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All the United States Washington Colfax The Codger Pole

The Codger Pole

A town's monument to a touch-football victory 50 years in the making.

Colfax, Washington

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The Codger Pole.   Craig Dietrich
One of the 51 faces carved into the pole.   Ilyaunfois
The Mascots   QAGeek / Atlas Obscura User
Might Tall Football Trophy   QAGeek / Atlas Obscura User
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The Legend of The Codger Pole   QAGeek / Atlas Obscura User
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Better View of The Codger Pole’s Details   QAGeek / Atlas Obscura User
Thanking The Town For Their Support   QAGeek / Atlas Obscura User
The legend of the Codger Pole.   Craig Dietrich
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About

In 1988, nearly 4,000 people turned out to watch a touch-football game in the tiny town of Colfax, Washington. It was one of the biggest events in the town's history; there were even three TV stations on hand to capture the moment. The big deal? The game was a rematch from a meeting 50 years earlier between Colfax and its neighboring rivals, St. John.

Colfax lost that 1938 match to 14-0, but the next meeting 50 years later had a better outcome with Colfax winning 6-0. In commemoration of that long-time-coming victory, the Codger Pole, a 65-foot-tall chainsaw-carved wooden sculpture was erected.

Artist Jonathan LaBenne was reportedly offered $10,000 (although other sources say the offer was as much as $150,000) to create the pole, which he constructed from four cedar logs and features carved faces of the 51 players who competed in the rematch and the two team mascots.

The pole is an important monument for the town. The rematch was a vindication of sorts. Not only did Colfax lose the original game, but it was a tough loss. A dropped touchdown pass in the fourth quarter had haunted John Crawford, an original player who at the time of the rematch was a well-known actor, for decades.

Crawford was among the organizers of the rematch, which brought together these old rivals, with one small exception: “Since most of the players from the 1938 game were either dead or couldn’t play because of their age," one player told the Spokesman-Review, "the requirement was if you were 60 years old or older and had played for either school, then you could play.” 

In 2015, The Codger Pole underwent a restoration to bring the attraction back to its glory days.

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Roadside Attractions Art Sports Sculptures

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On Hwy 195, between Pullman and Spokane.

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QAGeek, Ashawnta, amattice

  • QAGeek
  • Ashawnta
  • amattice

Published

September 15, 2017

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Sources
  • http://www.spokanehistorical.org/items/show/435
  • http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/dec/18/colfax-restoring-top-tourist-attraction-the-codger/#/0
The Codger Pole
324 South Main Street
Colfax, Washington
United States
46.878285, -117.365325
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Nearby Places

St. Ignatius Hospital

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Colfax

Colfax

Washington

Places 2

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St. Ignatius Hospital

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Photo of Colfax

Colfax

Washington

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