|
Leonard "Len" Oliver
Naval Training Station / Boldt's
Cafe Specials / West Seattle
Yellowjackets
End / Manager
1917-1941
An exceptional athlete, Len Oliver plied his craft on the
Seattle gridiron and baseball fields for over 20-years.
He first appeared on the semi-pro football radar as a
23-year old at the University of Washington Naval Training
Station during World War I. The bugler sparked the US
Navy team while also beginning his 21-year long career with
the Seattle Fire Department where he also starred as a
baseball player.
After the war, Oliver made his way to the Boldt's Cafe
"Specials" winning the 1921 Northwest Independent
Championship. The Specials narrowly missed repeating
as champions in 1922, losing a tight game to the West
Seattle Athletic Club "Indians". West Seattle would
become the "Yellowjackets" when the 27-year old began his
17-year run as their star end in 1923. The
Yellowjackets laid claim to 14 championship titles of the
Northwest or Independent variety during his tenure and in
1939 Len was made manager of the club. A variety of
factors, including the loss of star players Brennan King,
Sammy Bruce and Homer Tipton led to West Seattle losing
every game in the Northwest League in '39, the only victory
coming against St. Martin's College. The Yellowjackets
would rebound in 1940 losing 3-0 and tying league champ
Boeing Aeros 0-0 during a 5-3-1 campaign and returning to
the champions podium in 1941 (8-0). That same fall,
Oliver would be nominated to replace Bill James and was
named 1942 Washington Secretary of Racing and Athletic
Commissions. James had been activated for military duty in
1941.
While starring on the gridiron, Oliver was also leading the
Seattle Fire team and West Seattle baseball team to prominence as a pitching ace,
short stop
and batting in the .300's on average. Playing for the
Firemen in 1926, Oliver was hammering Seattle pitchers for a
.524 average as the star catcher in the semi pro league. In one week, Oliver led the
West Seattle Yellowjackets to
a baseball victory and then doned his pads for a football
game against the 1931 Everett Wildcats. When the
'Jackets were stymied in a 0-0 tug-of-war for the Northwest
Championship, Oliver inserted himself into the game at end.
The Wildcat defense was overheard chiding the "old man" as a
non-threat. The 35-year old veteran promptly slipped
behind the Wildcat defense, receiving a pass from Hall of
Famer Thurle Thornton and stepped over the goal line
unmolested to spark the Yellowjackets to a 7-0 fourth
quarter lead, reclaiming the Northwest Championship won by
Everett the year prior.
The "old man" kept his gear handy and was still showing up
the young-bucks until 1939 when he finally hung up his
cleats and took up the tie and clip board for good at the
age of 43. He served as the football director for the
West Seattle Athletic Club in 1940 recruiting former college
star Joe Dubsky to the squad.
Len Oliver, the amateur sports legend of his time, died
suddenly on June 12, 1944 at the age of 48.
1921 Washington State Champions (Boldt's Cafe Special)
1922 Snoqualmie Athletic Club (Valley League Baseball
Champions)
1923 Washington State Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1926 Northwest Independent Champions (West Seattle
Yellowjackets)
1927 Northwest Independent Champions (West Seattle
Yellowjackets)
1929 Northwest Independent Champions (West Seattle
Yellowjackets)
1929 Washington Independent Co-Champs (West Seattle
Yellowjackets)
1930 Northwest League Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1931 Northwest Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1932 Seattle City Challenge Champions (West Seattle
Yellowjackets)
1933 Northwest Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1934 Northwest League Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1934 Washington Independent Co-Champions (West Seattle
Yellowjackets)
1935 Northwest League Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1936 Northwest League Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1938 Northwest League Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets)
1941 Northwest League Champions (West Seattle Yellowjackets
- Manager)
|
