Anchorage Attla Memories

Did you watch the Open World Championship sled dog races during the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous? Remember Attla and Lombard?

In the photo above is George Attla as he is best remembered.

It all began in 1946, when a sled dog musher named Earl Norris first put together a one-day 17.5 mile sled dog race between himself and two other mushers.

The race was a big hit, Earl Norris won, and so began the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship sled dog race.

Who’s George Attla?

In 1958, a 25-year-old from Huslia, Alaska (located in the state’s interior), entered his first Fur Rendezvous sled dog race.

The young man had a stiff right leg, the result of having Tuberculosis when he was 8 years old. That alone seemed enough to keep him from doing much more than run the race. And, the young man wasn’t using his own dogs. Would this guy even finish the race?

But George didn’t let his stiff leg, or dog team, stop him.

Attla mushed his borrowed dogs to victory. He won that race in 1958 and 9 more over the years. He quickly earned the nickname, the “Huslia Hustler”.

The Competitor

1963 Photo by Helen Forest Shields

In the photo above is Dr. Roland Lombard, a veterinarian from Wayland, Massachusetts

Something happened in 1963 that made Alaskan’s take notice.

A man named Dr. Roland Lombard, from a far-off place called Wayland, Massachusetts, won the 1963 Fur Rendezvous sled dog race.

So who was this guy? And how dare an outsider from the lower 48, waltz up to Anchorage and beat our Alaska champion?

But Lombard wasn’t finished by a long shot.

Whatever our misgivings, Dr. Roland Lombard was by all accounts a gentleman, and he found a place in our hearts.

He also won the Fur Rendezvous race in 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1974. Giving him a total of 8 wins.

Not to be Outdone

George Attla’s record includes winning in 1958, 1962, 1968, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981 and 1988, for a total of 10 race wins.

BONUS

Yes, you can share this edition of the Anchorage Memories VIP Club.

And when you do, you’ll mush on to the top spot in the hearts of your friends and family.

Click on the following link:

Top of Their Game

For a time, watching George Attla race against Dr. Roland Lombard was like watching the Fur Rendezvous version of the Super Bowl.

Each year, we cheered on George Attla, and came to have a healthy respect for the fellow from the lower 48, named Dr. Lombard.

BONUS

“Soon we could hear people shouting in the distance, and everyone knew it was a Musher.

No, two Mushers were battling for position.

In 1969, JC Penney's in Anchorage, Alaska sponsored sled dog racing favorite George Attla, “the Huslia Hustler” in his bid to win that year's Fur Rendezvous sled dog race championship…”

Author Marci Peterson was there and tells this story.

Take a look at A Penney’s Worth of Mush and enjoy.

Spirit of the Wind

In 1979, also a year that George Attla won the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship sled dog race, a dramatic movie was released about George Attla’s life, titled “Spirit of the Wind”.

BONUS

You can watch the entire movie right here.

What Are Your Memories?

Did you enjoy watching the sled dog races? Were you on 4th Avenue, somewhere on the trail, or did you watch them on TV?

BONUS

What are your memories of the Fur Rendezvous? What were your favorite activities?

Take a look at these Fur Rendezvous Memories and enjoy.

From Our North Stars (that’s you)

From our look at Ulysses Grant (U.G.) Crocker:

“Thank you both so much for the wonderful memories.  I'm in Virginia now, and the first thing I do while having some tea in the morning is look up Anchorage Pioneers and remember how wonderful Anchorage is.  I lived in Checkmate Plaza on Boniface Parkway for a while in the 70s.  My best friend was born in Anchorage and still lives there.  There was a nightclub called the Elbow Room we used to go to on Friday night, great place.   Thank you so much, you always make my day.”

Avril

From our Whittier edition:

“When we arrived in Alaska in 1955, we lived in Whittier for a while. The name of the big building was the Buckner Building. 

Whittier was wonderful for an 8-year-old. My father was a lumber grader at the Morrison Knudsen mill. 

We had great times and the mill let Dad bring home all kinds of food.”

Sheila 

Connect with Us

Do you remember the music that KENI-TV channel 2 played when they were showing the Fur Rendezvous sled dog races?

Just click on the following to hear that familiar music right now.

This edition of your Anchorage Memories VIP Club has brought back plenty of great memories.

What are your memories of the Fur Rendezvous sled dog races? We’d love to hear from you.

Just reply to this email to share your memories. Or you can Contact Us to say, “I always wanted to be a musher and win the Fur Rendezvous sled dog race.”

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories.com