Dr. Arthur Wahl, Dentist And Little League Fan

Dr. Arthur E. Wahl, who practiced dentistry in Kirkland and Seattle for 51 years, worked until he was 80. And even then, he quit only because his eyesight was failing.

"He didn't think people would appreciate a dentist who was blind working on them," joked his son Arthur Wahl of Seattle.

"Dad had seen two to three generations of clients over the years and during World War II was the only dentist in Kirkland. They wouldn't let him in the Army because he was too old. That bothered him."

Dr. Wahl also helped bring Little League baseball to the West Coast.

"He really loved baseball, his son Art played, and we all went to games together," said his friend Roy Escott. "Roy was a great supporter."

Dr. Wahl died of heart failure Sunday (Dec. 14). He was 92.

He played baseball growing up in his native Eureka, Calif. After graduating from high school, he worked for Standard Oil and logged but finally decided on becoming a dentist. He graduated from the University of Oregon School of Dentistry in 1933.

He began a practice in Kirkland. In 1935 he also opened a Seattle practice. He spent alternate days in each office, until 1947 when he moved his entire practice to Seattle. But his heart remained in Kirkland, where he and some friends, including a former Everett coach, introduced Little League baseball to the Northwest.

"They followed the evolution of Little League baseball on the East Coast, which was major-league baseball with cut-down fields," said Dr. Wahl's son. "The group put up money to buy the first uniforms, bats, balls and bases, built a fence and hired umpires."

Dr. Wahl also golfed and boated.

"He was a smart guy," his son said. "Very quiet, never said much, one of these guys who seemed to have the world by the tail. He knew his place in life, knew what he liked and didn't really give a damn about the rest of it. Stress just rolled off him. He never coached because he would have never yelled at anybody."

Dr. Wahl's other survivors include his wife of 62 years, Leona Wall of Redmond; son Robert Wahl of Prosser, Benton County; and four grandchildren.

Services are at 10 a.m. today at Green's Kirkland Funeral Home, 400 State St., Kirkland.

Remembrances may go to Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, 4610 Viburnum Court S., Seattle, WA 98108.

Carole Beers' phone message number is 206-464-2391. Her e-mail address is: cbee-new@seatimes.com