February 5, 2005 Foley Cultural Center

1

Thank You Sponsors

Di Angelo’s Engraving

Charles Can Cook

Mike Merriweather New York Life Insurance Company www.pro58.com

Pepsi Bottling Company Kendall-Jackson Tri-Eagle Beverage Fabulous Catering Michael’s Southern Delights

Silent Auction Contributions Steve Reed, Capital Advisors Consulting Inc. Dave Thomas Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Powell Congressman George Miller Team Chevrolet Pepsi Bottling Company Mr. and Mrs. Ed Sowash Tri-Eagle Beverage Tony Pearsall 2

Special Thanks

Martin Wyatt ABC Channel 7 News

The Vallejo Times Herald Hall of Fame Logo design by Ruth Schneider

The Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame Committee Jerry Coleman Mark Mazzaferro Doug Long Marilyn Ifland Rich Freedman Mike Kollar Stan McWilliams Jack Renfro Jim Hunt

Event Coordinator: Penelope Leach Biographies: Mark Mazzaferro, author Jim Hunt, research

PAL

GVRD Staff Nancy Abruzzo, Aileen Jamison, Dayna Azbury, Loretta Pastor

Donations DL Hurd Chuck Hewitt

3

Dick Biama

For many Bay Area sports fans, great players can be identified simply by the number on their back. Number 24 represents perhaps the greatest player of all time, Willie Mays. Joe Montana’s number 16 is a symbol of cool confidence and unmatched achievement. The Oakland Raiders’ Jim Otto’s double 00 stood for strength, dedication and durability.

In Vallejo, the number 43 will always represent one of the finest athletes and coaches ever to pull on a jersey or hold a clipboard, Dick Biama. Biama wore number 43 during his playing days, and his sons – Richard, Chuck, Steve and Dave – as well as his grandsons – A.J. and Brian – have all worn number 43 since, in honor of their father and grandfather.

And why not? During his playing days Biama was one of the finest athletes to grace a field in Vallejo, and maybe in all of California. After being named All- Conference in football and baseball his senior year in high school, Biama went to St. Mary’s on a football scholarship in 1941. But with World War II underway, he entered the service in 1942, serving in the infantry in Europe until 1945.

Upon his return to Vallejo, Biama entered Vallejo Junior College, picking up where he left off. He was named all-conference as a quarterback in football, and the team was ranked third in the nation with Biama at quarterback. He was also named all-conference as a third baseman in baseball.

In two years at SCC, Biama’s teams tied with Menlo College twice for the league championship in football. In the 1947 title game, Solano and Menlo played to a tie at the end of regulation, and Menlo won the league title by way of a coin toss. His success at football continued as he went on to Fresno State, where he was named to the All- CCAA Coaches All State Football Team as a running back and was an all-conference player in baseball, handing catching duties for the Bulldogs.

After hanging up his spikes as a player, Biama came back to Vallejo to begin his teaching and coaching career, taking over head coaching duties in football and baseball at Vallejo Junior High School in 1950. By 1956 he was assistant football coach at , and was eventually named head baseball coach. Biama continued to pursue his education, receiving his master’s degree from San Francisco State in 1958.

In 1962 he moved over to Hogan High School, where he was named the school’s first football coach and head baseball coach as well. His biggest move came in 1964, when Biama took over the football program at Solano Community College, a position he held until 1972. In 1971, he was named the college’s athletic director and chair of the Physical Education

Department. Biama retired in 1981 and was inducted into the SCC Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

4

Jerry Bradley

A few years ago the NCAA had a problem: Too many of the best players were recruited and given scholarships at just a few universities. In an effort to level the playing field, officials limited the number of scholarships a school could offer, thereby spreading the talent around.

Jerry Bradley faced a similar situation on a much smaller scale and more local level. As a student at Vallejo High School, he was a smallish kid, buried behind classmates who appeared to be bigger, stronger and faster.

As a result Bradley toiled away, playing “B” , junior varsity baseball and the like during his sophomore year with the Spartans. Over that summer, however, Bradley went through a growth spurt, putting on 30 pounds and growing almost eight inches. Despite the changes, football coaches considered him a small, quick “overachiever” who was “getting faster.” Bradley did make the varsity baseball team as a utility player who had a knack for getting on base his junior year, though. That’s when things took a turn in Bradley’s favor, or, as he put it, “Thank God for Hogan High School.”

The City’s newest high school opened, and Bradley was sent to the east side of Vallejo for his senior year. Once there he got a chance to play football, and he took full advantage of it, scoring the first and second touchdowns in the history of the school as well as throwing the first touchdown pass in school history, leading the Spartans to the North Bay League title and being named all-league in the process. He led the school in passing, rushing and kick returns and was most valuable player of the first “Big Game” – an 18-7 Hogan victory. Bradley ran 87 yards for a score and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass in the game.

He didn’t stop there, being named all-league in baseball as a swift centerfielder and winning the NBL league title in the 100 yard dash with a time of 9.7 seconds, a time he later cut down to 9.5 seconds. From there it was on to Cal, where Bradley was a walk-on on the freshman football squad. He caught five touchdown passes in one game his first season and earned the nickname “Bird.” His exploits earned him a scholarship in 1964, and again Bradley took advantage of his opportunity, leading the Bears in receiving yardage and touchdowns and being named MVP his senior year as well as All Pac-10 and Honorable Mention All- American. Bradley led the Pac-10 in punt returns three years, from ’64 to ’66, and in his senior season Bradley ran back two punts for touchdowns and led the team in scoring with seven TDs. He twice led the team in receiving – ’65 and ’66 – and is third all-time on the Cal career punt return list and seventh on the career kickoff return list. Bradley holds the eighth and ninth spots on the longest punt returns list, with TD runs of 76 yards against Pittsburgh on Oct. 1, 1966 and a 73-yard jaunt against Washington State on Sept. 17, 1966.

