One of the legendary football programs ever created in Washington, the West Seattle Athletic Club, already a power in the club sports, started football in 1922.  For nearly 20 years, the WSAC Yellowjackets claimed over 15 championships as one of the destinations for post-collegiate play for former University of Washington, Washington State College and Gonzaga greats of the era.  The Yellowjackets name was applied and stuck although they would be referred to as the "Indians" in a number of news reports, most likely as an homage to the supporters of the West Seattle high school team.

The Athletic Club came to fruition in 1921 with basketball and baseball teams before adding football in 1922.  At this time, the Boldt's Cafe Specials were the team to beat. West Seattle rolled the 1921 "Independent Champion" Specials into the organiztion and star end Len Oliver was named captain of the 1923 team with former Minnesota All-American fullback Lorin Solon coaching.  Sponsor Jim Boldt was becoming more involved with baseball and his Seattle Indians, relinquishing the football team to the Athletic Club.
 
The 1923 season opened with newspaper reports of 3000-4000 fans in attendance to see the Yellowjackets take on the Sailors of the USS Mississippi.  For the Annual Armistice Day game, the Yellowjackets went in undefeated and played a veterans group from Roslyn Post 29 winning 28-0.  For weeks the team tried to schedule the University of Washington JV team but every excuse was offered to not play the powerful Yellowjackets.  Disappointment was also in the fact the Multnomah Athletic Club could not be scheduled to determine the best team on the West Coast, although the M.A.A.C. had lost and tied in a number of games against colleges.

Cub Pardue set a record blocking 3 punts against the Tacoma team on Nov 4, 1923.  He also scored on one of those blocks.  A charity game with Astoria to be played at Denny Field at the University of Washington, became a game with Woodstock Athletic Club of Portland when Astoria backed out due to injuries.  Bob Corbett rushed for four touchdowns in the win over Woodstock to end the season.  In just the second season, the Yellowjackets were undefeated and claimed the Washington Championship.

1923

Top (L-R) Thurle Thornton, Bill Long, Bill Parr, Ivan Jones

Bottom (L-R), Cub Pardue, "Fat" Jack Harrison, Cole, Schraeder, M.B. King, Bob Corbett, Ray Osterman

The 1924 season kicked off with West Seattle being part of a double-header with the University of Washington.  Washington would play the USS Maryland team following the 'Jacket contest which the Huskies won 32-0. Center Perry Johnson was credited with being a good athlete by his play against the University linemen, who equalled the output against the Navy team winning 33-0 to go 2-0 on the day.  Ted Ahner, former West Seattle tackle, joined the Jefferson Park Athletic Club  and Claude Norris, former fullback now coach in battling their former teammates. The Jeffs and West Seattle would trade players back and forth for the next few years.  The 1925, 26, and 27 championships would be decided by West Seattle versus Jefferson Park showdowns at season-end.  Thurle Thornton would return to high school full time for West Seattle High during the 1924-1925 seasons and earned MVP honors for the league in 1925.  Coincidentally, the 'Jackets struggled on defense during his absence.  When Thornton returned after college, the 'Jackets would win 4-straight championships.

Star end Len Oliver was injured against the University and took on a manager role while he recovered.

The 1926 season brought a surprise as the upstart Bremerton All-Stars dueled the 'Jackets to a 6-0 victory on a Frank Ferrulla touchdown, earning the Bremerton bunch an invitation into the Seattle Independent League.  Ferrulla would kick a 44-yard field goal to lift the 'Jackets to a 3-2 win over Aberdeen in their Thanksgiving clash.  Two losses to the New Mexico battleship squad and the servicemen from the Aberdeen American Legion, was not boding well for the season.  The Multnomah Athletic Club disbanded prior to the October meeting resulting in a cancelation.  After splitting games with the battleship Arizona, the 'Jackets reeled off four straight wins to capture the Northwest Championship of the major Athletic Club circuit.

Taking eleven ironmen to Bellingham to take on the college players and suffereing a 31-0 defeat, West Seattle lost again to Kitsap. After avenging the 1927 loss to Kitsap and winning 6-straight, the stage was set for a two-game series with Jefferson Park for the mythical Northwest championship.  The teams battled to a scoreless tie on Dec 4 and then just hours before the second game was to kickoff on Dec 11, the Jeffs abruptly forfeited the game without a reason reported.  The Seattle Union speculated it was due to injuries to key players and knowing the 'Jackets would take advantage and post the undeniable victory.  The Jeffs scheduled a game with another team two weeks later while West Seattle shut down for the year claiming the title. 

