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;

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;

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);

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.);

All eyes properly follow the puck as it seems to be heading past the goalie toward the open net in this February, 1953, photograph. The goalie is on his knees in front of the net as a member of I.O.O.F. 232 completes his shot. Several players have lost their footing and are resting on the ice. This scrimmage or game apparently took place at the Arena on South Union Avenue. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma;

Even young hockey players get bumped and bruised and deserve a massage. Here a trainer or coach rubs some liniment onto the boy's back while a teammate looks on in this 1953 photograph. The player is lying on a thin mattress placed on a long table in the team's dressing room; uniforms and equipment are hanging from cubicles. Photograph ordered by Allen Goldfin.

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Ice hockey players--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Massage;

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;

Rodella Hockom placed the crown on Snow Queen Maurita Shank's head on January 30, 1937 during the 6th Annual Tacoma Winter Sports Carnival at Paradise, Mt. Rainier Park. Standing with Queen Maurita are her ladies in waiting Mary Brockhoff (L) and Billie Woodruff. Snow fell all day on the 30th, hampering attendance at the Carnival, but delighting the Queen and her Court who only paused in their skiing long enough for this informal crowning. The official coronation never took place. The 133 inches of snow on the ground at Paradise made for great skiing, but hazardous driving and festival participants only numbered about 2500. (T.Times 2/1/1937, pg. 1)

Skiers; Shank, Maurita; Hockom, Rodella; Brockhoff, Mary; Woodruff, Billie; Events--Tacoma; Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.);

Winter skiing at Mount Rainier Park. View of mountain, trees, skiers, and glimpse of Paradise Lodge. (T.Times 1/28/1937)

Skiing; Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.);

Two girls in ski rental shop at Paradise, Mount Rainier Park. (T.Times).

Skiing; Mount Rainier National Park (Wash.);

This is a publicity photograph for the 1941 Silver Skis Race held on Mt. Rainier. The Silver Skis competition began in 1934. The mens downhill couse was 3.6 miles. It began at Camp Muir and decended to Edith Creek basin. The shorter womens couse started at McClure Rock. The 1941 race attracted 39 men and 17 women. The weather on the day of the race was so bad, and the conditions so hazardous, that the officials moved the mens starting point down from Camp Muir at 10,000 ft. to Little Africa at 8,695. Even with this change, the winning skier, Bill Taylor of Tacoma, fell four times and took 4 minutes and 51.4 seconds to complete the couse. Shirley McDonald, also of Tacoma, won the womens race. (T. Times 04/06/1941)

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1940-1950; Paradise Inn (Wash.); Skiers; Winter sports;

Pictures taken at the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl of a ski meet. An ambitious unidentified skier soars over the stands holding the press members at the meet. All eyes were turned to the Northwest when Norwegian skier Torger Tokle broke his own ski jump record to set a new North American one of 288 feet. (T. Times 3/3/1941, pg. 10)

Skiers--1940-1950; Snoqualmie Ski Bowl (Snoqualmie);

Second Army Air Corps Basketball Team. Ten players in uniform, coach in Air Corps Lieutenant's uniform. They were likely a Pierce County Inter-League team.

Sports - Ball Games - Basketball Military Personnel - Army Air Corps

Ice Skater Patsy Baker and the Bob Richards demonstrating how to pose inside of the studio.

ca. 1939. Two female skiers pose at Mount Rainier. TPL-6170

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

A skier races through the course between two flagged poles. The poles mark the route of the exhibition slalom race on Mount Rainier. The race was substituted for the anticipated Silver Skis, which was cancelled due to gale force winds at the higher elevations. Hjalmar Hvam of Portland won the men's race. Tacoma's own Gretchen Kunigk won the women's race. (T, Times, 3/28/1938, p.1).

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

An unidentified racer crouches down on his skis as he speeds between two flagged poles on the course of a downhill race on Mount Rainier. The race was substituted for the cancelled Silver Skis. The Silver Skis was a grueling race that required participants to trek at daybreak up Mt. Rainier to Camp Muir, 10,000 feet above sea level, and ski down. In 1938, the race was cancelled due to poor weather conditions for the second year in a row.(T.Times, 3/28/1938, p.1).

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

A long line of skiers attending the Silver Skis downhill race at Mount Rainier. The record crowd of 8,000 was disappointed when the skiers had to turn back at 9600 feet due to 60 mph winds. The race was postponed indefinitely and a exhibition slalom race was offered instead. (T. Times 3/23/1938, p.1).

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

Silver Skis downhill race at Mount Rainier. Nine skiers relax inside the lodge at Paradise. (T.Times, 3/28/1938, p.1).

