Saturday, July 9, 1960 marked the beginning of “Know Your Police Week”.
The Minneapolis Tribune wrote that “a lot of persons have known about their police officers for years. They know them as athletes and coaches.”
Marvin LeVoir, who worked in the License Inspector’s office, played football for the Minnesota Gophers from 1936-1938. Marty Christensen from Traffic played football for the Gophers from 1939-1941. Officer Don Smith played for the original Minneapolis Lakers team. Officer Russ Wasser was once a Minneapolis heavyweight boxer.
Jack Boike, who worked in the Identification Bureau was the Grain Exchange’s American Legion assistant coach. He was also Courthouse golf champion several times and won the Richfield Knights of Columbus golf title.
Captain Ed Farrell swam for the University of Minnesota from 1931-1933 and competed in the Olympic Trials in the 1500-meter in 1932. Richard Oly of the Police Dive Team was also a swimmer. Motorcycle Patrol Officer Bill Leadans was a champion hunter who traveled all over the Upper Midwest and Canada for his sport.
The Minneapolis Police Softball team had a good record and defeated the St. Paul Police softball team 13 out of 20 games from 1950-1960. The Minneapolis Police Pistol Team, coached by Officer Tony Hammel, won the Minnesota Police Pistol Tournament 11 years running from 1949-1960. It also won individual crowns in 9 of those 11 years. The team won the State Open title for all three calibers in 1959 and 1960.
Many members of the Minneapolis Police Department coached city kids. Officer Ralph Hitchens of the Morals Squad, who once played junior hockey in Winnipeg, coached a Roosevelt area pee-wee puck team to the 1959 city championship. Officer Tommy Russell coached youngsters at Christ the King school. Gil Jacobsen of the Juvenile Division coached hockey at St. Phillip’s School. Officer Bob Ball coached and helped spearhead the Boy’s Town – DeLaSalle football games. Officer Fred Wallner, who played part-time with the Millers during their 1948-1949 season was a youth coach and umpire. Other youth umpires were Officers Ross Brovald and Ralph Koll. Officer Dick Fine was also a popular youth coach. He played in the Northern Baseball League from 1938-1939.
Source: Minneapolis Tribune of Sunday, July 10, 1960.
Photograph of Minneapolis Police Activities League (PAL) 13U Girls Volleyball Team celebrating their 2016 Championship win. Photograph courtesy of PAL.