OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The Tacoma-Pierce County Old-timers Baseball-Softball 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 wards 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”!
Ben Cheney and Cheney Lumber Co. sponsored youth and adult baseball, basketball, football, soccer, bowling and hockey teams in Washington and Oregon. The first Seattle/Tacoma are baseball team was established in 1954 and the Athletic Division of the Cheney Lumber Co. went on to sponsor youth and adult baseball teams through 1984. The Tacoma-Pierce County Baseball-Softball Oldtimers was honored to host the 60th anniversary celebration of the Cheney Studs baseball teams on May 19th, 2013.
ANNUAL OLD-TIMERS BANQUET DATES BACK TO 1937
After a number of years with no Old-timers Banquet, the TAC revived the banquet in 1957 with veteran players organizing the get-together. Leading the effort were front row l. to r.: Dill Howell, George Wise, John Heinrick, and Ocky Haughland. Back row l. to r.: John Kochear, Hugh Fotheringill, and Willard Carpy. Photo courtesy Shanaman Sports Museum collection.
Mike Fisher, owner of the Tacoma Tigers during the 1904 and 1905 seasons when they won the Pacific Coast League title, was joined by Charles Graham, a catcher for Fisher on the Tacoma club who later became president of the San Francisco Baseball club. Fisher, a noted after-dinner speaker and widely regarded as one of the greatest wits in the baseball world, was slated to be the main speaker.
According to Nelson R. Hong, Sports Editor for The Tacoma News Tribune, was quoted as saying that “every available seat will be filled at the Tacoma Hotel, making the Tacoma old-timers’ gathering the biggest of its kind in the Northwest, surpassing the established reunions in Seattle and Portland.” He continued on that, “….Tacomans regard it a rare privilege to have Mike Fisher with us after an absence of 32 years during which time he has been heaped with honors.”
VALLEY BASEBALL LEAGUE REUNION AT THE FIRS – June 5, 1953
The Valley League was started in 1928 by H.E. “Stan” Anderson who served as League President. Anderson was owner of Washington Hardware, the main outlet in Tacoma-Pierce County at the time for sporting goods needs by players and teams. This reunion was for players who were active before 1945, shown celebrating the 25th anniversary of the loop. Stan Anderson was the MC for the affair.
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