(Jan. 4, 1914 – Sep. 22, 1989) A native of Portland, George Yerkovich, has combined distinguished years of service in sports with a notable career in politics. He was four times elected auditor for the City of Portland, attended Portland’s Washington High School and Southern Oregon College where he participated in three sports. At Southern Oregon he won the Southern Oregon-Northern California Jack Dempsey Boxing Tournament light heavyweight championship.

Yerkovich refereed basketball for 20 years, including many seasons in the Pacific Coast Conference. He was involved with the boxing, basketball, wrestling, and weightlifting programs at the Multnomah Athletic Club. He was also a charter member of the Oregon Sportswriters and Sportscasters.

He helped build Little League ball parks and coached youth basketball and baseball teams. For more than 25 years he was instrumental in athletic fundraising for Portland State.

His contributions to boxing probably are the most outstanding. He served as chairman of the World Boxing Association championship committee. He was one of only 31 men in the United States to serve on the executive board of the World Boxing Council. He was executive secretary of the Portland Municipal Boxing Commission and chairman of the March of Dimes Fight for Life boxing program.

Winner of several awards during his career we now add the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame’s Marion J. Pericin Special Contribution to Sports Award to his accolades.