1928 was a turn of fortunes as the Athletic Club opened again with Bellingham Normal (Western Washington University today), this time taking the victory.  The 'Jackets then went out and battered the Tacoma "Tacks" with at least four Tacoma players stretchered off with fractures to Mike Manley (shoulder), Michaelson (rib and dislocated hip), Goslin (knee cap) and other injuries in the 40-0 beating.  Former Illinois and Red Grange backfield mate Forrest Greathouse tore through Tacoma's defense.  The Yellowjackets defeated the Community League All-Stars to cap the season and got eyes on a future star in South Ends' Walt Stuns.  At the end of the season athletic club president James Carroll presented team members a choice between a gold football watch charm or letter-sweater.

1929 Opened the season with a victory over the Battle Fleet Champions from the USS California.  On Nov 10 West Seattle took on the St. Johns Bachelors of the Portland Independent League winning 14-0.  St. Johns had been undefeated the past 5 years and league champions for 6 straight and with the victory, the 'Jackets claimed the Northwest Independent crown.
Battling to identical 1-1-1 records against the Kitsap Athletic Club, the 'Jackets also settled for a Co-Championship of the Washington Independent teams.  A newly formed Northwest League would debut in 1930 with a traveling trophy residing each year with the champions.

George Wilson, former University of Washigton back built up his Everett Wildcats, defeating West Seattle.  St. Martins squeaked out a 1-point victory over the Yellowjackets for a third loss on the season when West Seattle failed on the extra point at the end of the game. West Seattle would sweep the National Guardsmen and Kitsap Club to claim the league crown, while also defeating Port Townsend and the USS West Virginia squad, while 10,000 fans attended the victory over the Olympic Club.  West Seattle would finish 6-3 overall.

1931:  Coach Walterskirchen and Coach Thornton installed the Notre Dame style of football for the season and after the season opening slaughter of Bellingham. Adding Al Holmes, 1930 captain of the Washington Huskies and "Gob" Wentworth also of UW to the line, Walterkirchen decided he would cut his roster down to 28 players. The matchup between The 'Jackets and Gonzaga was attended by an estimated 18,000 fans and Jim Thorpe put on a kicking exhibition at halftime.  Thurle Thornton rifled a 25-yd pass to Ralph Welch in the final minute to tie the game and Oscar Jones kicked the extra point to total 7 points on the day for the 13-12 win.  Ralph "Pest" Welch was voted by Gonzaga as one of the best players they faced in 1931.

In the Northwest Independent championship game against Everett, Coaches Thornton and Walterkirchen suited up to help boost the 'Jackets to victory after "old man" Len Oliver scored the first points in the 14-0 win.  It was the second win of the season over Everett after having fell twice the year before.  The only blemishes on the season came in a loss to a powerful St Martins College team and a tie with the USS West Virginia team.

The 1932 season would kick off with three games against naval ship teams anchored at Bremerton before taking on St Martins College and traveling south to the San Pedro Marines.  The Marines took the Yellowjackets to task in California as the only loss on the season prior to a comedic performance against the University of Washington in a frozen December game.

Thurle Thornton nearly broke a rushing record with 5 touchdowns against the USS Texas Sailors on 9/11/1932, an 80-0 Yellowjacket win, at the time the most points scored in a Northwest game.

Hunting took back the opening kickoff 99-yards against the Italian Athletic Club in what was a defacto Seattle City Championship between the Community League champs and the once-beaten Yellowjackets. 

The Dec 10 game with the UW featured a frozen turf and the school boys outsmarted the clubmen by donning tennis shoes rather than standard cleats.  While West Seattle skidded on the icy surface, UW sprinted to 10 TD's, all in the first half.  10,000 spectators watched the game with proceeds going to Seattle schools.