Was Bradley tough? Along with three years of collegiate football, he spent three years playing rugby, and was a member of the 1965 touring team that many consider the best college rugby team of all time. After leaving Cal, Bradley played for four years in the Canadian Football League, spending a year with the Toronto Argonauts and three more seasons with the British Columbia Lions. As a member of the Lions, Bradley led the team in two years and punt returns three years.

In 1982 Bradley was elected to the University of California’s all-time football team as the kick-return specialist, and was honored as the all-time passer-runner at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Vallejo-Hogan Big Game.

5

Bobby Campo

In the days before the metric system, track athletes ran the 100 yard dash. A time of 10 seconds for an athlete in training was astounding, with the world record hovering around 9.5 seconds. One day while Bobby Campo was at baseball practice at San Francisco State, the track coach grabbed him and asked him to run the 100 yard dash just to see how quick he really was. When the coach hit the stopwatch a second time, Campo had covered the distance in an “unofficial” time of 9.9 seconds – from a standing start while wearing baseball cleats.

Impressive, yes, but considering Campo’s athletic history, maybe not. Campo moved to Vallejo from Oklahoma when he was 7 and attended Everest Elementary and Carquinez Elementary before moving on to Franklin Junior High School and eventually Vallejo High School on the old 4-4-6 program.

He was an All-City linebacker in junior high school, and was City batting champ in the 10th grade. His junior high years were just a portent of things to come. While attending Vallejo High School in 1958 and 1959, Campo’s teams won league titles in baseball, basketball and football, when he was team captain and Most Valuable Player in all three sports.

But his athletic career didn’t end there. After graduating in 1959, Campo moved on to Vallejo Junior College, where in 1961 he was named a JC All-American at running back and was selected to participate in 1961 All America Junior Classic in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He continued his winning ways at San Francisco State, where he played football and baseball. As a wide receiver, the 1962 football team won the league championship, while the baseball team took home the league title in 1963 with Campo hitting lead-off and playing the outfield.

Campo eventually graduated from SF State with a degree in business before earning his MBA from St. Mary’s College in Moraga. Awards he received while playing sports included the Dr. Quimney Scholar-Athlete Award in 1959; the Vallejo Times-Herald Business Scholar-Athlete Award upon graduating from Vallejo Junior College in 1962; and he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society at Vallejo Junior College.

Campo retired from PG&E in 1994 after 30 years and is currently semi-retired. He and his wife, Loana, have two children: Rick, 42 and Robin, 37. Rick, by the way, was the on the Fullerton team coached by Vallejoan Augie Garrido which defeated Texas for the national title in college baseball in 1984. 6

Eddie Chavez

For many people who served in the military, being discharged meant a return to their homes and picking up where they left off. Eddie Chavez was no different.

When his college career was over, Eddie got a call from several major league teams, including the , offering him a professional contract. Instead, Chavez signed on with the United States Armed Forces and played baseball for the Army.

But that didn’t stop scouts from calling. Upon his discharge he entered San Francisco State University to get his teaching credential and was again contacted by the New York Yankees. And once again, the man called by many “one of the greatest all-around athletes to graduate from St. Vincent’s High School” turned down the offer to finish his credential program at college.

A three-sport star at St. Vincent’s, Eddie was a letterman all four years of varsity competition in football, basketball and baseball. He was an all-league choice four straight years in baseball and basketball, and an all-league selection three years in football.

Over his high school basketball career he was one of the top scorers in the Catholic Athletic League and in 1947 was named Northern California Player of the Year by the Sacramento Bee. In baseball, Eddie mesmerized hitters with an 80-mph-plus fastball, averaging seven strikeouts a game, while in football he was quarterback of the varsity squad for his entire high school career.

Naturally, that athletic ability drew interest from many colleges, including scholarship offers in football from St. Mary’s, Notre Dame and Santa Clara, scholarship offers in basketball from St. Mary’s, Santa Clara, Arizona and the University of San Francisco, while St. Mary’s and Santa Clara were offering a free ride in baseball.

Ultimately, Eddie chose a football scholarship from Santa Clara, but two games into his first season a shoulder injury ended that dream. But Santa Clara, knowing a good thing when it saw one, switched the scholarship from football to basketball. Eddie then started his freshman and sophomore years in college before switching again to baseball. He played on Santa Clara’s baseball team for four years, impressing scouts from the Yankees, , and .

Even with all those offers, Eddie stuck to his plan and became a teacher and coach, starting at St. Mary’s High School in Berkeley in 1955 and transferring to in 1959. During his 50-year career as a teacher and coach, Chavez did his best to emulate one of his first mentors, St. Vincent’s Coach Clarence Marshall.

Along with tonight’s induction in to the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame, Chavez has been inducted into the St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School Hall of Fame, the St. Mary’s High School Hall of Fame and the Marin County Hall of Fame. Eddie now lives in Ross with his wife of 49 years, Eileen. The couple has six sons.

7

Charlie Fuller

Chances are not too many Hall of Fame inductees in any endeavor would have the nickname “slow motion.”

