1950-10 Dad Center of Waikiki
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Outrigger c a n / e clu b OCTOBER FORECAST (iEURCE I). “ DAD ” CENTER "DAD" CENTER OF WAIKIKI By Edwin North McClellan George David C e n te r—affectionately and the Myrtles would cover pages. He called “Dad” by his thousands of friends was a familiar figure on early Regatta —has been—and is—one of the most valu Days in Honolulu Harbor and at Pearl able assets of Hawaii. He has evolved into Harbor when he rowed for the Myrtles; a constructively unique and hospitable but lie was even better known later as a unit of distinctive Hawaiiana. “Dad” is representative of the Outrigger Club in among the first "ten in the Hawaiian many sports, particularly in surfing events Hall of Fame.” He has always exercised sponsored by the Club. As early as Re his many efficient qualifications as an gatta Day of 1907 "Dad” was stroke of American citizen of Hawaii for the pub the Myrtle Freshman Crew which de lic good; but, he is best remembered for feated the Healanis. On Regatta Day of his devoted service in directing the youth 1909, “Dad” swung an efficient paddle of Hawaii along a path of happiness and (with Rusty Brown, Harry Steiner, Willy usefulness. “Knut” Cottrell, Edmund Melanphy and V incent “Z en ” Genoves) , in Prince BORN ON MAUI Kuhio’s canoe Aa, as it won the six-paddle “Dad” was born at Kipahulu (Maui) canoe contest for the Outrigger Canoe on Christmas Day in 1886 during the Club. And while “Dad” had many early reign of King Kalakaua. On the death of athletic thrills, I am sure one of his Kalakaua, “Dad” became a subject of greatest was to captain the Maile-Ilima Queen Liliuokalani. Next, a citizen of Soccer Team which won the champion the Provisional Government and Repub ship of the Hawaiian Association Foot lic of Hawaii with Sanford Ballard Dole ball League, in 1909. as President. The American Flag went up over Hawaii in July of 1898 and “Dad” OUTRIGGER CAPTAIN FOR MANY YEARS became a citizen of the United States and “Dad” was Captain of the Outriggers the Territory of Hawaii. Educated in from 1910 until about 1938. He repre Hawaii and on the Mainland “Dad” dis sented the Club in about every sport it tinguished himself as a schoolboy athlete took part in. Captain, coach, active-ath- in many sports. lete, manager and adviser, “Dad” served In his active athletic days “Dad” repre on the Board of Directors of the Out sented the Myrtle Boat Club in swim rigger Club for many years. He is as much ming, rowing and other sports. During a part of Waikiki and the Outrigger as the past half-century “Dad" has been a is the Beach itself. ) swimmer, surfboarder, outrigger-canoeist "Dad,” who shares with Duke Kahana (paddle and sail), body-surfer, fisher moku the honor of being the Outrigger man, oarsman, yachtsman, volley-baller, Club’s "most honored member,” realized golfer, basket-baller, soccerite, track-and- that Duke was a "coming champ” about fielder, footballer and expert participant 1910, Not long ago "Dad” said to me, “I in other athletic activities. was swimming anchor on the Myrtles in MEMBER OF THE "OUTRIGGER CLUB" IN 190B. a swimming relay race in Honolulu Har "Dad” missed becoming a charter mem bor against the Healanis. Duke swam the ber of the Outrigger Canoe Club by only final lap against me. Duke won by a a few weeks after it came into being in touch. We knew then that we had a April and May of 1908. I was on the champion swimmer.” And, on August 12, Beach at Waikiki, in front of the Out- 1911—the day that Duke (of the H ui rigger Canoe Club, in July of 1908 when Nalu) broke world-records in Honolulu "Dad” competed in the Big Surf Contest Harbor—"D ad” swam second to the (board) as the U. S. Atlantic Fleet looked Bronze Duke of Waikiki in the 220-yard on. To even list the contests in which race. “Dad” was one of those who, about "Dad” Center represented the Outriggers 1911, organized the Hawaiian AAU. [ 3 ] Later, he served many years as its presi Vol. 9 No. 10 dent, ending that service about 1939. “Dad” was swimming coach at Punahou for about thirty years. He also coached water polo teams of Hawaii. "BUILDER OF CHAMPS" The list is long of those whom "Dad” coached to c h a m p io n sh ip caliber in FORECAST swimming. The list is longer of those Issued by the whom “Dad” encouraged in the same BOARD OF DIRECTORS sports. Among the many are: Duke Paoa Kalianamoku, Samuel Alapai Kahana- E. W . STENBERG . Editor moku, Clarence (Buster) Crabbe, Buddy Bus. Phone 5-7911 Res. Phone 9-3664 TED MAGILL . Advertising . Bus. Phone 9-4806 Crabbc, Ludy Langer, W ild Bill Harris,. Gay Harris, Pua and Warren Kealoha, Toots Minvielle, Clem Akina, Jr., Buck OUTRIGGER CANOE CLUB Kahele, Bill King, Art Powlison, Harold WAIKIKI BEACH HONOLULU, HAWAII Hustace, Jimmy Hurd, Benton Wood, Ed BOARD OF DIRECTORS Peterson, Bob Darnell, Bill Newport,) LeRoy C. Bush Samuel M. Fuller Fred Reeder, C. Dudley Pratt, Dave Liv Ernest R. Cameron Leslie A. Hicks William C. Capp Murray Johnson ingston, Marichen Wehslau Jackson, Lily Robert D. Fischer Duke P. Kalianamoku Wilford D. Godbold William J. Mullahey Bowmer, May Forrest, Helen