George "Ching" Johnson

Halfback

Tahoma Athletic Club

In the midst of the Multnomah Athletic Club dominance, World War I broke out, colleges emptied and athletic clubs emptied as men enlisted for war.  Those left behind continued the tradition of community pride by competing for club football teams.

The Tahoma Athletic Club was formed in Tacoma, Washington and an unlikely star blossomed during the 1914 season in the form of Ching Johnson. 

The swift footed Johnson tore up the club scene while double-dipping as the Stadium High School star halfback.  What he did on October 17, 1914 became the stuff of legend in the early days of football.  Playing with Stadium High against Lincoln High on Saturday afternoon, Ching was the "whole show" but he wasn't finished.  As reported by the Tacoma News Tribune "Soon after the game was over he jumped into a waiting auto without even changing his uniform and was whisked to Athletic Park where he jumped into the game with the All-Stars".

Just as halfback Ernie Tanner left with bruised ribs, Johnson took his first carry 65-yards against the St. Martin's College team leading a 40-0 romp in the Tahoma opener.  In exhibition games with the Little Giants, a Negro team from Tacoma, Ching and Tahoma ran roughshod.  In the first meeting the score keepers stopped counting, in the second, it was 63-0 before the Athletic Club slowed down and sent in the reserves, Ching being too fast for the Giants to stop.