But believe it or not, that was Charlie Fuller’s nickname in high school. The conventional wisdom is that he earned the nickname by making his opponents look like they were moving in slow motion while Fuller, a speedy athlete who set numerous records on the track, blazed by them.

One doesn’t have to look too far to see Fuller’s name sprinkled about the Vallejo High School record book. As a football player, Fuller was the team’s second leading rusher and second in scoring during the 1950s, running out of the tailback position in Vallejo’s trademark short punt formation. It has been said that Fuller was capable of turning any play into a touchdown run from anywhere on the field, and in fact he averaged eight yards a carry during his high school career. Fuller was considered the most dangerous breakaway runner in North Bay League play.

A two-time unanimous choice for all NBL football squad, Fuller helped lead the Apaches to back to back league football titles in 1955 and 1956.

But football wasn’t his only sport, as the swift Fuller spent an equal amount of time running track, competing as a hurdler, in the broad jump and as a member of the relay team, leading the Vallejo High School Apaches to two North Bay League track championships.

Fuller took the next step to Vallejo Junior College, playing football for two more seasons and picking up a Coast Conference championship before transferring for his junior and senior seasons to San Francisco State. As a Gator, Fuller led his team in six offensive categories and by the time he graduated he held seven offensive school records.

Drafted by the , Fuller was released by the team, but immediately picked up by the Oakland Raiders who used the speedy back during the 1961 and 1962 seasons – just the second and third years in the history of the franchise. Fuller averaged 3.5 yards a carry for the Raiders as a running back while picking up an average of 20.2 yards per catch as a receiver during his NFL career.

Fuller was enshrined in the Solano Community College Hall of Fame in 2002.

8

Ted Gebhardt

It has been said that those who can’t do, teach... or coach. Whoever said it never met Ted Gebhardt.

As a player, Gebhardt was considered a triple- threat running back for the 1933-34 Vallejo Apaches football team. He was named co- captain of the ’34 squad, coached by Bruno Pellegrini, and earned two letters. Along with his accomplishments in football, he was a two-year letterman in basketball and track and field for the Apaches as well.

But it didn’t end there. Gebhardt went on to star in football at Marin Junior College before attending the University of Oregon. While playing for the Ducks, Gebhardt won all-Pacific Coast Conference honors and was an honorable mention All-American his senior year.

But like those before him, Gebhardt returned to Vallejo and began coaching the Vallejo High School team in 1944. He then moved on to Vallejo Junior College and served as an assistant coach from 1946 to 1948 under Colin Kilby.

Gebhardt took over the head coaching position at Vallejo JC in 1949, and held that post through 1963, Along the way his teams won seven Golden Valley Conference titles in 11 seasons; two Coast Conference championships in five years; and won over 130 games during his 19-year career as a head coach at the high school and junior college level. He led the Vallejo Junior College squad to three JC bowls games during his tenure.

In 1957 Gebhardt was named Northern California Junior College Coach of the Year. In 1999 he was enshrined into the Solano College Sports Hall of Fame.

9

Nikki Gianulias

The internet is a wonderful thing. For example, if you enter the date “December 5,” any number of web sites will inform you that’s the day Nicole “Nikki” Gianulias, Ladies Professional Bowlers Tour Rookie of the Year in 1979, was born in Vallejo, California.

Gianulias, who bowled for the University of Santa Clara, received the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow award in 1978, sending her well on her way to bowling stardom.

Having started bowling at the age of 11, “Nikki G.” started piling up honors right from the start of her professional career. After being named 1979 Rookie of the Year, Gianulias was named the Bowler of the Year in 1982, when she led all women bowlers with an average score of 210.63 – the second year in a row she posted the highest average score.

Nikki’s honors include being inducted into the Women’s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, the Women’s Professional Bowling Hall of Fame, and the Northern California Bowling Hall of Fame. She is 16th on the career earnings list with $642,260 and has won 19 professional titles and 14 regional titles.

Other honors collected by Nikki include being a four-time WIBC All-American; four-time Bowler’s Journal All-American; 1982 New York Metro Bowling Writers Women Bowler of the Year; 1983 Zoe Cavalaris National Hellenic Women Athlete of the Year; 1986 LPBT “Robby Award” winner; 1986 Pro-Grip Cup for LPBT high average with record 213.89; and has bowled a 300 (perfect) game seven times and had high series 825 five times.

10

Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon was born in Vallejo on August 4, 1971. Now, 34 years later, he has become a symbol of modern stock car racing and one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport.

He has run bumper to bumper with Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jarrett and beaten them all. Gordon has won the Daytona 500 twice, the Brickyard 400 twice, the Southern 500 four consecutive times and the Nextel Cup Championship four times. But sandwiched somewhere in between his birth in Vallejo and his most recent success in the Number 24 DuPont Chevrolet is about a million miles of racing on dirt tracks, in go-karts and on some of the funkiest tracks in America.

Gordon’s stepfather bought him a quarter midget race car when Jeff was 5; he won his first quarter midget championship at 8; and by the time he was 9 Gordon was beating drivers 17 and older.

And as he got older, he got better. By the time Gordon was 11 he was competing in – and winning - the Quarter Midget Nationals. Gordon raced at tracks in Rio Linda, Sunnyvale, Visalia and Pomona to name a few.

At age 14 Jeff and his parents moved from Vallejo to Florida and, ultimately, Pittsboro, Indiana. Just a few miles from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Gordon was able to race in open wheel cars and, with his parents’ permission, against adults – something he could not do in California.

