Shortly after the 1952 Summer Olympic Games came to a close in Helsinki, Finland, on Aug. 3, La Crosse hosted its own Olympic competition. The event was dubbed the La Crosse Junior Olympics, and the competition marked the end of the 1952 playground season put on by the city's Recreation Department.

The Olympics pitted teams and individuals from each of the city's neighborhood parks or schools against each other in various sports and activities. There were two different sessions; an afternoon session at Houska Park and an evening session at West Avenue Playground (now known as Powell Park).

Among the big events in the afternoon session was the North Side vs. South Side All-Star softball games. In the Junior Division, the North Siders won 9-5. Howard Latshaw was the pitcher for the North Side, and Vernon Olson was the South Side pitcher. In the Cub Division, the South Side team won 9-8. Charles Van Auken was the winning pitcher, while James Potts pitched for the North Side team.

Some individual champions crowned were Barbara Anthony of Hood Park in croquet; Charles Horton of Copeland Park in horseshoes; Mary Swords and Linda Herried of Roosevelt in shuffleboard; Ellen Hanifl and Dickie Fox of West Avenue in checkers; Herbert Wojahn of Hood Park in bowling; and James Larabee of St. Andrew on the ring-toss.

The "Mighty-Mite" Division team from West Avenue Playground won the city playground softball title by defeating Hogan 17-15. Michael Spah was the winning pitcher, and Joseph Michuta pitched for Hogan.

St. Andrew defeated West Avenue 8-3 to take the Cub Division softball title. St. Andrew was aided by a three-run homer from Robert Halaska.

A double in the last inning by Jerry Ragner lifted the Hood team to a 9-5 come-from-behind victory over Copeland Park in the Intermediate Division Softball Championship.

Source: La Crosse Public Library Archives. For additional information, please contact the Archives at (608) 789-7136.