Joe Albi
Encyclopedia
Joseph A. “Joe” Albi was an attorney
and civic leader
in Spokane
, Washington.
Albi was educated in Spokane schools and graduated from Gonzaga University
. He was accepted to the Georgetown University Law Center
in Washington, D.C.
, and graduated in 1915. He returned home to Spokane where he continuously practiced law until his illness, except for two years of military service in the Army
flying corps
during World War I
.
in the late 1940s, renamed Joe Albi Stadium
by the city council several weeks before his death in 1962.
In golf
, the ART brought the PGA Championship
to Spokane in 1944 at Manito Country Club
and the Esmeralda Open
at Indian Canyon. It also helped establish the U.S. Women’s Open
, the first edition was played at the Spokane Country Club in 1946, won by Patty Berg
. The ART was also key to the construction of the Esmeralda Golf Course; it bought the land and deeded it back to the City of Spokane.
The Spokane Women's Open
on the LPGA Tour
was held at the new course. The group also promoted senior golf, paving the way for the future U.S. Senior Open
and Champions Tour
.
, while he was in the Army. They had three children, one of whom died in childhood. At the time of his death, Albi had eight grandchildren and five surviving siblings, all living in Spokane.
He was the Italian
consul agent for Idaho
and eastern
Washington from 1929 to 1941, and was active in many local organizations including the American Legion
, Kiwanis
, Elks, and Knights of Columbus
.
(ALS), commonly referred to as "Lou Gehrig’s disease." He was hospitalized for his last seven weeks at Sacred Heart Hospital, and died at age 69. His widow Mazie died less than five years later; they are buried in Spokane at Fairmount Memorial Park, adjacent to the west side of Joe Albi Stadium.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and civic leader
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
in Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Washington.
Early years
Born in Spokane, he was the son of Garibaldi Albi, a railroad contractor, banker, and one of the founders of the Italian colony in the city.Albi was educated in Spokane schools and graduated from Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
. He was accepted to the Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and graduated in 1915. He returned home to Spokane where he continuously practiced law until his illness, except for two years of military service in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
flying corps
Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. It replaced and absorbed the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and was succeeded briefly by the Division of Military...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Athletic Round Table
Albi was a founder of the Athletic Round Table (ART), which led the effort to expand the presence of sports in the Spokane area. The fun-loving group was launched in 1920 and Albi was its continuing president for 42 years. The ART was best-known for the funding the construction of Memorial StadiumJoe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Spokane, Washington. Primarily used for football, it is located in the northwest part of the city, just east of the Spokane River. It opened in 1950 as "Memorial Stadium," with a natural grass field, cinder running track, and a seating capacity of...
in the late 1940s, renamed Joe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Spokane, Washington. Primarily used for football, it is located in the northwest part of the city, just east of the Spokane River. It opened in 1950 as "Memorial Stadium," with a natural grass field, cinder running track, and a seating capacity of...
by the city council several weeks before his death in 1962.
In golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, the ART brought the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
to Spokane in 1944 at Manito Country Club
Manito Golf and Country Club
Manito Golf and Country Club is a country club located in the southern portion of Spokane, Washington. The golf course hosted the PGA Championship in 1944, which Bob Hamilton won. The club was founded in 1917 at Hart Field by a small group of dedicated golf enthusiasts. The Club permanently moved...
and the Esmeralda Open
Esmeralda Open
The Esmeralda Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played in the 1940s. It was held at Indian Canyon Golf Course in Spokane, Washington...
at Indian Canyon. It also helped establish the U.S. Women’s Open
United States Women's Open Championship (golf)
The United States Women's Open Golf Championship, one of thirteen national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association , is one of the LPGA's major championships along with the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship...
, the first edition was played at the Spokane Country Club in 1946, won by Patty Berg
Patty Berg
Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer...
. The ART was also key to the construction of the Esmeralda Golf Course; it bought the land and deeded it back to the City of Spokane.
The Spokane Women's Open
Spokane Women's Open
The Spokane Women's Open was a professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1959 to 1963, played in Spokane, Washington. It was held at the recently constructed Esmeralda Golf Course, a municipal facility in northeast Spokane. Originally a 72-hole event at par-72, it was reduced to 54 holes...
on the LPGA Tour
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
was held at the new course. The group also promoted senior golf, paving the way for the future U.S. Senior Open
United States Senior Open
The U.S. Senior Open is one of the major championships in men's senior golf. It was first played in 1980 and is administered by the United States Golf Association and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
and Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
Personal
Albi married the former Mazie Lyons (1897-1967) of Washington D.C. in 1918 in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, while he was in the Army. They had three children, one of whom died in childhood. At the time of his death, Albi had eight grandchildren and five surviving siblings, all living in Spokane.
He was the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
consul agent for Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and eastern
Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the portion of the U.S. state of Washington east of the Cascade Range. The region contains the city of Spokane , the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the fertile farmlands of the Yakima Valley and the...
Washington from 1929 to 1941, and was active in many local organizations including the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
, Elks, and Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
Death
Albi was afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosisAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
(ALS), commonly referred to as "Lou Gehrig’s disease." He was hospitalized for his last seven weeks at Sacred Heart Hospital, and died at age 69. His widow Mazie died less than five years later; they are buried in Spokane at Fairmount Memorial Park, adjacent to the west side of Joe Albi Stadium.
External links
- Historic Spokane.org - Joe Albi’s residence – 523 E. 12th Ave.