Jeff got his United States Auto Club license at the age of 16 – the youngest driver to ever get a license with USAC at the time – and in 1989 he was named USAC Rookie of the Year. That same year, Gordon graduated from high school, was named prom king, and already had over 100 wins under his belt.

A year later Gordon won the USAC Midget Championship, followed by, at age 20, the USAC Silver Crown Division championship – the youngest driver to ever win that title. That same year Gordon ran his first NASCAR Busch Grand National race and eventually was named Rookie of the Year honors. After grabbing 11 Busch pole positions in 1992, Rick Hendrick signed him to a Winston Cup contract.

In 1993 Gordon proved Hendrick made the right move, as Gordon was named Rookie of the Year, finished 14th overall in the points standings, took second place in the grueling Coca-Cola 600 and won one of the Twin-125s at the Daytona 500. His first career visit to Sears Point (now Infineon) Raceway that year resulted in an 11th-place finish. Since then Gordon has won at Infineon four times, including three straight wins from 1998 to 2000 and another win in 2004.

His breakthrough year came in 1994, when he won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and followed that up with an impressive victory in the inaugural Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He finished the season eighth in the points chase.

Gordon won his first Winston Cup (now Nextel) title in 1995, with seven wins; his second title in 1997 with eight wins and his third title the following year with nine victories. Finally, in 2001, Gordon won his fourth Winston Cup title.

In his career, Jeff Gordon has made 401 Nextel Cup starts, won 69 races and taken the pole position 52 times. His career earnings total almost $65 million. Along with his racing career and numerous endorsement deals, Gordon has appeared as a guest host of “Live with Regis and Kelly” and recently helped with the City of Vallejo’s “Keep Vallejo Clean” campaign, lending his image to a series of posters and public service announcements.

11

Larry Himes

As a kid, Larry Himes played the three major sports and played them well. Baseball, basketball, and football were all a part of his daily routine while attending Carquinez Heights Grammar School, Franklin Junior High School, Vallejo Junior High School and Vallejo High School.

In fact, the older he got, the better he played. While his teams won championships in all three sports in grammar school, it wasn’t until high school that Himes was named all-league in basketball and baseball.

Clearly, his best sport – at least the one in which he received the most recognition – was baseball. In 1958-59, while playing at Vallejo Junior College, he was an all-league selection in baseball, and played in the American Legion district and regional championships for Post 550. He was selected as the Northern California representative in the 1959 USA Hearst Classic All Star Game played in New York City.

Himes went on to the University of Southern California and played baseball there as well, being named All-American at catcher in 1961. Himes then began a stretch of nine seasons in the minor leagues – four at “AA” and five at “AAA,” making stops at spots such as Vancouver, British Columbia; Columbia, South Carolina; Macon Georgia; and Amarillo, Texas. And while his playing ability never landed him a job in the major leagues, his keen eye for talent and knowledge of the game resulted in a major league career nonetheless. He spent two seasons as an associate scout with the Kansas City Royals for the 1972-73 seasons, then moved on to the California Angels, where he served as amateur scout from 1973 to 1980 and then scouting director for the team from 1981 to 1986. Himes was twice named of the year of the Pioneer League while managing the Angels’ Idaho Falls affiliate. As a manager, Himes compiled a career record of 154-131 finishing first in 1975, second in 1976 and third in 1977 and 1978. He then moved into the general manager’s office with the , holding that position for five years before heading to the north side of Chicago and the job of GM with the Cubs, a position he held for three seasons before returning to scouting duties for the Cubs.

12

D.L. Hurd

Greatness is defined in many ways. Some look at individual statistics. Others look at accomplishments on a team level. Still others feel the main qualification for entrance into any sports Hall of Fame should be championships and championships alone.

D.L. Hurd, in that case, may be overqualified.

From his sophomore year until the day he left college, Hurd played on 18 championship teams, including seven in baseball, six in football and five in basketball.

Five of those titles came while a member of the Vallejo High School Apaches sports teams. Between 1953 and 1954 Hurd and his teammates won two North Bay League football titles, two NBL basketball titles and one baseball title. Along the way, Hurd was selected All-North Bay in football and basketball as well as earning All North Coast and All Northern California High School Basketball honors.

The kid could play.

Hurd took his winning ways to Vallejo Junior College, where the Redskins won five more conference titles, including Coast Conference championships in football, baseball and basketball.

The 6-foot-3 Hurd averaged 19 points per game in basketball, and was considered one of the toughest rebounders in the league. Named All-Coast Conference and All-Northern California Junior College, Hurd led the Redskins to a second place finish in the State Junior College Basketball Championships.

His all-league honors weren’t limited to basketball, as Hurd – a hard-hitting first- baseman – was named All-Coast Conference and All-Northern California Junior College in baseball as well.

After finishing up at Vallejo JC, Hurd transferred to Gonzaga University, where – naturally – he won championships on the baseball and basketball teams.

Hurd finished his collegiate career at San Francisco State University, leading the Gators to a conference title in football. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1963 as an end – one of five members of the 1954 Vallejo High School football team to sign NFL contracts.

Following the completion of his professional athletic career, Hurd went on to a 35-year career at the Solano County Probation Department, working at Juvenile Hall. He was elected to the Solano Community College Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 for his exploits on the football field during the 1956 and 1957 seasons. 13

Earsell Mackbee

Question: In Super Bowl IV, Otis Taylor broke the game open for the Kansas City Chiefs by turning a routine pass into the flat into a long touchdown. Who was the Minnesota Viking defender who Taylor beat for the score? Answer: Vallejo High School star Earsell Mackbee.

