With hostilities ending in Europe and Asia in the mid-1940’s, Astoria High School dropped its own bomb on the local prep scene and it would make a resounding “Boom” – as in Dick Bumala. Bumala lettered three times in each of his three high school years. Some of his on the field exploits are what Astorians love to revisit in conversation year after year.
Ernie Stranz’s 1945 football team played just six games (4-2), but Bumal made the most of those half dozen games by rushing for nearly 1,000 yards.
Astoria ripped Ilwaco 24-6 in its opener with Bumala racking up 204 yards in just 19 carries, an average of almost 11 yards per carry. Tillamook was the Fishermen’s last scheduled grid opponent. Astoria won 26-0, with Bumala compiling individual marks that still stand today.
Bumala, who would prove later during the track and field season that he was Clatsop County’s fastest prep, rushed for an amazing 252 yards. Astoria ran 66 offensive plays that evening and Bumala was credited with a staggering 52 carries.
A three year started in the Fishermen backfield, Bumula was linked to the most controversial Seaside-Astoria game ever played.
On October 28, 1944 at Gyro Field, the two county rivals were engaged in a scoreless tie. With just under four minutes left in the game, Bumala took the snap and hid the ball behind the leg of a guard while his whole backfield faked a run to the right, pulling the Seaside defense with it. Then Bumala flipped the ball to left end Fuzzy Foster, who took the pass in stride, racing for 75 yards for a touchdown.
Foster made a cut in the open field to elude the Seagull safety who in turn collided with the official who was covering the play. This incident resulted in an explosion of feeling among the Seaside supporters who dashed onto the field calling for interference. Once order was restored, Seaside marched to the Astoria three yard line only to have the clock run out and the Fishermen celebrating the big win. Angry Seaside fans swarmed onto the field after the officials, a few fist flailed before Sherriff Paul Kearney could escort the men in stripes from the field.
Bumala and Howard Lovvold were the only sophomores on the 22-7 varsity basketball team of 1943-44. A year later he was in the starting lineup on a Fishermen squad that wound up 21-11. A 17 point outing against Rainier was an individual highlight of his junior year.