On Sunday afternoon, August 29, 1948, a few spectators returned to their automobiles, holding tight to their small children, after watching part of the two hour water show in Commencement Bay. The show was held in the waters of the Bay in front of the Top of the Ocean restaurant and club and was sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, which had its headquarters at the Top. People crowded the decks of the Top, as well as the Old Town Dock. The show featured the talents of the Seattle Skiquatics Follies.

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;

Cars lined the intersection of Ruston Way and McCarver St. as spectators flooded Old Tacoma on August 29, 1948 to see the second annual water show sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Club. Water skiing entertainment would be provided by the Seattle Skiquatic Follies in the waters in front of the Top of the Ocean, which housed the TAC headquarters.

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;

Fight promoter Ethel Seifert sponsored the Semi-Final All-Heavy Wrestling Show at the Starlight Athletic Club at So. 11th Street and Market St. in 1948. Tacoma Times newspaper carriers were invited as guests of Ethel Seifert. Left to right view of Rocco Toma, known as the wild bull of the Argentine Pampas, Nick Zvolis, the referee, and Pierre LaSalle, former Canadian amateur champ (T. Times, 12/2/48, p. 6).

Wrestling--Tacoma; Wrestlers--Tacoma; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Referees; Fighting--Tacoma; Events--Tacoma; Toma, Rocco; LaSalle, Pierre; Zvolis, Nick;

Group of TAC & Elks, TAC, Metcalf. A group of six men who are all members of both the Tacoma Athletic Commission and the Elks are reviewing a poster announcing an evening at the Tacoma Athletic Commission headquarters at the Top of the Ocean honoring Emmett T. Anderson, the newly named Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks. They are, L-R, standing, Will Maylon, Frank Walters, and Frank Gillihan, TAC president. Seated are Leo McGavick, John Heinrick and Al Whitman. (TNT, 8/5/1949, p.29)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Anderson, Emmett T.; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Tacoma Lodge No. 174 (Tacoma); Maylon, Will; Walters, Frank; Gillihan, Frank J.; McGavick, Leo A.; Heinrick, John; Whitman, Al;

Jerry Fodey, one of two goalies on the 1948-49 Tacoma Rockets, demonstrated his technigue for the cameras in December of 1948. The Rockets were in second place in the Pacific Coast Hockey League, seven points behind the league leading New Westminster Royals. In November they had won five straight games, the longest winning streak in club history. The Rockets played in the Tacoma Ice Palace at 3801 South Union Avenue. (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 21).

Ice hockey--Tacoma; Athletes--Tacoma; Ice skating--Tacoma; Ice skating rinks--Tacoma; Sports & recreation facilities--Tacoma; Sporting goods; Tacoma Ice Palace (Tacoma); Tacoma Rockets (Tacoma); Coast Ice Hockey League (Tacoma);

April 5, 1948, Tacoma Athletic Commission reception in honor of Gretchen Kunigk Fraser, 8th from L, after her victory in the 1948 Winter Olympics. Seated next to Mrs. Fraser is Tacoma mayor C. Val Fawcett. Others at the head table during the Top of the Ocean reception are Leon Titus, 2nd from L; W.A and Clara Kunigk, honoree's parents; her husband Don Fraser, 6th from L; Jerry Geehan of the T.A.C. ski committee, 6th from R; T.A.C. president Howard R. Smith, 4th from R. Mrs. Fraser had won both Gold and Silver medals at St. Moritz. Prior to her award winning performances, Mrs. Fraser had appeared on the silver screen as the skiing double for Sonja Henie in "Thin Ice," filmed at Paradise Inn in 1937. ALBUM 9.

Skiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fraser, Gretchen Kunigk, 1919-1994; Fraser, Don, 1914-1994; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Smith, Howard R.; Geehan, Jerry; Titus, Leon E.; Celebrations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Kunigk, W.A.;

This group outside Callender's is part of the group that took the Tacoma Athletic Commission's "Fight Special" to Portland via Northern Pacific Railroad on April 7, 1948. Fight and train tickets were on sale at Callender's. The "Fight Special" was an official TAC civic promotion. Mayor Val Fawcett is standing at right, wearing an overcoat. Howard Smith, current president of the Tacoma Athletic Commission is standing at left, with his hand in his jacket pocket under his top-coat. Ordered by Howard Smith, TAC. (T.Times, 4/1/1948, p.20)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Callender's Restaurant (Tacoma); Smith, Howard R.; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950; Northern Pacific Railway Co. (Tacoma); Restaurants--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boxing--Tacoma--1940-1950;

