View of head table at banquet. Governor Albert Rosellini was one of the honored guests at the 1963 Washington State Sports Hall of Fame awards banquet on February 6, 1963. The Sports Hall of Fame had been established by the Tacoma Athletic Commission by one of its founders, Clay Huntington, in 1960. Each year a number of candidates are nominated to be voted upon by top sportswriters and sportscasters from throughout the state. Those elected are recognized for their outstanding sports accomplishments and honor they have brought to themselves and the State of Washington. At the head table above in this 1963 photograph are also local lumberman and philanthropist Ben Cheney (seated second to left) and All-star shortstop, Maury Wills (next to Gov. Rosellini). Five men were elected to the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame: Don Paul, George Wise, Frank Gillihan, Jack Walters and Jack Connor. Those honorees are believed to be standing in the above picture behind the head table; names not necessarily in order. (TNT 2-7-63, C-7) (www.washingtonsportshalloffame.com/index2.htm)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Awards; Washington State Sports Hall of Fame (Tacoma); Rosellini, Albert D.; Wills, Maury; Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971;

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

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.);

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;

Mr. Frank Walters, President of the Tacoma Athletic Commission, and Mrs. Walters posed with a publicity poster for the organization's 4th annual birthday party to be held at the club's headquarters at the Top of the Ocean on February 20, 1950. The party celebrated four years of active promotion of the city's athletic programs. The TAC was unique in the U.S. Organized as the Tacoma War Athletic Commission in 1942, it raised funds for athletic equipment for the thousands of US servicemen stationed in the Pacific Islands. Equipment was sent to fighting forces from Alaska to Australia. Following the end of the war, the group directed its policies to the civic and athletic betterment of Tacoma, particularly in the support of sports activities for youth. (TNT 2-26-1950 D-1, TNT 3/23/1956, pg. 1)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1950-1960; Clubs--Tacoma--1950-1960; Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Walters, Frank; Walters, Frank--Family;

Tacoma Athletic Commission's 1950 St. Patrick's Day party at the Top of the Ocean. Patrick Steele is on the left, Mrs. Mary Steele is on the far right. Four hundred members and guests of TAC attended the annual dinner and program on St. Patrick's Day. Diners had a choice of prawns or roast beef, with each plate adorned with two fresh rainbow trout.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1950-1960; Saint Patrick's Day; Parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Holidays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hats--1950-1960; Steele, Patrick; Steele, Mary;

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;

The Ice Arena at 38th and Union was owned by Sam Bergesen and Fred Urban and was home to both the Tacoma Rockets and the Tacoma Figure Skating Club. Members of the skating club offered classes for beginning enthusiasts. In this photograph, taken in 1948, Shirley Lander is helping Charles Tibbs, 8, of Rt.11, Box 598, Tacoma. Judy Whitney, 7, of 1104 So. Union is receiving some pointers from Helen Hatcher.

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Winter sports--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Children playing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children exercising; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Lander, Shirley; Tibbs, Charles; Whitney, Judy; Hatcher, Helen;

Visit of North Wind to Tacoma and reception at Tacoma Athletic Commission, Tribune & TAC. Several naval officers and their wives were in Tacoma for observance of Navy Week. They were greeted at a reception at the Tacoma Athletic Commission on November 7, 1948, at their facilities at the Top of the Ocean. Several of the navy wives and members of the TAC are shown at the reception, L-R, Mrs. Steven W. Calloway, Ethyl A. (Mrs. Howard) Smith, Mrs. Charles W. Thomas, Mrs. George Fritschmann, Genevieve L. (Mrs. Frank T.) Walters, and Myra J. (Mrs. E.R.) Fetterolf. (T.Times, 11/8/1948)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Smith, Ethyl A.; Walters, Genevieve L.; Fetterolf, Myra J.; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clothing & dress--Tacoma--1940-1950; Receptions--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Tacoma Athletic Commission, Bob Sanders. The Tacoma Athletic Commission honored two of Tacoma's sports heroes October 28, 1948. Bob Martin, left, and Marv Rickert, center, are shown with Howard R. Smith, president of the Tacoma Athletic Commission. They each received the newly created Tacoma Athletic Commission award of merit, emblem, and cigarette lighter as well as having their photographs hanging at TAC's Hall of Fame. Martin won a gold medal in the 1948 Olympic games held in London as a member of the U.S. rowing team in the four-oared shell competition. Rickert played outfield in the 1948 World Series for Boston. He went 4 for 19 in the six game series with one home run. (TNT, 10/29/1948, p.26)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Martin, Bob; Rickert, Marv; Smith, Howard R.; Awards; Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Athletes;

The Lakewood Ice Club was sponsoring a fundraising event in support of young ice skaters from Washington. Local champion ice skaters would participate in the program; the performances would include: dance, duets or solos. View of Patsy Hamm and Jackie Boyle, champion ice skaters from Tacoma; last year they won National Recognition in the major league events held at Colorado Springs, Colorado (T. Times, 1/16/49, p. 14 & 1/20/49, p. 16).

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Lakewood; Winter sports--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Skaters; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Hamm, Patsy; Boyle, Jack;

Figure ice skaters from Tacoma joined ice skaters from the Lakewood Ice Club for a special event held in support of young ice skaters throughout the State. These skaters have returned with trophies galore and would perform between 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. for spectators at the Lakewood Ice Arena. View of Nancy Roberts, 13 year old champion ice skater from Tacoma. Nancy performed at the Lakewood Ice Arena in the solos program (T. Times, 1/16/49, p. 14 & 1/20/49, p. 16).

Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Lakewood; Winter sports--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Skaters; Lakewood Ice Arena (Lakewood); Roberts, Nancy;

The Tacoma Athletic Commission held a Hawaiian dinner-dance on October 2, 1950, at the Top of the Ocean for members and guests. Alfred Apaka, popular Hawaiian orchestra leader, and his band were the featured performers. T.A.C. members (L-R) Mrs. Jack S. Roberts, Mrs. Dillard Howell and Mrs. Howard R. Smith hold up a grass skirt and flower lei for the approval of (standing L-R) Mrs. James J. Mellinger, Mrs. L.R. Ghilarducci, Mrs. Joseph Lehman and Mrs. Frederick A. Haines, Jr. (TNT 10-1-50, p. D-6)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Events--Tacoma--1950-1960; Costumes;

People who attended the Halloween Party sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission at the Top of the Ocean enjoyed the entertainment as well as the company. Ordered by Will Maylon.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Dinner parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Halloween--Social life;

People enjoyed the floorshow at the Halloween Party sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission at the Top of the Ocean. A group are seen here wearing party hats and holding party favors. Ordered by Will Maylon.

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Dinner parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Halloween--Social life;

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;

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;