2015 - Tacoma ~ Pierce County - Old~Timers Baseball~Softball

Transcription

OLD-TIMERS
Tacoma-Pierce County Old-Timers1
Baseball-Softball Reunion 2015
Sunday, May 31 • tacoma, wa
featuring
Hall of
Fame
Inductees
Dill
Howell
Award
Marv
Scott
Coaches
Award
Cy Greenlaw
Oldtimer’s
Salute
Award
Meritorious
Service
Award
Co-Sponsored by
Prospects
Tradition
Fireworks
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is for
When you visit Cheney Stadium, be sure to bring your smile.
You’ll need it when you grab autographs from top-ranked prospects
and share popcorn with friends in seats close to the action. You’ll
wear it proudly while watching the innings of excitement linked with
dances on dugouts and stretches in the seventh.
You need your smile for having fun, so have a few ready when you
spend this spring and summer with the Rainiers.
Fun
Action
Friends
Memories
Autographs
Cheering
Family
Summer
Hot Dogs
History
Home Runs
For tickets call 1-800-745-3000
or visit tacomarainiers.com
Excitement
Rainiers old Timers Program Ad 021615.indd 1
2/17/15 1:04 PM
Schedule
Suds ‘n Stuff.......................... 2:00 p.m.
Dinner................................... 3:00 p.m.
Awards Ceremony............. 3:45 p.m.
Committee
Ken Laase
Chairman
Marc Blau &
Frank Colarusso
Master of Ceremonies
Marc Blau & Gary Brooks
Publicity
Gary Brooks, Nick Dawson,
Tyler Scott, Arnold Lytle &
Marc Blau
Souvenir Program
Bob Young
Advertising
Ken DeForrest, Pat Kelly &
Marc Blau
Sponsors
Shannon Heinrick, Ted Lopat &
Ron Staples
Raffle
Gayle Hazen, Tina Russell,
Linda Shelton, Mollie Robertson,
Ardi Schrag & Kristy Schwartz
Registration
Joe Stortini & Ken Laase
Ushers
Don Gustafson
Program Distribution
Other committee
members:
George Karpach
Oscar Larsen
Doug McArthur
Aaron Pointer
Dave Roller
Dave Wilsie
Kellie Ham Type & Graphics
Program Layout & Design
Check Us Out at
www.oldtimerbaseball.com
Tacoma-Pierce County Baseball-Softball
Old-Timers Association
Welcomes You To The
Annual Hall Of Fame Banquet
The Tacoma Pierce-County Baseball-Softball Old-timers Association is
dedicated to recognizing and honoring the many players who have been
instrumental in the growth of baseball and softball in this community over the
years. Sponsored by the Tacoma Athletic Commission, Heritage Bank, and the
Tacoma Rainiers Baseball Club, an annual banquet is held each spring which
honors various teams and individuals who have made significant contributions
in their sport.
In the past, these get-togethers have been very informal gatherings of
fans, pros, amateurs, duffers and all people interested in America’s favorite
pastime-BASEBALL! One of the first meetings was held in the mid-fifties at the
old “Firs” nightclub out on Pacific Avenue. Dill Howell and John Heinrick were the
heads of this occasion. Then, in the sixties, with a great assist from the T.A.C.,
the next banquet was held at the Top of the Ocean Restaurant in Old Town. The
get-togethers were held there until it burned down (no fault of the Old-timers).
The gatherings then moved along with the T.A.C. to the 9th and Commerce
location for about ten years. Here, Frank Ruffo, Rudy Tollefson, Harold Smith,
Dan Walton and others, joined Heinrick to organize the affair. A lapse of four
years followed until a committee again organized a get-together in 1985 at the
Poodle Dog Restaurant in Fife, led by the hard-working Joe Hemel.
With a turnout of over 175 in 1990 at the Tacoma Elks Club, the Oldtimers made the move to accommodate more fans by hosting the banquet
from 1990–98 at the Puyallup Elks. From 1999-2009 our annual banquet was
held at the Tacoma Elks Club, in 2012 and 2012 were hosted the banquet at
the Affifi Masonic Center and in 2013 we held our biggest function ever with
the 60th anniversary of the Cheney Studs baseball teams. The event was held
at the McGavick Conference Center in Lakewood where we return in 2015 for
another grand affair. We are indebted for the continued support by our major
sponsors, in particular the Tacoma Athletic Commission, Heritage Bank and
the Tacoma Rainiers. All three have been helpful in our efforts and deserve to
be recognized for their community service. Tell them about it and how much
you appreciate it the next time you have the opportunity.
Today’s banquet promises to be another outstanding recall of the great
moments in both baseball and softball in Tacoma and Pierce County. We are
welcoming some of the finest athletes every to play, coach, umpire, and sponsor here. For some the recognition is long overdue.
Nash Bishop and Ed NIehl are receiving the coveted Dill Howell Award, and
Craig Lowry, a fixture when it comes to supporting athletics in Tacoma-Pierce
County, will be honored with the Marc Blau Meritorious Service Award for his
dedication and devotion over the years to youth baseball in the community. It
is with great honor we bestow upon Holly Gee and Marco Malich, the prestigious Marv Scott Coaches Award. You will be impressed to read about their
extensive coaching background and development of players over the years.
A special “Old-timers Salute” will be accorded Earl Birnel, Harry Nygard and
Hank Semmern, longtime players in the City and Valley Leagues in addition to
starring in high school.
Our list of talented Hall of Fame inductees with their outstanding list of
achievements can be found in this souvenir program and will make for good
reading. Be sure to take time to read about the incredible generosity of Wes and
Dodie Drake, longtime sponsors of the Wes’ Super Mart teams from 1966-1976.
It’s a great story and indicative of the many former players who will be on hand
this evening. Include the 1978-79 Cody’s Tavern men’s slowpitch team and the
Coach House/Tacoma Office Supply men’s slowpitch teams from the 1970’s to
the long list of honorees and you’ll agree that we have an impressive array of
individuals to recognize—honors that are most appropriate.
In closing, remember… May continuing good health be your lot until
the Great Umpire in the Sky dismisses you to the Clubhouse.
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Mission
Statement
Tacoma-Pierce County
Baseball-Softball Oldtimers
Association
The Tacoma-Pierce County
Baseball-Softball Oldtimers Association was conceived and organized to recognize and honor those
participants whose commitment
and dedication has resulted in a
significant contribution to the history
of those sports in the Tacoma-Pierce
County community.
The Association shall conduct
an annual awards ceremony for
the purpose of inducting worthy
members into the organization’s
baseball, fastpitch, and slowpitch
“Halls of Fame” and other related
categories. In addition, certain special awards created to recognize
and appreciate efforts “above and
beyond” shall also be presented at
the ceremony.
The Association shall establish
the necessary criteria to determine
nominations for the respective honors, and the Association shall elect
inductees from those nominations.
Other goals of the Association shall be to establish a site, or
sites, for its Hall of Fame (s) and
the displaying of appropriate recognition for all inductees. The Association pledges cooperation with
the Shanaman Sports Museum in
developing its Hall of Fame plans to
be certain of not conflicting with their
already-established public displays.
The perpetuation and recognition of the sports of baseball,
fastpitch, and slowpitch remain #1
priorities of the Association, and
all efforts of the organization shall
be directed toward enriching the
phrase, “Play Ball”!
2015 Hall of Fame Inductees
Baseball—Mike Larson, Kevin Stock, Dave Voss, Bill Zenk Jr.
and Mike Zenk Fastpitch—Dave Demick, Tony DeRosa, Pete Guthrie (dec),
Bobby Howard and Bill Zenk Sr.
Slowpitch—Doug Armstrong, Mel Burrell, Todd Cooley and
Dan Valentine Umpires—John Everett Broadcasters/Sports Writers—Ed Bowman
Sponsors—Wes & Dodie Drake—Wes’ Super Mart
Team Recognition—
1978-79 Cody’s Tavern/Justus Cedar Homes Men’s Slowpitch
Team: Dick Zurfluh (manager-deceased), Jerry Archer, Jim Archer
(batboy), Doug Armstrong, Mark Belvin, Mel Burrell, Dale Failey,
Dan Greco (dec.), Jim Hadland, Tim Thonpson, Greg “Lumpy”
Johnson (dec), Gary “Rhino” Jones, Wayne Knippel, Dan Luhtala,
Larry Lynott (co-sponsor), Cody Miller (co-sponsor), Dave Roller, and
Skip Thiel.
1970’s Coach House/Tacoma Office Supply Men’s Slowpitch Team:
Bob Allen, Clay Angle, Russ “Odie” Baker, Rusty Bass, Brian “Butch”
Brenno (dec), Mark Bender, Mike Brown, Carlos Canty, Dave Carlisle,
Al Carlson, Bob Cason, Dennis Collers, Steve Curran, Jim Darland,
Bob Fagering, Scott Hanson (dec), Jerry Henkel, Marco Hernando
(coach), Mike Holland, Bob Hyppa, Ron Jakes, Larry Johnson,
Larry Joy, Dave Kancianich, Joe Kilby (dec), Ed Lowery (dec),
Larry Marshall, Dick Marzano, John Marzano, Ed McGrath,
Denny Miller, Tom Miller, Bob Mitchell, Bill Murphy, Monte O’Brien,
Vern Olin (owner, Coach House Restaurant), Gerry Perrin,
Dale Reese, Mark Ross, Jim Ryan, Howard Schantz (owner,
Tacoma Office Supplydec), Art Scheetz,
Denny Snell, Don Stewart
(dec.), John Thoma,
Bob Tibbits, Dick Tomko,
Dave Vossler, Jim Warter,
Frank Welcome (dec) and
Rick Welfringer (dec)
HELP
The Tacoma-Pierce County Old-timers Baseball-Softball Association is in need of a
few good people.
Won’t you consider membership on the executive committee which helps promote
the annual get together?
The committee meets quarterly, beginning in October, and needs members willing to
help sell ads, obtain prizes donated for the annual raffle, mail banquet flyers and put
together the program. If you are interested, contact Ken Laase, 253-380-1840 or Marc
Blau, 253-848-1360 or [email protected].
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The TAC supports sports and
the youth of Pierce County,
And the TAC Needs You
If supporting youth and sports  in Tacoma-Pierce County
is appealing to you, joining the Tacoma Athletic  Commission should be a “priority”. No other sports-oriented organization in Pierce County ever has done more for our
kids and their sports, and 2015 is the TAC’s 72nd year of
doing just that.
Nearly $5 million has been donated to schools, recreation departments, boys and girls clubs, deserving teams
and individual athletes during that time thanks to TAC
dues and special events staged by Commission members.
Among the fund-raisers which the TAC supports or sponsors are the
Banquet of Champions, the Shanaman Sports Museum of TacomaPierce County, the annual Golden Gloves amateur boxing show,
and a TAC Golf Tournament.
In terms of honors and awards, the TAC conducts the High School
Athlete of the Month Award ceremonies  three times a year, selects
both a male and female Athlete of the Year  from those ranks (each
receive TAC college scholarships) and awards the  Clay Huntington
Sports Communication Scholarship. The Dick Hannula Award is another TAC honor, given to the Amateur Athlete of the Year in Pierce
County. Tonight’s induction of new members into the Tacoma-Pierce
County Old Timers Hall of Fame is another TAC tribute to sports in
our community.
If the TAC is destined to continue its efforts of  support,
it needs the help of civic-minded, sports-minded citizens  like you. A
TAC individual membership or a TAC Corporate/Business Membership is the ideal way to assist this worthwhile cause. An application
below will enable you to join now.  Or you may locate an application
form on line at  www.tacomaathletic. com. For information, contact
TAC  membership chairman Doug McArthur at 253-759-1124 or via
email  at [email protected].
Nominations for
Awards Encouraged
If you know of someone who is worthy of consideration for recognition at next years banquet,
please complete and return this form.
Hall of Fame Baseball 1.________________
2.________________
Fastpitch1.________________
2.________________
Slowpitch 1.________________
2.________________
Umpires
1.________________
2.________________
Sponsors
1.________________
2.________________
Executive/
Meritorious1.________________
2.________________
Dill Howell Award1.________________
Marv Scott Award1.________________
Meritorious Award1.________________
——————————————————————-———
TAC MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Cy Greenlaw
Oldtimer’s Award1.________________
Name _____________________________________________
Phone_______________________________________________
Address____________________________________________
E-mail address______________________________________
Name of person
making nomination: _______________________
Individual Membership - $100, Corporate Contributions $250, $500, $1000, $2500, $5000. Enclose check.
Mail to: Tacoma Athletic Commission,
Box 11304, Tacoma, WA 98411
Sports officials wanted to
referee youth and adult
recreation league and
interscholastic athletic
games. Training provided. Earn money and
provide a much needed
service to the youth
of the Tacoma-Pierce
County community.
Phone:__________________________________
Mail to: Old-Timers Banquet,
9908-63rd Ave. Ct. E., Puyallup, WA 98373
Baseball
BJ Aea
253-589-5741 [email protected]
Boy’s Basketball Steve Brown
www.wwboa.org
Girl’s Basketball Al Perez
Football
Jan Wolcott
Softball
Ken Laase
Volleyball
Marc Blau
www.tpcvob.com
Wrestling
Daryl Eygabroad 206-300-7660 [email protected]
Previous Hall of Fame Inductees
Baseball—Morry Abbott, Harold Adams, Roy Archer, Primo Artoe, Rick Austin, Sonny Bailey, Jesse Baker, Cy Ball, Lou
Balsano, Otto Balmer, Tony Banaszak, Jr., Rick Barnhart, Art Berg, Ron Billings, Earl Birnel, Les Bishop, Dale Bloom, Frank
Bonaro, Ray Brammer, Denny Brand, Jack Bratlie, Jess Brooks, Dick Browse, Frank Brozovich, Gordy Brunswick, Luther Carr,
Frank Cey, Ron Cey, Vern Champagne, Jim Claxton, Gene Clough, Dick Colombini, Howard Davis, Bob Dawson, Sr., Mike
Dillon, Fred “Buzz” Doane, Richard “Butch” Dunlap, Ozzie Edwards, Cliff Ellingson, Jim Ennis, Les Faulk, Bob Fredricks, Bill
Funk, Maury Galbraith, Jim Gallwas, Holly Gee, Ron Gee, Bill Geppart, Skip Gillis, Ron Goerger, George Grant, Dick Greco,
Al Greco, Sr., Cy Greenlaw, Merle Hagbo, Dave Hall, Don Hansler, Ed Hardenbrook, John P. Heinrick, Andy Helling, Joe
Hemel, Ron Herbel, Garry Hersey, Gordy Hersey, Bill Hobert, Bob Houston, Glenn Huffman, Earl Hyder, Floyd “Lefty” Isekite,
Jack Johnson, Rick Johnson, Bob Johnson, Ken Jones, Arley Kangas, Frank Karwoski, Joe Keller, Rod Keogh, Andy Ketter,
Dave Ketter, Horace “Pip” Koehler, Bob Kohout, Vern Kohout, Vic Krause, Earl Kuper, Ocky Larsen Sr., Tony Lavorato, Rick
Lewis, Al Libke Jr., Bob Lightfoot, Bryce Lilly, Chuck Loete, Larry Loughlin, Bob Maguinez, Mel Manley, Harry Mansfield, Al
Manter, Floyd Marcusson, Larry Marshall, Vic Martineau, David Mathews, Allan Maul, Neil Mazza, Doug McArthur, Frank
McCabe, Ed McCoy, Barney McFadden, Bob McGuire, Art McLarney Sr., Jack McStott, Pete Mello, Lornie Merkle, John Milroy,
Dave Minnitti, Phil Misley, Joe Mlachnik, Bill Moe, Gary Moore, Vern Morris, Frank Morrone, Dave Molitor, Jimmy Mosolf,
Ford Mullen, Bill Mullen, Bill Murphy, Stan Naccarato, Jim Neeley, Bruce Nichols, Harry Nygard, Clyde Olson, Marion Oppelt, Gus Paine, Dick Palamidessi, Bill Parker, Craig Parks-Hilden, Don Paul, Roger Peck, Jim Pelander, Al Pentecost, Cap
Peterson, Aaron Pointer, Gilly Portmann, John Pregenzer, Bill Ralston, Larry Rask, Jim Rediske, Fred Rickert, Marv Rickert, Jim
Robinson, Rance Rolfe, Pat Rooney, Duane Rossman, Ernie Ruffo, Frank Ruffo, Pete Sabutis, Joe Salatino, Cliff Schiesz, Hal
Schimling, Dick Schlosstein, Ken Schulz, Marv Scott, Don Semmern, Hank Semmern, Bill Sewell, Doug Sisk, Otto Smith, Bob
Snodgrass, Joe Spadafore, Ray Spurgeon, Ron Staples, Con Starkel, Wes Stock, Ron Storaasli, Jack Tanner, Morry Taylor,
Elmer Thiel, Frank “Bush” Tobin, Erling Tollefson, Rudy Tollefson, Bill Turnbull, Art Viafore, Chuck Viafore, Heinie Vogel, Stan
Wallace, Carl “Kak” Wasmund, Pat Weber, Phil Westendorf, Russell White, Russ Wilkerson, Ray Wing, George Wise, Steve
Whitaker, Mike White, Paul “Doc” Wotten, Roy Young, and Ed Yusko.