Talk about an unfair legacy. In fact, Taylor’s touchdown was the final score of the game, and it took place with a little less than 90 seconds left in the third quarter; hardly a game-breaker. Both teams were unable to score in the final period, and the Chiefs posted a 23-7 win. Kansas City managed only 273 yards of total offense, and a paltry 122 yards passing. Sounds like Mackbee and his defensive backfield mates did a fine job, indeed.

Born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Mackbee played high school football, baseball and basketball at Vallejo High School in the late 1950s, then moved on to Vallejo Junior College where he was named all-conference as a guard on the basketball team.

Mackbee was drafted and served four years in the United States Air Force - where he continued to play basketball and averaged 34 points a game one season, eventually being named MVP. Following his discharge Mackbee enrolled at Utah State, where he was the starting guard for the Aggies basketball team and a wide receiver and defensive back, along with kick returner, in football.

And while Mackbee never missed a step in terms of his hoop play, he hadn’t played organized football for almost five years when he enrolled in college. Not missing a step, Mackbee shook off the rust and led the Aggies in interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. On offense, Mackbee was third on the team in scoring and fourth in overall yardage and, just for good measure, in one game he threw an 81- yard touchdown pass to Grant Martinsen in 1964 against Colorado State – still ranked No. 11 on the all- time list for longest pass plays in Utah State history.

Undrafted, Mackbee signed as a free agent with the , the start of a five-year NFL career that would include appearances in 66 games, 15 interceptions for 280 yards and a touchdown, and returning a fumble for a touchdown. In 1967 he led the team with five picks and 98 return yards. His best year in terms of interceptions came in 1969, when Mackbee picked off six passes and collected 100 return yards in helping lead the Vikings to the 1969 NFL championship and the team’s first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl. He left the Viking following the 1969 season, and is currently a youth counselor for an alternative high school in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Mackbee was the first Vallejoan to ever play in a Super Bowl, and that alone should cement his legacy as one of the best athletes and football players to ever grace local gridirons. Mackbee was inducted into the Solano Community College Hall of Fame in 1998.

14 Dave Plump

Sometimes it’s difficult to find words to describe just how good an athlete is at his chosen sport. Not when it comes to Dave Plump. Considered by many to be the best athlete of his generation in Vallejo, Plump has enjoyed success at every level his life, athletically or professionally.

Plump was a starter in baseball, basketball and football for two years at Vallejo High School and then at Vallejo Junior College in the late 1950s and early 1960s, where he was named all- conference in each sport two consecutive years.

From there he went on to success at Fresno State University, playing defensive back. At the end of his junior year he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and also pursued by the Chargers.

During his junior year at Fresno State Plump set a school record for interceptions with seven picks, then proved his junior year wasn’t a fluke and followed that up his senior year with seven more. As a result of his outstanding play, the 6-0, 200-pound Plump was selected as a member of the Little All-Coast team and was nominated as team MVP for the Bulldogs. Upon graduation, Plump was faced with a decision: The San Francisco 49ers or the San Diego Chargers, an League team that was interested in the swift, hard- hitting defensive back as well.

Despite the urging of his legion of Vallejo fans that Plump stay close to home, he signed with the Chargers and spent the 1966 season with the team as a wide receiver and kick returner before heading to Canada and the 1967 season, where he played seven games as a defensive back. After one last shot at pro football, Plump headed back to San Diego where Plump met is wife, Margaret at church and they were married in 1969. They have a daughter, Kimberly, and a son, Jason. But Vallejo beckoned.

Plump returned to begin a 21-year teaching career at Vallejo Middle School, teaching industrial arts and physical education. Along the way he served as football coach at Hogan High School and spent two more years at Solano Community College.

While in high school he worked as a summer youth playground supervisor and has continued working with Vallejo youth ever since.

Plump was a charter member of the Solano College Sports Hall of Fame, inducted in 1995.

15

Bob Rodrigo They say those who can’t do, teach. “They” never met Bob Rodrigo. As a player, Rodrigo was the lynchpin of the Vallejo High School football team during the 1948 and 1949 campaigns. Under his guidance at quarterback, the Apaches won back-to-back North Bay League titles in football. He ran, passed, kicked and blocked with the best of them, and also played defense as well. “Bob is the nearest match that I have ever seen to the great Vic Bottari,” said legendary Vallejo football coach Colin Kilby. “There’s nothing Bob can’t do.”

Apparently, coaches and teammates agreed. Rodrigo was named to the all-North Bay League team in ’48 and ’498, and in 1949 he was also named Most Valuable Player for the Apaches as well as a member of the All-Northern California All Star Football team. And while he excelled at football, Rodrigo was no slouch on the court or the diamond. In two years at Vallejo, Rodrigo letters both years in basketball and baseball.

His career was interrupted by a two-year stint in the service, but upon his return, Rodrigo enrolled at San Francisco State University where he began a Hall of Fame career in football, leading the Gators to three league championships in four years. Along with the team’s success, Rodrigo enjoyed a variety of individual honors, including being named all-conference four years in row, all-coast four years in a row and Little All-American three years.

Unfortunately, his career came to crashing end when, with 30 seconds left in his final game, and with a pro contract all but signed, Rodrigo suffered a serious knee injury. But while his days as a player may have been over, a new career was calling: coach. Rodrigo spent the next eight years coaching the SF State baseball team, and at the same time spent six years as assistant football coach. His team won the league championship every year he was assistant coach.

