Tony Fair
High School Honors
3 football letters: 1st Team All-PIL defensive back as a senior.
3 basketball letters: 2nd Team All-PIL as a senior.
3 baseball letters. 1st Team All-PIL outfielder as a junior and senior.
1 track & field letter as Sophomore.
Football, basketball and baseball Royal “C” Award. Most Valuable Player.
Post-High School Career
Earned four baseball letters as a starter at Portland State University, 1984-88. Record holder with most triples in a season (13).
B.S. degree in Art & Letters, 2025.
Played semi-pro baseball with Aloha Knights (aka Corvallis Knights), 1991-98, and remains an active board member of that organization. Also active with the Portland Basketball Officials Association (PBOA).
High school coaching roles have included positions at Jesuit, Benson, Roosevelt and Jefferson. Worked as a Tri-Met supervisor in Portland before relocating to Montana where he also works as a public transportation supervisor.
Commentary
I would first like to recognize my late mother, Frances L. Fair, and my late grandmother, Frances L. Walker, the women that always showed me unconditional Love. To my dad, O.C. Fair, thank you for showing me how to provide for a family.
Reflecting, I can’t completely recall if my first organized sport was running track or playing basketball with ASP (Albina Sports Program) around 5th grade. My first coaches were Mr. and Mrs. Walden. I want to thank you both for allowing me to participate in your programs. I do remember our teams won a lot.
A fond memory before high school was going out for football in 7th grade. In one practice we had a tackling drill with the ball carrier going against two defenders with no blocker. It didn’t go well for me that day! The hit I got convinced me that football wasn’t for me that year.
The good news is that I returned the following year. Eighth grade Cleveland Pop Warner football was officially my first year of playing football and my coaches made it a great experience. Special “Thank you” to Mitch and Mark Gronvold for coaching me one year. Special thanks to the late Robert Gill. Coach Gill and the Stephens family welcomed me into their families with open arms at a vital time in my life.
What I remember most about my freshman year was mom and dad coming to my football game with Cleveland-rival Franklin. It was the only game my mom was able to attend throughout my early athletic career. I had to get stitches after the game. Mom wasn’t too thrilled about me playing football after that day.
Big thanks to my high school coaches, Lonnie Beach, Fred Friemark, Terry Williams, Gary Tash, Bruce Alton, and Ron Eilers. Shoutout to Jack Dunn, John Dunn, Greg Franks, Gabe Sandy, and Jan Watt for all their support. To my good friend Dan Segel, you inspire me daily with your devotion to making things better for others through the sport of baseball. Lastly, thank you to the PIL Committee for this honorable recognition.
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