Tacoma-Pierce County SPORTS SPOTLITE

Newsletter of the Shanaman Sports Museum June 2021 | Vol.2 No.2

County back in 1888. But by 1908, at the young age of 20, Lee had already become the heavyweight champ of the Pacific Coast. He had an impressive record. In the 54 fights of his career, Lee won 52 by knockouts, two by draws and no losses. By 1910, local sportswriters from the Tacoma News Tribune picked Lee to be one of the ring's greatest heavyweights and instead he turned out to be a successful hotel man.

In 1910, Lee defeated the great Jack Lester in 10 rounds and Lee was projected to be the world heavyweight champ within the year. But with his parents saying no to boxing, he stopped boxing and made a career change. His family thought boxing was “uncouth.”

Eventually, after working as a lumberjack and after prospecting for gold in Alaska, Lee got into the hotel business and bought a hotel in 1914 at 1919 Pacific Avenue in downtown Father and son boxers, Lee and Bliss Croft Photo courtesy of Melanie Croft Dempsey Tacoma. He called it the Croft Hotel. It had 124

rooms and it became very popular and was Like Father, Like son filled nearly every night. It opened in 1914 and closed in 1955. They shared a common interest, a common (article continued on page 3) passion. The Crofts – father Lee and son Bliss – both knew how to throw a hard, knockout punch. They were both great boxers and both CONTENTS came out of Tacoma. About Us 2 With the guiding hand of his supportive father, Join the Team 2 a young Bliss followed in the footsteps of his New Members/Donors 2 dad as a hard-hitting heavyweight boxer. By Dori Kovanen blazes the trail 5 1948, a 27-year-old Bliss was among the top 10 The Locker Room Chat 7 ranked heavyweight boxers in the world, Dick Hassan Retires 8 Pitcher Harry Nygard 9 matching what his father did 38 years earlier. The Day I met 10 Lee had a simple beginning, a modest start. He Giving Guide 11 was born in Washington in a log cabin in Lewis JOIN THE TEAM

The Shanaman Sports Museum honors the history of sports and the rich culture of athletics in Tacoma-Pierce County. To maintain that tradition, the board of directors is pleased to invite the public The mission of the Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma- Pierce County is to recreate the history of sports in the to show their support by becoming a member. community by chronicling the evolution of various sports through written, visual and audio mediums and to educate For more information, please visit our website: the public about our sports heritage. www.tacomasportsmuseum.com/membership

Board of Directors Marc Blau, President Colleen Barta, Vice President John Wohn, Secretary WELCOME NEW Terry Ziegler, Treasurer MEMBERS Tom Bona Gary Brooks TEAM Brad Cheney, Emeritus Frank Colarusso Jack Connelly Kyle Crews Marvin S. (Tom) Tommervik Jr. Steve Finnigan Orv Harrelson Vince Goldsmith Don Gustafson Dave Lawson PLAYER Doug McArthur, Emeritus Terry Trowbridge Chelle Miller Jim Merritt Gregory Plancich, Emeritus Ralph and Doris Heritage Earl Powell Terry Rice Kate Rue Aubrey Shelton Willie Stewart THANK YOU Bob Young RECENT DONORS Leonard Zarelli, Emeritus Ed and Chris Menotti Staff Megan French, Museum Curator Harry and Marge Nygard Julia Auve, Assistant Curator Steve and Mary Sand Katherine Kidwell, Assistant Curator Brian Zacharias Adrian Ann Cufley, Membership & Website Manager Kim Davenport, Communications Manager/Newsletter Editor

Contact Us Attn: Museum Members www.tacomasportsmuseum.com [email protected] Dominos coupons (253) 677-2872 remaining from your Follow Us membership are valid Facebook & Instagram: TacomaSportsMuseum through September 30, Twitter: SportsMuseumTPC 2021 at most Pierce

County locations.

