Thursday, September 24, 2009

Duane Covey

Duane Covey - Outfielder/Pitcher - '69-'72
Duane Covey the best hitter in Roosevelt High School history? A strong case can be made in support of this Rider legend.
Duane's baseball career is strongly anchored in the Northeast Seattle community. The legend's career started with North East Seattle Little League, progressed to two years of North Seattle Pony League and eventually moved on to Babe Ruth, prior to his arrival at Roosevelt. Duane's youth baseball highlight occurred at the end of the 9th grade when he played on a Babe Ruth team that traveled to Illinois and finished 3rd in the Junior Babe Ruth World Series.
At Roosevelt Duane was a three year letterman for the Roughriders. Going into his Senior year he figured he was going to be the team's star pitcher. However arm problems limited his pitching opportunities, so he turned to the bat. Duane hit .489 - (wood bat era) for the Riders in 1972, the best batting average for any high school player in the State that year.
During the summer following the end of his Roosevelt career Duane played in the City/State All-Star Game held at Sick's Stadium. Duane also spent part of that summer playing with future Major Leaguers Floyd Bannister and Ken Phelps on this area's Senior Babe Ruth team; a team that traveled to North Carolina to win the Senior Babe Ruth World Series.
Duane played and lettered four years for the Washington Huskies. He batted .354 (again wood bats) for the Huskies his Senior year. He was named to the All-Pac 8 Conference team in both his Junior and Senior seasons. In 2000 he was one of a select group of players named to the Huskies All Century Baseball Team.
Following his Husky career Duane was given an opportunity to play for $500 a month for the Eugene Emeralds of the Cincinnati Reds organization. While he possessed a major league arm and bat, he knew two bad knees would keep him from ever making the majors, so he decided it was time to set his baseball career aside for a business career.
What was Duane's most memorable experience as a Rider?During his Senior year, in a game at Roosevelt, he crushed a ball that hit off of the top of the tennis court fence in right center field. While rounding the bases admiring his shot he slipped and fell on a soft spot on the base path. What would have been one of the most talked about home runs in Rider history, turned into the most talked about triple in Rider history. (Ironically, the start of the game had been delayed 30 minutes so the spot where Duane ended up slipping could be repaired.)
Why was Duane such a good hitter? Duane credits his hitting prowess to 20/10 vision, quick wrists, and a love for batting practice. Duane states that, "When he was a kid he would rather hit BP than watch cartoons". Duane attributes his quick wrists to years of doing what current Rider players know as "Forearm Rope Drill".
What was Duane's hitting style?Duane describes himself as a left handed Edgar Martinez - a hard line drive hitter with a bad set of wheels.
Who were the best players Duane played with and against? Phelps and Bannister were the best players he played with. Scott MacGregor was the best player he played against. MacGregor was later a 20 game winner for the Baltimore Orioles. The best athlete Duane ever faced was Steve Bartkowski of the California Bears. Bartkowski, better known as a football player, was also an outstanding pitcher. Even though Bartkowski was the best athlete Duane ever played against, Duane never the less managed to hit a home run off the Bear ace.
Post Baseball CareerToday Duane Covey helps Roosevelt alums and the community with their financial needs as an investment advisor for Edward Jones Investments.

Robert Polk

Robert Polk defended student press freedom
By Carole Beers
Seattle Times staff reporter
Robert Polk, a former Roosevelt High School journalism adviser who believed in the potential of all youth, took a firm stand on students' press freedom.
During the five years he taught English and served as school yearbook and newspaper adviser, the Roosevelt News won a fistful of awards in the Washington Journalism Education Association (WJEA) annual contests. The News printed a variety of stands on topical issues.
Mr. Polk volunteered with the WJEA and headed its Journalism Day at the University of Washington as well as its selection committee for "Journalist of the Year."
Ever vigilant for news errors or omissions, Mr. Polk in 1996 wrote a mildly indignant letter to The Seattle Times. He noted that while "The superb `Seattle Times Guide to High Schools' made for fascinating reading, a piece of vital information was missing (about Roosevelt's newspaper awards). . . ."
Mr. Polk died Tuesday (Jan. 25, 2000) of heart failure. He was 48.
"Bob put a lot of his energy and ability into the WJEA, and he had a lot of energy," said Lu Flannery, WJEA treasurer. "He also worked on projects on the national level. He was very . . . committed to our goal of improving the quality of student journalism."
Born in Pittsburgh, and entranced by journalism during the Watergate era, Mr. Polk earned a bachelor's degree in journalism at Point Park College. He got a master's degree in journalism at Penn State University.
Early jobs involved clerical work and free-lance writing. He also wrote copy for a travel agency and ran an agency in Tacoma in the late 1980s.
After turning 40 and having surgery to repair a heart valve, Mr. Polk re-examined his life. He had a young son, Franklin, who survives, and a need to write and to help young people write with confidence.
He got his teaching certificate at Western Washington University, then went to work at Roosevelt. "He wanted to encourage kids more than he had been encouraged," said his wife of 18 years, Ellie Polk.
Mr. Polk always took the ethical high road, says his wife. He refused pressure to tweak a student's grade for the better and expressed outrage when journalism advisers came under fire for allowing students editorial freedom.
"When that Stanwood school newspaper adviser (Val Schroeder) was let go for allowing the kids to write about bestiality on farms, he wanted to go up there to set the community straight about freedom of the press," his wife said.
Mr. Polk left Roosevelt last year because of his health.
Last summer, despite heart problems, he insisted on taking his family camping near Banff, Alberta, because he didn't know if he'd get the chance again.
Also surviving are his mother, Florence Katz of Pittsburgh; and sisters Susan Nowell, Indiana, Pa.; Marsha Polk, San Antonio; and Pam Sherry, Houston.
Services are being planned for next week (information: 467-6269).
Donations for his son's college education may go to the Bob Polk Memorial Fund c/o any Bank of America branch.
Carole Beers' e-mail address is cbeers@seattletimes.com

