Human beings are not supposed to perform in such a manner.
While we’re on the subject of amazing feats: Washington State distance runner Henry Rono set world records in four events in 81 days in 1978. It never ceases to amaze that a city of Spokane’s size pumped out, in short order, Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton (Gonzaga Prep), Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg (North Central) and Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien (Shadle Park). This does not, however, make the ongoing miracle any less remarkable. Have too many of us become rather numb to the wondrous accomplishments of Gonzaga men’s basketball? Absolutely. And yet, the Coliseum was small enough and unimposing enough to be the perfect home for all the little farm towns that sent teams to the State B high school basketball tournaments. COMETS,” you could not help but think our li’l town was semi-big time. 
COMETS” or “PRO HOCKEY TONITE SAN FRANCISCO VS.
The Spokane Coliseum in its prime, long before it not-so-lovingly became known as the “Boone Street Barn.” In the early 1960s, when that big marquee at the corner of Boone and Howard read “PRO HOCKEY TONITE LOS ANGELES VS. In 1961-62 alone, the WHL Comets produced longtime Boston Bruins goaltender Eddie Johnston (a two-time Stanley Cup champion), league scoring champ Max Mekilok, 44-goal scorer Gerry Brisson and famous minor league tough guy Connie Madigan. Future MLB All-Stars like Maury Wills, Frank Howard, Steve Garvey, Bill Buckner, Willie Davis, Bill Madlock, Tommy Davis, Davey Lopes and Ron Cey starred for Spokane PCL teams. The PCL and WHL were just one notch below the big leagues and loaded with talent in ’58, when major league baseball consisted of only 16 teams and the National Hockey League had a mere six teams. Sports in our region experienced an unprecedented upgrade when Pacific Coast League baseball and the original (pro) Western Hockey League came to Spokane in 1958. 
A retired sports writer like myself struggles to remember what happened 65 minutes ago, never mind 65 years ago. We’ll limit our trip down memory lane to the past 65 years because, well, I’m 65 years old. Now that the coronavirus has silenced the sports world for the most part, it seems like a good time to look back on some of the best times in the long and impressive history of sports in our region. So old, in fact, that I have witnessed a large percentage of the greatest teams, athletes and events in Inland Northwest sports history. I am, friends and family constantly remind me, quite elderly.
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