- 2 - Like Father Like Son, cont. from page 1 school, Bliss went on to play tackle on the football team at Pacific Lutheran College. In a newspaper story, Lee was called the “greatest fighter who turned out to be a With World War II in full action, Bliss joined the champion hotel man.” And he didn't stop there Army in April 1942 with another Tacoman/Pacific with his career. Lee made his first entry into Lutheran College teammate, Hugo Swanson, who politics when he ran for office and was elected was later killed in a pilot training accident in sheriff. He served as a Pierce County Sheriff from Florida. While stationed in the U.S., he started 1943-1951 and he died in Tacoma in December boxing while in the Army. 1951. His wife, Pearl, sold the Croft Hotel in 1955. During World War II while stationed in the U.S. on the east coast, he became a paratrooper. During that time he made it to the Golden Gloves semi-finals but lost his fight to Salvador Mirabito on March 15, 1944.

As a paratrooper and as a sergeant, he was also a heavyweight boxer and he said he went into the book of Jack Dempsey for his plan of battle in the ring. In a newspaper story during that time, it said the former Stadium High and Pacific Lutheran College athlete at 23 years of age “is an outstanding youthful ring prospect.” In a story written by Elliott Metcalf, he called Bliss “a prospect.”

After the war, Bliss, already married with one child and in need of money, started to box professionally. He won his first fight by a H. W. Lee Croft served as the Pierce County Sheriff from knockout and won $50, which was a lot of money 1943-1951. Photo courtesy of Melanie Croft Dempsey. back then. He won his next fight by a knockout

again and his desire was to become rated in the In a 1946 story in the Tacoma newspaper, Bliss top 10 heavyweights in the world. was called “the hardest punching youngster to be uncovered in Tacoma in many years.” He had “To the pursuit of my boxing career, I'm just a fought two of his first 16 fights in Tacoma, green novice,” Bliss was quoted as saying in a winning both fights by knockouts. In April 1945, newspaper story. “So, there's a lot about boxing Bliss knocked out a 273 pounder, a fighter who that I must learn before I can reach my goal. But was 93 pounds heavier than Bliss. I'm going to work hard.”

Bliss' awards weren't earned only in the boxing He did work hard and he did climb to be ranked ring. He was a talented and versatile athlete. among the top 10 heavyweights in the world. Bliss, a 1940 graduate from Stadium High School, Bliss, who was born June 16, 1921, got off to an also played football, wrestled and was a talented impressive start in his pro boxing career. He won diver. He won a YMCA state championship in 10 of his first 14 fights by knockouts and lost only diving, showing his skills in that sport. From high two, one in a close verdict in England and the - 3 - other a technical KO at the hands of Johnny As a professional boxer, Bliss was rated in the Denson. world's top 10 by 1948. At one point during that While he had giant knockout power with his time, he knocked out eight opponents in a row. punches, Bliss wasn't a giant in the ring. He was Then he re-entered the U.S. Army for the Korean only 6-feet tall and only weighed 180 pounds War and stayed in the Army through three tours when he was 24 years old. in Vietnam, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. A much- decorated combat veteran of three wars, Bliss But as a heavyweight boxer he was a winner in Croft was one of the original "Green Berets." He the boxing ring. died in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on February 12, 2009 at age 87 after a long fight with In his last nine fights against men who, in most Parkinson's disease. instances, towered over him or outweighed him, Bliss battled well and won by knockouts. Fred And with the support of his father, who hadn't Bruny was Bliss's trainer and Jack Connor was his gotten that support from his father, Bliss had a manager. great boxing career. Just like his father. They were the boxing buddies.

By Gail Wood, contributing writer for the Shanaman Sports Museum

Save the Date: August 23 Tribute to Champions

Join us for a special evening as we induct individuals into the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame. Presentations will also be made to recipients of the Dick Hannula Female & Male Amateur Athlete of the Year Award, the Connelly Law Offices Excellence in Officiating Award, the Frosty Westering Excellence in Coaching Award, Family of Sports Award, and the Doug McArthur Lifetime Achievement Award.