Fastpitch Softball—Doug Adam, Don Anderle, Mickey Bartels, Keith Bauer, Ken Bauer, Jay Beach, Gordy Bendick, Betty
Rowan Bland, Lloyd Blanusa, Hal Blumke, Bill Boyer, Wally Brebner, Glen Collins, Mary Jane Bramman Cooper, Merle “Butch”
Corbin, Frank Davies, Glen Davis, Esther Deuel, Marian Ricono Dubois, Bill Dunham, Ron Fawcett, Bob Frankowsky, Vern
From, Lloyd Glasoe, Trish Hackett, Mike Healy, Jack Hermsen, Les Holtmeyer, Gene Horan, Hank Jarvits, George Karpach,
Pat Kelly, Tom Kenyon, Mike Koppa, Art Lewis, Fran Luhtala, Kermit Lynch, Earl Mahnkey, Don Maitland, LaVerne Martineau,
Louise Mazzuca, Roger McDonald, Dick Milford, Darron Nelson, Lowell Nelson, Shirely “Mac” Olsen, Dan Oliver, Darvee
Olsen, Dean Pitsch, Bill Potthoff, Woodrow Red, Lou Rickenbacker, John Rockway, George Roket, Bill Ruehle, Peggy Moran
Ruehle, Harry Rush, Ed Sabol, Delores “Dee” Sagmiller, Larry Slovek, Ken Stancato, Pat Strachan Stavig, Gene Thayer, Leonard
Thomas, Tommy Thomas, Bud Thomsen, Cleon Tungsvik, Ron Vandegrift, Alec Watt, Dick Webster, Gertrude Wilhelmsen,
Joyce Jones Wolf, Phil Yant, Dick Yohn, Cot Zehnder, Margaret Zepeda, Bob Zurfluh, Don Zurfluh, and Tom Zurfluh.
Slowpitch Softball—Dave Benedict, Kay Bentley, Earl Birnel, Dave Bishop, Carlos Canty, Jan Chase, Ken Deforrest, Bill
Fleener, Cal Goings, Dick Halleen, Margaret “Maggie” Heinrick, Kathy Hemion, Whit Hemion Jr., Jerry Henderson, Nancy
Jerkovich, Ken Jones, Joe Kilby, Joe Kreger, Ken Laase, Jim Lane, Lynn Larson, Lloyd Livernash, Peg Loverin, Dan Lowery, Dan
Luhtala, Marco Malich, Ron Mattila, Art McLarney, Sandy Molzan, Dick O’Brien, Trena Page, Vicky Panzeri, Butch Pasquale,
Jim Petersen, Darleen Peterson, Gordy Pfeifer, Louise Rota, Linda Rudolph, Dick Samlaska, Jack Scott, Steve Shackett, Joe
Stortini, Jerry Thacker, Ken Schulz, Margaret Steeves, Alice Textor, Phyllis Textor, Terry Trowbridge, Rich Van Dyk, Sue Vincent,
Bill Wheeler, Dave Wilsie, Bill Winter, Jan Wolcott, Jim Wolcott, Joyce Wolf, Bob Young and Dick Zierman.
Broadcasters & Sportswriters—Rod Belcher, Stan Farber, Jerry Geehan, Don Hill, Ed Honeywell, Nelson Hong, Clay Huntington, Gary Lindgren, Earl Luebker, Elliott Metcalf, Tom Page, Art Popham, Bob Robertson, Art Thiel, Dan Walton, and
Karen Westeen.
Umpires—Ron Adams, Joe Bailey, Hal Berndt, Bob Corbin, Clarence Dean, Rick Fox, Ron Grassi, Paul Gustafson, Dick
Hassan, John Heinrick, John Holliday, Bob Huegel, Joey Johns, Dave Kerrone, Ken Laase, Rick Lewis, Steve Liptrap, Ted
Lopat, Lornie Merkle, Dave Minnitti, Frank Morrone, Ken Murrie, Jim Oleole, Fran Pinchbeck, Gerald Redburg, Chuck Ruth,
Ron Shaw, Clarence Stave, David Van Hulle and Jerry Woods.
Sponsors—Jim Bartle & The Haven Pub, Frank Baskett/
Baskett Lumber Co., B & I Sports and Ron Irwin, Darold Billings/Billings Electric, Cammarano Bros., Inc., Ben B. Cheney/
Cheney Lumber Co., Rufus “Boots” Christian/Pacific Mutual
Fuels, Harry Esborg/Hollywood Boat & Motor, Jerry Foss
& Wested Tire, Ples Irwin/Irwin-Jones Motors, Don & Rita
Kitchen/ Schooner Tavern, Spud Hansen/Spud’s Pizza Parlor, St. Ritas’s Church/Sons of Italy, Len Manke & Cloverleaf
Tavern, Malcolm Soine & Soine’s Shoes, Tacoma Elks Club,
Mike Tucci/Tucci & Sons, Washington Hardware, and Alden
Woodworth/Woodworth Co..
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2015 Previous Hall of Fame Inductees continued
TEAM RECOGNITION:
2008
Teams not honored in: 2011, 2004, 2003, 2000, 1997, 1996,
1987-1989.
Wilson High School (1977) State Championship Baseball
Team-Bob Lightfoot (head coach), Hank Jarvits (Assist. Coach),
Henry Bender, Mike Cheesman, Howard Kimura, Jim Koenig,
Ken Lamb, Tab Lively, Mike Maxwell, Fred Minniti, Don Pratt,
Dennis Randall, Rich Rhoads, Alan Stoops, Mike Wiese, Greg
Wooldridge, and Kari Rein (statistician).
2012
1975-81 BJ’s All Stars Women’s Slowpitch Team: Joyce Wolf
(coach), Nancy Craig (assistant coach), Sue Carter, Mary
Dengler, Melodie Fox, Debbie Gray, Wendy Hawley, Denise
Hoober, Diane Irish, Pat Kearney, Linda Kays, Sandy Molzan,
Suzy Neuman, Trena Page, Vicki Panzeri, Darleen Peterson,
Sue Ray Harding, Louise Rota, Ardi Schrag, Sue Showalter,
Alice Textor, Phyllis Textor, Yvonne Via, and Sue Vincent.
1976-80 Tacoma Firefighters Men’s Slowpitch Team: Ken DeForrest (coach), Bob Bender, Dave Carr, Tim Chandler, Dave
Deskins, Ralph Guelfi, Jim Hook, Mike Krueger, Dick Moore, Bob
Schierman, Gary Schiesz, Ron Stephens, and Dave Wilsie.
2010
1979 Polar Bears Fastpitch Team: Dick Pollen (coach), Mike
Konda (Assistant Coach), Connie Bridges, Margaret Cassidy,
Peggy Ellis, Elaine Folgers, Jody Grace, Trish Hackett, Kris Lemon,
Cindy Miller, Darvee Olsen, Debbie Osada, Kathy Pandrea, Terri
(Pollen) Koberstein, Margaret Steeves, Vi Stewart and Lorie
Timberman Mulhern.
1966-1983 Tony’s Wahzoos Women’s Slowpitch Team: Judy
Alexander, Jan Chase (coach), Julie Christensen, Nancy
Craig (Player/Coach), Karen (Hanson) Pelton (Player/Coach),
Margaret Heinrick (Player/Coach), Gail (Adler) Carlson, Leslie
Albert, Michelle (Armstrong) Foran, Lynda (Butt) Hodgkiss, Dar
Cartwright, Meredith (Fry) Doran, Nancy Goodwin, Mary Hause,
Sandy (Hanson) Lucich, Gayle Hazen, Shannon Heinrick, Paulette Hoover, Nancy Jerkovich, Laurie Jones, Kris Kade, Gretchen
Kade, Teresa Kade, Patti Knight, Barb Kuni, JoAnne McCaffrey,
Sheila Samuelson, Stephanie (Stiltner) Pinard, Lynette Tallman,
Vicky Thompson, Sandy Turnley, Terry Veitz, Debbie Viafore, Patti
(Vogel) Moffett, and Fran Wax.
2009
1949 K Street City League Championship Team: Earl Birnel, Frank
Bonaro, Frank Cey, Vic Martineau, Pete Mello, Dave Minnitti,
Frank Morrone, Al Otto, Gus Paine (Mgr), Joe Paine (batboy), Larry Rask, Gene Ribar, Fred Rickert, Pete Sabutis, Dick Salatino, Joe
Salatino, Cliff Schiesz, Hal Schimling, Ed Yusko, and Art Viafore.
1991 People’s Church USSSA Men’s Church A World Champions:
Ron Coder, Tim Cutter, Dave Glenn, Jerry Henderson, Ivy Iverson,
Dave Nusser, Owen Shackett, Steve Shackett (coach), Darrell
Shively, Mike Stevens, Scott Stolzenberg, Dan Valentine, Ralph
Van Dyk, Rich Van Dyk, Kurtis Wells, and Doug Weston.
2007
Manke & Sons (1974) Men’s Fastpitch Team-Lowell Nelson
(mgr), Keith Bauer, Jay Beach, Bill Boyer, John Collins, Lloyd
Glasoe, George Hunter, Hank Jarvits. Tom Marshall, Darron
Nelson, Gene “Chico” Thayer, Ken Thomas, Tommy Thomas,
and Ron Vandegrift.
Lakes High School (1974) State Championship Baseball Team-Ed
Hardenbrook (coach), Steve Anderson, Joe Betzendorfer, Scott
Brunick, Jim Carberry, Jim Charboneau, Larry Corbin, Richard
Hassan, Richard Hendrickson, John Higginbotham, George Hilbish, Tom Mann, Richard Martin, Jeff Mitchell, Gary Olson, Mike
Reffner, Richard Rodewald, Bruce Roth, and Mike Wholey.
2006
1972-74 McKnights Foods Women’s Slowpitch Team
2005
1964 Tucci & Sons Men’s Slowpitch Team
1948-1952 Parkland Mutual Fuels Women’s Fastpitch Team
2002
1947-1952 Edgewood, K Street and Olde Pilsner Baseball
Teams
2001
1940s-50s Spanaway Baseball Teams
1999
1946 Sportsman Club Baseball Team
1998
1950 Midland Baseball Team--Valley & Sunset League Champions
1995
1948 Pacific Lutheran College Baseball Team
1994
1954 Ben’s Truck Parks Fastpitch Team
1969 Tacoma Cubs Pacific Coast League Champions
1993
1957-1958 Woodworth Contractors Baseball Team
1992
1937 Johnson Paint Baseball Team
1952 Irwin-Jones Dodgers Fastpitch Team
1991
1956 Stanley Shoeman AABC National Champions Baseball
Team
1990
1945 Todd-Pacific Stores Machinists State and NW Region
Fastpitch Champions
1961 Tacoma Giants Pacific Coast League Champions
Check Us Out For The
Latest Info & Great Photos
❦
In Memoriam
Jim Bartle
Carl Benson
Nikki Blevins
Luther Carr
Jim Cozad
Mike Dillon
Marian Ricono Dubois
Bob Fredricks
Dick Greco
Pete Guthrie
Dick Hansch
Garry Hersey
Ken Jones
Craig Maul
Dick Minice
Frank Morrone
Peggy Moran Ruehle
Don Shepherdson
Bill Turnbull
Art Viafore
Ozzie Williams
❦ ❦
Haven Tavern men’s slowpitch sponsor
Coach of Louise Mazzucca
Cloverleaf Tavern women’s slowpitch
Cheney Studs (1954-56)
Woodworth Contractors and Spanaway baseball teams
Stanley Shoemen
Blue Streaks and Lincoln Electric women’s fastpitch
Midland baseball team and Woodworth Contractors baseball team
Tacoma Tigers of the Western International League
Manitou Fuel, Cloverleaf Tavern and B & I fastpitch teams
1950s Spanaway baseball teams
Sportsmen’s Club, Busch’s Drive-In, 26th & Proctor
Criswell’s and Day’s Clothing baseball teams and
Wested Tire and Lucky Lager slowpitch teams.
Cloverleaf Gremlins slowpitch team
Cheney Studs (1955)
K Street, Madigan and Edgewood baseball team and longtime umpire
Blue Streaks and Lincoln Electric women’s fastpitch
Cheney Stadium hotdog and souvenir program vendor
Played in the Shipyard, Valley and City Leagues
K Street baeball team and longtime umpire
Cheney Studs (1954-57)
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“C.J.” JOHNSON
BAIL BONDS
Serving the Community
Since 1951.
620 South 11th Street
Tacoma, Washington 98405
Call Anytime
253-272-1208
Nationwide 24-Hour Service
Superior • Federal
Municipal • District
Across from Courthouse
behind the Library
Nash Bishop and Ed Niehl—
Dill Howell Award Recipients
Dill Howell Award
Named after longtime sport enthusiast, Dill Howell, the award in
his honor
is given an
individual
who exemplifies Dill
H o w e l l ’s
passion,
commitment, and
continued
support for
baseball in
the Tacoma-Pierce
County community.
Dillard (Dill) Howell was one of the
original founders and directors of
the Tacoma Athletic Commission
which was established in 1943 to
promote sports and civic betterment. And, the TAC is the longtime
sponsoring organization of the
annual Tacoma-Pierce County
Baseball-Softball Old-timer’s banquet, an event that Dill worked on
regularly.
Dill began his career in the sporting goods business in 1922 as a
salesman at Kimball’s Sporting
Goods and later became the store
manager. In 1936 Kimball’s was
sold and Dill founded Howell Sporting Goods which he operated until
retirement in 1978. Howell Sporting
Goods handled most of the athletic
equipment and uniform needs for
the area high schools as well as
CPS and PLC and Dill was always
very supportive of all local sports in
the community.
