Art Lewis
Softball, Fastpitch-Mens (2006)
Hall of Fame Inductees
Softball (fastpitch) (1993)
Arthur Lewis was a transplanted New Yorker who was one of the areas top fastpitch softball players in the mid to late 1940s.
Born in Tonawanda, N.Y., in 1922, Art graduated from Tonawanda High School in 1940. He played baseball and basketball in high school and was known for his skills as a defender, usually guarding the other team’s top scorer in basketball. In 1942 and while still living in New York, he played baseball for Remington Rand. He came to the Puget Sound when he was stationed here with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Art played for the Coast Guard in 1943-45, for Irwin Jones in 1946-47 and for Tacoma Elks in 1948-49. He had been a pitcher in baseball but played third base on the softball diamond. He was no ordinary defensive player, however, and generally was regarded as the best third sacker in the state, committing just three errors in 50 games. Art and slugging catcher Vern From were two of the key components on a couple of championship fastpitch teams.