BELLINGHAM, Wash. — William A. “Bill” Tomaras, known as the “Father of Wrestling” in the state of Washington and director of men’s athletics at Western Washington University for nine years, died last Sunday at the age of 85.
Tomaras was inducted into the Helms Foundation Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1973, the Washington State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 1984 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003. His name is on the award given out by the WSWCA for the promotion of wrestling in the state of Washington.
Tomaras organized the state’s first state prep wrestling tournament in 1953 and served as the tournament director until 1959. He was saluted at the 50th state high school Mat Classic in February of 2003 at the Tacoma Dome.
Tomaras came to Western in 1961 as an assistant professor in the men’s physical education department and wrestling coach. He was named chair of the department and men’s athletic director in 1962, becoming an associate professor in 1963 and a full professor in 1969.
During his tenure at Western, Tomaras began the wrestling program in 1961, coaching for four years, and under his direction the rowing program got its start in 1969. He instituted the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1968, and joined that elite group in 1978.
Under his leadership, Western won the school’s first outright Evergreen Conference football title in 23 years in 1971, and the Vikings had one of the finest men’s basketball seasons in school history in 1971-72, finishing 26-4 and reaching the quarterfinals at the NAIA National Tournament.
Tomaras also served as president of the Evergreen Conference, overseeing the league’s expansion from four to seven schools.
Born on Oct. 15, 1921 in Decatur, Ill., Tomaras served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 during World War II, where he fought on Omaha Beach as part of the D-Day invasion, then earned both his bachelor’s degree in 1946 (political science) and master’s degree in 1948 at University of Illinois. He was a four-year letter winner in wrestling at Illinois, placing third at the NCAA national tournament as a senior.
Tomaras taught and coached at Washington State University from 1948 to 1959 except for a one-year stay at University of Oregon to obtain his doctorate degree in education in 1957. His Cougar squads captured five Pacific Coast Conference championships and during one stretch won 23 straight dual matches. He served on the NCAA wrestling rules committee from 1959-61.
Tomaras came to Western after a two-year stay at Cal Berkeley. During his 17-year coaching career, he trained numerous outstanding coaches in Washington, Oregon and California.
After leaving Western in the summer of 1972, Tomaras spent two years as a professor at Cal State Northridge before returning to the northwest as director of the Everett Senior Center where he served for 10 years.
Tomaras, who spent his retirement years in Port Orchard, was married for 63 years to wife Dolly (Dorothy). They had three sons, William Jr., Gus and Randy.
A memorial service will be held on Wed., Aug. 22 (3 p.m.) at the Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Gig Harbor.
-Courtesy Western Washington
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