CURLING
Back Row from Left to Right:
Walt Swanson, unidentified, John Blair, unidentified,
Marv Tommervik, unidentified, Bill Ristine, and John Johnsen.
Front Row from Left to Right:
Ed Stevens, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, and
Gil richards.
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CURLING INTRODUCED IN 1949
The sport of curling was introduced to Tacoma in Match of 1949 and at the time it was not only the first curling activity on the west coast but one of but a few in the entire country. With manager and head pro Johnny Johnsen's Danish background, it made sense to offer another activity that would help fill a void in the schedule.
And the Lakewood Curling club met at the Lakewood Ice Arena on Monday and Fridays from 6:00-8:00pm and on Sundays from 9:00-11:00am.
They had two sheets setup about 14" wide which allowed four "rinks" or 16 people to curl at a time although there were about 25 total active members such as John Blair, Walt Swanson, Ed Stevens, Jim Stephens, Dave Jenkinson, Steve Brighman, Bill Ristine, Johnsen, and Gil Richards, Gene Riggs, and even Marv Tommervik, the great PLU player of football stardom.
In 1976, with the opening of Sprinker Recreation Center, the club moved to the spacious new arena in Spanaway and curled there for several years until the membership and interest began to dwindle. As they did at Lakewood, the club hosted several bonspiels over the years and traveled in Washington and British Columbia to away events as well.
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