Moses Cas Herbert M. Taylor sidy, Ruth Scudder, Olga Clarke, Janice OFFICERS Lovet Makinney, Mildred Slaght Hooper, WILFORD D. GO DBO LD...................................... President Beatrice Newport, Kanny Ross, Cecily WILLIAM J. MULLAHEY...........................Vice President SAMUEL M. FU LLER...............................................Secretary Cunha, Blanche Fernandes, Estel Cas HERBERT M. TAYLOR............................................Treasurer sidy, and many others. E. P. "TED " M AGILL....................................Club M anager Always in close contact with youth at Committees Chairmen FINANCE..................... Wilford D. Godbold, Ex-Offlcio Waikiki, "Dad” has aided thousands in BUILDING FUND............................................Leslie A . Hicks aquatic beach sports, including among ADMISSIONS..................................................Dr. Irving Blom the many: Ronald Higgins, Edric Cooke, DISCIPLINARY.........................................Samuel M. Fuller Ernest Cooke, Francis Bowers, Sonny HOUSE AND GROUNDS................Ernest W. Stenberg ENTERTAINMENT....................................Sam uel M. Fuller Ruttman, Toots Minvielle, Sally Hale, V O LLEYBA LL............................................Ernest H. Thomas Clarence Dyer, W. W. (Wild Bill) Har CANOE.............................................................W illia m C. Capp ris, Gay Harris, Ainslie MacKenzie, Ken BEACH ACTIVITIES..................... William J. Mullahey WOMEN'S ACTIVITIES................................ To be chosen neth Makinney, Lorrin Thurston, Bob JUNIORS' ACTIVITIES................................... To be chosen Burbank, Bouldin Burbank, Joe Stick- CANOE COACHING..............................Sam uel M. Fuller ney, Sam Poepoe and a throng of others. ATHLETIC CO-ORDINATING DIRECTOR.............................................. Robert D. Fischer AMERICAN OLYMPIC SWIMMING COACH CLUB HISTORIAN............................................To be chosen George David Center was selected to EDITOR/ "FORECAST".................. Ernest W. Stenberg manage and coach the Hawaiian swim AFFILIATED CLUBS mers who were picked to go to the Main Arizona Club/ Phoenix, Arizona. land for the Olympic Trials at Chicago Balboa Bay Club, Newport Harbor, California. in July, 1920. Eight swimmers won the Club Del Mor, Santa Monica, California. College Club of Seattle, Seattle, Washington. right to be members of the team to enter Country Club of Peoria, Peoria, Illinois. Dovenport Club, Davenport, Iowa the trials. They were: Duke Paoa Ka Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, California. hanamoku, Ludy Langer, Warren and Multnomah Athletic Club, Portland, Oregon. New York Athletic Club, New York City. Pua Kealoha, William W. Harris, Jr., Old Pueblo Club, Tucson, Arizona. San Diego Club, San Diego, California. John Kelii, Harold (Stubby) Kruger and Santa Monica Swimming Cub, Santa Monica, California. Helen Moses. They sailed from Honolulu Hilo Yacht Club, Hilo, Hawaii. in June of 1920. “Dad” likes to tell about Kauai Yacht Club, Lihue, Kauai. this wonderful trip. “Duke was a bigger Carleton Club, Winnipeg, Canada. attraction than ever," "Dad” recently South Yarra Club, Melbourne, Australia. Tattersall's Club, Sydney, Australia. told me. “People demanded to see him Terminal City Club, Vancouver, Canada. Waikiki Club, Lima, Peru. at every place the train stopped—even at [4] small towns—so that A m ericans could 1930. Before sailing, "Dad” told the Pan- have a glimpse of their famous world- Pacific Union: 1 champion. People would come right into “I believe in swimming as one of the the car and get Duke out of his bunk so greatest sports in the world and a great they could get a peek at him.” developer of mankind, and that is why I A seven-swimmer team emerged from am interested in having as many of the the Chicago trials—Duke, W ild Bill Har countries on the Pacific get together every ris, Warren and Pua Kealoha, Ludy two years in an athletic contest like this, Langer, Stubby Kruger and Helen Moses. to develop our swimmers so that we can They sailed for Europe aboard the SS build up a team to represent Hawaii and Princess Matoika. There is no space to America in the final Olympics every four describe the ‘‘Mutiny of the Matoika.” years.” Among the 1,500 athletes parading before It might be an excellent idea if the King Albert of Belgium, Cardinal Mer- Outrigger Canoe Club in 1950 revived cier, the clerical war-hero, and other the 1927 proposal for a Pan-Pacific Olym world-known notables were “Dad" Cen piad of Sports. ter and his comrades. And “Dad” had “Dad” had much to do with the crea been appointed coach of the entire Amer tion and dedication of the First World ican Swimming Team. The Hawaiian War Memorial (Natatorium) at Waikiki swimmers did splendidly. After shaking, in 1927. Duke Kahanamoku returned hands with King Albert and his Queen, from California for this dedication and “Dad” and his fellow Americans from declared, “I can see Dad Center’s hand Hawaii moved on to visit Brussels, Paris, in it,” and that “with such men as Dad London and other parts of the world.