Gonzaga University Athletics

Summarizing Joey August’s life in sports: excelled as a boxer, coach, trainer, official and sponsor. Boxing in the 1930’s, August won several AAU championships and then a Pacific Coast collegiate title at the University of Idaho. As a pro, he won 14 or 15 lightweight bouts. He coached winning boxing teams here for a dozen seasons – his 1950 club shared the NCAA championship. As a trainer, August gave his time and talents to multitudes of athletes at every level, ranging from the Spokane Indians of Ferris Field days to State B Basketball Tournament players. August gained national recognition as a boxing official and was invited to officiate at the 1960 Olympic Games. As to his unflagging sponsorship of area athletics, August minimized that over the years, stating he was just putting something back into his hometown. But a local writer once observed, “Joey was putting back long before he ever started taking out.”