Elmer Koskelo

Elmer Koskelo was not the biggest of athletes at Astoria High School in the early 1930’s but was reported to have unbelievable strength for his 150-160 weight. This strength gave him the opportunity to play left end as a sophomore on John Warren’s 1930 football team.

His junior year in football he again started at left end, where he was a stalwart on both offense and defense on a team that went undefeated but twice tied, and arguably the best team in the state; there was no playoff at this time. Elmer’s senior year saw Coach Warren move the strong-armed Koskela to fullback to better utilize his throwing ability. In a big game against Salem, he was 10-13 passing and the only score of the game coming on a Koskelo to Elias pass late in the fourth quarter for the victory.

Elmer was good enough to play a lot on Warren’s 1931 basketball team that went 23-8. One account of him was that he was “a wow at intercepting passes.” His senior year he started on the basketball team and was the fifth leading scorer until an untimely injury in February put him out for the remainder of the season, with the team ending up with a 27-7 record and third place in the state tourney

But it was in track and field that Elmer really excelled! Track was a sport often overlooked at Astoria High at this time. Very few students turned out and the ones that did, turned in weak performances. Koskela and a few of his classmates started to change that perception with the help of John Warren who took over the program. Elmer had people taking notice his freshman year as he competed very well in the discus, mile run, and especially the javelin. His sophomore year he won the district javelin throw and several other meets but did not qualify for the state meet because he did not meet the qualifying standard. This would only motivate him more for his final two years.

Elmer’s junior year would see him specialize in the javelin. He would again go on to win the district meet and then win the state meet with a throw of 167 feet. This would be only the second time an Astoria High athlete would win an individual state title in track and field. Uno Koskela being the first in the shot put in 1927. Koskelo’s senior year would have him set a school record in the javelin tossing the spear 180-3, a school record that would last 33 years, in the district meet. In the state meet his throw into the 179 foot range would be beaten by a few inches giving him second place. He was the first two time All-Sate track and field performer in AHS history.

Elmer went on to the University of Oregon where he tossed the javelin 200 plus feet in the 1935-36 seasons.