From there it was on to Hayward State, where Rodrigo continued his winning ways as head football coach, winning two league titles in eight years. He served as assistant athletic director for 25 years before retiring.

Rodrigo was inducted into the San Francisco State Hall of Fame in 1984 for his achievements in football, baseball and .

16

George Souza

Sports have a way of impacting a person’s life far beyond their playing days, and for an example of that one need look no further than George Souza.

A knee injury which led to an operation while playing on a city team and working as a bread salesman ultimately led Souza back to college where he became a teacher and coach for 30 years. As a youth, Souza played basketball and at Roosevelt Elementary School before moving on to Vallejo Junior High School where he cut his athletic teeth on intramural games between homerooms. Basketball, softball, soccer, track and kept young George busy and in shape. As a sophomore at Vallejo High School, Souza tried out for the junior varsity football team and was quickly promoted to varsity as a 6-foot, 170-pound lineman. While he didn’t play too much his sophomore year, Souza made his presence felt during his junior and senior years, being selected All-League at tackle both years and, as a senior, being named MVP and Captain of the team. In the winter Souza hit the basketball court again, earning all-league honors his junior and senior year and being named MVP and Captain of the team his senior season. Souza also found a home on the track as a discus thrower and shot putter, and in fact won the state championship in the shot put when, in 1941, he heaved the 12-pound shot 52 feet 4 ¾ inches.

Souza spent a short time at Mare Island as a sheet metal apprentice before enlisting in the Army and was eventually sent to England. While there, he participated in football, basketball and track, participating in tournaments in London and France. After the end of the war Souza held clinics in Dublin demonstrating the art of American basketball. Not long after returning to the United States, Souza picked up a copy of Stars and Stripes to learn he had been selected to the All- European guard on the Army basketball team.

In 1946 Souza returned to Mare Island then headed back to school as a student at Vallejo Junior College. Naturally he participated in sports and, naturally, was named All-League in both football and basketball two consecutive years. From there Souza went on to Cal and played for the legendary Pappy Waldorf, starting and playing iron-man football and going undefeated in non- league and league games for two years. As a result, the Bears played in the Rose Bowl against Northwestern in 1949 and Ohio State in 1950 – losing both games.

After graduating from Cal, Souza went to work first for Red Top Dairy and then the Langendorf Bread Company. That’s where he injured his knee playing on a city league team and, during his rehabilitation, decided to return to college for a teaching degree from Sacramento State University. He then embarked on a teaching and coaching career that would last 30 years and included stops at Davis Junior High School and Davis High School, El Camino High School, La Sierra High School. During that time he coached football, basketball, and baseball while teaching social studies, mathematics and physical education. He eventually became boys and girls athletic director and retired in 1983. In 2000 Souza was inducted into the Solano County Junior College Hall of Fame.

Souza married Katherine Matulich in 1954 and is the father of a son, Matthew George, and a daughter, Carrie Katherine. He is the proud grandfather of three – a girl and two boys – and celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary last June.

17

C.C. Sabathia

What a dilemma. At the age of 18 years old, Carsten Charles Sabathia was faced with a difficult decision: Accept a full-ride football scholarship to play tight end for the University of California at Los Angeles (or one of a number of colleges offering scholarships) or sign a contract to play professional baseball with the Cleveland Indians as the team’s number one pick of the 1998 amateur draft.

Sabathia, also known as CC, picked the latter. Following a senior year in high school that saw him post a 6-0 W-L record with a 0.77 earned run average and 82 strikeouts with only 14 walks, there was no doubt he would be a high- round draft pick. Add to the fact that he averages almost 16 strikeouts over nine innings, and the first round looked like a lock. While he was successful as a football player, being named all-league his senior year at tight end, he also played basketball as well during his high school career.

Still, it wasn’t much of a surprise that the 6-7, 290-pound hurler was a first-round pick and signed with Cleveland. And that was just the beginning of a career that has been followed closely by Vallejoans ever since.

Sabathia was named to the 28-man roster for the 2000 United States Olympic Baseball team that ultimately won the gold medal, but was not on the active roster for the Olympics. After working his way through the Indians’ minor league farm system, Sabathia made his major league debut on April 8, 2001 before finishing second in Rookie of the Year balloting that season to fellow “rookie” Ichiro Suzuki.

Sabathia’s legend began to grow almost immediately. From his trademark Indians cap pulled tightly down on his head, brim tilted to the side, to his presence on the mound, Sabathia quickly developed a reputation as a hard-throwing pitcher without fear.

“He’s the real deal,” said Anaheim Angels outfielder Darin Erstad. “He’s going to be one of the best in the game.”

Since making his major league debut, Sabathia has compiled a record of 54-35 with an ERA of 4.12 including 600 strikeouts against 321 walks. CC has never had a losing season in the majors, including a 17-5 campaign his rookie year and won a playoff game against the .

At the age of 25, Sabathia is now considered the ace of the Indians staff.

W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV SVO IP H R ER HR BB SO 18 Career 54 35 4.12 126 126 5 2 0 0 776.0 713 377 355 75 321 600

Glen Odale

While Glen Odale didn’t get his athletic career started in Vallejo, he certainly made his mark on the playgrounds and sports field of the City nonetheless as a coach, teacher, mentor and friend.

A two-sport star at the University of Pacific, Odale – nicknamed “The Breeze” – led the Tigers to two league basketball championships in 1930 and 1933, while playing center four straight years. He’s the only player in school history to be re- elected team captain of the basketball squad. He was a three-year starter at end on the football team.

