Olympic Heroine Shoots Her Way In

HALL OF FAME ATHLETES

LAUNI MEILI: The Cheney High School and Eastern Washington University graduate set three world records and more than 100 national shooting records. She won the gold medal in three-position smallbore rifle at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. She also placed 11th in air rifle. Four years earlier, she placed sixth in air rifle and seventh in three-position at the Seoul Olympics.

RAY WASHBURN: In three season at Whitworth, he posted a 21-9 pitching record. The Burbank, Wash., native was named MVP of the 1960 NAIA World Series, pitching the Pirates to the title with a 2-0 record and a 0.00 earned run average in 19 innings. He also hit two home runs. He went on to a 10-year major league career, highlighted by a 2-0, no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in 1968.

COACHES

ELMER JORDAN: The University of Idaho graduate coached Coeur d’Alene High School basketball for 23 years. He averaged 18 wins, 7 losses, including state championships in 1949 and 1963. His overall career record of was 425-183. He also coached football 10 years, winning four straight league titles, and was athletic director for 13 years.

GENE SMITH: The longtime Reardan High School basketball, football and track coach had a 505-153 basketball record, the state’s eighth all-time best. Smith, a University of Idaho graduate, took the Indians to the state tournament 21 times in 25 years, and his four titles in eight championship games ties him for No. 1 in tournament history. His football teams posted a 133-77-5 record and captured one state championship.

CONTRIBUTORS

HANK COPLEN: The Rogers High School and Eastern Washington University graduate coached and taught at Ritzville, Garfield, Davenport, Odessa, Cashmere, Snohomish, Hood River and Medical Lake high schools. He posted 51-24 record with two state junior college basketball titles at Columbia Basin. Coplen was the first athletic director and basketball coach at Spokane Falls CC, where his Spartans had a 69-40 record and a state title in 1967. He’s a member of the Inland Empire Softball Hall of Fame and former director of the State B Basketball Tournament.

BOB CURTIS: The broadcast “Voice of the Vandals” has been describing University of Idaho football for 40 years and basketball for 29. The Colfax cattle rancher graduated from Garfield High School and Washington State University before beginning his career behind the microphone in 1947 by broadcasting Pacific Coast Conference football and basketball contests. When Idaho opened its football season Sept. 2 at Oregon State, it was Curtis’ 425th consecutive Idaho game. He has been voted the Idaho Sportscaster of the Year a record 29 times.

SCROLL OF HONOR

GUS BOUTEN: Considered “Mr. Hockey” by many in Spokane, on three occasions this construction company owner rescued the sport from extinction. He took over ownership of the Spokane Spartans in 1948, renaming the team Flyers. He was back again in 1975 as his team won the Allan Cup, emblematic of senior amateur hockey supremacy in Canada. And, after a Tier One junior team folded, he brought back the sport on the senior amateur level in 1982.

TOM LEFEBVRE: During a 36-year career, he coached more than 700 amateur boxers, most associated with the Spokane Eagles Boxing Club. His standouts included Fred Hatfield, Lenny Hahn, Harvey Steichen, Rowdy Welch, Danny and Frank Vassar. He often used vacation time to take his fighters to regional and national tournaments.

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