The Class of 1991: ATHLETES

KEN ASHLEY (1958-1963)

The accomplishments of Ken Ashley in Willamette track and field set a standard by which all future Bearcat stars are judged in the sport. In 1959 and the early 1960’s, Ashley won the Northwest Conference and the NAIA District 2 high jump titles all four years. His success did not end at the regional level, however, as he won NAIA championships in 1960, 1961 and 1963-his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. His best mark of 6-foot-9 3/4 stood for 17 years and still ranks as third best in school history. Ashley was also an outstanding basketball player, winning All-Northwest Conference honors his senior year when he set rebound records of 36 in a single game and 14.6 per game. Those records remained intact as of his induction in 1991.

VIC BACKLUND (1954-1958)

Vic Backlund won 11 letters in football, basketball and baseball prior to graduating in 1958. He is believed to be the only athlete in school history to earn first-team All-Northwest Conference honors in three sports. He also won All-American honors his final year on the gridiron and played professional baseball for two years after being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a stint in the service, he returned to Willamette to obtain his master’s degree. Backlund then began teaching and coaching at North Salem High School, until he moved to the new McNary High School in 1965. Up until his induction in 1991, nine of Bucklund’s 21 McNary baseball teams qualified for the state tournament. His 1989 team won the Oregon Class AAA title and he was named Coach of the Year by the Oregonian.

BILL BEARD (1935-1937)

The name Bill Beard is synonymous with sports in Salem. But long before Beard opened a sporting goods store bearing his name in 1960, he became a three-sport star at Willamette. The Oregon City High product was an all-conference performer twice in football and three times in baseball before signing a professional baseball contract with the New York Yankees. He earned a tryout with the Washington Senators of the major leagues, but spent his entire career in the minors, starting out in Spokane, then playing for the Seattle Rainiers, the Salem Senators, the Portland Beavers and the Drain Black Sox. He managed the Salem team in 1949. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982. Beard was a long-time officer and fundraiser for Cardinal Round Table, Willamette’s athletic booster club. He also pent many years officiating local football and basketball. An avid golfer, Beard was the Oregon Senior Grand Champion in the sport in 1977 and 1980, and placed second in 1986 and 1988.

BOB BURLES (1963-1966)

Bob Burles is without a doubt one of the best two-sports stars Willamette has ever had. After transferring from the University of Oregon, Burles became a three-time All-American in track and field. His specialty was the 440-yard hurdles, where he placed fourth at the NAIA championships as a sophomore, second as a junior and first as a senior. His career-best time of 52.9 set during his sophomore year- a school record for 16 years- still ranked second on Willamette’s all-time list as of his induction in 1991. But as sparkling as his track career was, his football accomplishments were equally impressive. He was a two-time All-American in 1964 and ’65 at defensive end for record-setting Bearcat defenses. Three National Football League clubs wanted to sign the 6-foot-3 1/2, 225 pound tackler who could run like the wind, but Burles, now a physical therapist, had already suffered an injury that put his athletic career in jeopardy,

ED GROSSENBACHER (1956-1960)

To all of the Willamette basketball fans who saw him compete, Bearcat basketball never had a better player than Ed Grossenbacher. The 6-foot guard received the highest national honor won by any Willamette basketball star when he was selected to the second team of the NAIA All-American unit following his senior season in 1960, when the Bearcats won the NAIA District 2 championship and he was named the District’s Player of the Year. His school record of 38 points in a game, 557 points in a single season, 1,547 points over a career, and a four-year free throw accuracy mark of .779, all stood for more than 10 years. However, Grossenbacher’s athletic career did not end here. In 1988, he won the World Senior men’s handball championship for his age group (50-55) and the following year placed second. He also played on a Portland Basketball team (East Bank) that won the 1989 and 19990 Gold Medal in the 50- and –over division of the World Senior Games.

HAROLD HAUK (1926-1930)

Harold Hauk won 10 letters in football, basketball and baseball, and was named All-Northwest Conference in basketball four years and baseball three season prior to his graduation in 1930. He coached numerous district and state championship teams at Salem High School in 1954- a position he held for 16 years. His 15 year basketball record at Salem High was 312-123- a winning percentage of .717. Hauk was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982 for his contributions to coaching. Hauk started the Oregon Coaches Directory in 1954, which he wrote and edited for 35 years until he died May 20, 1988 at the age of 83.

