Dean Walker | |
|---|---|
| 33rd President of the Oregon State Senate | |
| In office 1941–1943 | |
| Preceded by | Robert M. Duncan |
| Succeeded by | William H. Steiwer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1889-09-09)September 9, 1889 Rickreall, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | December 24, 1953(1953-12-24) (aged 64) Salem, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | University of Oregon Columbia University |
| Coaching career | |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1907–1908 | Columbia (OR) |
| 1909–1912 | Oregon |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1916–1917 | Oregon (Freshmen) |
| Basketball | |
| 1918–1919 | Oregon |
| Baseball | |
| 1918 | Oregon |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1913–1914 | Oregon (Grad. Man. of Ath.) |
| 1918–1919 | Oregon (Grad. Man. of Ath.) |
| 1923–1925 | Oregon (Student loan dir.) |
| 1925–1927 | Oregon (Dean of men) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 13–4 (men's basketball) 10–2 (baseball) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Pacific Coast Conference basketball champion (1919) | |
Dean H. Walker (September 9, 1889 – December 24, 1953) was an American athlete, coach, politician who played running back for theUniversity of Oregon football team from 1909 to 1912, was head coach of theUniversity of Oregon men's basketball team from 1918 to 1919, and was president of theOregon State Senate from 1941 to 1943.
Walker was born inRickreall, Oregon on September 9, 1889 to Sida and Georgia Walker.[1] He played football at Independence High School inIndependence, Oregon and was captain of the team his senior season. He then played two seasons for Columbia University (now theUniversity of Portland) and was team captain during his second season.[2]
Walker was a substitute fullback for the1909 Oregon Webfoots football team, but received almost the same amount of playing time as a starter due to coachRobert Forbes' dual team system.[3] He began the1910 season as the team's starting halfback, but was forced to withdraw from the university before the season ended.[4] He returned to the team in 1911 and was captain of the1912 Oregon Webfoots football team.[4][2] Walker was also a forward on the Oregon basketball team for two seasons.[2]
In 1913, Walker was named Oregon's graduate manager of athletics.[5] He gave the job up after one year to take over his father's ranch.[6] He also soldhopinsurance and spraying materials.[7] He returned to the university in 1916 as freshman football coach.[8] He returned for the1917 season and the following spring was named head coach of theOregon baseball team.[9][10] In 1918, he was once again named graduate manager after A. R. Tiffany resigned to focus on his duties as registrar.[6] In 1919, Walker led Oregon's basketball team to thePacific Coast Conference title, defeatingCalifornia Golden Bears two games to none in a best-of-three championship series.[11] Later that year, he resigned as graduate manager and was replaced by Marion McClain.[12]
After leaving the university, Walker was a junior partner in the Wetherbee-Walker furniture company. In 1923, he left the firm to return to Oregon as student loan director.[13] In 1925, he became the university's dean of men.[14] In 1927, he was granted a leave of absence to study atColumbia University.[15]
In 1920, theEugene, Oregon city council unanimously voted to appoint Walker to fill the unexpired term of Ward 1 councilor William Polders.[16]
From 1933 to 1935, Walker, who was now residing in Independence, representedthe 10th House district in theOregon House of Representatives.[17] In 1934, he was elected to the9th district seat in the Oregon State Senate by a 63-vote margin.[18] He was appointed chairman of the ways and means committee as a freshman and was reappointed for the 1937–38 and 1939–40 legislative sessions.[19][20][21]
In 1941, he was unanimously voted president of the Oregon State Senate.[22] He did not run for the presidency in 1943, but remained in the legislature and was appointed chairman of the senate tax committee.[23][24] In 1945, he was once again named head of the ways and means committee.[25] He was reappointed in 1947.[26] In 1949, Walker, nowDean of the Senate, was once again chairman of the tax committee.[27][28]
In 1949, Walker was the primary sponsor of a bill which would make it unlawful to operate a theater without prohibiting the eating of popcorn and peanuts. Any theater owner found in violation would be subject to a $100 fine or 30 days in jail. Any patron annoyed by someone eating popcorn or peanuts could get thrice the cost of their ticket back and sue for damages if they did not receive the money.[29] The bill did not get far, but attracted nationwide attention.[30]
For the 1953–54 legislative session, Walker was named chairman of the ways and means committee and vice chairman of the tax committee.[31] On December 24, 1953, Walker died inSalem, Oregon following a heart attack.[1]