Saluting Ooney Gagen of Linfield College Wildcats athletic fame

Those who knew Paul Durham, Linfield's long-time football coach and athletic director, heard about Linfield athlete Ooney Gagen many times.

Paul wrote about Ooney in his "Dodging with Durham" sports column in the McMinnville News-Register and even published pictures of him, although any recognizable facial features were always blocked out.

No one ever met Ooney personally and the only stories about him were told by Coach Durham.

Some people claimed Ooney was just a fictitious character invented by Paul.

Others believed Ooney was a real person. For example, someone who claimed to be Ooney made a sizable donation to the Paul Durham Linfield Scholarship and encouraged others to donate. They did. One thing led to another and not only did the scholarship gain additional funding, but other funding helped build a Coach Paul Durham statue on Linfield's campus.

Those regaled by Paul's great stories found Ooney living in Portland under an assumed name. Ooney was guest of honor and spoke during the May 21, 2015, Cardinal Circle lunch at Art Larrance's Raccoon Lodge in Raleigh Hills, Portland.

Is Ooney Gagen real or not? Only Paul knew. But, these photos from the Cardinal Circle lunch seem to indicate he's true to life.

The always modest Ooney Gagen had business cards at the lunch, but he didn't hand them out. 

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See a posting at Mac News to learn about Ooney's dream home on Ooney Gagen Way in McMinnville.
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Attending the May 21, 2015, lunch with Ooney Gagen were Jerry McNeil, Marty Bergan, Bob Lunt, Ray Olson, Bob Zuleger, Bob Ferguson, Larry Hermo, Terry Durham, Gene Forman, Jack Forde, Carl Heisler, John Prutsman, Dick Brown, Art Larrance, Dave Spire, Odis Avritt, Larry Binkerd and Dan Beeson.

Photo cutlines:

• Frequently, Ooney has his head in paperwork.
• Ooney talks to those attending May 21, 2015, Cardinal Circle lunch
• With Dan Beeson and Jack Forde. That’s Ooney in the middle.
• High top football cleats had Ooney and Ray Olson talking up a storm.
• Ooney and admirers Larry Hermo and Marty Bergan
• Gene Forman and Ooney talk football.
• Talking hoops with Ooney is Terry Durham, whose father Paul Durham often mentioned Ooney.
• Gridiron glories recounted with Larry Binkerd, Ooney and Carl Heisler.
• Ooney examines a pigskin held by Bob Lunt.
• Hail fellow well met Ooney with John Prutsman and Bob Ferguson.
• Bob Ferguson holds cleats while Ooney sniffs sweaty football memories.
• With Ooney, Art Larrance recounts Linfield’s first national championship team, Wildcats baseball 1966. They’re with title banner on display at Art’s Raccoon Lodge, Raleigh Hills, Portland.