Dill was very instrumental in keeping semi-pro baseball alive in the
area and was actively involved in
the organization and operation of
the Tacoma City League, Industrial
League, and Valley League over the
years. In many respects, he was the
glue that kept these leagues going,
always helping the teams out with
baseballs, uniforms, bats, gloves
and much more. It was a commitment to the sporting community
that he made on a consistent basis
and it is because of this commitment that the Tacoma-Pierce
County Baseball-Softball Oldtimers
Association proudly recognizes Dill
Howell on an annual basis with this
award named on his behalf.
Nash Bishop
Have you heard of Nash Bishop? You probably have if
you ever needed to know something about women’s classifications in the Washington chapter of USSSA.
Bishop, a Clover Park High School alum (1947), Army
veteran (1948-53) and graduate of Central Washington
University (1956), has attended and kept notes on every
state women’s classification meeting since the early 1990s.
He has updated the state office of the United States
Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) from his notes, and over
the years he created and kept up to date records for every team that participated
in the women’s program. Now in his 80s (born May 19, 1929, in Blytheville,Ark.),
Bishop is a walking encyclopedia of state women’s
slow-pitch softball.
After playing basket-
Dill Howell Award Recipients
2015
Nash Bishop &
Ed Niehl
2014 No Banquet
2013 No Banquet
2012 Gary Petersen
2011 No Banquet
2010 Tony Anderson
2009 Frank Colarusso
2008 Kevin Kalal
2007 Jim Kittilsby
2006 Doug McArthur
& Baseball
Tacoma Inc
2005 Roy Murphy
2004 Don Danielson
2003 Joe Stortini
2002 Dick & George
Pease
2001 Marv Scott
2000 Holly Gee
1999 Bob Robertson
1998 The Gottfried &
Mary Fuchs
Foundation
1997 Marc Blau
1996 Brad Cheney
1995 Spud Hansen,
Spud’s Pizza
Parlor
1994Washington
Hardware
1993 Tom Cross
1992 Ray Spurgeon
1991 Clay Huntington
& Stan Naccarato
1990 Steve Orfanos
1989 Bob Tourtillotte
1988 Cammarano Bros., Inc.
1987 John P. Heinrick
ball in high school and college, Bishop went on
to a 31-year career as an elementary teacher in
Sumner (Wade Calvin and Daffodil schools). During that 1957-87 span, he also worked for Sumner
Parks and Recreation (1960-72), was an Area
Director for Pierce County Parks and Recreation in
the 60’s and 70’s, and was a director of Sumner
Youth Baseball (meaning he wrote schedules,
maintained fields and umpired, and was so active
in the Sumner 20-30 club that he gained lifetime
member status.
After leaving education, Bishop coached
USSSA women’s softball teams from 1988-2008,
twice leading teams that included his daughter
to runner-up finishes (1998 and 1999) in the state
tournament. His teams also finished third (2003),
fourth (2000) and fifth (2002) in state.
Somehow, Bishop also found time for league
bowling, adult rec league basketball and volunteering at Puyallup Parks and Recreation, where
he was twice named Outstanding Volunteer
(2000-01).
In short, the low-profile Nash Bishop has for
decades lived up to the Dill Howell ideal by being
a good citizen, a good coach and a tremendous
asset to Pierce County recreation activities in
Sumner and Puyallup.
11
12
2015 Dill Howell Award Recipients continued
Ed Niehl
Ed Niehl, Pennsylvanian by
birth (Pittsburgh, March 5, 1924)
and Washingtonian by choice
(Washington State College, now
WSU, 1951), built the foundation
for decades of athletic success at
Bethel High School after he joined
the newly consolidated district in
its infancy.
An all-around athlete at Highline High School in Des Moines,
Wash., he was a running back and defensive back from
1942-44, including an all-league selection at running
back in 1944; a forward and guard in basketball; an
outfielder in baseball; and a record-setting
pole vaulter in track, clearing a leaguerecord 10 feet, 6 inches.
In the Army at Fort Sill, Okla., in 1946,
he played running back and defensive
back. He was a quarterback and defensive back in college for the Cougars from
1948-50.
While finishing up his degree in early
1951, Niehl was recruited to join the new
220-square-mile Bethel district in southeast
Pierce County.
His first task as football and baseball
coach was to bring together the athletes from Kapowsin and Roy high schools, 18 miles apart, to create
competitive teams representing one school. Niehl
drove the bus that took the athletes from Kapowsin to
Roy for practices. The Braves rented Cheney Stadium,
then located at 38th and Lawrence streets, for football
games, and used Breseman Park, on the grounds now
covered by Lake Spanaway Golf Course, for baseball.
Ed Niehl, up to bat, played for the Highline Athletic Club in 1948.
Bethel opened in the fall of 1952, bringing all the
students under one roof. But Niehl, the shop teacher
and coach for football and baseball, lacked suitable
fields for competition, so he formed the first Bethel
Booster Club in 1954. The aim was to bring the Braves
back from Cheney Stadium and Breseman Park for
games.
Under Niehl’s leadership, agriculture and shop
teacher Robert Anderson and his students surveyed
and planted the field. Money raised built concession
stands, ticket booths, a cinder track, bleachers and
other improvements at what came to be named Art
Crate Field.
On the gridiron, Niehl built a powerhouse. The
1955, the Braves outscored opponents 146-0 while going 6-0-2 in the West Central League. Later in
the ’50s, the Associated Press declared the
Braves state champions, back in the days
before playoffs.
While Niehl was hip-deep in organized
athletics at Bethel – including 15 years
as football coach, five years as baseball
coach and seven years as a basketball assistant, along with a stint at athletic director
from 1956 until he retired in 1981 – he also
helped provide recreational opportunities
as the Bethel Area Director for Pierce County
Parks and Recreation. Later he organized,
coached and played for various 55-and-over slowpitch
softball teams at Sprinker Recreation Center, including
Grandpa’s Lighting and R&B Plumbing.
As an administrator, coach and player up to age
80, Ed Niehl earned recognition as a Dill Howell Award
winner.
Marv Scott
Coaches Award
Little did Tacoma City League fans know that they were
in for a rare treat indeed, with the ball diamonds of the
40’s and 50’s influenced by Marv
Scott whose positive coaching style
affected numerous athletes.
A graduate of Stadium High School,
Marv toiled at the
hot corner for the
Tacoma Tigers of
the Western International League
for the 1946 season, compiling a .283 batting average but Marv’s calling
was to teach and coach and the next year he was back
at his alma mater, serving as head coach for the Tigers
of Stadium from 1947-57.
Scott then moved on to Wilson high to coach the Rams
when that school opened up in 1958 and he remained
the varsity coach through the 1967 season with several
City League titles under his belt. Already involved as a
part-time scout, Marv then went into it full-time, spending 25 years as a scout with the New York Mets, earning
World Series championship rings from 1969 and 1986.
Joe Stortini who played against Marv and later coached
with him at Wilson recalled, “I really admire how he
managed his time. If it rained he never wasted a turnout
opportunity. We’d go into the gym and he’d spend an
hour explaining the finer points of the game. He was a
real perfectionist when it came to baseball. Coach also
felt that the first thing players needed to do was to learn
how to hold a bat and bunt. He always said that if you
could learn to bunt you would be a better hitter. In fact,
a lot of his teams would win games even though they
would not get the ball out of the infield.”
“Marv would have been a great National League coach
because he loved the small ball concept of moving the
players along with the short game. His teams were
always well drilled and they loved to bunt,” said Stortini.
Joe concluded, “What impressed me the most was not
only how well-prepared he was, but that he made sure
his boys were, too. He was pretty even-tempered and
he would never embarrass a player. If he was mad,
he would take the player aside from everyone, have a
one-on-one conversation, and create an understanding between both of them. I marveled at how he dealt
with the players.”
Denny Brand played for Marv at Wilson in the mid-60’s
and vividly recalled, “Coach could spot talent better than
anyone I ever knew. He was what I would call ‘a man’s
man’ and you just wanted to do well for him, play hard,
hustle, and not let him down. He shared his knowledge
and taught us to respect the game. If we made an error
we still came off the field with our head up. If we struck
out, we hustled back to the dugout. He taught us to be
glad for the opportunity to be playing baseball and to
realize that no one was bigger than the game. We were
in awe of him,” commented Brand.
Joe Stortini, still actively playing Senior Softball summed
it up appropriately when he said, “When I look back at
high school coaches, I realize how lucky I am that I got to
play for Bill Mullen and coach with Marv Scott. Without a
doubt they were the best and they certainly don’t make
coaches like Marv Scott anymore.”
Holly Gee and Marco Malich—
Marv Scott Coaches Award Recipients
Hollister “Holly” Gee
Hollister “Holly” Gee was born on February 21, 1923 in
Russell, Minn., a small town tucked away in the southwest
corner of the state. After moving to Washington, he played
two years as an outfielder for Lincoln High School before
graduating from the school in 1942. He spent three years
at College of Puget Sound, where he played for school’s
baseball team, and then graduated from the University of
Washington in 1949.
Holly played six years in the Tacoma City League for
6th Avenue, Western State Hospital and McKinley Hill, managed the Western State Hospital team for two years, and
then played another two years in the Valley League.
During a four-year stint as head baseball coach at Clover Park High School
he directed his teams to three South Puget Sound League championships and
one Puget Sound League crown. During this period he helped develop several
outstanding players who went on to professional
careers: Cap Peterson, who played for the San
Francisco Giants, Washington Senators and
Cleveland Indians; Bill Murphy, who played for
the New York Yankees and New York Mets; and
Duane Rossman who played for the Tacoma Tigers. Many other players went on to outstanding
college careers.
Merle Hagbo was the junior varsity baseball
coach at Clover Park during Holly’s stint as head
coach. “I have great memories of working with Holly and always felt he was a
good coach. He was blessed to have some great players,” says Hagbo, mentioning Peterson, Murphy, Rod McDonald, Jim Pelander and Harry Hokanson.
“Those were the days that baseball was fun at Clover Park. We were always
a contender.”
One of his former players, Barry Crust, remembers Holly’s awkward-butaccurate shooting during basketball practices, and that many on the baseball
team would swing at the air while facing Holly’s left-handed batting practice
deliveries. A teammate, Bill Barrett, recalls the pride Holly had in demonstrating
the left-handed drag bunt to a bunch
of right-handed players who couldn’t
quite match the skill that their coach
had mastered.
After four years as Clover Park’s
baseball head coach and basketball
junior varsity
coach, Holly
Marv Scott Coaches switched roles
Award Recipients
after a move
2015 Holly Gee
to Lakes High
Marco Malich School. He re2014 No Banquet turned to Clo- Lakes High School coaches were Holly Gee, JV
team, and Ron Storaasli, the varsity.
2013 No Banquet
ver Park as
2012 Andy Helling
2011 No Banquet athletic director
2010 Merle Hagbo from 1969-72.
Holly also coached American Legion and Stan
2009 Roy Anderson
Musial baseball for five years, served two years as
2008 Barry Crust
2007 John Heinrick president of the Western Washington Baseball League
2005 Bill Mullen
(Casey Stengel Baseball), and developed, coached,
2004 Marv Scott
and managed the Lakewood Royals for 10 years. That
13
14
2015 Marv Scott Coaches Award Recipient continued
Team
Recognition
semi-pro league featured teams
comprised of either collegiate or
ex-professional players. Doug
Sisk, who Team
wouldRecognition—Wilson
go on to pitch High School
(1977)
State
Championship
Team—
for the New York Mets, was Baseball
a
Henry
Bender,
product of this program that won
Mike Cheesman, Howard Kimura, Jim
numerous
league championKoenig, Ken Lamb, Tab Lively, Mike Maxwell,
shipsFred
in addition
to placing
Minniti, Don
Pratt, high
in state tournaments.
Dennis Randall, Rich Rhoads, Alan Stoops,
“AfterWiese,
playing
the SeniorKari Rein (statistiMike
GreginWooldridge,
Babecian),
Ruth leagues there really
was nowhere
to (Asst.
play,”Coach),
Sisk and Bob LightHenryelse
Jarvits
foot“I(Head
recalls.
foundCoach).
myself getting a
chance to play for the Lakewood
Royals, which was my first time Holly Gee
to play ball with the big boys in
a highly competitive program.”
Before signing with Mets scout Marv Scott, Sisk
asked to start one more game for Holly’s Royals
against a bitter rival. “Marv and
Holly explained to me that it was
time to move on as I had nothing
more to prove,” says Sisk, who
had a nine-year major league
career split between the Mets,
Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta
Braves. Sisk later would coach
Holly’s grandson, Dillon, who
along with Holly’s son, Ron, carried on the Gee family baseball
tradition.
Holly, who umpired high
school, college and recreational
softball and baseball for 10 years,
was one of the organizers and
the first director of Lakewood
Recreation, which developed a
baseball program for Lakewood that involved more
than 1,000 boys each year.
Check Us Out For The Latest Info & Great Photos
Banquets - Catering Deli - Lounge - Community Fundraisers
Joe Stortini
Founder
2207 N. Pearl Street • Tacoma, WA 98406 • 253.761.5555 • 253.761.1606 fax
www.joeseppisristorante.com
2015 Marv Scott Coaches Award Recipient continued
Marco Malich
Marco Malich bleeds green.
Just ask his longtime friend
and fellow coach Leland Smith.
He said so.
That’s what happens when
you play with distinction for four
years at Peninsula High School
(graduated in 1959), then go on
to a 33-year career as coach of
your alma mater, including a state
runner-up finish and 435 victories.
That’s just part of what makes Marco Malich, born
in 1941 in Tacoma, a Marv Scott Coaches Award winner.
Start with the high school
resume: Four years of baseball,
including a .350 batting average
and 11 home runs as a senior captain playing pitcher, catcher and
outfielder; four years of basketball,
including a senior season as captain; and three years of football for
the Seahawks.
Add to that a year of playing
semi-pro baseball in Alaska with
the Ketchikan All-Stars, 10 years
of batting .450 for the Heidelberg
slow-pitch softball team and a
fifth-place finish at the 1968 ASA
(Amateur Softball Association)
nationals at Jones Beach, N.Y.,
and so many all-star selections
that Malich loses count.
Stir in his community involvement: five years with Peninsula Athletic Association;
six years with Peninsula Youth Football, including four
years on the board of directors; four years of coaching
baseball at Goodman Middle School; and 20 years as
an assistant football coach at Peninsula High School.
All that adds up to a WIAA Hall of Fame coach
(inducted in 2013) who took his team to the playoffs
15 times and was named state coach of the year in
2006, when the Seahawks played at Safeco Field and
finished second.
Malich start coaching with that stint at Goodman,
a volunteer in charge of seventh and eighth graders.
“The final year they paid me,” he told Ric Hallock of the
Kitsap Sun for a story published in 2013.
He got the opportunity to coach Peninsula because Gig Harbor High School opened in 1979 and
all the Peninsula coaches moved to the Tides. His first
team was filled with kids he had coached in middle
school. “The second year we won one game,” Malich
said. The team improved to .500 in his third season
and every year after until 2008 they were .500 or better. His teams reached regionals 16 times and won 15
league championships.
Now he finds it difficult to stay out of the dugout.
But he looks forward to playing on the Heidelberg
senior team when he turns
75.
Meanwhile, retirement gives him and Sandi,
a fellow Peninsula grad
and his companion of
more than 50 years, time
with their four grown children and “tons of grandchildren.”
They now have time
to attend fastpich games
at Gig Harbor High School,
where two granddaughters play.
