OK, I admit, I am a Gonzaga basketball junkie. I would rather watch the Zags play than I would any other team. Even though I never attended Gonzaga, I did live in Spokane for years, AND, I wore a Zag sweatshirt in the 1980s, long before it became hip to root for them.
Tonight ended another regular season of perfection, There is really something extra special about this 2018-2019 addition, and dare we dream of a national glory for the one time Cinderella team from Spokane?
Of course, the Wallace connection to the Zags is well known, but I will retell it anyway.
Wallace had ties to Gonzaga for many years, and of course, one prominent Wallace man, Mr. H.F. Magnuson and his generous gifts to Gonzaga have been well documented. What some of you may not know is that one Wallace physician from my growing up Wallace days, Dr. Ed Fitzgerald, our family doctor, was a prominent athlete at Gonzaga way back in the 1920s. He was captain of the basketball team, quarterback of the football team, yes Gonzaga use to have football, and very, very good friends of Spokane legend and Gonzaga student, Mr. White Christmas, Bing Crosby.
Doc was our doctor for years and was my dad' s doctor long before he met my mother. He was a little rough at times, and his bedside manner needed some work, but he was a very good physician and was very prominent in Wallace activities, including founding Lookout Ski Hill.
Here are a couple of photos of the good doctor.
Captain of the basketball team
The quarterback of the football team-1925
In 1981, Dr. Fitzgerald speaking at the Bing Crosby statue dedication.
Dr. Ed Fitzgerald, another great growing up Wallace memory.