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Roosevelt High School Renovation was done by Bassetti Architects











Roosevelt High School Renovation was done by Bassetti Architects in 2006
The original Roosevelt High School building, a landmarked three-story Georgian-style building in Seattle, was built in 1921. Renovation of Roosevelt High School focused on rehabilitation of the historic structure, with a 120,000 SF addition that complements the massing, scale and materials of the original building
The new daylit student commons, which acts as a lobby for the new gymnasium and theater, is adjacent to a plaza overlooking the athletic field and territorial views of Seattle. The plaza serves as a protected exterior gathering space pulled back from the street. Roosevelt’s extraordinary performing arts program is supported with the provision of a new 750-seat theater, an intimate 150-seat black box performance space, and numerous teaching, rehearsal and support spaces. Academic areas are organized into eight small learning communities surrounding a daylit library at the core of the historic structure. Each learning community has dedicated classrooms, science labs, teacher planning areas and small group spaces. Since 1947, Bassetti Architects has been the architect for many well-loved and long-lived Seattle buildings. Bassetti Architects continues this legacy of working with public and non-profit agencies to provide meaningful, enduring and functional buildings. Contact them at
71 Columbia Street, Suite #500Seattle, Washington 98104
tel:206 340 9500
fax: 206 340 9519
Career opportunitiesdblair@bassettiarch.com
Vendors' contactdaxt@bassettiarch.com
Marketing contactcrosenstein@bassettiarch.com

James Edwards helps Roosevelt win State Championship in 1973


James Franklin Edwards (born November, 22, 1955 in Seattle, Washington, U.S.) is a retired American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Buddha" for his appearance (he often sported a Fu Manchu mustache) and stoic demeanor, the 7' 0" Edwards played 19 years (1977-1996) in the NBA, playing both the center and power forward. Edwards played for eight teams: the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Phoenix Suns, the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Chicago Bulls. Prior to his NBA career, Edwards starred at Roosevelt High Schooland the University of Washington.
Though he never appeared in an All-Star Game, Edwards was a reliable low-post scorer, averaging 12.7 points per game over his career. He was a key member of the 1989 and 1990 NBA champion Detroit Pistons, starting most of the team's games in 1990. He won a third championship in the final season of his career, with the 1996 Chicago Bulls, where he saw limited playing time. He retired with 14,862 career points and 6,004 career rebounds

Carl Brecht- photos taken on a trip to Canada/summer 2009
















Leaving Seattle in 1977 was only going to be temporary, with plans to return in 5 years. 32 years later, Carl Brecht is back. Carl, after graduating from the University of Washington Business School in 1975, began working for West Coast Realty. Two years later, he continued his real estate career in Chicago Illinois, Granger Indiana, and Saint Joseph Michigan. Now back, with 3 broker licenses,Carl has chosen to place his Managing Brokers License at Keller Williams Greatter Seattle, with continued success in these market conditions Carl’s expertise is finding an area that is reasonably priced, and promoting the property to investors. He has owned a few wholesale and retail businesses. His favorite one was a gourmet coffee shop, and that is a operation he enjoys selling. The enjoyment is finding that right person to carry on the business.Carl’s education did not stop after business school. Just a few years ago Carl attended Thomas Cooley law School to concentrate in property and contract law. His back ground has enabled him to offer his clients an expertise above the norm. Even though he does have a knack for selling businesses and commercial property, his enthusiasm for selling residential property is also evident. “Older historical homes are irreplaceable and have a story to tell “When asked about his fondest memories of Seattle, Carl was quick to mention his days with Boy Scout Troop 15. Taking the Adventurous, a hundred plus foot sailing ship to summer camp in the San Juan Islands. Another adventure was on an Eagle Scout climbing trip to Mount Rainer. On that climb he ran into both Whitaker brothers at Camp Muir. A highlight of his high school days was being a member of the Roosevelt Chess Team. His love for the game continued by teaching hundreds of elementary school students. His team of five third and fourth graders routinely defeated the top high school players in the Indiana area. Carl also is an avid rower and skuller. He was a member of the University of Chicago Rowing Team and attended the annual Head of the Charles rowing regatta in Boston. His only regret was that he did not take advantage of the rowing program at the University of Washington in his earlier years.At age 55 Carl sees himself working another 25 years in the profession he loves. His experience over the years has seen markets like today. “ There is no place in the world like the Pacific Northwest.” He is back to stay. If you would like someone like Carl working in your corner, you can reach him by email at carlbrecht@netscape.net, or by cell phone at 425-368-8246

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Visit Glen Buschmann's Blog! class of 72


Glen said, "I have lived in Olympia since 1985, graduated from Evergreen and worked many years as a landscaper Now (I'm not always sure why) I work at Capital High School in OlyWA, (in Special Ed classrooms). My spouse Janet and I have a nature blog on blogspot, which gets better attention in the winter than the summer.Habitat Consultations See blog" at http://www.olypollinators.blogspot.com/
If you live in the greater Olympia area and need some garden ideas, Glen can come to your home. In a 90 minute consultation he can help you evaluate your landscape for its habitat strengths and needs. If you live outside his region his ability to help is different, but he can still provide you with a questionnaire and offer some design ideas.E-mail Glen or Janet at: olypollinators@aol.com Phone them at: 360-352-9009 There mailing address is:Bees, Birds, and Butterflies Box 11464Olympia, WA 98508