aaa
aaa
Replacing legends an ongoing event
by Steven Gardner
published in The Columbian
Aug. 10, 2002
aaa
The answer is Babe Dahlgren.
   The questions could be many. Who ran a business in Arcadia, Calif., for years? Who had a bit part in the 1942 Oscar-nominated movie "Pride of the Yankees"?
   But the famous event in Dahlgren's life happened to him by fluke. He replaced a legend.
   There is a lot of legend replacement going on in Clark County. The Edelweiss Inn in Hazel Dell closed earlier this year, marking the end of a 28-year run as the primary provider of German fare in Clark County.
   Papa's tried to fill the void and lasted a few months. Gustav's soon will begin building a Vancouver location. The company has already had success in Portland, so it stands a better chance of doing well here.
   In downtown Vancouver Doria's, A Lady's Boutique now operates where Melvin's Men's Shop did from 1939, the year New York Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig retired from baseball, to 1995, Yankee first baseman Don Mattingly's last season.
   On Friday, Dulin's Cafe opened where The Holland Restaurant operated for 68 years.
The Holland is the stuff of legend because of its longevity and because of the impact its former proprietor, George Propstra, continues to have in Vancouver.
   Propstra is creating his biggest legacy in his philanthropy. His most recent mark on the community is the $1.67 million Salmon Run Bell Tower in Esther Short Park, part of the $3.2 million he donated for the park.
   Propstra is not the only giver in Clark County, but his generosity is visible around the community, from the $5 million he donated to help build the Jim Parsley Center to the $7,000 he once donated to a child with cerebral palsy to pay for a computer allowing the child to communicate.
   It's that legacy to which other business owners aspire. Randy Anderson, who plans to build a miniature golf course next to his Cosmic Coffee/Planet Pizza restaurant in Orchards, said he hopes he can do a tenth of what Propstra has for the community.
   Filling Propstra's shoes may be like replacing Lou Gehrig.
   But just as it is in baseball, new legends are born every day.
   Although The Holland's longevity seems remarkable, Dulin's may be celebrating 50 years in business one day.
   As for Gehrig, he was a well-respected ballplayer, but he played in the shadow of Babe Ruth and later Joe Dimaggio.
   Nonetheless, he's part of Yankee lore, one of the best ever. He played in 2,130 consecutive games, a record that lasted as long as Melvin's Men's Shop.
   Who replaced him?
   The answer is Dahlgren, who didn't put up numbers like Gehrig did. He didn't even stay a Yankee. He did, however, have a 12-year career in the big leagues.
   After he retired, he ran a batting cage in Arcadia, Calif. where he offered private hitting lessons.
   When I was 12 years old I knew who Lou Gehrig was. But thanks to the generosity of my father, I found out who Dahlgren was when I took lessons from him.
   So who had the most impact? It depends on who you ask.
   To me, the answer is Babe Dahlgren.