The spotlight will shine on Clay Huntington and the Past Presidents of the Tacoma Athletic Commission during the TAC's 65th Anniversary Reunion Celebration on March 1, 2009. A Gourmet Italian Dinner and recognition ceremony will be held at St. Charles School Hall at 7112 South 12th St in Tacoma. A social hour will begin at 1:30pm with dinner at 2:00pm. The celebration program begins at 3:00pm. For ticket information call the TAC office at 253-759-1124.

Huntington is the last of the TAC founders who created the Tacoma War Athletic Commission in December of 1943. Its original purpose was to provide sports and recreational equipment and opportunity to the service men and women at nearby Fort Lewis and McChord AFB during World War II. When the war ended, the TAC emerged in support of youth and sports in Tacoma and Pierce County.

The recognition ceremony also will provide opportunity for the TAC to recognize the high school athletes of 1943 who played in the first Grid Go Round and Hoop Go Round. The schools represented in those two events were Lincoln, Stadium, Bellarmine and Clover Park.

The Grid Go Rounds regularly drew crowds of 10,000+ to Stadium Bowl and opened the season with a jamboree-style format. The first Hoop Go Round was staged in the Clover Park high gym, later moving to the Tacoma Armory. For many years they were popular "openers" for prep football and basketball seasons.

The Tacoma Athletic Commission, celebrating its 65th year of support for sports and the youth of Tacoma and Pierce County, has established a TAC Youth Sportsfund. Inquiries and contributions are welcome. To date the fund has received pledges in excess of $200,000 to assist youth fitness programs and sports conducted by the schools, park departments, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Pierce County. For information contact Doug McArthur at the TAC office, 253-759-1124. E-mail to dougmc@nventure.com.