Visit the event website for complete details: https://tributetochampions.org/ Bliss Croft in the ring. Photo courtesy Melanie Croft Dempsey.

In a 1945 fight, Bliss won by a second round knockout in a pro heavyweight fight, beating “Tiny” Taylor, who was 6-6 and weighed 260 pound. That was 80 pounds more than Bliss. Before the fight, Bliss had written his dad, saying “I'm going to fight him just like Dempsey did Willard.” Bliss did just that. - 4 - Dori Kovanen Blazes the to attend to give her exposure to more diversity, Trail for Girls’ Soccer Dori was capable of playing baseball, basketball and football with the boys.

If you think the popularity of soccer for girls and By the time she earned her diploma from women has exploded in the last 50 years, you’re Stadium High School in 1981, she had tasted right. competitive success in soccer through the club team Sweetfoot/Carrera, forerunner of An estimated 30 million women were playing Washington Premier F.C.; in slowpitch softball soccer in 2019, when the most recent FIFA Women’s World Cup was played in France, an with the B&I adult team; in basketball and volleyball at both Mason Junior high and increase of 4 million from 2006, according to a Stadium, where she was both captain and star CBS News report. performer. In short, Dori was the best female Statistics on U.S. schoolgirls are even more athlete of her time at Stadium. dizzying. An estimated 700 girls were playing Everywhere Dori has gone, championships have organized soccer in the United States in 1971. By followed. Something more than coincidence is at 2014, that number had grown to 376,000, work. according to a report by Business Insider magazine. In select club soccer, she was a four-time state champion, twice as a forward, once as a Credit Dori midfielder and once as a goalkeeper, including a Kovanen, an extraordinary runner-up finish in an early national youth soccer athlete who grew championship. up in Tacoma, for She had her pick of 32 athletic scholarship offers some of that to major colleges, many on the West Coast. The growth. Dr. offers varied in size and involved five sports. Kovanen, who helped establish When she visited the University of North Carolina the University of at Chapel Hill, which offered her a full scholarship North Carolina at in a combination of soccer and softball, there Chapel Hill as a was a catch. collegiate “They had me try out for the softball team,” Dori women’s soccer said. power in the early 1980s and She made the team, but UNC asked her to stick has gone on to with soccer after her second season. earn a Ph.D. in Getting a full athletic scholarship fulfilled one of Earth and Ocean her childhood dreams. Sciences, is one of the most “I was watching college football with my distinguished grandmother one day, and the announcers were members of the talking about (the players’) athletic scholarships,” Tacoma Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame. Dori said. “I told her, ‘I want to do that.’ She said ‘You can’t do that. You’re a girl.’” From the time she was a student at McCarver Grade School, which her parents encouraged her

- 5 - Part of the attraction to UNC, “was the amazing opportunities for athletic scholarships to group of young women I met on a recruiting trip. members of each sex.” They were navigating the challenges of being a student-athlete at a big university and full of Her choices grew from the foundation she built character, confidence and strength. I knew that in Tacoma with the Sweetfoot/Carrera program surrounding myself with the qualities of those coached by Dan Swain, once a U.S. Youth Soccer exceptional women would be an important of the year, according to Soccer News. factor in my own development. They would soon Swain was, “extremely generous with his time to become my teammates and mentors.” coaching, committed to developing girls’ soccer,

and encouraging,” Dori said. “He was an effective Among them were a trio of fellow freshmen: teacher of fundamental skills, always prepared forwards Wendy Greenberg and Amy Machin and and expected nothing but your best, through goalkeeper Marianne Johnson, all from the Texas hard work.” Sting, which defeated Dori’s club team in overtime in the national semifinals before their Under Swain’s watch, Dori’s team won four state freshman year. championships.

The four young women joined four other The championships continued at North Carolina, freshmen as starters in 1981 for coach Anson both with Dori and after. Dorrance.