One of the most impressive teams ever put on the field by West Seattle occured in 1933.  During an eight game schedule, no team scored against the Yellowjackets but one, the Gonzaga University which was able to put up 8 points in an upset of sorts winning at home 8-6, a safety providing the winning margin.  Highlights included: HB/K Louie Linstead - League Leading scorer 58 pts, FB Walt Stuns 2nd leading scorer 46 pts, HB Thurle Thornton played in his 126th football game after playing 31 for the University of Washington from 1927-1929, and another 35 in high school.  "Matty" Matthews would be named coach of the Everett "Seagulls" in a Seattle Star report, an continuation of George Wilson's Everett Wildcats which the team would remain rather than be confused with the Seagull high school team in Everett.

For the first time since 1927, West Seattle opened the 1934 season with two losses as the sailors from the USS Maryland and the Enumclaw Silver Barons scratched out wins.  But, for the third time in the past three seasons, the Yellowjackets went on to post 7 shut outs in winning the Northwest League title including a win over the Barons and a tie with Grays Harbor to share the Independent crown.

The Northwest League crown stayed with the 'Jackets in 1935 after an opening game tie to the Barons and a 2-3 loss to Olympia were both avenged as West Seattle posted a 8-1-1 season.  A scheduled game with the USS Arizona featured "Buzz" Borries, All-American quarterback at Navy in 1934 and future college football hall of fame inductee in 1960.  The Arizona lost only one game on the season, defeated Grays Harbor 40-0 and was slated to play for the fleet championship on Dec 29 against the USS Pennsylvania.  The Yellowjackets came out on top when Art Ahonen pulled up with a half back pass to "Diamond" Joe Paglia for the touchdown.  Paglia was coach of the Olympia Athletic Club during the season.  With the ball on the 6-inch line going in for a second score, Borries held West Seattle out on four consecutive stops pushing the Yellowjackets back to the 9-yard line in front of 4,000 fans.

The 1935 team was presented the Jack Taylor-KOL Northwest League championship trophy at a banquet on Jan 9, 1936 by County Commissioner Jack Taylor.

Art Ahonen, former UW backfield star led the league in scoring with 40 points.  His pass to Ralph Phelps was WS only score in a 7-7 tie at Tacoma.  A 75-yd punt return and lateral pass in the 4th quarter were the difference in defeating Grays Harbor 12-7 and he tossed 3 TD passes in a 42-0 destruction of Bremerton.

Randall "Rink" Bond, star halfback at the University of Washington, dropped out after the 1935 season to play for the Yellowjackets for the 1936 season.  After becoming coach of the Renton Rams in 1937, Bond would go on to play for the Washington Redskins in 1938 with his brother Chuck and Pittsburg Pirates in 1939 before returning to play for an All-Star Tacoma team in a benefit game against Seattle All-Stars.  The Dr. John C. Siegle Memorial fund was the charity designated to raise funds for building a pool at Franklin Park (Hoodlum Lake).  In 1940, Bond re-joined the Yellowjackets.  As a member of the Second Air Force Superbombers, Bond and teammates defeated Hardin-Simmons in the New Years Day 1943 Sun Bowl.

Fanny Hunting would hang up the coaches whistle passing off to Ted Isaacson in late September of the 1937 season.  Isaacson played professionally with the Chicago Cardinals before becoming a steel magnate in Seattle.  The coaching change meant a new approach as Hunting was known for the wide-open style of play, while Isaacson brought the Notre Dame attack.  The Jackets were dethroned as champions of the Northwest League after four years of Hunting's leadership for four years, three as head coach.  Isaacson would later sponsor the 1943 War Industries team through his steel works busy building naval ships for the war effort.  The team formerly known as the Seattle Shipbuilders would be known as Isaacson's Ironworkers in some media accounts.
 
Oct 3, 1937:  Jimmy Cain, former UW Husky star took a 48-yard pass from Joe Orlosky scoring the winning TD over Bremerton,  Homer Tipton kicked the PAT.  Cain was injured in the Renton game forcing the 'jackets to sign Jay Hornbeak, a 3-year letterman QB from the UW.

In 1938 Thurle Thornton was tabbed as chairman of the Membership Drive Committee of the Athletic Club.  Leon Brigham, former Italian Athletic Club head man and Garfield High legend was named Yellowjacket coach.
 
