Tom Pomroy Jr. will go down as one of the all-time great athletes that the Mining City ever produced.

He earned All-State honors in football, basketball and track as a senior at Butte High School. He earned seven varsity letters and shared the 1976 Harry “Swede” Dahlberg Award for outstanding boy athlete with Dan Bersanti.

Pomroy, who will turn 67 later this month, went on to play football and run track at Montana State University. He was a freshman when coach Sonny Holland’s Bobcats won the NCAA Division II national championship in 1976.

After college, Pomroy got into handball. He is on the short list of the greatest handball players from Butte. He racked up multiple State titles — winning Open and Masters crowns in singles and doubles.

In his mid to late 40s, Pomroy defied his doctor’s orders and returned to the sport despite having two really bad shoulders. He won the State Masters title three out of four years form 2002 through 2005.

He was inducted into the Butte Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. Twelve years later, he was joined by his father, Tom Pomroy Sr.

Tom Pomroy Jr. was also a longtime teacher and coach. He coached in Browning before coaching boys’ and girls’ basketball at Butte Central and Butte High. Perhaps his biggest win as a coach came on Sept. 10, 1987. That is when Butte Central upset Butte High 55-52 at the Butte Civic Center.

Of course, that win had a whole lot to do with the play of the great Julie Leary and a clutch basket by Gina Ossello. Perhaps the biggest hero was whoever twisted the knee of Butte High star Anna Wherry before the game.

Listen in to this podcast, which was recorded inside the Coaches Corner at Metals Sports Bar & Grill, as Pomroy discusses his playing and coaching career. Listen as we talk about that big win over Butte High and a scuffle he once had with the Missoula Hellgate band at the Class AA State tournament.

Listen as he talks about the many great athletes he competed with or against as a player and a coach. Listen as he talks about the joy of watching his grandchildren compete in sports.

Listen to his take on the great Tommy Mellott and the current Bobcats making a deep playoff run.

Today’s podcast is presented by Casagranda’s Steakhouse. Eat where the locals eat.