25 YEARS AGO

March 9, 1999

There was quite a sight to be seen as Umatilla’s Clara Brownell Middle School hosted a donkey basketball tournament in the Umatilla High School gym.

This fundraiser was suggested by Deborah Decker, middle school school counselor. Bruce Wick of Entiat, Washington, supplied the donkeys. More than 1,000 people watched the spectacle.

A total of four teams competed, including officers from the Umatilla Police Department, a combination of Umatilla and Stanfield firefighters and two teams of Umatilla School District staff. The police triumphed over one of the school teams in the first game, while the other school team beat the fire department in the second game. The law enforcement team landed the title by schooling the teachers in the championship game.

With all the interest and success, Clara Brownell Principal Bob Wimberly said the donkey basketball tournament would become an annual event. President Jeffrey Drop, of St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton, said nearly $1,200 was raised for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

“It’s a wonderful gesture,” he said. “It will go a long way toward helping someone.”

50 YEARS AGO

March 7, 1974

It does not take a nuclear physicist to know that a bombing range and a nuclear power plant are a deadly duo.

Portland General Electric had been considering constructing a nuclear power plant at the Carty Reservoir near Boardman but was denied certification from the Oregon Nuclear and Thermal Energy Council because of its close proximity to the Boardman Bombing Range. In response, the U.S. Navy announced it would move its practice bombing range.

“This has been a difficult struggle and reflects on the hard work and close coordination of Oregon’s entire congressional delegation and the backing we received from the governor and local officials,” Rep. Al Ulman said.

Not only would this plant provide energy, but its coolant water would be used to irrigate the 50,000-acre bombing range as well as an additional 1,000-5,000 acres of adjacent land.

Portland General Electric had also considered constructing the plant in Gilliam County, but at this point, officials said they were leaning toward the Boardman site. If Boardman were chosen, Ulman said it was estimated to cost between $600 and $700 million and would be completed by 1981.

75 YEARS AGO

March 10, 1949

Members of Hermiston’s newest baseball team, the Eagles, were looking forward to the start of the McNary Baseball League season.

Manager Wes Shockman said the team’s first practice would be March 13 at the ballpark south of the fairgrounds. He said they would need to prepare swiftly, as their first preseason game was scheduled for April 3 against an Ordnance team. The official season was to begin April 10.

Along with Hermiston, baseball teams from Echo and Pendleton were added to the McNary Baseball League. They joined teams from Mission, Burbank, Walulla, Dayton, Ordnance and Umatilla to bring the league’s total to 10 teams.

During an official league meeting held at the Civic Recreation Center, representatives voted Hermiston as the McNary Baseball League’s official headquarters for the year. The group also named Scotty Cummins as president and Mike Scharaga as league secretary, and decided to limit the active roster for each team to 35 players.

90 YEARS AGO

March 8, 1934

Western music would flow through Hermiston’s streets on March 11 as the Arizona Wranglers came to town. Local residents were surprised that Hermiston had attracted such a renowned group and were looking forward to this rare occasion with anticipation and excitement.

This would be just one stop along their tour, which started in Oregon City. After Hermiston, the Arizona Wranglers would perform in The Dalles and then continue up the coast to Canada.

The Arizona Wranglers began performing together in 1929 at the Triple XXX Rootbeer Drive-In, a diner in Phoenix. From that performance, they earned the nickname “The Triple XXX Root Beer Singers.” Their cowboy music was heard in Western movies and was also featured on the Hollywood KNX radio station. One of their most famous songs was “Strawberry Roan.”

To accommodate the expected large crowds, the Arizona Wranglers would put on five separate shows in Hermiston. The first would start at 2:30 p.m., with the others following as soon as the preceding one had finished.