With Dori as the sweeper (middle defender), the Tar Heels went 23-0 to win the championship of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), an early sanctioning body in women’s athletics.

Another factor drawing Dori to UNC was Dorrance, who had the vision to elevate a program that started as an intramural club to the highest intercollegiate level and beyond.

“I jumped at the opportunity to team up in the early development of the program and also in Anson's vision, while pursuing my education,” Dori said. North Carolina All-Americans--Front row L. to R.: Laurie Perhaps the strongest influence on Dori’s college Gregg, Mari Anne Johnson and Stephanie Zeh. Standing L. to choice were her parents. R.: Dori Kovanen and Janet Rayfield. Dorrance, still at UNC, has coached the Tar Heels “My parents allowed me the independence and to 21 NCAA titles, including the first three with freedom to pursue an early childhood dream; to Dori as an All-American sweeper. go to college and participate in sports on an athletic scholarship,” she said. “It wasn't until The only interruption in the of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 championships for Dori was her first serious that colleges or universities provided equal - 6 - athletic injury, which she predictably sees as a younger talented athletes, which was important positive. to me.”

She injured her right knee in tryouts for the She worked six years with the Washington State nascent U.S. national women’s soccer team. Olympic Development Program team, until she Arthroscopic surgery had not been perfected in reinjured her right knee. the mid-1980s, so, “My whole knee had to be reconstructed,” she said. These days, said Dori who was speaking from The rehabilitation process included about 12 Point Roberts in extreme Northwest Washington, weeks in a cast. she is far removed from the playing field as a player and coach. But she maintains a "field “The process to return to the team included season" conducting research and exploring work, more work, and encouragement from the various landscapes around the world. Those Tar Heels staff and coaches, which was lessons are not unlike the ones she got on the characteristic of an Anson Dorrance team,” she flanks of Mount Rainier as a schoolgirl at said. McCarver from “Mr. Carlson.”

All those weeks off allowed her more time for Want to learn more about the “geomorphic map study toward her Bachelor’s degree in geology, of western Whatcom County”? It just so happens which set the foundation for her post-graduate that Dori wrote the textbook. studies at Western Washington University and the University of British Columbia. By Arnold Lytle, contributing writer for the As Dori looked to her future, she didn’t see much Shanaman Sports Museum in the way of opportunity to play professionally in either North America or Europe. She did play on a club team in Chapel Hill called the Kixx, The Locker Room Chat which, of course, won a championship. The Locker Room Chat is a video interview series She eventually returned to Washington and that highlights athletes, coaches, officials, teams played on FinnAir and the Tacoma Cozars, the and great events, moments and accomplishments women’s team organized by future Gov. Booth in the history of sports in Tacoma-Pierce County. Gardner. She even got a call from Dorrance The Locker Room Chat is brought to you by the telling her of an effort to organize a women’s Shanaman Sports Museum and our sponsor Rainier league in Europe. But circumstances changed, Asphalt & Concrete. and the opportunity evaporated. Watch our social media channels for news about She was an assistant coach one year at Stanford, upcoming interviews, and visit our website to where she tried to emulate her former watch previous episodes in The Vault: teammate, North Carolina assistant coach Lauren www.tacomasportsmuseum.com/lockerroomchat Gregg. “I was the assistant coach under Berhane Andereberhan (who) had previously coached me with the Tacoma Cozars,” Dori said. … “Coaching allowed me to continue my own training and give back to the soccer community by coaching www.rainierasphalt.com

- 7 - Dick Hassan It is rare, but not totally uncommon for the WOA retires at 89 to have officials work into their late 80s – or later. Okanogan’s Clyde Pock is the latest example – he retired last year in his 90s after 65 years of officiating in that area.

When those types come around, they are often not forgotten.