But, “He said there’s
no way he’s not wearing
his Peninsula hat,” Sandi
said.
That’s what happens
when you spend decades at one school shaping a
Marv Scott Coaches Award career.
15
16
CY GREENLAW
OLD-TIMER’S
SALUTE AWARD
The “Cy Greenlaw Old-timers Salute
Award” is named after one of our
area’s most
gracious
and kindhearted individuals to
ever set foot
in a b a llpark. And,
as the first
recipient
of the Oldtimer’s Salute Award
in 2003 it is
only fitting to
honor one of Tacoma’s true pitching
legends!
A three-sport star at Kapowsin High
School, Cy made a name for himself
in the old Tacoma City League and
played nine seasons in the minor
leagues. In 1935 he was a member
of the Tacoma City League champion Superior Dairy team coached by
Ocky Haughland. In 1937, Greenlaw
pitched for Johnson Paint of Tacoma
which finished firth at the National
Baseball Congress tournament in
Wichita, KS.
In 1940 he played for Vancouver,
B.C., in the Western International
League before the he joined the
U.S. Army in 1941 and after the
war ended he joined the Tacoma
Tigers of the Class B Western International League and was an
18-game winner in 1946, winning
a 3-0 seven-inning no-hitter against
the Yakima Stars at Tiger Park. In
fact, Greenlaw is one of only 14
pitchers to ever throw a no-hitter in
local professional baseball history.
But his career was on the decline.
After three seasons with Tacoma,
he played three more seasons with
Wenatchee before retiring from
baseball in 1951.
Earl Birnel, Harry Nygard and Hank
Semmern—Cy Greenlaw Old-timer’s Salute
Earl Birnel
Born in Tacoma in 1926, Earl learned baseball as a
youth at Tacoma’s Jefferson Park. He was an accomplished
infielder at Stadium High School, graduating from the school
in 1944. Later, he played four years of baseball, including
two seasons as team captain, at College of Puget Sound.
He earned graduate and post-graduate degrees from the
school and went on to a career as a teacher, coach and
administrator in the University Place School District.
During his college years, he
played summer baseball for Kay
Street in the City League and for
Madigan in the Valley League, and from 1953-56 he
participated in Alaska’s Midnight Sun League.
Earl comes by his ability from an outstanding
career as a baseball player, including a five-year
minor league journey through such Chicago Cubs
minor league affiliate stops as Visalia, Calif., Sioux
Falls, S.D., Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Des Moines, Iowa.
He was team MVP at Visalia in 1951 and a year later
at Cedar Rapids.
While playing for Sioux Falls in the Northern
League in 1952 Earl had a
chance to play with an 18
year-old Hank Aaron who
was making his professional debut with the Eau Claire,
Wisconsin team. The two were teammates in the
league All-Star game with Earl playing third base and
Aaron played shortstop. “I remember that Henry used
to throw the ball from way below his waist which was
a bit unusual. He was a real skinny guy and I tried to
strike up a conversation with him on the bench but he
was just a kid and pretty shy at the time,” recalled Earl.
In 1954 I also played against Roger Maris. He was just
19 and in his second year of pro baseball at Keokuk,
Iowa in the Three-I League.
After a long break from the diamond and at the
urging of Joe Stortini and Bob Maguinnez Earl starting
playing slowpitch softball in 1991. Earl was 65 and
just getting started as a senior player. In 2001, he
CY GREENLAW OLD-TIMER’S helped Emerald City win the 70 & Over national
championship, and in 2004, with Earl as playerSALUTE AWARD RECIPIENTS
manager, the team won the national and world
2015 Earl Birnel
titles in the 75 & Over category. Throughout his
Harry Nygard
softball career he has earned numerous tourna
Hank Semmem
ment all-star and MVP awards.
2014 No Banquet
2013 No Banquet
Since 1990, Earl Birnel has flashed his out2012 Vern Kohout
standing talent in local senior slowpitch circles.
2011 No Banquet
In 2004, the state Senate honored Earl and the
2010 Cliff Schiesz
Northwest 75s with an official resolution follow2009 Dick Greco
ing their Triple Grand Slam—Western, National
2008 Pete Sabutis
and World championships. Starting in the sum2007 Dick Milford
mer of 2009, Earl plans to play regularly in the 80
2006 Pat Rooney
& over slowpitch leagues throughout the Pacific
2005 Walt Jutte
Northwest. At 80 he was still going strong and
2004 John Milroy
looking forward to another season.
2003 Cy Greenlaw
2015 Cy Greenlaw Recipients continued
Harry Nygard
When the 1946 Stadium High
School Tigers went to Walla Walla
to play for the state championship,
they carried with them
a hard-throwing righthander who would
lead them to the title.
Harr y Nygard
was born May 10,
1928 in Rochester,
Wash., and started
turning heads while playing baseball for
Sportsman Club as a Jason Lee Junior
High School student. A two-year baseball
team captain at Stadium High, Nygard
was a one-man pitching crew in leading
the Tigers to the state title as a junior.
In a four-game period over eight days, Nygard
threw 36 innings to win all four contests. He threw nine
innings to beat Bellarmine on a Friday and 9 more
innings in a state-qualifying win over Renton on the
Tuesday prior to the state tournament. There, he oneupped himself. In a Friday night state semifinal game
he fanned 16 batters in nine innings as Stadium topped Bellingham, 14-0. The following evening
in the title game, he struck out 17
more in nine innings of Stadium’s
4-0 whitewash of Spokane’s Rogers High School.
While the pitching performance was remarkable, throwing
between 500 and 600 pitches
over an eight-day period took a
toll on Nygard’s arm and perhaps
led to a premature end to a promising baseball career.
Nygard finished high school early, graduating in
January of 1947 in order to begin his pro career, signing
first with the Tacoma Tigers in January of 1947 and then
with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. He played four
professionally four seasons with El Centro, the Medford
Dodgers, Boise Pilots, Idaho Falls Russets, and finally
with the Vancouver Capilanos in the Western International League. While in Boise, Harry pitched 73 innings
across 16 games, posting a 1.97 earned
run average that fell short of qualifying for
the league ERA title based on his innings
total. The highlight of his pro career came
when he was named the starting pitcher
in the 1949 Pioneer League All-Star Game
played in Salt Lake City.
Nygard is retired from a successful
career—one he credits to his competitive spirit in sports—as a Kirby Vacuum
Cleaner distributor.
HARRY NYGARD
Stadium High School
1946 State Baseball Champions
Pitching Records for the 1946 Season
ERA was 0.214 runs per game
Averaged 13.4 K’s per game
SCHEDULE
Stadium 14, Sumner 1
Bremerton 2, Stadium 1
Stadium 13, Bellingham 0
Bellingham 2, Stadium 0
Stadium 14, Lincoln 1
Stadium 5, Seattle Prep 0
Stadium 2, Everett 1
Stadium 13, Bellarmine 0
Stadium 2, Renton 1
Stadium 14, Bellingham 0
Stadium 4, Spokane 0
HITS IP
0 3
4 9
1
6
2 7
4 9
2 7
2 7
8 9
3 9
8 9
4 9
ER
0
11
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ks
7
5
14
10
14
9
14
14
17
16
17
TOTALS 11 Games
Runs Scored 82
Runs Against 8
38 84 2
147
BASEBALL MEMORABILIA
WANTED!
Photos, gloves, programs, uniforms, caps, bats, balls, schedules, tickets,
contracts, and any other memorabilia relating to Western International
League, Pacific Coast League, and Tacoma-area semi-pro teams.
Also interested in other Tacoma-Pierce County area artifacts for other sports such as
basketball, football, hockey, tennis etc. Items will be considered for display purposes
in the Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma-Pierce County.
CONTACT: Marc Blau at
(253) 848-1360 (home) • (253) 677-2872 (cell)
[email protected]
17
18
2015 Cy Greenlaw Recipients continued
Hank Semmern
Hank Semmern was born
in Tacoma on
June 6, 1927
and played
football and
baseball at
Stadium high,
graduating in
1945. The following year he
played baseball
with his brother, Don, for the Sportsman’s Club.
Hank went on to earn a scholarship to College of Puget Sound,
where for three years he starred as
a right-handed pitcher. He graduated from CPS in 1951 and went on
to careers in real estate and auto
sales.
Semmern played well enough
at College of Puget Sound to earn
a tryout with the Wenatchee Chiefs
(he called it a cup of coffee without
the coffee) of the Western International League, but an arm injury
brought him
back to Tacoma, which
b e c a m e
fortuitous
for several
teams in the
local City
a n d Va l l e y
leagues.
Among
the teams
he played
for were K
Street, Olde
Pilsner Beer,
38th Street,
Madigan
(managed
by Hal Schimling), 26th &
Proctor, Phil’s
Place and the Left to Right: Brothers Hank and Don Semmern.
Timbermen,
managed by
Marv Rickert. One of his teammates on the Timbermen
was former Philadelphia A’s star “Indian” Bob Johnson.
In addition to Rickert, Semmern counted Bob Johnson
and Marv Scott among the outstanding managers for
which he played.
Hank tossed a no-hitter while in the City League
where he twice earned all-star honors and was selected to the Valley League all-star team once during
his career.
Semmern served as Tacoma Athletic Commission
president in 1973-74 and for many years served as a
public address announcer at the local Golden Gloves
boxing tournament.
“Open at 11 am Every Day
“Sponsoring Teams
for over 30 Years”
Drink of Your Choice
Served in Trophy Room
Trophy Room 475-6555
Craig Lowry—Meritorious Service
Award Recipient
If he wasn’t at his desk making up schedules for baseball,
football or basketballs games, forming teams, finding coaches,
conducting clinics, or ordering uniforms he was probably outside
dragging the field, moving the line, installing bases or taking out
the garbage. No job was too big or too small for Craig Lowry because
Marc H. Blau
Meritorious
Service Award
Ask any of our “Old-Timers”
and they will say – Nobody in
Tacoma or Pierce County has
done more to perpetuate the
organization than Marc Blau.
It is fitting that a Meritorious
Service Award should bear
his name. His volunteer efforts have gone above and
beyond.
A TAC member since the
1980s, Marc has channeled
his passion for sports by focusing on working on several
projects that help to embrace
the history of sports in our
community and highlight the
athletic achievements of our
past sports heroes.
He teamed up with Clay Huntington as the driving force
behind the creation of the
Shanaman Sports Museum of
Tacoma-Pierce County which
opened in 1994 at the Tacoma
Dome; he was chairman for
over 10 years of the TacomaPierce County Baseball-Softball Oldtimers Association
and instrumental in numerous
team reunions; he is chairman
of the Tacoma-Pierce County
Sports Hall of Fame: he is the
Executive Director for the State
of Washington Sports Hall of
Fame; and he is chairman of
the Banquet of Champions. He
also authored, with co-author
Doug McArthur, “Playgrounds
to the Pros: An Illustrated History of Sports in Tacoma-Pierce
County”, a book that captures
the history of over 35 sports.
He is relentless in his pursuit
to preserve our sports history and his volunteer efforts
in doing so were the basis
for renaming the Meritorious Service Award on his
behalf.  Upon further review,
he’s been more than relentless! “Driven” might be a more
appropriate word.
he never considered those responsibilities work.
He was just doing
what needed to
be done to enhance the experience of participating in sports and
other recreational
activities.
Craig Lowry
was born April 4,
1931 in Sac City,
Iowa, graduated
In 1971 the NWBC Colts won the City League with a 9-2 record under the direction
of Coach Craig Lowry, top row far right.
Marc H. Blau Meritorious
Award Recipients
2015
2014
2013
2012
Craig Lowry
No Banquet
No Banquet
Jeff Buhr &
Dick Pollen
2011 No Banquet
2010 Tony Milan
2009 Harland Beery
2008 Bob Christofferson
2007 Gary Nicholson
2006 Clarence Seman
2005 Walt Jutte
2004 Jack Murphy
2003 Tony Anderson
2001 George Quigley
2000 Ken Wilson
2000 Bob Maguinez
1996-99Not Awarded
1995 Joe Hemel
1994 Jerry Geehan,
Don Hill, and
Clay Huntington
1993 Tak Ikeda and
Pat Steele
1992 Dr. Sam Adams,
Dr. Robert Johnson,
and Dr. Robert
O’Connell
1991 Maurice Turnbull,
Bill Turnbull,
Dave Turnbull,
Donald Turnbull,
and Doug Turnbull
in 1949 from Junction City HS and then attended
Kansas State University before completing his college
education at the College of Puget Sound in 1956.
Craig was a dedicated and loyal employee of
the local Boys and Girls Club organization in Tacoma
having operated the Northwest Boys and Girls Club
from 1960-1980 out of his basement until a small
building was purchased at North 37th & Cheyenne in
the early 1970’s. He then became the Branch Director
of the Gonyea Boys and Girls Club form 1980-1991.
For many years Craig trained and assigned umpires
for all of the youth games organized by Metro Parks
before retiring in 1991.
Craig enjoyed playing baseball and golf but he
really loved officiating football, basketball, baseball
and softball. Craig also cherished 39 years he and
Joyce were married and loved the time he spent
coaching his three children—Cathy, Craig and Cher—
and then later on his grandchildren as well. Coaching
little leagues is what made Craig happy and he could
usually be found on the diamond at any given moment
offering help to a struggling child.
When asked about her dad, daughter Cheri
said, “Dad’s whole life was involved with sports either
playing, coaching or being an umpire. His passion for
children led him to be a mentor for a lot of children in
his position at the Gonyea Boys and Girls Club. He was
a hero to a lot of people including myself. “
“Our father was our hero”, continued Cheri. “ He
was a wonderful inspiration to many young children
and older adults and our family is honored to have
this award given to him.” Craig Lowry passed away
in 2006.
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20
2015 Hall of Fame Inductees
Baseball—
Mike Larson—Mike Larson has
enjoyed success at multiple levels
of baseball and fastpitch. The
1979 Lakes High graduate led
the Lancers to the state championship game that Spring after
homering in the semifinal game.
He went on to be a record-setting
power hitter at Pacific Lutheran University. Mike
graduated from PLU in 1983 with the career record of
19 home runs (now 2nd in school history). He was a
two-time All-Norhwest Conference
selection at catcher.
In 1982 Mike was touring with
Athletes in Action when he was
“loaned” to the Swedish National
Baseball Team after Sweden’s catcher broke his ankle. Mike played for
Sweden in the European Cup. He
hit a home run in the title game and
was named tournament MVP.
Mike spent spring training in
the Seattle Mariners camp in 1984.
He was released the final day of
camp. Thereafter, he shifted to modified fastpitch and fastpitch.
Mike played fastpitch for Tisdales (1984-85), B&I
Sports (1986-87), Tacoma Modified (1988-91) and the
Cheney Studs (1992-95). He participated in five modified fastpitch national tournaments (Atlanta, GA, 1985;
Spokane, WA 1986; Decatur, AL, 1987; Marietta, GA,
1988; Miami, FL, 1989). In the 1987 tournament, he hit
three HRs in one game.
Mike also served as an assistant baseball
coach at Willamette University (1984-85) and PLU
(1986-91).
Kevin Stock—One of the top prep
baseball players to come out of
Stadium High School, Kevin Stock
was drafted by the Texas Rangers in
the seventh round of the 1982 Major
League Baseball amateur draft.
Stock was born in Auburn
on January 12, 1964
and excelled on the baseball
diamond as a third baseman
and pitcher in high school. He
earned various league honors
as a three-year letter winner for
Stadium before graduating in
1982 and heading to the minor
leagues.