Sports history was made when college football in the state was inaugurated as the opening event at the new 208 acre WPA West Seattle Golf and Recreation area.  3500 attended as Don G. Abel presented the new field to Mayor Arthur B. Langlie just prior to kickoff.  The Yellowjackets won 8-0 over St. Martin's to start the 1938 season.  Former Ubangi Blackhawk Sammy Bruce scored the first touchdown on the new field.  Brennan King was also brought over from the Blackhawks to captain the '38 squad.  Sammy Bruce scored and Homer Tipton kicked the PAT that gave WS a 7-0 win over Bremerton.  A partially blocked punt led to the winning 31-yard drive.  The 'Jackets staved off six exciting scoring threats.  The championship would come down to the Yellowjackets and Silver Barons in a classic battle.  Brigham and his men took the 7-6 decision in one of the most competitive seasons on record as only one game was decided by double digits, an 11-0 win over Grays Harbor.

1939 was a disaster in the eyes of West Seattle fans as the Brigham led Yellowjackets went winless in the Northwest League.  Sid Riser scored at the climax of a 71-yard passing drive in the closing minutes of a 13-6 loss to Renton.  In the previous meeting, West Seattle threw seven interceptions, two returned over 90+ yards for scores.  The 'Jackets would finally get a win in the finale over St. Martin's.  Gone from the team were Brigham's stellar black athletes King, Bruce and Wallace who had moved on.

Nov 17, 1940:  Rink Bond intercepts the Aero "Bombers" in the endzone on the final play of the game to preserve a 0-0 tie and fans claim of a "win" by virtue of outgaining and outplaying the conservative Boeing team.  Boeing would win the Northwest title with a 4-0-4 record.

Coach Brigham returned to the team and led the Yellowjackets to a 9-0 season and Northwest Football League championship. Ingvard "Inky" Boe, star University of Oregon freshman football player declared ineligible by the Coast Conference Commissioner (Edwin Ahterton) signed on to play for the Yellowjackets.  Joining him would be former Ducks fullback March Stenstrom and halfback Len Isberg. In November Jimmy Mandas was elected athletic club president.
 
Quarterback Jay "Gravel Knee" Graybeal set a League record returning the opening kick 97-yards for a touchdown in the 1941 Championship game versus the Aeros.  A return game with the Paine Field Flyers was scheduled for December 7th, however it was called off hours before kickoff when it was learned that Pearl Harbor had been bombed thrusting the United States into World War II.  The war would change the landscape for semi-pro football forever and ended the reign of the "athletic club" teams.  The war years would be dominated by military base teams and a select few semi pro teams that could survive on games with the military and college squads still remaining.  Frank Akins, standout fullback would sign on to play with the Washington State College Cougars in 1942.
 
With the close of the 1941 season came the reorganization of football across the region.  The War Industries League was formed in 1942 and the Yellowjackets became the Seattle Shipbuilders thus ending the use of the Yellowjacket name.  The newly minted Shipbuilders traveled to Spokane for the season opener losing 7-6.  That loss would spark Seattle to five-straight wins in taking the War Industries title and a Washington State title by defeating the Bremerton Red Raiders on the independent circuit.  A post-season challenge was issued to the San Francisco Packers of the Pacific Coast Pro Football League, but negotiations failed to get a game on the field.

With Ted Isaacson's support and sponsorship, the Shipbuilders changed monikers to "Ironmen" for the 1943 season.  Isaacson was also sponsor of the ice hockey Ironmen as well.  Struggles ensued to find quality opponents, and after four outings produced wins by a total of 180-0 the season ended in November.

Much of the team would be rolled up into the American Professional Football League (APFL) entry Seattle Bombers. Inky Boe, Babe Harmon, John Tsoutsouvas and others would be the core of the team that finished 5-5-1 under Al Davies, manager Jimmy Mandas and Coach Earl "Dutch" Clark former player and coach of the Detroit Lions.  A battle over ownership of the Bombers in 1945 between Mandas and Davies led to no team being on the field that year, Coach Dutch Clark moving to Colorado Springs to open a pub, with Davies eventually entering the Tacoma Indians into the PCPFL for the 1946 season.
 
In 1947 Thurle Thornton accepted a job as deputy sheriff in charge of inspecting inmates mail.  Thurle, gradually lost the use of his legs, paralysis at the time attributed to an injury suffered in his athletic career.  Thornton left football for professional wrestling and had an undefeated streak halted in February 1934.
 
Homer Tipton, later a police officer, would be grazed by a snipers bullet in 1968 during Seattle's SeaFair and the racial unrest that broke out. 

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