Hassan grew up on a big farm in upstate , and started to not only organize weekend sports tournaments on the property for a mixture of family and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers, he also officiated softball, soccer and volleyball games starting at age 12. Dick Hassan has the last word. Photo courtesy Todd Milles Eventually, that worked into small-time paying gigs in youth sports – at 75 cents, plus a bottle of Even after surviving a stint in the Korean War, Coca-Cola. and then three heart attacks, Richard Oliver “Dick” Hassan figured he would still umpire “I was fortunate … that I had the ability to sleep softball until he was 95 years old. just two or three hours a night,” Hassan said. “I was always looking for things to do.” “This is my area,” the friendly New York native said April 15. A cousin of former championship reliever Elroy Face, of the , And that is when the Washington Officials Hassan got looks from Association’s oldest active game referee said scouts as a centerfielder at New Lebanon High goodbye. School. Instead, he decided to pursue a legal career – and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in Hassan, 89, was the home-plate umpire for one 1951. inning at the White River-Washington softball game, then retired – effective immediately. He Throughout his military service, which included was given a bouquet of flowers from a player on time at McChord Air Force Base, he managed all- both teams, and congratulated for his service. star squadron teams, and officiated volleyball in three different countries. He also is considered If it was up to his mind and spirit, Hassan – who one of the founding fathers of T-ball. is seven months from his 90th birthday – said he would have continued on. But he admitted When he settled in Washington, he was a because of his physical health, he just could not slowpitch softball umpire all over the South umpire anymore, ending nearly 77 years of Sound. That led to being a semi-professional enforcing the rules of sports. football referee – and then on to volleyball and fastpitch with the WOA since 1986. “(Retirement) came around a little bit faster than I thought it would, mainly because of the pacemaker I have,” Hassan said. “So I am out.”

- 8 - In all, he has umpired 20 no-hitters in both Harry Nygard: baseball and softball, including five perfect Pitching Champ games. He also worked a 27-inning game once. “Especially in his early years, he was a very good softball umpire,” said Paul Souza, the Washington High School softball coach who has had Hassan work his games for the better part of two decades. “He was very reliable and consistent.”

Harry Nygard warms up at Tiger Park in Tacoma Photo courtesy Nygard family

Play ball! When the 1946 Stadium High School Tigers went to Walla Walla to play for the state championship, Hassan has also hosted softball tournaments to they carried with them a hard-throwing right- raise money for the 414 scholarships he says he hander who would lead them to the title. has presented to high-school athletes. Harry Nygard was born May 10, 1928 in “The man is a humanitarian,” Souza said. Rochester, Wash., and started turning heads while playing baseball for the Sportsman Club as a But on Thursday, he was an outgoing umpire for Jason Lee Junior High School student. A two- one 15-minute first inning. year baseball team captain at Stadium High, Nygard was a one-man pitching crew in leading How did he feel walking off the field? the Tigers to the state title as a junior. That season Harry finished with a 2.14 ERA and averaged “Superior,” he said. 13.4 per game.

By Todd Milles. Reprinted with permission from In a four-game period over eight days, Nygard threw 36 innings to win all four contests. He ScorebookLive.com threw nine innings to beat Bellarmine on a Friday and nine more innings in a state-qualifying win over Renton on the Tuesday prior to the state tournament. There, he one-upped himself. In a - 9 - Friday night state semifinal game he fanned 16 The Day I Met batters in nine innings as Stadium topped Bellingham, 14-0. The following evening in the Mickey Mantle title game, he struck out 17 more in nine innings of Stadium’s 4-0 whitewash of Spokane’s Rogers by Frank Colarusso High School. I was born a tape measure from While the pitching performance was remarkable, in , New York. By the throwing between 500 and 600 pitches over an time I was nine years old, the Yankees had won eight-day period took a toll on Nygard’s arm and eight Pennants and four World perhaps led to a premature end to a promising Championships. I sat at my grandfather’s knee baseball career. and listened to stories about , , and his favorite player, Joe DiMaggio. In Nygard finished our house, you were a Yankees fan or no fan at high school all! early, graduating