Stock played three years
in the Texas Rangers’ minor Kevin and brother Jeff with
Brooks Robinson.
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league system and one
year with the Oakland
Athletics’ minor league
affiliate in Modesto.
There he roomed with
Mark McGwire and
was voted to the California League All-Star
team as the starting
second baseman in
1985. He batted .285
with eight home runs
and 65 runs batted in
from the two-hole in the
lineup that season.
Throughout his
playing days, Stock also
played on various Tacoma summer league teams. The
most successful team was the 1980 Tacoma Longshoremen coached by Joe Stortini, as the team posted
a perfect 32-0 record.
Stock literally came from good “Stock”. His Dad,
Wes, pitched for eight years in the major leagues
starting with the Baltimore Orioles and later with the
Kansas City Athletics and older brother, Jeff, played
professional soccer for the Seattle Sounders and Tacoma Stars. Kevin lives in Tacoma and works for Pierce
County as the Clerk of the Superior Court.
Dave Voss—One of the great threesport stars to come out of Wilson
High School, Dave Voss excelled on
the baseball field, on the gridiron
and on the basketball court.
Born in Tacoma on January 3,
1949, Voss grew up playing baseball and football for the 6th Avenue
Colts from 1951-1961; baseball for
the Cheney Studs at the Babe Ruth, Midget, and Connie Mack levels from 1962-1966; baseball, basketball
and football at Mason Jr. High in 1962 and 1963: and
baseball and basketball in 1964 at Truman Jr. High,
By the time he reached high school (1965-67)
Voss was a bona fide three-sport stud (literally). He
earned all-city honors on the gridiron as an offensive
and defensive end, second-team all-state honors on
the basketball court and was nominated to play in
the State All-Star baseball game. Dave was elected to
the Wilson Hall of
Fame in 2000.
As a senior at
Wilson, Dave batted .820 and led
the City League in
runs batted in. His
success garnered
interest from numerous top colleges in the region
22
2015 Hall of Fame Inductees continued
in both baseball and football. Meanwhile he signed
with the San Francisco Giants in 1967 and spent time
in their system playing in Salt Lake City, Medford, Ore.,
and Decatur, Ill.
Dave reflected, “Looking back on this time I am
amazed with the quality of all the youth programs that
were provided and all the quality coaches that excelled
in teaching us much more than just sports. Coaches
like my Dad (Clyde Voss), Bob Maguinez, Ron Billings,
Doug MacArthur and my high school baseball coach
Marv Scott were just exceptional role models and
great coaches. Thank you also to the Tacoma SportsRecreation Federation and all the people that made
this work so we kids could just go play and have FUN.
And, we learned a few life lessons, too, along the way.
Voss graduated from University of Washington
in 1972 and lives in Hailey, Idaho, where he is a sales
consultant for Food Services of America.
1966 CHENEY STUDS CONNIE MACK—Front row l. to r.: Dave Lewis, Bill
Taylor, Jon Paul, Tom Smith (batboy), Denny Brand, Dave Demick and Ray
Moshier. Back row l. to r.: Lonnie Davis (coach), Gary Diel, Dave Voss, Rich
Mayo, Ed Brewster, Allan Berg and Craig Mukai.
Bill Zenk Jr.—Bill Zenk Jr. has an
accomplished history of great
sports diversity. He was a firstteam all-state football selection, a
state championship wrestler and
all-state baseball player.
After graduating from Wilson
High School in 1960 he played
baseball at Yakima Junior College – where he was teammates with long-time New
York Yankee pitcher Mel Stottlemyre. Bill also coached
baseball for the Cheney Studs Babe Ruth and American Legion teams in the 1960s. Ron Cey was one of
the Studs players Bill coached.
W h e n n o t w e a ring baseball spikes, Bill
laced up another spiked
shoe – mountain climbing
boots. He has reached the
summit of Mount Rainier four
times (last on the 62nd birthday) and every other Cascade
Mountains peak at least twice.
Bill also has an exceptional resume in handball having
won numerous tournaments on the West Coast.
Mike Zenk—Mike Zenk, a 1965
Wilson High grad, so excelled for
the Rams and Cheney Studs that
he was signed by the San Francisco
Giants in 1965. Primarily a catcher
and first baseman, Mike spent
two seasons in the Giants organization but broke a finger in both
seasons limiting his play before he was released.
Before pro baseball, Mike earned seven varsity
letters at Wilson and several captain and inspirational
awards. In football he was all-City and all-Capital
League as a center and defensive tackle. In wrestling,
he placed third in state at 191 pounds. He led the Rams
to two City and Capital League championships. He is
also a member of the Wilson sports hall of fame.
After returning to Tacoma
from his stint in the Giants’ organization, Mike played two
years for the Heidelberg slowpitch team. He recalls winning
“just about all the tournaments
we entered.” He played in two
slowpitch world series tournaments – Jones Beach, NY and
Parma, Ohio. In 1968 at Jones
Beach, Heidelberg placed fifth.
After Heidelberg, Mike played for Cornell Plumbing
(1970-71) and Sons of Italy (72-73).
“I was very lucky to have grown up in a town that
had so many great sponsors for youth sports and the
people that loved to teach kids to play the games,”
Mike said. “I was first coached in baseball by my father
Bill Zenk and then Bob Maguinez and Larry Loughlin,
Joe Stortini, Marv Scott, and football by Mr. Naubert
and Harry Bird. They were all inspiring leaders.”
Fastpitch—
Dave Demick—Tacoma born and
raised, Dave Demick displayed
his glove work and batting skills
on diamonds all around the area
for more than 30 years. A 1966 Wil-
son High grad, Dave
played semi-pro baseball after high school
then fastpitch softball
for years before returning to baseball in the
over-30 league.
Mostly playing first base and
the outfield, Dave
played baseball
for the Cheney Studs in 1964 and
1966, Stay Green semipro in 1967 and Lakewood Royals in 1968-70. On the softball
field, he played for Puget Sound Bank 1971-75 and ‘78,
Achilles Heel 1977, Jackson Reality 1976 and Cloverleaf
Tavern 1978-83. There were other teams but time has
obscured the details.
He remembers batting over .300 every year
with many home runs, usually batting 3, 4 or 5 in the
lineup. Dave was selected for several all-star teams at
fastpitch invitationals throughout the region.
Tony DeRosa—Tony was a star
athlete at Stadium High School
(Class of 1960). He was part of
a league championship football
team, state championship basketball team (1959) and was also chosen to play in the all-state baseball
game, in which he had two hits.
Tony was a left-handed hitter who was a star for
the St. Rita’s Church fastpitch team for seven years.
He played shortstop and St. Rita’s had only one loss in
Original Sons of Italy Sports Hall of Fame members: Joe Munizza,
John Messina, Frank Paul, Tony DeRosa, Joe DeRosa.
Original team, St. Rita’s 1958: Front Row L to R: : Ramo Natalizio,
Al Rettura, Tony DeRosa, Joe DeRosa, Ken Schwab, John Messina. Back Row L. to R.: Daryl Zadow, Joe (Ross) Munizza, Bob DeRosa,
Pat Kelly, Bob Dickson, Rev. Anthony Baffaro, S. J.
church league play over Tony’s first four seasons. Later,
Tony played fastpitch for the Longshoremen, adding
more league and tournament accolades.
According to coach John Messina, in 130 games
over 10 years, Tony made just 15 errors at shortstop.
He had good range, sure hands and a strong arm.
Tony batted .301 with 67 RBIs.
Tony also played softball for Pete Lovey VW and
the Sons of Italy slowpitch teams.
Pete Guthrie (dec)—Charles “Pete”
Guthrie had one of the longest
stretches of success you’ll ever see
in fastpitch softball. He played 35
years, from 1958 through 1993, and
was a dominant pitcher for a third
of a century.
Pete averaged 20 wins per
season and won better than 75
percent of the over 1300 games pitched. He started
his career playing softball while serving in the Air
Force and his team won the WDAF and 25th Air Division tournaments before finishing second in the ADC
tournament as Pete pitched six
games back-to-back, coming
from the loser’s bracket to win
the next four before losing in
the finals, 2-1. Guthrie was the
workhorse that season racking
up 41 wins.
He played for numerous
teams, including St. Regis,
McKinley Hill Merchants, Lutheran Merchants of Puyallup,
Manitou Fuel, Bud’s Corner
Tavern, the Cloverleaf Tavern
and B & I Sports.
Guthrie’s pitching success included a number of
no-hitters and even more one-hitters. His teams won
several city league championships and countless tournaments, garnering Guthrie multiple All-Star honors.
MANITOU FUEL—Top Row l. to r.: Cleon Tungsvik, Jay Huston, Pete
Guthrie, Skip Weaver, John Reines, Ken Bauer, Keith Bauer. Front
Row l. to r.: Al Macoy, Kim Kenyon, Chuck Ellis, Jim Kenyon, Tom
Kenyon, Ron Vandegrift, Jim Bauer, Bill Potthoff. Missing: Jim Bauer
and sponsor Burt Anderson.
23
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When he wasn’t pitching he played outfield
and designated hitter and steadily contributed in the
batter’s box. A little known fact was that Guthrie was
blinded in his left eye in 1960 yet he was still a threat at
the plate. And, in 1963 he cut a tendon in his pitching
arm and but still re-learned how to throw a rise ball,
curve, drop and three different change-ups.
One of Pete’s career highlights was striking out 22
batters in a seven-inning game and his favorite coach
was Bill Potthoff, the pitching preacher.
An engraver and pressman foreman professionally, Pete was born May 28, 1939 in Cumberland, MD
and passed away on January 22, 2015 in Tacoma, WA.
Bobby Howard—Bobby Howard
may have spent most of his life in
Texas, but for a 10-year stretch he
was a fastpitch softball star in the
Pacific Northwest.
Born in Atlanta, Tex., on February 12, 1951, Howard graduated
from Bright Star High School in 1969
and attended Texarkana College. After moving to the
South Sound, he played for McChord Air Force Base
and the Tacoma Merchants from 1970-74. From 1975
through 1980 he played with Cloverleaf Tavern, Manke
& Sons Lumber, B&I Sports and Colonial Cedar in the
Puget Sound Fastpitch League at Peck Field.
Able to move around the diamond, Howard
played shortstop, catcher, third base and outfield. With
double-headers scheduled for multiple days during
the week, Howard recalled
playing as many as 167
games in a summer. He
received numerous honors
throughout his career, including the best defensive
player trophy in 1977.
Bobby also played
for Manke Lumber and
B&I Sports in the Northwest
Major Fastpitch Softball
League. One of his career
highlights occurred in 1977
while playing shortstop
for Manke Lumber in a
double-header against
Seattle’s Peterbuilt nine.
Howard went 4 for 6 at the plate. In the first game, he
went 2 for 3 against Gram Arnold, scoring once with 2
RBI’s. In the nightcap, he again went 2 for 3 against Ty
Stofflet with a home run and 2 RBI’s in a 2-0 win with
Rich Nation pitching the shutout. In 1977 Arnold was
arguably the best right- handed pitcher in the world
and left-hander Stofflet is still considered one of the
greatest pitchers to ever throw a ball.
In 1978, while playing for B&I Sports in the Seattle
Invitational Tournament, Howard went 3 for 4, scored
twice against Stanley Kern, the fastest pitcher in the
world at the time, in a 4-0 win over Victoria, B.C. (the
former Canadian National Champions). In the two-day
tournament against Victoria Budget Rents, Seattle Peterbuilt, Boondox of Longview, and Yakima Coca-Cola
Bobby went 11 for 15. All teams were in the Northwest
Major Fastpitch Softball League.
After leaving the Tacoma area, Howard coached
baseball in Texas for 19 years. His teams won the city
championship every year and claimed regional titles
eight times. He also served 10 years as president of a
youth basketball league.
Howard refers to his time playing fastpitch in the
Pacific Northwest as “a dream come true,” saying that
he played fastpitch in three other states after leaving
Tacoma, but that “no other place in the world played
fastpitch like the Pacific Northwest.” He lives in Queen
City, Tex., and retired from the US Army as a Quality
Assurance Specialist.
Bill Zenk Sr.—Born Sept. 19, 1920,
Bill Zenk predates organized sports
in the Tacoma schools. He recalls
there wasn’t a competitive team to
play for until he was in 9th grade at
Mason Junior High. That didn’t stop
him from building skills that served
him very well on the varsity teams
at Stadium High. Bill earned six letters (3 basketball
and 3 baseball), graduating from Stadium in 1938. The
Tigers were state champs in 1937, going 18-0. Bill was
the team captain in 1938. His triple and run scored won
the league championship 1938.
Working as a machinist apprentice in 1940, Bill
played basketball and baseball on shipyard teams. He
joined the Navy in 1941. After the war he returned to the
shipyard and played fastpitch for the Stores-Machinists
and the Teamsters.
The Golden Era of fastpitch softball in Tacoma was
clearly from 1943-45 with the Tacoma Teamsters, the
Eagles, Stores-Machinists, the Coast Guard and the
Elks all fielding highly competitive teams that we always
in the race for district and state crowns and a trip to
the Nationals.
Bill was right
in the thick of the
action when he
patrolled left field
for the Teamsters
in 1943. Newspaper accounts
indicate that early in the season
Zenk cracked a
homer against
the legendar y
hurler Woodrow
Red of the Eagles
in a 3-2 loss. That
was no easy feat
as “Woody” was Back row l. to r.: Bill Zenk and Joe Katich
one of the all- Front row l. to r.: Jim Martin and Bill Stocklin
Front row l. to r.: Jack Tanner, Nathan Hale, Ed Turner, Harry
Werbisky, Fred LeVeque and Bill Stocklin. Middle row l. to
r.: Coach John Heinrick, Doug Turnbull, Tom Hall, Bill Zenk,
Mal Stevens, Vince Lucich, Maurice “Mo” Turnbull, and Dick
Pease. Back row l. to r.: Bob Knesal, Arnold Schurb, Mel
Gillespie, Al Libke, Marion Scott and Paul Barragar. Photo courtesy
of Tacoma Public Library.
1936 Stadium Tigers
The 1936 Stadium High School Tigers went undefeated in the Southwest Washington League with
an 11-0 season record. Home games were played
in Stadium Bowl.
After a lapse of seven years, baseball was
making a comeback as a major sport at Stadium,
brought back by Coach Heinrick in his first teaching
year at Stadium.
time great pitchers in Tacoma softball history.
With teammates Bob Heugel, George Roket,
Sonny Baily and pitcher John Rockway the Teamsters
edged the Eagles,1-0, to win the District title. The club
then competed in the World Series softball championships in Detroit where they lost of pair of 2-1 games to
the Cincinnati, OH and Rochester, NY entrants.
In 1944 Zenk moved over to play left field for the
Stores-Machinists nine but once again they were victims of another Woodrow Red gem as his Coast Guard
team prevailed 1-0 to with the annual district championships at Jefferson Field before nearly 1000 fans.
Bill adds 94 years worth of baseball/softball
memories in Pierce County to the Old-timers Hall of
Fame.
Slowpitch—
Doug Armstrong—A three-sport
star out of Franklin Pierce High
School, Doug Armstrong was a
dominant offensive player for numerous slowpitch softball squads
during a career spanning 1970
through 1985.
Born December 15, 1949 in
Seattle, Armstrong lettered in base-
ball, football and basketball for six straight years at
Ford Junior High and Franklin Pierce High School before
graduating in 1968. During his prep career he helped
lead the Cardinals to a pair of football and basketball
South Puget Sound League championships.
