JOHN MONASMITH, Yakima, Washington

Inducted 1978

Player: John Monasmith of Yakima, Washington won the Washington State Championship in his second year of competition in 1949. In 1950 at Murray, Utah, he became the first horseshoe pitcher from Washington state to enter a World Tournament.

He won the Washington State title 15 times and held the Pacific Northwest Championship 16 times. That area covered Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia. He had the highest qualifying score at the 1963 World Tournament, 558 points, with 180 ringers out of 200 shoes for 90%. He went on to win the Men’s Championship that year with a 32-3 record and 82.3% ringers.

In 1964 at Greenville, Ohio, he was awarded the Sportsmanship Award. That year, John was also one of the record breaking 13 players that pitched over 80%, he placed 11^th with an even 80.0%. He became the first player inducted into the Washington State Hall of Fame in 1964. John passed away April 30, 1998.