in January of My love for the Yankees was deep rooted! I 1947 in order to begin his pro loved watching them play on television and career, signing never missed a game. I listened to and first with the , two of the iconic voices in baseball Tacoma Tigers broadcasting! While I never heard in January of until later in life, I am a graduate of the same 1947 and then high school as Vin, Fordham Prep! with the Brooklyn From the time I watched the Yankees in the 1963 Dodgers and against the organization. He Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, I was hooked on played baseball and it was my passion and outlet. I professionally remember being disappointed when Sandy four seasons with El Centro, the Medford Koufax struck out 15 Yankees in Game Three of Dodgers, Boise Pilots, Idaho Falls Russets, and the and exhilarated when finally with the Vancouver Capilanos in the Mickey Mantle a game winning walk off home Western . While in Boise, run against in Game 6 of the 1964 Harry pitched 73 innings across 16 games, posting a 1.97 earned run average that fell short of World Series. qualifying for the league ERA title based on his innings total. The highlight of his pro career came I begged my father to take me to a game. My when he was named the starting pitcher in the only point of reference was a small black and 1949 Pioneer League All-Star Game played in white television in our living room and nightly Salt Lake City. broadcasts on my transistor radio. I wanted to go to Yankee Stadium. Nygard is retired from a successful career—one he credits to his competitive spirit in sports—as a My dream came true and my dad took my Kirby Vacuum Cleaner distributor. brother, Arthur, and me to our first game. I remember getting to our box seats on the third By Todd Milles, contributing writer for Shanaman base side and seeing all the color and pageantry Sports Museum. that was Yankee Stadium. To go along with our

- 10 - first game, it was the first Bat Day ever held at After the 1964 season, the Yankees fired their Yankee Stadium. An official little league bat was legendary manager, , and hired Johnny given to all the kids who attended the game. Keane away from the St. Louis Cardinals. He had Arthur and I each came home with a souvenir managed the Cardinals to the championship but bat. One a model, the other became the Yankees manager. In 1965, he an model. moved Mickey Mantle from center field to left field. Almost three decades later, Mantle was still mad about being moved out of centerfield into left!

So, I still have my treasured collectible and because of the legendary Hall of Famer, Mickey Mantle, I know when my first baseball game was! I wish Arthur was still here to reminisce about

the game! The Bobby Richardson bat did not have a long life. I broke it playing little league baseball, but we saved the Elston Howard model. My brother was afflicted with Muscular Dystrophy and died when I was a senior in high school. He was 15 Shanaman Sports Museum years old. The Elston Howard bat belonged to Giving Guide him and I never used it. It traveled with me from New York to and to Tacoma, where I When I make a financial gift to the Shanaman still have it as part of my collection. Sports Museum of Tacoma-Pierce County, how will my donation be managed?

I always wondered what year I attended my first Beyond maintaining some cash for ongoing game. I knew it was in the 1960’s but never operating expenses, the Museum holds longer- knew the year, until I met Mickey Mantle. Yes, term investments in an account at the Greater THE Mickey Mantle. Tacoma Community Foundation (GTCF).

In the early 1990’s, I attended a baseball card This is the first significant fundraising effort by show in Portland, where Mickey Mantle was the Museum in more than 25 years. We are signing autographs. I was excited to meet him. happy to have the variety of giving options Since I had taken a dozen balls for him to sign, I available to accommodate different needs and had the chance to have a conversation with him. preferences of donors.

I told him I was born in the Bronx and was a die- Your gift will be prudently managed and wisely hard Yankees fan. I told him that in the first used to help the Museum extend its mission of game I attended, I remember him playing left preserving local sports heritage. field. He stopped signing the autographs and looked at me and said, “That son of a b****, Visit our website to learn more about giving .” I knew right then what year my options or to make your gift today: first game was at Yankee Stadium. www.tacomasportsmuseum.com/waystogive/

- 11 -

- 12 -