George "Dad" Center
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George David "Dad" Center
"Dad" Center was Club Captain, swimming coach, paddler and supporter of athletics at the Outrigger Canoe Club from 1908 to his death in 1962. He is also credited with starting beach volleyball in 1915, coached the US Olympic Swimming team in 1920, and organized the resurgence of canoe racing in 1934.
OCC Canoe Racing Champions 1908-1909
Outrigger Canoe Club's first canoe racing champions were, front: Kenneth Brown, Ted Melanphy and Dad Center. Back: Knute Cotrell, Vizen Genoves, Harry Steiner. They were undefeated in 1908 and 1909.
OCC Canoe Racing team 1920s
Dad Center, second from left, and three members of his Outrigger Canoe Club crew c1920s.
George "Dad Center" and Albert E. "Toots" Minvielle
"Dad" and "Toots" watch the ocean from the beach of the Outrigger Canoe Club, c1915.
Canoe Riding Waikiki 1917
Dad Center steers a canoe in Waikiki that included Sonny Ruttman and Charlie Lambert is seats 1 and 2, and Josephine Hopkins sitting behind Dad. 1917
OCC Canoe Racing Team
George "Dad" Center sits in seat one as his crew waits to paddle out for a race. In the background is the Outrigger Canoe Club pavilion. Canoes were stored at beach level, and the pavilion was used for dancing and social gatherings.
OCC Canoe Rides c1917
Dad Center steers the canoe on the right c 1917 in Waikiki.
Regatta Day 1919
Dad Center strokes his crew in the Hanakeoki to a victory on Regatta Day, September 20, 1919 in Honolulu Harbor. They beat Hui Nalu in the race. Seated behind Center were Charlie Lambert, Sonny Ruttman, Harold Harvey, Francis Bowers and Edric Cook.
The Princess Canoe c1920
George "Dad" Center steers Charlie Amalu's canoe Princess in Waikiki c1920.
American Swimming Team 1919
Dad Center, front, left, and some of his Hawaii swimmers were on hand to meet a group of Mainland swimmers who came to Hawaii in October 1919 to swim against Center's Hawaiian swimmers. Middle: Norman Ross, Stubby Kruger, Franco Cowles Schroth, Bea Dowsett, Coach Bill Bachrach, unknown, unknown Lundy Luger, unknown.
OCC Swim Team c1920
Dad Center, seated in suit, and some of his Outrigger Canoe Club swimmers, c1920.
Outrigger Pavilion Waikiki
Enjoying a day at the Outrigger Canoe Club in 1919 were swimmers Lundy Luger, Helen Moses, Duke Kahanammoku, Dad Center, Warren Kealoha, Pua Kealoha and Bill Harris.
Outrigger Canoe Paddling c 1920
"Dad" Center, left, and a group of young men he is teaching to paddle canoes, on the beach in front of the Outrigger Canoe Club.
Winning OCC Girls Relay Team 1921
Outrigger Canoe Club 200-yard Girls Relay Team. Winners of Yale-Hawaii Tank Meet, July 29, 1921, Time: 2:1 2/5 sec. E. Cassidy, Mariechen Wehselau, Coach Dad Center, Helen Moses, Ruth Scudder.
Winning OCC Men's Relay Team 1921
Winners of the Yale-Hawaii Swimming Meet 600-yard relay team on August 1, 1921 in a time of 5:53 3/5 were Dad Center's Outrigger Canoe Club team of W. W. Harris, Gay Harris, C. Meyers, Dad Center, A. E. "Toots" MInvielle, F. Turner and Duke Kahanamoku.
George "Dad" Center
Surfing in Waikiki c1923.
"Dad" Center
George "Dad" Center, standing right, in front of Duke's surfboard, stands with the boys and girls he coached in swimming, photographed on the Outrigger Canoe Club volleyball court, c 1920.
George "Dad" Center
Surfing at Waikiki in the early 1920s.
Duke Kahanamoku & "Dad" Center
Duke and Dad are loaded with lei as they left for the 1924 Olympic Games.
Dad Center
Dad Center, center, and some of his swimmers: Eric Hebbe, Beatrice Dowsett, Babe Dowsett, Helen Martin.
"Dad" Center's Men's Swim Team 1925
Dad Center, right in front of Duke's surfboard, is shown with the boys of the Outrigger Canoe Club that he coached in swimming. The picture is taken on the OCC sand volleyball courts about 1925.
Walter J. Macfarlane Canoe Regatta 1943
The racing committee for the Outrigger Canoe Club's 1943 Walter J. Macfarlane Regatta: Duke Kahanamoku, John D. Kaupiko, Dad Center, Gay Harris, Charlie Amalu, Edric Cook.
George "Dad" Center
Outrigger Canoe Club members gathered to honor George "Dad" Center. Front: Bill Barnhart, Bob Fischer, Dad Center, James Mann, Coli Ryland, Hugh Howard. Back: Ernie Stenberg, Fred Steere, Bob Grosjean, Toots Minvielle, Bob Bush, Lex Brodie, Bill Capp, Vince Danford,
George "Dad" Center
Dad Center is presented his portrait by Mariechen Wehselau Jackson, one of his world-record setting Olympic swimmers. The painting is in oils by Bill Erwin and presented in April 1960
George "Dad" Center
Celebrating Dad Center at an Outrigger Canoe Club party were John D Kaupiko, Dad Center, Duke Kahanamoku, Bob Fischer. October 21, 1950.
George "Dad" Center
"Dad"Center admires the Sam Poepoe Memorial Trophy which he fostered in 1961. The perpetual award was given to the winner of the Boys 14 and under event winner at the Walter Macfarlane Regatta in memory of the of the Outrigger Canoe Club's all-time great athlete.
George "Dad" Center c1950s
George "Dad" Center