Joe Albi#Athletic Round Table

Born in Spokane,{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=Spokane renames downtown street 'Joe Albi Way' in honor of sports booster |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/aug/01/spokane-renames-downtown-street-joe-albi-way-in-ho/ |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=Spokesman.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Anchor |first=Sean Owsley, NonStop Local |date=2023-09-28 |title=One Spokane Stadium opens after years of work, carries the legacy of Joe Albi |url=https://www.khq.com/news/one-spokane-stadium-opens-after-years-of-work-carries-the-legacy-of-joe-albi/article_bb422ed0-5e69-11ee-92ea-53052da2669c.html |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=NonStop Local KHQ |language=en}} he was the son of Garibaldi and Louise (Ottoboni) Albi,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RdRXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4624,2938276 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Mrs. Louise Albi taken by death |date=August 14, 1934|page=1}} immigrants from Italy who arrived in the city several years earlier. Garibaldi (1861–1923) was a railroad contractor, banker, and one of the founders of the Italian colony in the city.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ai9WAAAAIBAJ&pg=7076,1563899 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=Historic Albi home to be torn down|date=September 13, 1953|page=1}}

{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1338&dat=19340117&id=UNNXAAAAIBAJ&pg=7387,3481646 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Garibaldi Albi estate divided|date=January 17, 1934|page=2}} He and three brothers (James, John, William) arrived in Spokane in 1887.{{cite news|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VMFXAAAAIBAJ&pg=6555,2256847&dq=garibaldi&hl=en|title=Expects Albi back|date=January 26, 1916 |page=3}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ellisisland.org/search/ship_passengers.asp?letter=l&half=1&sname=La*Touraine&year=1909&sdate=10/03/1909&port=Havre&page=1 |publisher=EllisIsland.org|title=Ship database: La Touraine|accessdate=February 21, 2013}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=caxWAAAAIBAJ&pg=5294%2C4709079|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=Mrs. Joseph Albi dies, widow of civic leader|date=January 29, 1967|page=26}}

The eldest of seven children,{{cite news|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~waewgs/BIRTHS.txt|publisher=Roots Web.com|title=Birth list: Spokane, WA|accessdate=February 23, 2012}} Joe Albi was educated in Spokane schools and graduated from Gonzaga College in 1911. He was accepted to the Georgetown University Law School 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 U.S. Army flying corps during World War I.

Albi was a founder of the Athletic Round Table (ART),{{cite news |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/apr/28/then-and-now-athletic-round-table/ |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Then and Now: Athletic Round Table |last=Tinsley |first=Jesse |date=April 28, 2014 |accessdate=August 31, 2014}} which led the effort to expand the presence of sports in the Spokane area.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qu8ZAAAAIBAJ&pg=4805,3123329|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal|last=Hewins|first=Jack|agency=Wide World News Service|title=Anything for a laugh is the motto of this dizzy club|date=March 23, 1942|page=1-green sheet}}{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The fun-loving group{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6_EUAAAAIBAJ&pg=6878%2C1715128|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=They have their nonsense but they do many good turns, too, in year|date=September 5, 1937|page=3-features}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e9kvAAAAIBAJ&pg=6575%2C525945 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Missildine|first=Harry |title=Esmeralda is laughing again |date=February 3, 1972 |page=14 }} was launched in 1920 (the start of Prohibition) and the fast-talking {{height|ft=5|in=6}} Albi was its continuing president for 42 years.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6alWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3433%2C2846041 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Death takes Joseph Albi, civic leader |date=May 9, 1962 |page=1}} The ART was best known for funding the construction of Memorial Stadium, built in 1950 in under four months,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PC5WAAAAIBAJ&pg=4859,3353133 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Ferguson |first=Frank C. |title=Spokane Stadium |date=September 9, 1950 |page=3-This Week}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T-VXAAAAIBAJ&pg=6258,2250846 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Stadium committee lets contract |date=April 21, 1950 |page=1}} and renamed Joe Albi Stadium by the city council in the spring of 1962, several weeks before his death.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6alWAAAAIBAJ&pg=7093%2C2876346 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=What he began, he completed |date=May 9, 1962 |page=14}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IqFWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6812,4111356 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Stadium is renamed for Joe Albi |date=March 28, 1962|page=9}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IqFWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6339,4113742 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Missildine |first=Harry |title=A heartwarming logical move |date=March 28, 1962 |page=12 }}

