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John Cherberg

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John Cherberg
13thLieutenant Governor of Washington
In office
January 16, 1957 – January 11, 1989
GovernorAlbert Rosellini
Daniel J. Evans
Dixy Lee Ray
John Spellman
Booth Gardner
Preceded byEmmett T. Anderson
Succeeded byJoel Pritchard
Personal details
Born
John Andrew Cherberg

(1910-10-17)October 17, 1910
Pensacola,Florida,U.S.
DiedApril 8, 1992(1992-04-08)(aged 81)
Seattle,Washington,U.S.
Resting placeCalvary Cemetery,Seattle
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Washington, Seattle(BA)
John Cherberg
Playing career
1930–1932Washington
Position(s)Backfield
Coaching career (HCunless noted)
1933–1937Cleveland HS (WA)
1938–1945Queen Anne HS (WA)
1946–1947Washington(backfield)
1948–1952Washington(freshmen)
1953–1955Washington
Head coaching record
Overall10–18–2 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards

John Andrew Cherberg(October 17, 1910 – April 8, 1992) was an American politician, football coach, teacher and television executive.[1]He served as the 13thLieutenant Governor of Washingtonfrom 1957 to 1989, a longer tenure than any other lieutenant governor in the state's history. Previously he was head coach of theUniversity of Washingtonfootball team from 1953 to 1955, compiling a record of 10–18–2. Two decades earlier he had been acollege footballplayer at Washington.

Early life and career

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Born inPensacola, Floridain 1910, Cherberg was the youngest of twelve children from a butcher father who emigrated fromCroatia,then a part ofYugoslavia.[2][3][4]In 1919, his family moved toSeattle,Washington.[2]He played football atQueen Anne High Schoolbefore graduating in 1929.[5]He attended theUniversity of Washington(UW) and playedhalfbackon thefootball team.[2]Cherberg graduated in 1933 with a degree in economics.[6]After graduation, he taught classes and coached football atClevelandand Queen Anne high schools in Seattle, where he led both schools to state football championships.[7]

He joined the UW football staff in 1946.[6]The three seasons he served as head coach of the UW football team were controversial. His record of 10 wins, 18 losses, and 2 ties was identified as the second-worst in Seattle's history in a 2006 article bySeattle Post-Intelligencercolumnist Jim Moore.[8]The team was involved in a payoff scandal that led toNCAAsanctions for the school and the firing of Cherberg in February 1956.[9]

Political career

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In June 1956 Cherberg announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.[10]Capitalizing on name recognition from his football career and the statewide contacts he had developed as the head of the state's association of high school football coaches, he won the Democratic primary by defeatingHoward S. Bargreen,[11]and the general election by defeating Republican Don McDermott.[12]

Cherberg was inaugurated as Washington's lieutenant governor on January 16, 1957, under fellowDemocratAlbert Rosellini.For his first 15 years in office, he also worked as an account executive at Seattle-area TV stationKIROto supplement his then-low lieutenant governor salary.[3]

Cherberg ran forMayor of Seattlein 1964, but was defeated byRepublicancouncilmanDorm Bramanby 95,699 votes to his 83,205.[13]Cherberg's platform included support forfair housing.[14]Years later, both he and Braman testified for the prosecution regarding the mayoral race and money from Seattle police officials andKing County Prosecuting AttorneyChuck Carroll,who were alleged to have been tolerating police corruption. (The case was later dismissed.)[15][16]

Following his defeat in the mayoral campaign, he once again ran for lieutenant governor. He served continuously underRepublicanGovernorDaniel J. Evans(1965–1977), DemocratDixy Lee Ray(1977–1981), RepublicanJohn Spellman(1981–1985), and for the first term of DemocratBooth Gardner(1985–1989). In his last race, he won comfortably with 63% of the vote.[3]Cherberg stepped down in the 1988 race having served as lieutenant governor for nearly one third of Washington state's history at the time; at his death, he was the longest serving lieutenant governor in United States history.[7]

Death

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The John A. Cherberg Building at the Washington State Capitol houses senate offices.

Cherberg lived in Seattle until his death from pneumonia at age 81 in 1992.[17]He was interred atCalvary Cemetery,[7]about a mile (1.6 km) northeast of the University of Washington campus. The John A. Cherberg Building, which housesWashington State Senateoffices at theState Capitolcampus, was renamed in his honor.[2]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Washington Huskies(Pacific Coast Conference)(1953–1955)
1953 Washington 3–6–1 2–4–1 7th
1954 Washington 2–8 1–6 T–9th
1955 Washington 5–4–1 4–3–1 5th
Washington: 10–18–2 7–13–2
Total: 10–18–2

References

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  1. ^"John Cherberg".History of the State Legislature.Washington State Legislature.RetrievedJanuary 4,2013.
  2. ^abcd"Veteran leader dies".The Daily Record (Ellensburg, Washington).AP. April 9, 1992. p. 22.
  3. ^abcHillinger, Charles (January 3, 1988)."The Dean of America's Lt. Governors".Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^"'Guv': End Of A Life Of Service – Former Lt. Gov. John Cherberg, 81, Remembered For Dignity, Fairness ".The Seattle Times.April 9, 1992.
  5. ^Hennes, John (February 2000)."Five Grizzlies Make UW Top 100"(PDF).The KUAY.p. 9.
  6. ^ab"John Cherberg".CBS Interactive. Archived fromthe originalon March 6, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 4,2013.
  7. ^abc"John Andrew Cherberg".HistoryMakers.Washington Secretary of State.RetrievedJanuary 4,2013.
  8. ^Moore, Jim (December 27, 2006)."Go 2 Guy: Worst coaches in Seattle history".Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  9. ^"Darrell Royal, Former Husky Coach (1924-12)".SportsPressNW.com. November 7, 2012.
  10. ^"Former Washington Coach a Politician".The Clarion-Ledger.Jackson, MS. Associated Press. June 29, 1956. p. 32 – viaNewspapers.com.
  11. ^"Results of balloting in Tuesday's Primary".The Daily Chronicle.Centralia, WA. September 12, 1956. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^"State's Voters Cut Sharply Across Party Lines".The Daily Chronicle.Centralia, WA. Associated Press. November 7, 1956. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^"General and Special Elections: Results for Elected Officials".Seattle Office of the City Clerk.RetrievedJanuary 4,2013.
  14. ^"The Seattle Open Housing Campaign, 1959-1968 - Timeline".Seattle Office of the City Clerk.RetrievedJanuary 4,2013.
  15. ^"Seattle Trial Dismissal Bid Unsuccessful".Spokane Daily Chronicle.AP. May 1, 1973.
  16. ^Withers, Bud; Brunner, Jim (June 25, 2003)."Charles Carroll, 1906 - 2003: Legendary Husky, veteran prosecutor".The Seattle Times.
  17. ^"John Cherberg, Washington State Official, 81".The New York Times.April 10, 1992.
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Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Washington
1957–1989 		Succeeded by
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