By Marc Blau

Special to the Sportspaper

 

Kelly Blair LaBounty, a three-sport star at Prosser High School and considered one of the best female athletes in state history, and Louise Mazzuca, owner of 35 career no-hitters in fastpitch softball and a member of the National Softball Hall of Fame, will be joined by jockey Albert Johnson, winner of the 1922 and 1926 Kentucky Derby, and Dan Dugdale, considered the “father of professional baseball in Washington State”, as the newest members of the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame.

LaBounty was a two-time NCAA heptathlon champion at Oregon and finished eighth in the 1996 Olympics. She made the 2000 Olympic team but was unable to compete because of injuries. She earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for Atlanta, where she placed eighth in the heptathlon. She placed third at the 1998 Goodwill Games and was ranked No. 7 in the world.

Mazzuca tossed nine perfect games in her career, struck out 26 batters in one game and one season she had an ERA of 0.10. Her most impressive feat was in the 1964 regional tournament when she pitched a seven-inning game that her team won, took a 20-minute rest, and then pitched against Joan Joyce and the Orange, California team. This epic classic between two of the greatest pitchers in the world lasted 29 innings before Orange won, 1-0. In the space of one night, Mazzuca pitched a total of 36 consecutive innings.

Johnson began his career in 1917 and by 1922 he led the nation’s riders in money earned and was considered one of the country’s premier jockeys of the 1920s. After guiding Morvich through an unbeaten 2-year-old season, Johnson rode him to victory in the 1922 Kentucky Derby. He also won the derby astride Bubbling Over in 1926 and the Belmont Stakes on both American Flag (1925) and Crusade (1926). Johnson added to his fame with 15 victories aboard the great handicap champion Exterminator. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1971.

Dugdale was a well-traveled minor league catcher, including major-league stops with Kansas City and the Washington Senators, before the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 lured him to Seattle. He built early baseball stadiums, including Dugdale Park in 1907, also called Yesler Way Park. The Pacific Northwest League that he was instrumental in establishing in 1901 still exists today as the Northwest League.

Two additional members in the class of 2018, former Washington State head football coach Mike Price and running back Rueben Mayes, will be recognized this fall at a WSU Cougar home football game. Everett-native Price led WSU to Rose Bowl appearances in the 1997 and 2002 seasons. He had an 83-76 overall record in Pullman in 14 seasons and was 3-2 in bowl games.

Mayes, a Canadian, was a star running back at WSU who rushed for a then-NCAA record 357 yards against Oregon in 1984. He was a consensus All-American in 1985 and NFL offensive rookie of the year in 1986 for New Orleans. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in his seven-year NFL career, the final two years as a Seahawk.

This brings the total to 215 individuals in the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame since its founding in 1960 by longtime sports broadcaster Clay Huntington. You can check out the other members by going to www.washingtonsportshof.com.