Upon graduation, Odale came to Vallejo Junior High School as a math teacher, and eventually he moved over to Vallejo High School, becoming the school’s head basketball coach. He took over the team in 1937, and in 1941 coached the Apaches to their first – and only – undefeated season. Along the way Odale collected four straight North Bay League basketball titles.

Odale took his successful coaching style to Vallejo Junior College, coaching the Redskins until 1955. Odale also served as the athletic director at Vallejo Junior College, where he was a major influence in building new sports programs as well as facilities for the school.

Odale was inducted into the University of Pacific Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Solano College Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

19

Sid Rich

In 1954 a group of friends and former students got together to hold a testimonial dinner for Coach Sabin W. “Sid” Rich. A program was put together which included a montage of photos of Rich involved in various activities in and around Vallejo, from repairing equipment to team photos to Rich giving instructions on how to bunt.

But those few snapshots hardly tell the story of the impact and influence Rich had on generations of young people who came through Vallejo Junior High School and played on the City’s playgrounds and athletic facilities.

A native of Princeton, Kentucky, Rich had a fairly storied athletic career himself, including three years of high school football, baseball and basketball at Walla Walla High School in Washington. After a few years working here and there – including stints in the Washington National Guard and the United States Navy – Rich entered Whitman College in 1920 where he played baseball and basketball for four years as well as two years of football – the 1920 basketball team was league champion.

Rich got his degree and, two years later, arrived in Vallejo in the fall of 1926 as supervisor of elementary and junior high school physical education. Seems like that would be enough to keep Rich busy most of the time, but it was not.

Along with his school duties, Rich taught for a few years; coached the Vallejo Grays in baseball and the Knights of Columbus basketball team for two years; was an assistant football coach at Vallejo High School for four years; spent the summers of 1927, 1929, 1930 and 1931 taking classes at the University of California in Berkeley (he spent the summer of 1928 at the University of Minnesota, by the way, where he met and eventually married his wife, Doris).

He also coached teams on Mare Island in a variety of sports, from football to baseball to basketball. From 1923 to 1950 Sabin served as an official for football, basketball and baseball games. He also worked at Mare Island one year – 1942 – and spent a total of 16 years working at the Post Office during the holiday season from 1926 to 1932 and again from 1942 to 1950. From 1943 to 1949 Rich served as after school and summer playground supervisor for the Recreation District.

As you can see, there was a lot of overlapping in Rich’s life. Through it all, Rich managed to do a little coaching in junior high school as well. In 26 years Rich’s track teams compiled a record of 205- 3 – a winning percentage of 98.5 percent; his basketball teams went a collective 387-133, or 74.4 percent; and his baseball teams were 390-121, or 76.3 percent. Chances are his football teams would have sported similar records, but football wasn’t played at the junior high school level in those days.

There’s no doubt Rich touched the lives of countless people in Vallejo, both athletically and academically. Upon his passing in 1988, a former student expressed his feelings for his former teacher. “I realize now the man was more interested in building a boy’s character and attendance in school than anything else. He would be archaic in today’s schools, but thanks to him... there are a lot or sound, responsible respectable citizens in Vallejo.” 20

Dave Thomas

Multi-tasking is a phrase heard often in today’s fast- paced world. Too bad Dave Thomas invented the method, if not the term, back in the early ‘20s.

Thomas was born in Dudley, Texas, in 1919 and moved to Vallejo with his parents and sister when he was 15 months old. He attended Roosevelt Elementary School and George Washington Junior High School before becoming a member of the first graduating class of Vallejo Junior High School. He then went on to Vallejo Senior High School.

While at VHS, Thomas was elected student body vice president and became a life member of the California Scholastic Federation. Thomas also played on the Class B football team, earning his first letter. He lettered in football, basketball and track, and in 1936 he was a member of Vallejo High’s first undefeated football team. He was selected all-league at guard in basketball, eventually graduating from VHS in 1937. In 1940 he continued his education at Mare Island Apprentice School, graduating in 1942 and becoming a Marine Machinist. Five years later, he transferred to the swing shift and began attending Vallejo Junior College during the day, while working in the evenings.

While at Vallejo JC, Thomas played on the basketball team that was ranked among the top 10 teams nationally at the junior college level, eventually starting the final three games of the season. He also played football in 1948, being named team captain and also earning the nickname “Gramps,” as he was oldest player in the history of Vallejo Junior College football at the age of 29. In 1949 he transferred to Chico State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Arts Education, and in the summer of 1952 he was accepted to ’s Master’s program. In October 1954 he received his Master’s degree in Education Administration. His grade point average during his college years was 3.75.

During his years at Chico State, Thomas was offered a job at Vallejo Junior High School. Through the cooperation of the university and the Vallejo school district, Thomas was able to take the job while at the same time complete his college class work.

In his first full year of teaching he was appointed assistant football coach with Bob Patterson. This six-year assignment produced four championship teams. Patterson resigned in 1956, and Thomas took over, naming Dick Biama his assistant coach. Together their teams won two league championships in four years. Along with his football duties, Thomas coached track from 1953 to 1955, winning one league title. He started coaching the golf team in 1957 and continued to do so for 12 years, winning seven league titles along the way. He was appointed athletic director of Vallejo High School in 1972, and held that position until retiring in 1979.