JOHN KOLB (1937-1941)

John Kolb lettered 12 times in football, basketball and baseball, winning All-Northwest Conference honors in football and basketball before graduating in 1941. He played pro baseball for the Salem Senators the summer following his graduation and in 1947 played professional basketball in Salem. Kolb later became an NCAA football official for 25 years and officiated NCAA basketball for over 20 years. Before moving into a role as an observer of Pacific-10 Conference officials, he officiated the 1971 Rose Bowl featuring Stanford’s Jim Plunkett and two East-West Shrine football games. Kolb was still working as an observer until he died of cancer May 19, 1989 at the age of 71. Kolb was an active member of Cardinal Round Table- Willamette’s athletic booster club- and was a PGA teaching professional at Oak Knoll Golf Course for 20 years.

DOROTHY MOORE (1937-1941)

Dorothy “Dotty” Moore lettered in six sports at Willamette before graduating in 1941, but her biggest accomplishment in athletics came three years later. Moore played catcher on the 1944 Lind-Pomeroy Florists national championship softball team, which was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. In the championship game, she scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Portland team stunned host Cleveland, Ohio in front of over 10,000 fans. Lind-Pomeroy shut out all five of its opponents in the World Series, a record that stood for 23 years. Moore played softball for 21 years and wound up her career with her own team- Dotty Moore’s Pennant Shop-which won the Northwest Regional title in 1954. She also played on several basketball teams that won regional titles.

JOHN ORAVEC (1932-1936)

At the date of his induction in 1991, John “Scooter” Oravec still held Willamette records for touchdowns and points scored in a game, season and career. He was first-team Associated Press Little-All-American his senior season in 1935, when the Bearcats went 5-2 and outscored five small colleges 99-6. But Oravec had his best year as a junior. In 1934, he led the nation (all levels) in touchdowns scored (20) and was second in the land in points scored (120). The highlight of the season was his seven-touchdown game in a 75-0 romp over Whitman at Sweetland Field. During Oravec’s four-year career the Bearcats went 17-2-1 in the Northwest Conference, including winning the last 13 games and conference titles in 1934 and ’35. Oravec also played baseball for three seasons before turning pro and playing for the Vancouver Maple Leafs in Canada.

RACHAEL YOCOM (1933-1937)

If there ever is an award presented to a Willamette athlete based on versatility, it will probably be named after Rachael Yocom, who participated in every sport at Willamette in the mid 1930s. She made all-star teams and won a singles championship in tennis in 1937 while at Willamette. During her junior year, Yocom was invited to participate in the 1936 Olympic Trials in Providence, R.I. and placed sixth in the javelin. She also went 5-foot-2 in the high jump. After graduating from Willamette in 1937, Yocom became a teacher at North Salem High School. She also compete on several women’s semi-pro softball teams and went on to become a professor in physical education and dance at The College of Idaho, the University of Utah and New York University, winning numerous awards along the way.

The Class of 1991: COACHES

TED OGDAHL (1952-1971)

Ted Ogdahl became an All-American halfback at Willamette as a junior in 1942. He then transferred to the University of Pacific to play his final year under Amos Alonzo Stagg and played professionally for two seasons in San Diego. After his playing days were over, Ogdahl coached Grant High of Portland to three state grid championships in four years, compiling a record of 37-3-3, including 27 straight wins. In 1952, he became head football and track and field coach at Willamette. In 20 seasons leading the football team, the Bearcats went 98-64-10 to become the winningest coach in school history. His teams won or shared seven conference titles and his 1960 and ’68 teams were the last Willamette teams to go undefeated on the gridiron. During 13 track seasons he coached Willamette’s first two national champions in the sport- hurdler Dean Benson and three-time high jump champ Ken Ashley. The Oregon Sports Writers and Broadcasters Association named Ogdahl Oregon’s Man of the Year in sports in 1960. He died July 29, 1988 at the age of 66.