Armstrong joined the Lucky Lager slowpitch team
in 1970, playing games in the Western Washington
League at Sprinker Recreation Center and in his firstever tournament he helped the Lagermen to a secondplace finish at the Othello Invite behind the power
Heidelberg club. At season’s end, Heidelberg added
Armstrong as a pickup player for the ASA Regional
tournament in Corvallis where the squad claimed the
title thus earning a trip to the ASA National Tournament
in Michigan.
A First-Team All-Star selection in his first season
foreshadowed the stellar career to come. Armstrong
played with the Lucky lager squad for two more seasons before joining the Cloverleaf Tavern team in 1973
and ’74. He teamed with Cody’s Tavern from 1975
through ’79, garnering countless All-Star awards along
the way, with the highlight coming in 1977 and ’78
when the team qualified for consecutive trips to the ASA
National Championships. The team finished ninth out
of 50 teams at Houston, TX in 1977 and placed fourth
in 1978 in Burlington, NC, the highest national tournament finish for a Tacoma-Pierce County team to date.
Armstrong’s bat helped lead the way throughout,
as he earned National Tournament Individual All-Star
honors in 1978 with a .611 tourney batting average.
That closely matched his .600 career batting average.
Doug closed out his slowpitch career with the Black
Horse Tavern (1980-81) and three seasons with the
Kline Music team (1982-84).
Mel Burrell—Mel Burrell excelled
on both the ball field and the gridiron growing up, and he carried
that talent into a stellar football
career in high school and college
and an equally impressive slowpitch career.
Born in Puyallup on December 31, 1947, Burrell was a twotime All-State lineman on the football field at Franklin
Pierce High School. He also garnered All-American
recognition on the gridiron before continuing to play
at Washington State University. He graduated from
Franklin Pierce in 1966 and WSU in 1971.
Even before he was finished in high school, Burrell
was competing on the slowpitch circuit. He was an
All-Star baseball player at Franklin Pierce, and those
skills translated to the slowpitch diamond as well. He
began his career in 1965 with the Lillywhites, winning
several County League titles from 1965-69.
Burrell spent time with Lucky Lager (1971), Wested
Tire, (1972-73) and the Cloverleaf Tavern (1974-75) before wrapping up his career with Cody’s Tavern teams
from 1976-79. He played outfield and remembered
joining his classmates to frustrate older players in the
25
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league with their success, with each earning his fair
share of home run and battle titles, along with All-Star
and MVP trophies.
Reflecting upon his induction into the TPC Old-timers Slowpitch Hall of Fame category Mel commented,
“Looking back at all the good athletes that have come
and gone from our area I am honored to be considered
in the same league as them.”
Todd Cooley—Todd Cooley was
a dominant force in the batter’s
box through a prolific career that
included state and world championships on the slowpitch softball
diamond. He was destined for success as he was introduced to the
sport at an early age as a batboy
for the Spanaway Exchange Tavern slowpitch teams
of 1973-76.
Born in Tacoma on August 8, 1963, Cooley played
right field for the Franklin Pierce baseball team from
1979-81. The Cardinals won the league, district and
regional championship and played for the state title
in the Kingdome in 1981, losing 4-0 to Eastmont for
the 3A crown.
He spent time playing basketball at Eugene Bible
College and earned his degree from Pacific Lutheran
University in 1988, where he batted leadoff and played
left field for the Lute baseball team.
During that time Cooley embarked on an extraordinary slowpitch
career with Spanaway
Assembly of God (198284), People’s Church
(1984-92) and Slo-Pitch
News ((1992-93) before retiring. Todd was
mainly an outfielder,
but played anywhere he
was needed. He could
hit for power at will and
put up a career batting
average around .700
and crushed more than
1,000 home runs while
earning multiple State MVP honors, All-World honors
and West Coast All-Star recognition.
Todd was a member of the People’s Church team
that won the Church “A” World Championships twice in
addition to multiple state titles. These accomplishments
earned Todd induction into the USSSA Washington
Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
Professionally Todd served as the athletic director at New Hope Christian College in Eugene, OR and
works as a Hotelier for Crescent Hotels and Resorts.
Looking back at his career Todd stated, “I have
been so blessed to play with and against some of the
best athletes on the West Coast and in the United States
in my softball career. Softball has afforded me the ability to travel the and become the successful husband,
father, athlete and businessman I am today. I could not
have been more fortunate to grow up at Sprinker and
SERA sports complexes and owe many thanks to the
men who paved the way for me as mentors.”
Dan Valentine—Dan Valentine’s
slowpitch softball career lasted
more than two decades, and he
made the most of that time as a
three-time world champion with
People’s Church and multiple-time
All-World honoree.
Born in Tacoma on January 11, 1956, Dan graduated from Clover Park High
School in 1974. He played baseball and basketball in
high school and extended his basketball career at Ft.
Steilacoom College and Pacific Lutheran University. He
actually continued to play Men’s Rec basketball from
1977 until 2000, but his greatest achievements came
on the slowpitch diamond.
Valentine played for Liberty Real Estate & Little
Vic’s from 1976-81 and capped his career with a long
stint with People’s Church, lasting from 1982-97. He
received numerous All-Star and MVP awards while
winning tournaments at the Washington State Men’s
A & B classifications and the Men’s Church A level.
One particularly memorable stretch included finishing the 1992 season (league play, Men’s A Church
State, Men’s A State and the Church World tournament)
with an .820 batting average (82/100) as he drove base
hits through third base-shortstop hole with uncanny
precision.
Valentine initially planned to retire at the end of
the 1996 season but with the unexpected death of
longtime friend and teammate, Owen Shackett, who
was the main pitcher on the People Church teams, Dan
was coaxed out of retirement for one final season with
the club. As a tribute to “Onie,” Dan’s only condition was
that he bat 11th, his friend’s spot in the batting order.
In addition to being named the Ft. Steilacoom
College Athlete of the Year in 1976. Dan was inducted
to the USSSA Hall of Fame in 1997.
Commented Dan, “While it was an honor to be
inducted into the 1997 USSSA Hall of Fame, this is even
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more special because it is where my slowpitch softball
career started and ended.”
Umpires—
John Everett—John Everett’s career as an umpire began half
a world away while he was stationed in Italy in the U.S. Army in
1958. As his assignments took him
to Germany and Korea he continued umpiring and refereeing.
In 1963 he was stationed at
Ft. Lewis and started working softball and baseball games on the
post and later joined the Western
Washington Umpires Association.
He eventually became the WWUA
president and a long-time board
member. During his career he has
worked numerous softball, basketball and volleyball games at the recreation, high
school and college level in the ASA, USSSA and NSA
programs. He has also worked several high school
district and state fastpitch tournaments, USSSA state
and world softball tournaments and has served as the
Umpire-in-Chief at various tournaments over the years.
In 2000, John became the USSSA softball Umpirein-Chief for Pierce County.
In 2010, John was inducted in the USSSA Hall of
Fame. He began with USSSA Washington in 1991. John
was one of the original umpires that fully supported
USSSA in Washington, and along with a few others,
was willing to risk losing his association with the Tacoma Umpires Association by working and supporting
USSSA Washington in the area.
Retired from the Army since 1973, John has
worked national and world tournaments throughout
the West and has been active in recruiting and training
new umpires in the state of Washington.
Born in 1935 in Hanover, NH, John grew up in
Manchester, Connecticut before joining the Army and
finding his way to Tacoma.
Since then, John has been an integral figure in
www.beyondthebeach.biz
the Tacoma area softball scene.
Broadcasters/Sports Writers—
Ed Bowman—Ed Bowman enjoyed
a 25-year sports broadcasting
career in Tacoma, calling action ranging from Cammarano
Brothers-Double Cola Little League
Caravan baseball (featuring future
major leaguer Ron Cey), all the way
through high school, college and
professional sports.
Bowman’s broadcasting career got its start in
1955 while he was a student at College of Puget Sound.
“Clay Huntington gave me the opportunity to do radio
play-by-play of six or seven games at the Washington
State High School Class B Basketball Tournament at the
College of Puget Sound Fieldhouse,” Bowman recalls.
For the next 25 years until he moved out of the Puget
Sound area, Bowman did radio and television broadcasts of hundreds of sports at all levels.
Bowman worked with long-time Tacoma Cubs
play-by-play man Don Hill on the broadcasts of the
team’s run to the 1969 Pacific Coast League championship. The Cubs defeated the Eugene Emeralds three
games to two in a five-game series. “We
had to win the final two games of the
series in Eugene for the championship,”
recalls Bowman, who for three years
handled public address and public relations duties for the Cubs, in addition to
writing game stories for Associated Press
and United Press International.
When Hill took a group of Tigers
boosters to Honolulu for games against
the Hawaii Islanders, Bowman slid into
Hill’s chair doing local re-creations of
those games based off of wire reports. “I
remember signing off the air at 2 or 3 a.m.
on those re-created live broadcasts from
Honolulu,” Bowman says.
The Islanders’ play-by-play man at the time
was Al Michaels, who would go on to a long and
distinguished career as a national sports broadcaster.
When Michaels came with the Islanders to Tacoma,
he provided Bowman with “one of my most interesting interviews. He was a real nice guy.” Another
broadcasting highlight for Bowman came at the 1976
NCAA Division II basketball championship tournament, where the University of Puget Sound defeated
Tennessee-Chattanooga, 83-74, in the national title
contest. Bowman worked alongside Doug McArthur
calling the action as the Loggers topped Old Dominion
in the semifinals before beating Chattanooga in the
championship game.
The national basketball tournament action was
just a small part of a broadcasting partnership shared
by Bowman and McArthur. The duo worked together
on many radio and television broadcasts of college and
high school football, baseball and basketball games,
27
28
along with some swim meets.
Once, when McArthur became ill and couldn’t
travel to Bellingham for a collegiate football contest
between Puget Sound and Western Washington, Bowman pulled an unusual broadcasting doubleheader.
He did the television broadcast opening and closing from the stadium roof, with a radio play-by-play
sandwiched between. Following the game he took the
television game tape back to KTNT Channel 11 and,
while seated in front of a monitor, did the play-by-play
for the 9 p.m. telecast.
Among the broadcasting luminaries with whom
Bowman had the privilege to work were Huntington,
McArthur, Hill, Bob Robertson, Walt Brown, Rod Belcher,
Jerry Howarth, Art Popham, and Bill Doan.
While all of those men earned great reputations as this region’s best sports broadcasters, one of
Bowman’s partners for a college football game had
national renown – as a Hollywood star. While handling
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Puget Sound football play-by-play, Bowman welcomed
actor James Garner, seated in front of him, into the
Baker Stadium broadcast booth as a color commentator. Bowman had met Garner at a University of Puget
Sound college night in Los Angeles while recruiting
Garner’s daughter, Greta, to matriculate to UPS. Garner
attended the game while visiting his daughter, and
soon he joined Bowman in the booth.
Bowman’s broadcast career ended in 1980 when
he and wife, Kathy, moved to the San Francisco Bay
area where he became an executive in international
transportation, trade development and marketing.
Marc Blau 253-677-2872 • [email protected]
John Wohn 253-272-8543 • [email protected]
2015 Hall of Fame Sponsor Inductee
Wes & Dodie Drake, Wes’ Super Mart
Wes’s
Super Mart Youth Baseball Dynasty
By Megan Bostic
Preamble by Al Burmester
There is no doubt that Wes Drake is a man to be worth because, as teammate Tim Mercurio stated, he
remembered. Not only because of his boisterousness was a “cool dude.”
The Drakes went above and beyond the usual
and colorful appearance, but for his kindness, philanthropy and dedication to youth baseball. He and wife sponsorship. The team had a pitching machine – a
Dodie were among the best sponsors in youth athletics. rare thing in youth sports in those days. The boys didn’t
They were cheerful, humble, and generous, and made have to pay for the many tournaments they traveled to,
nor did they have to pay for their uniforms. And what
extraordinary role models for their baseball family.
Dodie, who had been with Wes since high school, uniforms they were!
said that they always loved sports. Wes
excelled in both football and basketball
while attending Kapowsin High School.
The Drakes attended many sporting
events together, their favorites being football, basketball, and of course, baseball.
So it made sense that when Wes opened
the Super Mart, he chose youth athletics
as his advertisement of choice.
Wes enlisted Al Burmester in 1967.
He was a twenty-one year old with a love
for baseball that volunteered to coach
at the South End Boy’s Club in Tacoma.
They shared the same vision in what they
wanted to accomplish with their teams
and together they established the Super 1968 Colt League—Front Row Left to Right: Larry Kennedy, Coach, Skip Rowland, Ed
Mart team, which would commence play- Zamira, Marty Stevens, Gary Peterson and Al Burmester. Back Row Left to Right:
Paul Kingsley, Rick Guild, Terry Margenson, Tom Cromie, John Fode, Hank Whitehead
ing the summer of ‘68.
Wes’s commanding air and con- and Warren Pietras.
fident attitude would have you think he
owned a professional baseball team
The Super Mart boys were the best-dressed team
instead of being a youth baseball sponsor. He’d show
up in his flashy, fast Cadillac, cigar extending from his on the field. This may seem superficial to some, but
lips, sporting white shoes and a red suit (which hap- having stylish, new uniforms was important in many
pened to be one of the team’s colors). For the boys, ways. As former opponent and eventual Super Mart
simply being in his company gave them a sense of player Gary “Rhino” Jones stated, “…they seemed
special with their nice uniforms. They presented well and were intimidating.” Being
the best-dressed team on the field also
instilled pride and confidence in the boys.
This team didn’t just look good, they
were talented as well, which Burmester
attributes to practicing the fundamentals
repeatedly. The Super Mart team won
around 85% of their games and the
Tacoma City League Championship for
seven of nine seasons. Words that former players used to describe the team
included top notch, winners, dynasty,
excellence, and competitive. Super Mart
was the team to play on.
1969 Colt League Champions—Front Row Left to Right: Bill Rice, Earl Conklin, Skip
Player Jim Fode’s widow, Karen,
Rowland, Terry Olsen, Thom Ashiem, Jim Eckley, Greg Mashburn. Back Row Left to
Right: Al Burmester, Jim Fode, Tom Cromie, Tom Dickson, Wayne Burki, Hank Whitehead, who was also his high school sweetheart,
remembers that “One of the biggest
Les Bennett, Marc Guild, Marty Stevens.
29
2015 Hall of Fame Sponsor Inductees continued
30
By Coach Al Burmester
Imagine it’s 1968, and a boy growing up in South
Tacoma from a working class family is day-dreaming
about playing baseball. Few quality, organized teams
are available, especially because money is tight for so
many families. It’s a hopeless feeling shared by more
than a few local boys.
Enter Wes Drake: A man who loved athletics and
competition with a vision to form a baseball team. Not
Wes with Orlando Pena of the St. just any team, but one that would develop skills and creLouis Cardinals.
ate an opportunity for boys to become proud members
of a high-caliber ball club. In 1968, Drake formed the first
Wes’s Super Mart baseball team for 15 and 16 year-old boys that would be built on his generous spirit, commitment to excellence,
and hard work.
League, Area, and State
Championships mounted as the
boys from South Tacoma achieved
unrivaled success. To be sure, stories
of those glory days still warm the
hearts of those junior athletes – now
grown men.
In light of their accomplishments as sponsors and mentors for
these young men, along with the
triumphs of the teams, Wes and Al Burmester and Wes Drake.