University of Hawaii Basketball Team, TAC, Bob Sanders. The University of Hawaii's unbeaten basketball team visited Tacoma twice during February, 1948. They came to Tacoma as they began their five-game tour of the Pacific Northwest on February 19th. They left Tacoma that day and returned February 25th to play the Pacific Lutheran College's Lutes. The Lutes defeated the Hawaiians 65 - 54. The team, coached by Art Gallon, is shown here at the Tacoma Athletic Commission with TAC's president Howard R. Smith,second from the right in the back row. (T.Times, 2/19/1948, p.8)

Tacoma Athletic Commission (Tacoma); Smith, Howard R.; University of Hawaii (Hawaii); Basketball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Basketball players--Hawaii; Group portraits; Students--Hawaii--1940-1950;

Three of the winners in the 9th Annual Tacoma Winter Carnival races posed with Orville Stewart, the general chairman of the carnival, on January 28, 1940 at Paradise on Mt. Rainier. Shirley McDonald was the first "Tacoma girl" to win the Rhodes Brothers trophy for the women's slalom. From left to right are: Don French of Portland, winner of the junior downhill; Orville Stewart; Shirley McDonald; and Carl Neu of Seattle, winner of the men's slalom. Mr. Neu skied for the University of Washington. Approximately 3,500 fans watched the races. The field of competitors was one of the largest in the history of the races; 116 total skiers, with 76 of those entered in the men's slalom. (T. Times 1/29/1940, pg. 14- picture; 1/25/40, pg 14; 1/29/40, pg.1)

Skiers; Athletes; Paradise Inn (Wash.); French, Don; Stewart, Orville; McDonald, Shirley; Neu, Carl;

ca. 1939. Cropped close-up of an unidentified hockey player in Alt Heidelberg uniform with stick.

Ice hockey; Ice hockey players--Tacoma;

ca. 1939. Large group of young female skiers at Mount Rainier, most likely from Annie Wright Seminary.

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

A skier receives some instructions during the 1938 Winter Carnival and ski races held at Paradise Valley, Mount Rainier National Park. Both young skiers show off their skies, poles and 3/4 length alpine style pants.

Skiers;

John Anderson, age 12, of Longmire receives the first place trophy for the Junior event at the 1938 Winter Carnival and Ski Races held at Paradise, Mt. Rainier from Gilbert Richards of the Young Mens' Business Club on the 13th of February. Young Mr. Anderson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rice Anderson of Longmire; where the senior Mr. Anderson operated the snow plow. John began skiing at the age of 9 years old. (T.Times 2/14/1938, pg 11; 2/11/1937, pg. 15)

Skiers; Athletes; Paradise Inn (Wash.); Anderson, John; Richards, Gilbert;

Ski races. A skier maneuvers through the race course at Paradise Valley in Mount Rainier National Park during the February, 1938, Tacoma Winter Sports Carnival. Crowds on the sidelines watch the event. Although there were many races for varying abilities, the women and men's open slalom races may have drawn the greatest attention. There were no money prizes but winners did have their names engraved on impressive trophies and bracelets and watches awarded. Don Fraser and Virginia Boden (Bowden) were declared winners of the men's and women's open slalom races.

Skiers; Skiing; Athletes;

Fifteen-month-old Jerry Keisler, of Seattle, won the title of "youngest skier on the mountain" at the 1938 Silver Skis competition on Mt. Rainier. Using specially made skis and poles, the youngster skied away from the photographer just after his picture was snapped. Most of the major races at the competition, held on March 27, 1938, had to be cancelled due to 60 mph winds on the mountain. (T.Times, 3/30/1938, p. 5).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Skiers; Winter sports; Children skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Keisler, Jerry;

On March 27, 1938 wearing a big smile, hatless skier Max Hauser, of Sun Valley, slammed through a gate in the special slalom race substituted for the Silver Skis race on Mount Rainier. The Silver Skies was indefinitely postponed due to 60 mph winds above 9,000 feet. 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. Hauser finished 6th in the slalom; he had been the favorite to win the Silver Skis. In 1938, the race was cancelled due to poor weather conditions for the second year in a row, disappointing the approximately 8,000 hardy fans who had trekked up to Paradise to watch the race. (T.Times, 3/28/1938, p.11).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Skiers; Winter sports; Hauser, Max;