CHUCK BOWLES (1965-1990)

The 25-year coaching legacy of Chuck Bowles in cross-country and track and field will likely never be matched. During his tenure at Willamette, Bowles coached 20 Northwest Conference and 16 NAIA District 2 championship teams, 160 individual conference champs and 50 All-Americans. Five consecutive men’s cross-country teams (1978-82) won both the Conference and District titles and the men’s track and field team from 1978-87 won nine of 10 conference crowns. Bowles came to Willamette after he completed his doctorate from the University of Oregon in 1965. As a professor of physical education, he has taught almost every course in the P.E. and human anatomy majors, in addition to being athletic director from 1973-76. Bowles graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Portland in 1943, and four years later was the recipient of the schools first masters of science degree. He taught and assisted the track program at UP before moving on to Lake Oswego High School, where he taught chemistry and was head cross-country coach and track and field coach.

SPEC KEENE (1926-1942)

Roy S. “Spec” Keene was the father of Willamette athletics. Beginning in 1926-the initial year of the Northwest Conference-Keene coached football for 17 seasons, baseball for 16 years and basketball for 11 seasons. During one remarkable year-1929-1930- Keene’s football (4-0), basketball (8-0), and baseball (9-0) teams each won Conference championships with undefeated records. In his 17 years and 45 coaching seasons at Willamette, Keene’s squads won or shared 19 Conference titles. His Bearcat gridders won 27 straight conference games in the 1930s, his 1931 baseball team won 13 in a row and his final basketball squad (1936-37) won 22 games. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982 for his coaching. In 1947, Keene returned to his alma mater, Oregon State, to serve as athletic director. His tenure at OSU spanned 26 years and included overseeing the construction of Parker Stadium and Gill Coliseum. He died August 24, 1977.

JOHN LEWIS (1947-1973)

The NAIA inducted John Lewis into its Hall of Fame for meritorious service in baseball in 1969, the same year he was named NAIA Area 1 Baseball Coach of the Year. Lewis, who died Jan. 31, 1973 of a heart attack at 57, was Willamette’s Athletic Director for 26 years (1947-1973) and coached baseball (1948-1972) and basketball (1947-1967) longer than anyone at Willamette. Lewis’ baseball team won three Northwest Conference crowns and was runner-up six times en route to a ledger of 276-264, which included games against major colleges. His basketball team won or shared seven Conference championships while compiling a record of 277-239. It was his dream and planning that led to the construction of the Lestle J. Sparks Center (1974), which has hosted the John Lewis Holiday Basketball Classic ever since.

The Class of 1991: MERITORIOUS SERVICE

GALE CURREY (1926-1966)

Gale Currey was probably the biggest reason Willamette offered women’s athletics as early as the 1920’s and therefore is considered the pioneer of women’s sports at the University. Currey taught and coached at Willamette from 1926-66 and later served as a physical therapist at hospitals and clinics. Under Currey, the Willamette Department of Physical Education for Women encouraged ever women on campus to participate and gave them the opportunity to train for leadership in physical education. A graduate of New York State College, Currey received her master’s from New York University and doctorate from Stanford. She spent several summers studying and directing youth camps in Europe. Currey died on December 28, 1988.

LES SPARKS (1915-1979)

Les Sparks was known as Mr. Willamette. His association with the University began in the fall of 1915 as a freshman and lasted 64 years until he died in 1979 at the age of 82. He coached men’s tennis for 50 years from 1925-1974 and during a 10-year span (1952-1961) the Bearcats captured 10 straight Northwest Conference championships and did not lose a single conference dual match. Sparks was also head track coach for 15 seasons (1923-1932, 1934-37, 1943), assisted with football, basketball and track, and was the head of the P.E. department. He also was the trainer for the athletic department. Prior to returning to Willamette as a coach, Sparks guided Salem High School’s basketball team into the state tournament in the early 20’s. Later he refereed, and for 25 years served as manager and director of the tourney, which moved to Willamette in its second year. Sparks officially retired in 1974, the year the new physical education building that bears his name was completed.

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