Snohomish Co. Sports Hall of Fame project coming together

The planned Snohomish Sports Hall of Fame project is in the crucial phase of gathering sponsors and manpower. Its creator, Frank Foster, is bursting with optimism.

“This will come to fruition,” he said. “There are too many folks out there saying yes. It’s needed. It’s necessary. It’s just a matter of getting folks around the table.”

Born out of a story in The Herald published July 31, the Hall of Fame would honor Snohomish County’s great athletes, of which there have been many. Foster would like to see a series of plaques honoring the athletes, along with memorabilia and bios.

A suggested location is the Everett Events Center.

The project is gathering steam. Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson and Everett Facilities District board member Karen Shaw have voiced their approval. Foster has persuaded area historian and former Everett School District administrator Larry O’Donnell and longtime Everett education fixture Ernie Dire to help. Dire has asked to chair the fundraising effort.

“I said, ‘Yeah, I think I can pass that off to you,’ ” Foster said.

Money for the project, Foster said, would come from private, local businesses, corporate contributions, designated tourism dollars and grants from city, county and state sources. The plan also calls for naming rights sold for a specific period of time, with a renewal based on inflation, Foster said.

The project would be a natural tie-in with The Herald’s Man and Woman Athletes of the Year. Past winners such as Earl Averill, Rosalynn Sumners, Chris Chandler, Anne Quast Sander, George Wilson, Jo Metzger Levin, Curt Marsh and many others would be honored.

“We’re still looking for folks to step up and would like to help out and get this up and running,” Foster said. “Everyone I’ve spoken with has said it’s a great idea and a long time in coming.”

The county has a remarkable athletic tradition. In addition to those named above, Snohomish Country has produced Dennis Erickson, Jim Lambright, Mike Price, Marv Harshman, Dick Erickson, Milena Flores, Otto Olson, Grady Sizemore, Larry Christenson and many others.

Those wishing to get involved can e-mail Foster at fosfrank@yahoo.com.

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My column Sunday suggesting that Seahawks fans may want to let go of the Super Bowl’s allegedly bad calls and the notion of a conspiracy theory was met with some resistance.

In it, I went over each disputed call and tried to make a case that reasonable people (not to mention bright, unbribed officials) could disagree with most.

This, from Lynnwood reader Marty Jones: “The more I read you, the more I’m convinced that you drink heavily on the job. Watch the replays, son. Were you in the media buffet line during (Darrell) Jackson’s phantom interference call? Everybody saw it the same way except you and the zebras. You must be a plant from the NFL or the Steelers. Get over it, you say? Only if you burn your Steeler underwear. Preferably with you in it.”

This from Snohomish reader Jerry Meartz: “You would think that a sports columnist could do better than just getting two points out of his five-point article correct. John, it’s time to wake up. You took four plays and missed three of them … Penalties and questionable calls cost the Steelers 20 yards in penalties and 20 yards in field position. Penalties and questionable calls cost the Seahawks 70 yards and a total of 200 yards in field position.”

Bob Wilden of Everett might be searched for Steeler underwear as well: “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I couldn’t agree with you more and I am so thrilled that you wrote (Sunday’s) column. Now, if all those ‘rabid Seahawk fans’ will take notice and let it go … It’s time to get over it.”

Apparently, some are ready. Some aren’t.

Me, I’m gearing up for the Daytona 500, spring training, hockey playoffs and the NCAA Basketball Tournaments.

But not the Super Bowl.