When the 1938 Silver Skis race on Mt. Rainier was cancelled due to gale force winds above 9,000 feet, promoters hurriedly threw together entertainment for the crowd of 8,000 spectators. A special jump was constructed for skiers to show off their best stunts. Here Olav Ulland, left, of Norway and Hjalmar Hvam of Portland perform simultaneous somersaults. As they flip through the air, skiers lining the course watch with amazement. Incidentally, neither skier was able to land on his skis. Olav Ulland was for many years co-owner of Seattle's largest ski store, Osborn & Ulland, and was inducted into the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame for his ski-jumping prowess. Hjalmar Hvam, who by 1938 was recognized as a leading jumper, cross-county racer and speed skater invented the first mass produced "safety" toe iron, the "Saf-Ski" release. (T.Times, 3/28/1938, p. 1).

Skiing--Mt. Rainier--1930-1940; Skiers; Winter sports; Ulland, Olav; Hvam, Hjalmar;

Mountain scenes. Two men and three women enjoy a warm cup of coffee at the counter of a mountain cafe during the Winter season. One of the men is perhaps Paul Sceva, member of the Washington Huskies.

Skiing--Tacoma; Cafes; Eating & drinking--Tacoma; Skiers;

Two ice hockey players, one "Meadowsweet", one "Pioneer" with sticks chasing puck on ice rink.

Sports - Hockey - Ice Hockey

Hockey season closed with Griffin Fuel finishing first against Alt Heidelberg at Lakewood Ice Arena. L to r: Fred Kislingbury, Captain Bill Anderson, Wenatchee Apple Queen Lois Ross, Ed Griffin, and Norton Clapp. (T. Times, 4/2/1939, 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; Griffin, Edwin L., 1908-1955; Clapp, Norton, 1906-1995;

Scenes from the 1939 Silver Ski races on Mount Rainier. A couple on skis stop for a moment near the ski lodge. The woman lifts her bamboo ski pole to point the way to their destination. (T. Times, 4/17/1939, p. 11).

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

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;

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;

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;

Seattle skier Don Fraser, left, winner of the Men's Slalom in the Tacoma Winter Carnival at Paradise, shakes hands with another man on January 30, 1937. Fraser, a member of the 1936 Olympic team, later married Gretchen Kunigk, the Tacoma skier who medaled at the 1948 Olympics. He would go on to capture the 1938 Men's Slalom race at Paradise as well.

Skiers; Fraser, Don, 1914-1994; Shaking hands;

Groups in North End Tacoma after a snow storm. Three young skiers: Jean McKie, Gwen McKie, and Jean Osborne are pictured on Carr St. Boy with a sled and large homes in background. The week was starting out with new low temperatures. The Tacoma Field weather station recorded a low of 2.7 degrees above zero. City Hall recorded 15 degrees above. Motorists were advised to stay home or drive with chains. Police reminded the public that pulling a sled behind your car and driving recklessly were against the law. At least another 24 hours of record low temperatures was forecast for the local area. (T. Times, 1/11/1937, p. 1)

Skiing--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skiers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Snow--Tacoma--1930-1940; Sleds & sleighs; Winter; McKie, Jean; McKie, Gwen; Osborne, Jean;

Golf tournament at the Tacoma Country Club. A large crowd of spectators walk on the course at the golf event. The club house building and water tower are visible in the background. (T. Times).

Sports - Ball Games - Golf - TournamentsFacilities - Sports Facilities - Golf CoursesOrganizations - Clubs - Social Clubs - Country Clubs - Tacoma Country Club

Stadium High School Tigers Track Team, circa 1937. Eight team members pose for portrait with school turrets and finials in background. Team members' last names were, in no particular order, McCord, Londos, Reynolds, Bennatts, Smith, Watts, Long and Johns. (T. Times)

Track athletics--1930-1940; Stadium High School (Tacoma)--Sports;

Army football game at Clover Park High School. Large crowd at Walter J. Thompson Field. (T. Times)

Sports - Ball Games - Football Facilities - Sports Facilities Military Personnel