Oak Harbor super fan Bernie Lange, 100 years old and going strong, joins his sons to watch Wildcat football. (John Fisken photos)
Whidbey Island’s most durable high school football fan was right where he wanted to be Friday night.
Oak Harbor’s Bernie Lange, who recently turned 100, was back at Wildcat Stadium to watch his school clash with Stanwood on the gridiron.
He doesn’t get to as many games as he did in the past, which makes a Bernie sighting a big deal for fellow ‘Cat fans.
During his heyday, Lange once put together a stretch where he missed less than a dozen contests from a 700+ game span.
He was also a devoted basketball and wrestling buff who was also known to drop by for the occasional baseball, softball, and girls’ tennis rumbles.
A member of the OHHS Class of 1945, Lange did a year-plus tour of duty with the United States Army during World War II, before returning to The Rock, where he has made his home since.
After returning to Oak Harbor, he played in a city basketball league, raced dirt-track cars, then moved into coaching, starting with little league.
The youth basketball and football programs in Oak Harbor were founded through the efforts of Lange and his compatriots and thrive to this day.
The Lange family made their presence felt Friday night.
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