In golf, the ART brought the PGA Championship to Spokane in 1944 at Manito Country Club and the Esmeralda Open, which debuted in 1943 at Downriver{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rthXAAAAIBAJ&pg=7193,3146755 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Esmeralda golf tournament lures season's biggest field |date=September 16, 1943 |page=12 |accessdate=February 20, 2013}} and was a PGA Tour event at Indian Canyon in 1945{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wipWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6359%2C5858742|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=Nelson's 266 wins Esmeralda tourney|date=September 24, 1945 |page=1 }} and 1947.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CdpXAAAAIBAJ&pg=7284%2C3170442 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Keiser's putting wins him golf title; champ heads for Portland |date=August 11, 1947 |page=13}} 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 in east Spokane 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.

In 1942, the 5th congressional seat was vacant, following the resignation of Democrat Charles H. Leavy on August 1 to become a judge on the U.S. District Court in western Washington. Albi, 49, announced his candidacy in late July.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JeVXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4449,5424743 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Joseph Albi seeks congressional seat|date=July 30, 1942|page=5}} In the three-man Republican primary in September, he was runner-up to Wenatchee fruit rancher Walt Horan, who went on to serve 22 years in Congress. Horan's victory in the general election was the first by a Republican in the district in twenty years.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=keJXAAAAIBAJ&pg=4770%2C448135|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Walt Horan is elected Congressman from the fifth district by big margin|date=November 4, 1942|page=1}}

Albi married the former Mazie Lyons (1896–1967) of Washington, D.C., in 1918 in San Antonio, Texas, while he was in the Army. They had four children, Joseph A. Albi, Jr. (1920–1932), John Lionel Albi (1921–1923), Jaclyn Albi Flaherty (c.1923– ), and Jean Joseph (J.J) Albi (1927–2011). At the time of his death, Albi had eight grandchildren and his five surviving siblings all lived in Spokane. He was the Italian consul agent for Idaho and eastern Washington from 1929 to 1941,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UsNeAAAAIBAJ&pg=3989,6520866|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|agency=Associated Press|title=Joe Albi resigns as Italian agent|date=June 20, 1941|page=8}} and was active in many local organizations including the American Legion, Kiwanis, Elks, and Knights of Columbus.

Albi was afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (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 in 1967; they are buried in Spokane in the family plot at Fairmount Memorial Park, adjacent to the west side of Joe Albi Stadium.

A bronze statue of Joe Albi as a sports fan was unveiled {{Years or months ago|1997}} in 1997 at Joe Albi Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MnxXAAAAIBAJ&pg=2483%2C291622|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=City Council transforms 'Joe Fan' into 'Joe Albi'|date=April 22, 1997|page=B1}} Seated several rows above the field in the southwest corner bleachers ({{coord|47.70506|-117.48342}}), the {{convert|600|lb|-1|adj=on}} slightly-larger-than-life Joe is often adorned in the school colors of competing teams.{{cite news|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2008/nov/13/albi-stadiums-joe-a-fan-for-the-ages/|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=Albi Stadium's Joe a fan for the ages|first=Stefanie|last=Pettit|date=November 13, 2008}}

• Joe Albi Stadium

{{reflist|2}}

• [http://properties.historicspokane.org/property/?PropertyID=1715 Historic Spokane.org] – Joe Albi's residence – 523 E. 12th Ave.
• [http://digital.gonzaga.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p16011coll2/id/152/rec/1 Gonzaga University Digital Collections] – Junior Yard Association baseball team 1909 – Joe Albi
• {{Find a Grave|74125421}}

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Category:Lawyers from Spokane, Washington

Category:Gonzaga University alumni

Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni

Category:Washington (state) lawyers

Category:American people of Italian descent

Category:Neurological disease deaths in Washington (state)

Category:Deaths from motor neuron disease in the United States

Category:1892 births

Category:1962 deaths

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:United States Army personnel of World War I

Category:United States Army officers