EVERETT — Snohomish County’s long and distinguished sports history was celebrated on Thursday night with a gala banquet honoring the 10 individuals and one team comprising the class of 2011 into the county’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Held at the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center at Comcast Arena
, it was an evening of humorous quips, tender memories and heartfelt expressions of gratitude.
Everett native and former University of Washington player and coach Jim Lambright could have been speaking for all the inductees when he said, “The opportunity that was created for me here (in Snohomish County) is beyond special. It’s truly an assembly of blessings that I’ve been able to enjoy. … So for me right now, it’s very wonderful and very fulfilling to be here and to be a part of this program.”
Lambright was one of three former coaches to join the Hall of Fame this year, along with Lynda Goodrich of Lake Stevens, who coached women’s basketball and is today the director of athletics at Western Washington University; and Keith Gilbertson Sr. of Snohomish, who coached multiple sports at Snohomish High School for 61 years before his death in February.
Also inducted were world class distance runner Vicki Foltz of Monroe, soccer player Chris Henderson of Everett, rower Sarah Jones of Stanwood, football player Curt Marsh of Snohomish, track and field athlete Lee Orr of Monroe, baseball player Earl Torgeson of Snohomish, internationally-known wrestling announcer Ed Aliverti of Edmonds, and the 1976 state championship Snohomish High School football team.
Unlike last year’s inaugural banquet, when some notable inductees were no-shows — particularly Olympic medalist figure skater Rosalynn Sumners of Edmonds and former UW and NFL quarterback Chris Chandler of Everett — all of this year’s six living inductees were in attendance.
Jones, like other inductees, mentioned that her achievements in sports were due in large part to the family, friends and coaches who helped her along the way. “And I was trying to think how many people I could thank tonight, and I don’t think the night’s long enough,” said Jones, who attended the banquet with her husband of one week.
It was a particularly special night for Marsh, who was honored on the same night as his 1976 Snohomish team; and with Gilbertson, who worked with Marsh through high school and later in offseason workouts when he was a college and pro player; and with Lambright, the former UW assistant coach who recruited Marsh to play for the Huskies.
“It couldn’t be more appropriate that I be put in with my teammates, Coach Lambright and … Coach Gilbertson,” Marsh said.
Earlier, Marsh joined more than a dozen of his teammates from the 1976 Snohomish team on the stage for their induction. That team, under legendary coach Dick Armstrong (deceased), went undefeated in 13 games to win the state Class AAA championship.
Speaking on behalf of his teammates, former Snohomish player Chris Utt remembered that remarkable season by saying, “Our team had it all — size, quickness, strength and speed. But we also had something that you couldn’t coach, and that was heart and desire.”
The four deceased inductees — Aliverti, Gilbertson, Orr and Torgeson — were represented by family members and, in the case of Aliverti, a family friend.
Tina Bertoldi, Torgeson’s daughter, told the crowd that her father “loved four things — his family, his country, baseball and Snohomish County. So this is a huge honor … because he was super proud to be from Snohomish County.”
One of the evening’s most poignant moments was a video message from Keith Gilbertson Jr., an assistant coach for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, in honor of his father. Keith Gilbertson Sr. “would be very proud and honored,” said his son, “and I know he’d be awfully proud to know he was being inducted with some very close people to him in Jim Lambright, Curt Marsh, Earl Torgeson and the 1976 Panther championship team.”
Another touching moment was an audio recording of Aliverti singing “God Bless America,” as he was known to do at wrestling events where he announced. He was, family friend Frank DiMiero told the audience, “the world’s greatest ambassador for amateur wrestling.”
Also recognized at the banquet were former Everett Silvertips hockey player Shane Harper and ex-Snohomish High School and Seattle Pacific University basketball player Daesha Henderson, The Herald’s Man and Woman of the Year in Sports for 2010. Harper did not attend as he is in training camp for the upcoming season, but he sent along a video to express his appreciation.
The evening’s keynote speaker was Seattle radio personality Dori Monson, who got his start in radio years ago as an intern at Everett station KWYZ. Monson entertained with funny stories about his family, his radio career, and his job as the girls basketball coach at Shorecrest High School.
But Monson also honored the athletes and coaches on the dais by saying, “What is the common thread among these inductees? They embody excellence. … And all these people here tonight have had an impact on someone’s life.”
Proceeds from ticket sales to the banquet and a silent auction earlier in the evening will help pay for a permanent Hall of Fame display at Comcast Arena.
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