Dodie Drake are being honored by the
Tacoma-Pierce County Baseball-Softball Old-Timers Association. It’s an honor richly deserved.
The common thread for all of Wes’s Super Mart teams was the goal to perform as well
or better than the previous team. The 16 year-olds knew the rewards of hard work and the
high expectations set by Wes Drake, and they encouraged the 15 year-olds to buy in. This
family atmosphere and desire for excellence inspired many award-winning performances
by these young men.
Wes and his wife, Dodie, provided everything the boys would need to become
confident, exceptional athletes and young men. Equipment and uniforms were first class;
pitching machines and batting cages were an integral part of the program. Competition of
the highest caliber was included in the 40game schedule, which always included the
much-anticipated father/son camping trip
after playing the Yakima Beetles. When the
team qualified for the sectional tournament
in Provo, Utah, Wes provided blue blazers
with matching ties as travel attire. The team
looked sharp! In addition, if the boys could
not purchase expensive personal baseball
gear (mitts and cleats), he provided work
opportunities for them so they could afford
all of their equipment. Dodie added her personal touch by individually painting ceramic
baseball statues in the team colors with each
boy’s number and name on the back as a
Camping trip on the way home from Yakima remembrance of their time with the team.
in 1973.
The type of program Wes and Dodie
provided the boys in South Tacoma was very
unique. The boys were part of a quality team with excellence and hard work their top priorities.
Each team was extremely successful, and these young men grew tremendously as teammates
and individuals under the generous and outstanding leadership of Wes Drake. I coached
Wes’s team from 1968
to 1975, and I am honored that he chose
me to help put the
Wes’s Super Mart vision together. Dodie
and her family will be
here to see and feel
the gratitude of their
efforts. My only wish
is that Wes could be
Left to Right: Unknown, Mike Bryant, Jon Anderson, Mark Young, here, too.
Larry Girk and Al Burmester.
things for the boys in the south end
was to make Wes’s Super Mart team. It was like hitting the jackpot! If you
were selected to play on this team,
it meant you were one of the best. I
truly think it was more important than
making the high school team. Jim
was very proud to be on this prestigious team.” Comprised mostly of
the best baseballers from Baker and
Gray junior highs and Mount Tahoma
High School, they were exceptional
players and a formidable opponent to all who crossed their path.
Player Wynn Loiland said, “When you
played for Super Mart, you knew you
were playing for a quality team.”
Wes expected the best and he
got it because the boys respected
him and their coaches and wanted
nothing more than to make them
proud. The Super Mart teams were
first-rate, and Wes was genuinely
excited to see them succeed.
Being on the Super Mart team
was about more than just being an
excellent player, you also needed
to be a steadfast person, much of
which they learned through playing
ball. The boys learned commitment.
When it was time for practice or the
game, you were always there and
you were always on time. Even the
parents were committed to the team,
attending games and out-of-town
Back row l, to r.: Wes Drake, Al Burmester and
Tom Dickson. Front row l. to r.: Greg Guild,
Bob Barkley and Mark Butts.
tournaments in support. The boys
learned work ethic. They worked
hard at practices to become the
best team they could be. They were
taught respect. Their coaches made
sure they didn’t get down on each
other for making mistakes. They
1969 Tournament Team—District & Sectional ChampionsRegionals (3rd Place)—Front Row Left to Right: Marty Stevens,
Tom Thompson, Earl Conklin, Skip Rowland, Tim McDonough, Marc
Guild, Jim Eckley. Back Row Left to Right: Wes Drake, Jim Fode,
Tom Cromie, Tom Dickson, Hank Whitehead, Wayne Burki, Larry Lien,
Al Burmester. Missing: Bill Rice.
were taught to respect the umpires by holding their
tongues when they disagreed with a call and to let their
coaches handle it. They were also taught to respect
their opponents. Mo Lakin stated, “We defeated many,
but considered them equals. An attitude instilled in us
by coach Al Burmester.” Coach Al Murch remembers
1970 Colt League Champions—ront row l. to r.: Earl Conklin, Jim
Eckley, Tim Mercurio, unidentified, Ron Curley, Chris Christianson,
unidentified, Richard Jordan. Back Row Left to Right: Marc Guild,
Robert Brynteson, Wayne Burki, Tom Dickson, Les Bennett, Jim Ehlers,
Fred Strege, Al Burmester.
31
1970 Tournament Team (District Colt Champions)—Front Row
Left to Right: Jim Ehlers, Jeff Carbone, Ron Curley, Jack Petrinovich,
Chris Christianson, Richard Jordan, Earl Conklin, Rick Shoenrock. Back Row Left to Right: Al Burmester, Robin Lavergne, Gary Jones,
Wayne Burki, Tom Dickson, Les Bennett, Jim Eckley, Marc Guild.
mussen recalls playing poker in what they called “the
pit” (a sunken living room) at Wes and Dodie’s home.
The Drakes took the boys on fishing and camping
trips. Mark Swofford and many other players say the
Drakes treated them like family. Many of the players
became lifelong friends. Hank Whitehead said “…that
four years of our lives is a time none of us will forget.”
1971 Colt League—Front row l. to r.: Braxton Rawls, Buddy Horton,
Mike Shaw, unidentified, Bob Haynes, Bobb Absten and Steve Meier.
Missing: Mike Berger and John Mello. Back row l. to r.: Ron Curley,
Mike Dickson (dec.), Tim Mercurio, Jim Ehlers, Fred Strege, Morgan
Lakin, Dennis Hatton Al Burmester.
the players being, “…a group of well-behaved young
men in the dugout and on the field at all times,” and
“…a quality group of young adults.”
Hard work and commitment made these boys
successful. Having fun made them friends. Rick Ras-
Marc Guild reminiscences that his time on the team
was some of the most fun he’s had in his life. These
tight bonds the boys formed also helped create a great
amount of trust and confidence in each other, which
showed on the ball field.
When asked who they felt were the best players
on their team, most of the men interviewed didn’t know
1970 Connie Mack Team Front row l. to r: Tim McDonough,
Marty Stevens, unidentified, Tom Cromie, unidentified, Hank
Whitehead. Back row l. to r.: Al Murch, unidentified, Jim Fode,
unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Steve Griewe and Larry Lien.
1971 Connie Mack League Champions—(2nd Place-West
Coast Regional)—Front row l. to r.: Wes Drake, Rich Jordan, Tom
Dickson, Mike Schwab, Bill Hansen, Marc Guild, Marty Stevens, Tim
McDonough, Chris Christiansen. Back row l. to r.: Al Murch, Hank
Whitehead, Les Bennett, Rick Rasmussen, Steve Jones, Jim Fode, Larry
Lien, Dennis Franklin, Jerry Cozad, Tom Burmester.
2015 Hall of Fame Sponsor Inductees
32
how to answer. That mindset wasn’t part of who they
were when they played ball together. Greg Guild said
it best, “I believe that we were a true team. No one
was singled out as ‘best’ or ‘better,’ as that wasn’t how
we were coached.” No player or position was more
important than another according to Burmester. This
demonstrates the true meaning of the word “team,”
and shows what inspirational leaders the coaches and
Wes and Dodie Drake were to these boys.
Wes, Dodie and the coaches of the Super Mart
1974 League Champions—Front Row Left to Right: Jon Anderson,
Tim Cole, Gus Carlson, Greg Cole, Lindsey Kanesta, Mark Swofford,
Rick Haavik. Back Row Left to Right: Al Burmester, Doug Cey,
Mark Young, Mike Bryant, Larry Girk, Gene Frazier, Steve Matzen.
team — brothers Al and Tom Burmester, Al Murch and
Tom Dickson — had a tremendous impact on many of
these boys who played ball for them. So much so that
player Wayne Burki calls his time with the team, “a gift.”
Being chosen for the Super Mart team made the boys
feel special and gave them a sense of honor. They felt
1973 League Champions—Front Row Left to Right: Tom Shearer,
Bryan Sutherland, Mark Butts, Pat Tobin, Bob Barkley, Gus Carlson,
Greg Cole, Steve Schnieder. Back Row Left to Right: Gus Carlson,
Tom Dickson, Mark Swofford, Scott Bowman, Doug Cey, Steve Matzen,
Greg Guild, Al Burmester, Wes Drake.
1974 Tournament Team—Front Row Left to Right: Greg Firn, Mike
Bryant, Doug Cey, Roy Young, Larry Girk, Gus Carlson. Middle Row
Left to Right: Al Burmester, Cliff Johnson, Rick Haavik, Mark Swofford,
Bill Whitton. Back Row Left to Right: Wes Drake, Gus Carlson, Greg
Cole, Steve Matzen, Gene Frazier, Jon Anderson, Lindsey Kanesta,
Tom Dickson
thankful and lucky to have had the opportunity to play
for the Drakes and the wonderful coaches. Structure
and training that was provided them led to other opportunities and advantages. The many lessons learned
they took with them into adulthood. Tim Mercurio says
of Wes and his coaches, “…they made you realize that
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1974 Colt Regional Tournament Team—Front row l. to r: Greg
Firn, Mike Bryant, Doug Cey, unidentified, Larry Girk, Mark Swofford,
Gus Carlson and Bill Whitton. Back row l. to r.: Wes Drake, Gus
Carlson, Al Burmester, Rick Haavik, unidentified, Greg Cole, Lindsey
Kanesta, Jon Anderson, Steve Matzen, Doc Johnson’s son and Gene
Frazier. Sitting in front: Randy Drake.
1975 League Champions—Front Row Left to Right: Rick Haavik,
Wynn Loiland, Jon Anderson, Keith Pickett, Jeff Meek. Middle Row
Left to Right: Ralph Heard, Mike Bryant, Mark Young, Larry Girk.
Back Row Left to Right: Al Burmester, Rick Absten, Tony Gengl,
Wayne Collins, Grant Asplund, Tom Dickson.
you could do anything you wanted to do. They made
you realize the power of confidence at a young age.”
The boys, when they grew to be men, gave back.
They held dinners to recognize the couple who meant
so much to them during their teen years. The Drakes
were happy to see their boys all grown up and as Dodie
noted, see them turn out to become such good men.
It’s no wonder this sponsorship award will be
bestowed upon Dodie, for her and in honor of her late
husband, Wes. This kind-hearted, selfless and benevo-
33
1976 League Champions—Front Row Left to Right: Rick Absten,
Don Moore, Lew Estabrook, Stew Miller, Lane Hobbs, Bob Morgan,
Wayne Collins. Back Row Left to Right: Tom Dickson, Keith
Pickett, Mike Hauser, Wynn Loiland, Jeff Meek, Grant Asplund,
Steve Schneider.
lent couple gave more than their money. When player
Rick Guild thinks of the name Wes Drake, he thinks of
passion, commitment and giving. What Dodie and Wes
gave these boys, now men, was a wonderful example
to follow, a second family, lifelong friendships, and
memories to last a lifetime. It is evident by their actions
and generosity that they truly cared about not only the
game of baseball, but the people inside the uniforms.
34
Wes’ Super Mart Team Members: Al Burmester
(coach), Tom Burmester (coach), Al Murch (coach),
Tom Dickson (player-coach), Steve Schneider (playercoach), Gus Carlson (trainer), Robert Loiland (business
manager), Bobb Absten, Rick Absten, Jon Anderson,
Glenn Ashiem, Tom Ashiem, Grant Asplund, Bob Barkley, Les Bennett, Mike Berger, Scott Bowman, Mike
Bryant, Robert Brynteson, Wayne Burki, Mark Butts, Jeff
Carbone, Gus Carlson, Doug Cey, Chris Christianson,
Greg Cole, Tim Cole, Wayne Collins, Earl Conklin, Jerry
Cozad, Tom Cromie, Ron Curley, Mike Dickson (dec.),
Ken Driscoll, Jim Eckley, Jim Ehlers, Lew Estabrook, Greg
Firn, Jim Fode, Gene Frazier, Larry Girk, Greg Guild,
Marc Guild, Rick Guild, Rick Haavik, Bill Hanson, Dennis Hatton, Mike Hauser, Bob Haynes, Ralph Heard,
Lane Hobbs, Buddy Horton, Tony Gengl, Cliff Johnson,
Gary Jones, Steve Jones, Rich Jordan, Lindsey Kanesta,
Larry Kennedy, Paul Kingsley, Morgan Lakin, Robin
Lavergne, Larry Lien, Wynn Loiland, Terry Margenson,
Greg Mashburn, Steve Matzen, Tim McDonough, Mark
McGowan, Jeff Meek, Steve Meier, John Mello, Tim
Mercurio, Stew Miller, Don Moore, Bob Morgan, Terry
Olsen, Gary Peterson, Jack Petrinovich, Keith Pickett,
Warren Pietras, Rick Rasmussen, Braxton Rawls, Bill
Rice, Skip Rowland, Mike Schwab, Mike Shaw, Tom
Shearer, Rick Shoenrock, Mick Stephens, Marty Stevens,
Alan Stoops, Fred Strege, Bryan Sutherland, Mark Swofford, Tom Thompson, Pat Tobin, Hank Whitehead, Bill
Whitton, Mark Young, Ed Zamira.
1976 Colt Tournament Team Front row l. to r: Keith Pickett, Lew
Estabrook, Stew Miller, Mick Stephens, Bob Morgan, Lane Hobbs,
Wayne Collins, Rick Absten and Grant Asplund. Back row l. to r.:
Gus Carlson, Mike Hauser, Allan Stoops, Wynn Loiland, Jeff Meek,
Mark McGowan, Ken Driscoll, Steve Schnieder and Tom Dickson.
Marc Guild on the mound for Wes’.
1974 Regional Tournament at Cheney Stadium
35
Recollections
by Al Murch, Wes’ Super Mart Coach
The first thing I remember about coaching Wes’s
new Connie Mack team was the interview, conducted
by Wes and brothers, Al and Tom Burmester. They were
trying to find out if I knew anything about baseball. I
wasn’t sure how to answer their questions, but I must
have convinced (or fooled) them that I knew a thing
or two about the game because they brought me
aboard. I told Wes that his team would live up to his
expectations, which I think we exceeded during the
two seasons I coached.
The quality of the young men who were chosen
to play for the team was exceptional! I don’t just mean
on the field. When I needed to talk to a player and they
weren’t home, the parents would usually direct me to
one of the other player’s houses. The teammates were
becoming fast friends. Every time I called where they
were supposed to be, they were there, doing exactly
what they said they were going to be doing. If you
know teenagers, that’s rarely the case.
I remember a time in which an umpire made
a bad call which didn’t follow the rules of the game.
The players started yelling at them. I quieted them
down and showed them how the problem should be
handled. I walked out to the field umpire to discuss
the call and explain the rule. The other umpires joined
us. After discussion, the call was reversed in our favor.
Back in the dugout, the boys were surprised to see that I
didn’t have to yell at the umps to get the call. I respected
the umpires and expected them to do the same. At the
same time, I earned their respect. They were a group
of well-behaved young men in the dugout and on the
field at all times.
Not only did I teach them to respect the game, I
taught them a thing or two about listening to direction.
There was a pitcher who wanted to play for us. I told
him he could be on the team if his work ethic improved
and he followed direction. A couple weeks into practice
he went back to his bad habits of not running and not
listening. We scheduled a practice game against the
Fort Lewis team and I had this kid pitch. At one point,
the bases were loaded. The next batter swung, but
only tapped the ball which rolled a few feet up the
first base line. The batter didn’t take a step toward
first base, assuming the ball would go out of bounds.
