Sports in brief: WSU legend Hanson dies

Vince Hanson, a three-sport student-athlete who starred on the Washington State men’s basketball team from 1942-48, died Sunday in Spokane at the age of 85.

Hanson gained national prominence as a sophomore for Washington State basketball team in the 1944-45 season, setting a national scoring record with 592 points. The scoring output remains a WSU sophomore record and is third on the Cougars’ single-season list.

He was accorded Helms’ Foundation All-America recognition and earned All-PCC honor in 1945. His best game came during the 1945 season when he recorded 34 points against Washington, setting a WSU record that tied the Northern Division’s one-game mark, en route to the Cougars’ PCC title. During his career he set WSU single-season records for points and field goals (242) and career marks for field goals (460), points (1,153) and scoring average (11.9). He ranks 18th on the WSU career scoring list.

Hanson’s collegiate career also included two varsity letters in baseball as a first baseman and two in track, in which he was a high jumper.

Hanson was inducted into the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1986 and into the Pacific-10 Conference Hall of Honor in 2007.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Virginia.

Rypien kicks off Legion sales

Baseball: Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien will throw out the first pitch at the Spokane Indians’ game against Yakima on Friday night as part of the 2010 American Legion World Series ticket sale drive.

Rypien, a former American Legion player, will toss the first pitch at 6:15. The game starts at 6:30. One hundred American Legion World Series T-shirts will be given out at the game.

Tickets for the American Legion World Series, which will be Aug. 13-17 at Avista Stadium, can be ordered online at spokanesports.org or by calling (509) 456-5812.