating in Pierce County, Lakewood Arena") TPL-9322

Ice skating--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Lakewood Figure Skating Club (Lakewood); Ice skating rinks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors Lakewood Ice Arena. Several young skaters and what appear to be instructors watch while a more experienced skater makes a graceful curve on a thin blade of steel. The building formerly known as the Oakes Ballroom and briefly as the Towers was purchased by developer Norton Clapp, future Weyerhaeuser chairman, in 1936 and converted into the Ice Arena in 1938. The building was remodeled to resemble a Swiss chalet with murals on the walls and a draped ceiling approximating clouds. The Lakewood Figure Skating Club at the Ice Arena produced many champions through the years. The building itself however went through some trying times. In 1948, the roof collapsed and the building had to be restored. There was a major remodel in 1959 and in 1974 a temporary closure by the fire marshalls. In October of 1982, the roof caved in once more, forcing the demolition of the historic building. ("History of Figure Skating in Pierce County, Lakewood Arena")

Ice skating--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Lakewood Figure Skating Club (Lakewood); Ice skating rinks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Exteriors of the Lakewood Ice Arena. Perched on the shores of Steilacoom Lake, the facility had once been the ballroom for the Oakes Pavilion, which also offered a water stadium for competitive swimming where the tryouts for the American Olympic team were held in the mid twenties. After a brief stint as the Towers, a nightclub, the frame building was purchased by developer Norton Clapp in 1936. In 1938, at the urging of his wife who was a fan of ice skating, the building was remodeled into the Lakewood Ice Arena. The lake area around the club was still available for summer swimming and the Figure Skating Club even kept a dock and float available for members. The Arena was demolished in 1982 and replaced by lakeshore condominiums. ("History of Figure Skating in Pierce County, Lakewood Arena") TPL-5672

Ice skating--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Lakewood Figure Skating Club (Lakewood); Ice skating rinks--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lake Steilacoom (Wash.);

Interiors of the Lakewood Ice Arena. An instructor ties his skates surrounded by smiling young students. Although the home of several competitive skaters, the rink also offered affordable lessons to children and adults at all skating levels from beginners on up. Public free skating time was also available and if you didn't own your own skates, they could be rented. ("History of Figure Skating in Pierce County, Lakewood Arena")

Ice skating--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Lakewood Figure Skating Club (Lakewood); Ice skating rinks--Tacoma--1950-1960;

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;

Washington Hardware Juniors Baseball team. By the middle of July of 1940, the eleven teams of the Junior League were going into the second half of their playoffs with Washington Hardware near the top with 2 wins and no losses. (T.Times 7/16/40, pg. 11)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Washington Hardware Co. (Tacoma);

ca. 1935. Alt Heidelberg football team at play. Wooden bleachers and fence are in the background. Neighborhood buildings and a church steeple are in view. Alt Heidelberg was a beer manufactured at Columbia Breweries in Tacoma.

Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

ca. 1935. Alt Heidelberg football team at play. They are playing on a field with wooden bleachers and fence in background. Neighborhood buildings and a church steeple are in view. Alt Heidelberg was the name of a brew manufactured by Columbia Breweries in Tacoma and many of the company sponsored teams sported that name.

Football--Tacoma--1930-1940; Football players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Brewing industry--Tacoma--1930-1940; Columbia Breweries, Inc. (Tacoma)--1930-1940;

Back of Photo:
Cheney Baseball Stadium

Back of Photo:
Cheney Baseball Stadium

Back of Photo:
Cheney Stadium
Photograph by Bruce Larson

Back of Photo:
Cheney Baseball Stadium
Dedication

Back of Photo:
Cheney Stadium
Kellman

ca. 1946. Sydney Carr was photographed standing next to one of his midget racers circa 1946. Sydney Carr and Robert Ormsby were the owner-operators of the Carr and Ormsby Transportation Co. at 617 East 11th. Mr. Carr, an avid midget-auto racing enthusiast, moved to Tacoma from Pennsylvania in the early 1930s. He owned several midget race cars and served as president of the Midget Racing Association. (Courtesy of the Cammarano Collection)

Carr, Sydney; Racing automobiles--1940-1950;

ca. 1946. Allen Heath behind the wheel of Tom Carstens' 1946 KurticKraft Ford V860 midget racecar. Heath was the Washington State Champion in 1946 and 1947. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1991. His career lasted into the '60s, even more remarkably because he drove with a "hook," having lost a hand in a 1953 accident. The Saskatchewan-born Heath also drove sprint cars and was noted as a tough competitor. (National Midget Racing Hall of Fame)

