MARTIN PRATT

Multnomah Amateur Athletic Club Winged M's

Tackle / Manager

1896 - 1915

After playing tackle for Portland High in 1894-1895, Pratt won the tackle position for the Multnomah Athletic Club in 1896 after serving as a high school reserve with the MAAC JV in 1895 at the age of 15.  For the next 13 seasons he would anchor the tackle spot with the exception of 1898 when his military service took priority as a 17-year old infantryman.

In 1898 Pratt was enlisted to fight in the Philippines with the 2nd Oregon Regiment as one of the first infantry units sent when the Spanish-American War broke out.

Upon his return, the MAAC would go on a tear through the region, losing only one game from 1899 to 1902, a New Years Day loss to the Reliance Club of San Francisco to kick off 1902.  Twenty-six of those outings would be shut-outs by the Winged M defense anchored at tackle by Pratt.

By 1900 he was named captain and earned All-Oregon honors. The young Martin was becoming the stonewall defender sports writers loved to write about as evidenced by his supreme play against the legendary Chemawa Indian School team in 1902.  His defensive play limited the powerful Indian offense to short plunges into the line and the waiting arms of Pratt.  Pratt was even being called upon with the "tackle around" play carrying the load behind a wall of blockers for a 40-yard TD against Whitman College.  That 1902 team would go undefeated, tied with the All-Oregon Collegiate team and defeating the California Reliance Club on New Years Day.

He was tabbed honorable mention "All Big 3" in 1907 as a two-way tackle in his 11th season which was a down year for the club which finished 4-6, rebounding with a New Years Day win over St. Louis University of Missouri.

Pratt was elected manager in February 1908 and the team had it's greatest financial success while also turning the team around to an 8-2 record losing only to Oregon University and Whitworth College on New Years Day; he was just 27 years old.  Martin would again serve as team manager from 1911, 1912, 1914, and 1915 after stepping away from managerial duties to focus on his business in 1909 and 1910.  From 1911 to 1915 the MAAC would sport a 24-4-3 going undefeated in 1911 and 1913.

When Frank E. Watkins put together his All-Time All-Star list of Multnomah players in 1914, he and Dow Walker, superintendent of the Multnomah Club were in agreement that Pratt was one of the two best tackles in club history along with Hall of Famer George McMillan.

When the Spalding Football League was formed in 1915, Pratt was elected President.

Pratt would serve as a game official for High School games in 1916 as well as serving as Multnomah County Sheriff Deputy, later being appointed Sheriff in 1930 and served until 1948.  He passed away in 1954 at the age of 73 having served as President of the Pacific Coast International Association of Law Enforcement Officers.