I yelled at the pitcher to get off the mound and field
the ball before it went foul. There were already two
outs, so we could get out of the inning, plus it wasn’t
a good idea to risk another hit with the bases loaded.
He didn’t listen, didn’t run, and he let the ball go foul.
I’d told him before, if that situation ever happened,
the next pitch could cost him. Sure enough, the batter
swung at the next pitch and hit it hard and over the
center fielder’s head. It was a grand slam home run. I
applauded. It was a good lesson for all the boys, but
a hard lesson for the pitcher.
The boys were also taught to respect each other.
In one of our playoff games, a batter hit the ball to our
short stop, Tim Mercurio. He made an error on the play,
which was totally out of character. Pitcher Jim Fode
starting yelling at him. I jumped from the dugout and
got to the mound as fast as possible to read Jim the
riot act. I told him not to treat his fellow players like that
and to apologize to Tim for yelling at him when he got
the chance. More importantly, I told him that Tim could
make a great play on the next pitch and get us out of
the inning. On the next pitch, the batter hit the ball to
Tim, in the hole, and he made a great play to get to the
ball and throw him out to end the inning. Jim stayed
on the field until Tim reached him and gave him a big
hug and apologized for his actions. Jim then came
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2015 Hall of Fame Team Inductees continued
to me and apologized, promising he would never do
that again....and he didn›t!
After taking over the reins of Wes’s Connie Mack
team, a parent called and asked me to stop by his
office. When I got there he told me that his son would
not be playing if a certain boy was on the team, which
he was. This boy had been in some trouble in the past
and he didn’t want his son around him. I told him
that was a big mistake and if there were a problem
between the two boys, I would take care of it. At first
the boy didn’t show up, but after a week of practices,
he came and asked if he could still try out. He said he
and his dad had talked about the situation and it was
his choice and he wanted to play for the team. I told
him to let me know if there were any problems, either
at home or with any of the other players. Of course,
there weren’t. Both players had a fun summer playing
with Wes’s Connie Mack team. Sometimes kids know
best. And the boy who had been in trouble? He was a
great teammate, player and person and I would take
a hundred just like him anytime!
The only problem I had while coaching the Super
Mart boys was losing two years in a row to Jack McGee and his Seattle team in the finals of the regional
playoffs. Our team was every bit as good, but Jack’s
team seemed to get that one break when they needed
it. However, our guys never backed down from the challenge. I hope they learned something about life and
baseball from the two years I got to coach them. They
were a quality group of young adults with great parents! There are many more stories and many more
reasons as to why this just might be the best group
of young adults I have ever had the privilege of being
around. As for Wes and Dodie, they were as good a
sponsor as there has ever been in youth athletics. They
have my respect. Wes had that great smile and Dodie
was always giggling. There have never been better
people, nor better role models, than those two.
Wes, Dodie, Al and Tom were wonderful people to
know and Super Mart was a great team to coach. I thank
them for the opportunity and for putting their trust in me.
2015 Hall of Fame Team Inductees continued
COACH HOUSE & TACOMA OFFICE SUPPLY SLOWPITCH
TEAMS WERE A RECKONED FORCE IN THE EARLY 1970’S
From unlikely beginnings that
started 5,000 miles south of the City of
Destiny, the Coach House slowpitch softball team rose to prominence in Tacoma
in the early 1970s.
Marco Hernando had trouble even
throwing a softball but the bright lights
illuminating Peck Field for evening softball attracted him from the Tideflats. The
enthusiasm of the recreational teams and
fans inspired Marco.
Born into the soccer-only culture of
Lima, Peru in 1941, Marco came to the
U.S. in 1959 and to Tacoma via the U.S.
Army in 1963.
After the Army, he worked at Brown
and Haley but took shifts on off days as
a casual for the Longshoreman’s Union. 1970 COACH HOUSE SLOWPITCH TEAM—Front row l. to r.: Butch Brenno, Dale
From the Tideflats he saw the Tacoma Reese, Rick Welfringer, Ed Lowery and Marco Hernando. Back row l. to r.: Gerry
hilltop lights and thought it might be a Perrin, Denny Snell, Larry Joy, John Thoma, Al Carlson, and Dave Kancianich.
soccer stadium. He investigated and was
Coach House won six consecutive games to capture
immediately enchanted by a game he
had never seen before. Cheering, yelling and oh, the the Tacoma Invitational. They beat Sump’s New York
home runs. He liked to see the ball hit over the fence. Life of Olympia twice for title. The two losses were the
The longshoremen already had a fastpitch team first two losses for Sump’s after winning 30 in a row.
and Marco was more drawn to the offensive action of Bob Cason, picked up from Western Washington
slowpitch instead. Since longshoremen often gathered League to join Coach House for the tournament, was
at the Coach House Restaurant on Pacific Avenue after MVP. He hit 5 home runs and had 19 RBI in six games.
work, Marco asked the owner, Vern Olin, if he would In the first of the championship games vs. Sump’s,
sponsor the team. Marco was now the general man- catcher Don Stewart won it with a bottom-of-theager for an upstart team in a sport that not long ago seventh grand slam.
In 1972, the TNT noted that Ed McGrath was
had been foreign to him.
In 1968 and 1969, Coach House was
made up entirely of Tacoma longshoremen. They played 14-inch slowpitch. They
were the Industrial League champions
both years and won several tournaments.
Before the 1970 season, the team
added players to their roster who were
not Tacoma longshoremen and thus
were not eligible to compete in the industrial league. The team played in the
open-division league at Peck Field and
continued to be outstanding.
1971 COACH HOUSE SLOWPITCH TEAM—Back row l. to r.: Dave Kancianich, Jerry
TACOMA INVITATIONAL PROWESS
Henkel, Denny Miller, Monte O’Brien, Ed Lowery, Denny Snell, Mike Holland, Larry Joy
From 1970 through 1972, Coach and Bob Cason. Front row l. to r.: Mark O’Brien, Rick Welfringer, Al Carlson, Don
House won the open-division title and the Stewart, Brian “Butch” Brenno, Marco Hernando and John Thoma.
prestigious Tacoma Invitational Tournanamed the Tacoma Invitational MVP after going 14ment three consecutive years.
This was in an era when the Sonics were the only for-18 with 12 home runs and 19 RBI. Coach House
major pro sports team in the area and recreational beat ITT Rayonier of Hoquiam 15-2 for the men’s title.
sports still drew the attention of the local newspa- It was also noted in the paper that: “Dick Marzano,
per. Articles in The News Tribune noted that, in 1971 whose Coach House team earned the Metro League
37
38
2015 Hall of Fame Team Recognition continued
THE SPRINKER YEARS
In 1969, Pierce County Parks and Recreation
built the Sprinker complex in Spanaway and
offered 12-inch (small ball) to comply with the
national ASA standard. The Sprinker leagues and
tournaments appealed to a lot of players and soon
became not only the best place to play but one that
attracted the
greatest level
of daily competition in the
Northwest.
In 1972
1975 Tacoma Office Supply-Northwest Class A Regional Champions—
Front Row l. to r.: Jim Darland, John Marzano, Howard Schantz (Sponsor), a n d 1 9 7 3 ,
Ron Jakes and Dick Marzano (Coach). Back Row l. to r.: John Thoma, Coach House
Rusty Bass, Russ Baker, Larry Marshall, Dick Tomko, Larry Joy, Bob Tibbits, played sevand Bob Mitchell.
eral 12-inch
tournaments
title, will coach the Metro stars against Pierce County
at
Sprinker
and it
in exhibition game at Cheney Stadium prior to Tacoma
created
a
probTwins Triple-A game.”
Coach House players joining Marzano on the lem for the team Coach Dick Marzano takes a mighty cut as
Dick Tomko surveys the action in a Western
All-Star team were catcher Al Carlson, first baseman as they were not Washington League game at Sprinker
Russ Baker, second baseman Mike Holland, shortstop being invited back Recreation Center.
Ed McGrath and outfielder Jim Darland. Marzano was to play as many
14-inch slowpitch
also at third base.
tournaments. The 14-inch tournament directors did
not want 12-inch teams to play in their tournaments
– especially the Coach House team that was so
dominant in earlier years.
Before the start of the 1974 softball season,
several Coach House team members decided
to join the Schooner Tavern team. The remaining Coach House players formed a new team
– Tacoma Office Supply – sponsored by owner
Howard Schantz. Dick Marzano continued as
player-coach.
1n 1975, the Tacoma Office Supply team
had a very
good 12inch Class A
league reg- 1976 TACOMA OFFICE SUPPLY—Front row l. to r.: Russ Baker, Bob Hyppa,
ular season Ron Jakes, Bob Mitchell and Ed McGrath. Back row l. to r.: Mark Ross, John
at Sprinker Thoma, Larry Joy, Rusty Bass, John Marzano, Dick Marzano and Jim Darland.
and won the
finals. Other All-Stars for TOS included Jim Darland,
postseason
tourney. Led by Larry Joy and Bob Mitchell.
The regional win qualified the team for the natournament MVP
tional
tournament in Providence, Rhode Island where
John Thoma, who
Tacoma
Office Supply finished ninth out of 62 teams.
hit .500 (13-26),
Coach Marco Hernando is the team
The
team
even was written about in the Boston Globe.
five round-tripcheerleader for the Coach House club.
In
1978,
Tacoma Office Supply traveled to repers, scored 12
gionals
in
Butte,
Montana but a plane crash killed
times and finished
five
players
from
another
Tacoma team making for a
with 15 rbi’s, TOS won the 12-inch ASA Class A regional
somber
affair.
tournament beating a Montana entry 24-13 in the
1970’s Coach House/Tacoma Office Supply Men’s
Slowpitch Team: Bob Allen, Clay Angle, Russ “Odie”
Baker, Rusty Bass, Brian “Butch” Brenno (dec), Mark
Bender, Mike Brown, Carlos Canty, Dave Carlisle, Al
Carlson, Bob Cason, Dennis Collers, Steve Curran,
Jim Darland, Bob Fagering, Scott Hanson (dec), Jerry
Henkel, Marco Hernando (coach), Mike Holland,
Bob Hyppa, Ron Jakes, Larry Johnson, Larry Joy,
Dave Kancianich, Joe Kilby (dec), Ed Lowery (dec),
Larry Marshall, Dick Marzano, John Marzano, Ed
McGrath, Denny Miller, Tom Miller, Bob Mitchell, Bill
Murphy, Monte O’Brien, Vern Olin (owner, Coach
House Restaurant), Gerry Perrin, Dale Reese, Mark
Ross, Jim Ryan, Howard Schantz (owner, Tacoma Office Supply-dec), Art Scheetz (dec), Denny Snell, Don
Stewart (dec.), John Thoma, Bob Tibbits, Dick Tomko,
Dave Vossler, Jim Warter, Frank Welcome (dec) and
Rick Welfringer (dec).
39
40
1979 CODY’S TAVERN/JUSTUS CEDAR HOMES SLOWPITCH TEAM—Front row l. to r.: Skip Thiel, Dan Luhtala, Dale Failey and Jerry
Archer. Middle row l. to r.: Mark Belvin, Dan Greco, Mel Burrell, Tim Thompson, Gary Jones, Wayne Knippel, Doug Armstrong, Greg
“Lumpy” Johnson, Brad Huffman and Dick Zurfluh. Back row l. to r.: Jim Hadland, Larry Lynott and Dave Roller.
CODY’S TAVERN/JUSTUS CEDAR HOMES—1978–79
In its powerhouse 1978 and 1979 seasons, the
Cody’s Tavern/Justus Cedar Homes squad started in
early April in Pierce County and didn’t end their season
until Labor Day a long way from home in a national
tournament.
The team was sponsored by Cody Miller of Cody’s
Tavern (and Crescent Realty) and Larry Lynott of Justus
Company of Lakewood. The team was coached by the
late Dick Zurfluh of Spanaway.
Cody’s-Justus fielded talented players with a
variety of backgrounds as college football, basketball,
track and soccer athletes who turned to their “diamond
skills” for the summer. Cody’s-Justus played 90 to 100
games per season with a winning percentage of 81%.
In 1978, they advanced to the Class A national
tournament in Houston, finishing 9th. In 1979, they
qualified for the national tournament in Burlington,
North Carolina, finishing fourth.
Cody’s-Justus evolved primarily from south Pierce
County, many with ties to Franklin Pierce and Bethel
high schools. Having grown up in the shadow of the
“marquis” Heidelberg teams of the early 1970s, Cody’s
was a combination of former team members from the
Spanaway Furniture and the Lucky Lager teams—both
competitive recreation league mainstays.
The entire team proved to be a tough out. The
team batted .515 in 1978 and .538 in 1979.
Team standouts included Dan Luhtala, the batting
average leader both years;
Dan Greco and Mel Burrell, the team’s most prolific home run hitters; and Gary “Rhino” Jones and Doug
Armstrong, who were named “All‐World” at national
tournaments. Jones, a first baseman, went 16-for-24
to win the 1979 national tournament batting title.
At the 1979 national tournament in North Carolina, Cody’s fourth place finish was the best placing of
any local competing nationally at the sport’s highest
level. They beat Hancock Sports of Jonesburg, Ark by a
score of 10-3 with Dan Luhtala going 3-for-3 and Gary
Jones hitting a home run. The club then won three of
four the following day to remain in title contention.
They lost 12-2 to Brothers Athletic Club of Yonkers,
NY, then rebounded to eliminate M.K. Realty of Merced, CA, 13-8, Hans Taylor Plumbing of Bargaintown,
NJ, 10-5, and Candish Realty of Logansports, Indiana
10-4 to reach the final four. In the three wins, Doug
Armsmtrong was 4-for-6, Larry Lynott had three pinch
hits and Gary Jones went 8-for-10 including another
round-tripper.
On the final day, Cody’s-Justus lost 8-4 against
host Atwater Ford to finish fourth.
This group of athletes competed at a recreational
level, but at the same time, pursued the best opponents they could find. It was an unusually talented
group of young men playing for fun, representing their
community, and honing their athletic skills.
The roster included: Jerry Archer, Doug Armstrong, Mark Belvin, Mel Burrell, Dale Failey, Dan Greco
(dec.), Jim Hadland, Tim Thompson, Greg “Lumpy”
Johnson (dec.), Gary “Rhino” Jones, Wayne Knippel,
Dan Luhtala, Larry Lynott, Dave Roller, Skip Thiel and
Dick Zurfluh (mgr-dec.).
41
Team Recognition—
1978-79 Cody’s Tavern/Justus Cedar Homes Men’s
Slowpitch Team: Dick Zurfluh (manager-deceased),
Jerry Archer, Jim Archer (batboy), Doug Armstrong,
Mark Belvin, Mel Burrell, Dale Failey, Dan Greco
(dec.), Jim Hadland, Tim Thompson, Greg “Lumpy”
Johnson (dec), Gary “Rhino” Jones, Wayne Knippel,
Dan Luhtala, Larry Lynott (co-sponsor), Cody Miller
(co-sponsor), Dave Roller, and Skip Thiel.
Congratulations
to this years
Inductees!
253-843-9436
e-mail: [email protected]
42
1973 PUGET SOUND NATIONAL BANK—Front row l. to r.: Unknown,
Mickey Bartels, Darron Nelson, Bob Brown, Ken Stancato, Jim ???,
Dan Oliver and Lloyd Glasoe. Back row l. to r.: Gene Horan, Steve
Oliver, Jay Beach, Don Anderle, Hank Jarvits, Dave Demick, Vince
Horan and Mike Nielson.
43
44
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