Heath, Allen; Racing automobiles--1940-1950; Automobile racing--1940-1950;

ca. 1946. Typical race at Tacoma track in the 1940s after WWII. These appear to be midget racers and the location thought to be Athletic Park, South 14th & Ferry. Races were held there every Saturday night starting in late April which drew drivers as far away as California. Prices were kept reasonable at $1.50 general admission, reserved seats $2.00 and kids under 12 a mere 75 cents. (Courtesy of the Cammarano Collection)

Automobile racing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Racing automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

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;

This photographic copy of a photograph shows the Tacoma Electrochemical Company's baseball team, 1934 Commercial League Champions, even though some of the players are wearing shirts with other company names such as the player second from the left, front row,and the player behind him with the name "Cammarano" on their shirts. The names of the players have been added to the photograph: L-R, back row, Oscar Larson, Bill Otto, Charles Cooper, Vic Krause, Harold Larson, Kordial Larson, and L. Hodge, Sec-Treas, Commercial League; front row, Otto Larson, Henry Thaut, Orlin Krembill, Dave Williams, president, Commercial League, E.C. Mace, team manager, Vic Hauglund, Jerry Cecchi, and Lisle Zodtner. Tacoma Electrochemical Company became a part of Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company of Washington.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1930-1940; Tacoma Electrochemical Co. (Tacoma);

Copy of customer's print. Ben Cheney, baseball aficionado, with San Francisco Giants catcher, Tom Haller, during 1963 spring training in Tucson, Arizona. Cheney is wearing a San Francisco Giants uniform while Haller sports his catcher's protective gear. Ben Cheney at that time was the owner of the Tacoma Giants, minor league club affiliate of the S.F. Giants. He enjoyed going to the Big League's spring training in Arizona. Tom Haller would play in the Big Leagues for 12 years, be an All-Star, and later return to the San Francisco Giants as a coach and executive. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Haller, Tom, 1937-2004; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

ca. 1964. Compilation of articles on the Cheney Studs Courteers; copy made from customer's negative. These Tacoma youngsters, sponsored by lumberman Ben Cheney, were roving basketball ambassadors in the 1960's. Aged 11-15, and small in built, they were known for their basketball wizardry, especially their precision dribbling. George Brown and Ricky Stewart were two boys highlighted in the Medford, Oregon and Tacoma News Tribune's articles. There were also group pictures of the Courteers, including one where they are dressed in suit and tie, clutching small trophies. Photograph ordered on May 4, 1967, by Cheney Lumber Co.

Basketball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Basketball players--Tacoma--1960-1970;

Tacoma Giants owner Ben Cheney with catcher Tom Haller during a March, 1963, spring training visit to the Tacoma team's parent club, the San Francisco Giants. The S.F. Giants were the defending National League champions and conducted spring training in Arizona. Tom Haller broke in with the S.F. Giants in 1961 and stayed with them through the 1967 season. He then was a Los Angeles Dodger from 1968-1971 before ending his career with the Detroit Tigers in 1972. Statistics indicate that he played a total of 1,294 games during his 12 year career with a batting average of .257. The tall (6'4") Haller was a former quarterback for the University of Illinois. ALBUM 9.

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Haller, Tom, 1937-2004; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

Tacoma Giants owner Ben Cheney during a March, 1963, Arizona spring training visit to the Tacoma team's parent club, the San Francisco Giants. Mr. Cheney, second from the right, smiles broadly at the camera. The other man in Giants uniform is S.F. Giants manager Alvin Dark. Mr. Dark was the 1948 Rookie of the Year and would go on to skipper the Oakland A's, leading them to a World Series title in 1974. At the far left is W.D. "Rosy" Ryan, general manager of the Tacoma Giants and next to him, famous screwball pitcher and Hall-of-Famer Carl Hubbell, director of the farm system for the San Francisco Giants. At the start of the 1963 season, the San Francisco Giants were the defending National League champions. ALBUM 9. (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Baseball players--Arizona --1960-1970; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco); Dark, Alvin; Hubbell, Carl; Ryan, W.D.;

Same as C137871-1 without Studs logo in upper left corner. Local lumberman and philanthropist Ben Cheney has donned a Giants uniform; he is standing next to baseball star Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants. Mr. Cheney had journeyed to Arizona in March, 1963, and was present during the Giants' spring training. He was the owner of the Tacoma Giants, minor league affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The picture with Willie Mays may have been taken in late March, 1963, when the two teams played an exhibition game. Mr. Cheney was permitted to act as first base coach for the Big League team for a couple innings. The minor league Tacoma Giants swatted their Big Brothers 10-9 with a thrilling come-from-behind ninth inning. ALBUM 9. TPL-1399 (TNT 3-28-63, B-5)

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Mays, Willie, 1931-; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