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

When the 1938 Silver Skis race was cancelled on March 27th, due to adverse weather conditions for the second year in a row, promoters quickly organized alternate entertainment for the near record crowd. Ski stars already on hand for the race were given the opportunity to show off special stunts on a ski jump. Here one unidentified skier performs a flip to the amazement of a line of spectators. The Silver Skis was a grueling race that required participants to trek at daybreak up Mt. Rainier to Camp Muir, 10,000 feet above sea level, and ski down. ( (T.Times, 3/28/1938, p.1).

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

In January 1939, Paul (Sonny) Sceva, Jr., of Tacoma, was a member of the Pacific Coast ski champs, the Washington Huskies. At that time, he was one of the top skiers in the Pacific Northwest. He had won the Silver Skies race on Mt. Rainier in 1934, and was a reserve member on the U.S. Olympic ski team in Europe in 1937. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1941, and was a general contractor in Spokane from 1949-1970. Paul Sceva, Jr. died August 18, 1996 in Spokane. (T.Times, 1/18/1939, p. 7)

Skiing--Tacoma; Ski jumping--Tacoma; Skiers; Sceva, Paul; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

In another view, Paul (Sonny) Sceva, Tacoma member of Pacific Coast ski champions, the Washington Huskies, skis are horizontally tight as he goes through air after jump. Sceva appears to be above the top of Mount Rainier. (T. Times, 1/18/1939, p. 7).

Skiing--Tacoma; Ski jumping--Tacoma; Skiers; Sceva, Paul; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Playground recreation directors, left to right: Elsie Harper, Margaret Brown, Betty Worden, Sigrid Bergerson and Petie Hagala hold examples of 96 gold, silver, and bronze finish medals awarded at the First annual Bicycle Race Meet and Parade held August 5, 1938, primarily in the Stadium Bowl. The contest was sponsored jointly by the Tacoma Times and the Parks Recreation Department of the Metropolitan Park District. (T. Times 8/3/1938, p. 1).

Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Tacoma Metropolitan Park District (Tacoma); Harper, Elsie; Brown, Margaret; Worden, Betty; Bergerson, Sigrid; Hagala, Petie; Medals;

Harry Bernie holding the trophy, and 1938-1939 Ice Hockey Champions, Griffin Fuel ice hockey team's eight players, at Lakewood Ice Arena. From left to right: Unidentified, Jim Kotas, Art "Archie" Swanson, Bill Gribble, Bill Anderson, Ed Swanson, Chuck Negali and Morley Barnard. Peering out between the legs of Ed Swanson is his father, Ed Swanson, Sr. (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);

Scenes from the April 16, 1939 ski exhibition following the Silver Ski race the previous day at Mount Rainier' s Paradise Valley. A skier somersaults through the air on the race course, catching the attention of spectators watching from behind the rope line. (T. Times 4/17/1939, p. 11).

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

Reidar Anderson, Norway's great jumper, takes flight high above the crowd, arms and legs held stiffly for balance, during the exhibition held Sunday April 16, 1939. The exhibition was held the day after Mt. Rainier's famous Silver Skis endurance and speed race. The Norwegian skier takes off on a small jump, thrilling the observing crowd. (T. Times 4/17/1939, p. 11).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Skiers; Winter sports; Anderson, Reidar;

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;

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;

This was the powerful Teamsters softball team photographed at Jefferson Park in July of 1942. The Teamsters were the City League champions and one of eight teams participating in the Pierce County Sectional State Playoffs. The winner would represent the County at the state playoffs later in the summer at Seattle. The Teamsters roster consisted of Robert Myles, Warren Parkhurst, Tom Cross, C. Edmunds, Bob McWilliams, Gus Harkey, Paul Scott, Harley Jensen, Frank Pavolka, Frank Morrone, Heine Hademan, Wally Brebner, Marvin Pease, Willard McWilliams, Marty Besaw and Robert Huegel, manager. The Teamsters were defeated by the Quartermaster All-Stars 1-0 in the playoffs. (T. Times 7/20/1942, p. 10-article; 7/18/1942, pg. 8-article)

Softball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Softball--Tacoma; Labor unions; International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Tacoma);

On August 29, 1948, the Tacoma Athletic Commission (TAC) sponsored their second annual water show in Commencement Bay, in front of the TAC headquarters at the Top of the Ocean. Spectators lined the decks of the restaurant and the Old Town dock to watch the free water skiing show. Boats also formed a rectangle around the area where the skiers performed. The barge in the center of the picture was probably used as a staging area for the skiers. Some of the skiers from the Seattle Skiquatic Follies can be seen behind the speeding boat left. The show ran from 4-6pm.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Old Town Dock (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Waterfronts;