Percy Elman MICKELSON

MICKELSON, VANDERVOORT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/11/2010 at 12:16:10

As I recall: Fargo park named after man involved in athletics

By: Andrea Hunter Halgrimson

For many years, Percy Elman Mickelson was director of physical education in the Fargo public school system. He arrived in Fargo in 1925 after serving a year as athletic director in DeSmet, S.D., and three years in Brookings, S.D.

Born near Thor, Iowa, in August 1893, the son of Norwegian immigrants attended high school in Eagle Grove, Iowa, where he began an athletic career in most sports. His studies at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, were interrupted by World War I. But following service in the Army, Mickelson graduated with a bachelor’s degree and starred as a football player while also playing basketball and baseball for Morningside.

Mickelson is the man for whom the north Fargo park east of Elm Street and north of Eighth Avenue is named. In a Forum story, Sports Editor Eugene Fitzgerald wrote that no one knew what Mickelson’s first name was or how to pronounce his last name because he was always called “Mike.” However, I learned from Virginia Kolba, widow of longtime Fargo schools physical education teacher Joe Kolba, that Mickelson’s name was pronounced as if it was spelled “Michaelson,” thus the nickname, “Mike.” Fitzgerald also mentions that Mickelson saw the humor of his first two initials, P.E., which is the abbreviation for physical education. It is fitting that the park where softball is played was named for Mickelson because “Mike” set up the Red River Valley Softball Tournament Association of Fargo in 1932. He organized the North Dakota Softball Association for both men and women in 1934. In 1952, the National Amateur Softball Association said the one-day Fargo tournament was the largest of its kind in the world. When I was in high school, I had friends who played softball and I used to watch the games at Mickelson Field. I also watched my brother Craig play there. Mickelson’s accomplishments in promoting local sports were many. In 1928, he coached Fargo swimmers who gained national recognition. Later he organized the Fargo Aquatic Show in 1930 and, in 1945, he started the Red River Valley Aquatic Meet.

Mickelson was chairman of the Cass County Red Cross Water Safety Committee for eight years. He represented North Dakota in the Central District Health, Physical and Recreation Association. He officiated at both high school and college athletic competitions; as a football official for 25 years, basketball for 21 years and softball for 15 years. He was married to Gertrude VanderVoort in 1923, and they had a daughter and two sons. Mickelson died unexpectedly from a heart attack in July 1952 at his Fargo home. That August, the Fargo Park Board agreed to name what was then called the North Parade playgrounds area in memory of Mickelson.

Published - May 9, 2010
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/278085/group/News/