Tacoma Giants owner Ben Cheney with future Hall of Famer Willie Mays during a late March, 1963, spring training visit to the Tacoma team's parent club, the San Francisco Giants. The Big League Giants played spring ball in Arizona. The Tacoma team also took their spring training in Arizona in the Casa Grande area. This photograph may have been taken on March 27, 1963, as Mr. Cheney's team took on their Big Brothers in a thrilling slugfest. The Tacoma Giants staged a 7-run rally in the ninth inning to edge the parent San Francisco Giants 10-9. Mr. Cheney put on a suit and served as first base coach for the Big Club for a couple of innings. He was reportedly in a state of exultation over "his" team's victory. ALBUM 9. (TNT 3-28-63, B-5)

Baseball players--Arizona--1960-1970; Mays, Willie, 1931-; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; San Francisco Giants (San Francisco);

ca. 1960. Customer's print. Ben Cheney, standing far left, proudly poses with his Cheney Studs, World's Amateur Champions for 1960. The baseball team was awarded the Quaker Oats trophy for a 50-game winning season. Each member, including the batboy, holds a miniature version of the trophy. The Studs, Seattle division, defeated Detroit 3-1 in Battle Creek, Michigan, on Tacoman Earl Hyder's home run , to capture the national American Amateur Baseball Congress title on September 21, 1960. (TNT 9-22-60, D-6)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Awards; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971;

ca. 1928. A copy of this photograph was ordered in October of 1958 by the Cheney Lumber Co. In the photograph, the members of the "Decimo Club" posed in their basketball uniforms. It appears to date from around 1928; the "Decimo" Club participated in the City League basketball league that year. The player holding the basketball in the front row is believed to be Ben Cheney. In 1924, Mr. Cheney arrived in Tacoma from South Bend at the age of 19. He loved sports and participated in several, including basketball. He drew a cartoon for his 1920 South Bend High School yearbook of himself dreaming of basketball glory, but at 5'8" tall he did not play varsity basketball. His true skill was in business. In 1936, he bought his first lumber mill and began building the empire that became the internationally known Cheney Lumber Co. He donated generously to allow local children to have the opportunity to participate in sports. Ben Cheney died in 1971. (The Ben Cheney Story by Med Nicholson, The Sou'wester, Fall 2000)

Basketball players--Tacoma;

ca. 1958. Additional work had been done on C116559, image 1, to improve appearance of players manually added to the team's roster. This was the South End Boys Club baseball team sponsored by Stamey Insurance in 1958. They played in the Junior League of Metro Park's baseball program. Three boys apparently were not present at the time of the original photograph; the Richards Studio then cut and pasted their images into the group shot. Photograph ordered by Ben Cheney.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Baseball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Stamey Insurance, Inc. (Tacoma);

This South End Boys Club baseball team was sponsored by Stamey Insurance. Mr. and Mrs. Stamey and two additional coaches, Chris Matz and Dick Palamidessi, posed with the players in the summer of 1958. They played in the Junior League of Metro Park's baseball program. This was believed to be the original group portrait; see C116559-1 for touched-up version when three boys, who were probably missing the day of the photograph, had their pictures cut and pasted into the group shot. From L-R in the front row: Curtis Stamey, Dennis Waltier, Frank Hahn, Allen Burmester, Russ Fagering and Mike Endicott. In the back row, L-R: Chris Matz, Dick Palamidessi, Chris Schmidt, Bob Gagnon, Darrell Matz, Bruce Nichols and Mr. and Mrs. Stamey. Photograph ordered by Harold Stamey.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Teenagers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Stamey Insurance, Inc. (Tacoma); Stamey, Harold; Stamey, Curtis;

The Harold Stamey Insurance Agency sponsored several youth baseball teams in the 1950's. This group of boys played out of the South End Boys Club in the Metro Parks Junior League division in the summer of 1958. Standing with the players are Mr. and Mrs. Stamey and two other adults, Chris Matz and Dick Palamidessi, who were probably coaches. The striking note about this group picture is that three boys' pictures were cut and pasted into the group shot: Elvin La Coursiere and Gene Rasmussen on both ends of kneeling row and Tom Bishop, fourth from the right in the rear. The names of the Stamey Insurance team were listed at the bottom of the team photo: Front row (L-R): Elvin La Coursiere, Curtis Stamey, Dennis Waliter, Frank Hahn, Allen Burmester, Russ Fagering, Mike Endicott and Gene Rasmussen. Back row (L-R): Chris Matz, Dick Palamidessi, Chris Schmidt, Bob Gagnon, Darrell Matz, Tom Bishop, Bruce Nichols, Mrs. Harold Stamey, Harold Stamey. The Stamey team edged the East Side Boys Club 5-4 to wrap up the Junior South boys baseball title that summer. Pitchers Rasmussen and Nichols combined for a two-hitter. Photograph ordered by Harold Stamey. (TNT 8-1-58, p. 20)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Teenagers--1950-1960; Stamey Insurance, Inc. (Tacoma); Stamey, Harold; Stamey, Curtis;