21

Frank Wetmore

Frank Wetmore has been “in the swim” most of his life. It all started back in 1948, when Wetmore arrived in California after spending time in the Air Force. Originally from Springfield, Mass., Wetmore graduated from Springfield College and did his graduate work at UC Berkeley, joining the coaching staff at Vallejo High School in 1949 – the year the Vallejo Plunge was completed.

His arrival in Vallejo was prompted by an invitation from a Vallejo swimmer Wetmore met at a country club in Danville where he was serving as swimming and pro. Once in Vallejo, Wetmore never left, and generation upon generation of Vallejo swimmers and divers are thankful for it. During his tenure at Vallejo schools (he also coached at Hogan High School and Solano Community College), more than 20 of his swimmers won All-America honors. Among his most successful athletes were diver Bobbie Lorentz, who barely missed qualifying for the United State Olympic Team in 1956, and the record-setting Dick Hegeman.

“Divers,” Wetmore said in an interview in 1978, “are born rather than made. (They) must have a cat-like sense of where they are in the air after leaving the board, and most important, they must have unusual courage.” Swimmers, on the other hand, require dedication and a willingness to work harder than the next swimmer, Wetmore said. And while Wetmore was able to jump into the pool with both feet at Vallejo High School, he basically built the Solano Community College program from the tiles up.

“He pretty much got the aquatics program going here,” said Bob Myers, Solano College’s Dean of physical education and athletics, “and produced a multitude of All-Americans.” Along with a successful coaching and teaching career, Wetmore has owned and operated Wetmore Swimming Pool Company since 1954. Located on Mississippi Street, the business serves as a shrine to the history of aquatics in Vallejo as well as a testament to Wetmore’s career in Solano County.

One of his former athletes had high praise for Wetmore. “Frank was like a second father to me,” said Dennis Meyring, now a teacher and swimming coach at a high school in Utah. “I knew that he cared about his athletes. He encouraged us towards academic success. He paid attention to our behavior and our attitudes. He had such an amazing way to steer our direction towards doing the right thing. His method was low key and we always knew where he stood. I keep in touch with several of my teammates and we all talk about how Frank molded our lives. We are all deeply indebted to him.” Wetmore was inducted into the Solano Community College Hall of Fame in 2002.

22

The 1949 Vallejo High School Football Team

Flashy. Dazzling. Mighty. All three words were used in the press to describe the 1949 Vallejo High School football team that the Vallejo Times-Herald called “one of the most powerful elevens ever to perform in the North Bay League.”

The 1949 squad was a product of the Vallejo school system 6-4-4 plan: Six years of elementary school, four years of junior high school, two years of high school and two years of junior college. That meant members of the 1949 team spent two years playing against each other. Suddenly they were teammates.

But under the guidance of legendary coach Bob Patterson, along with assistant coach Homer Irwin, the players quickly became a team in every sense of the word. The starting 11 members of the team were all seniors, and included the likes of ends Chuck Hewitt and Olan Lewis; guards Jack Renfro and Lee Gile; tackles Len Wortman and Bill Taylor; center Hayden Perkins; backs Bob Rodrigo, Eddie Jacobsen, Bob Grate and Jerry Hinton. All 11 played both offense and defense.

By today’s standards – and maybe even in 1949 – they were not a large team. The lines averaged about 179 pounds, while the backfield checked in at a svelte 172. But what they lacked in size they more than made up for in aggressiveness. Dave Beronio, sports editor at the Times-Herald, said “they just don’t leave an opponent standing.”

For proof of that statement, one need look no further than Vallejo’s record that season. Operating from the deep punt formation, the Apaches averaged 210 yards rushing and 105 yards passing a game. Vallejo started out with a 26-20 win over the Lodi Flames. As it turned out, that was as close as any opponent came to defeating Vallejo that season. The team posted four shutouts, including a 33-0 win over Stockton, 34-0 over Bellarmine, 35-0 over San Rafael and 55-0 over Napa. Vallejo outscored its opponents 394-77 that year. Along with keeping opponents out of the end zone, the Apache defense intercepted 25 passes that season.

While their exploits on the field are well-known, the team was equally adept in the classroom. Of the 11 starters, seven went on to get their college degrees. Three others had successful careers in law enforcement, business ventures and the trades. Hayden Perkins was enrolled as a freshman at U.C. Berkeley when in 1952 he died in a farming accident.

There are many ways to measure a team’s success: wins, points scored, points allowed, aggressive line play, four solid, talented backs. Others point to camaraderie, loyalty to a coach, work ethic. Coach Patterson summed up the success of his undefeated team in a simple, yet poignant way: “They just play well together,” the coach said.

23

Dave Beronio

One of the most common knocks on sportswriters is that they never played the games they write about. If anyone ever said that about legendary sports writer Dave Beronio, they would have been wrong.

While attending Vallejo High School in 1938 and 1939, Beronio was a two-year letterman in track, baseball, basketball and football. Along the way he dabbled in boxing, having fought in several amateur bouts and even sparring with such boxing notables as Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore and Howard King.

Making his situation even more unique, Beronio began his writing career while still in high school, covering sports first for the Vallejo Evening News in 1937 and then for the Vallejo Times-Herald in 1938.

But like many young men of the era, Beronio’s career was interrupted by World War II. He served in the 8th Air Force in England, flying in 35 B-17 bombing missions, including six over Berlin.

Thankfully, Beronio made it back to Vallejo, and upon his return he was named sports editor of the Times-Herald in 1945, holding that position until 1978. He then moved over to the Vallejo Independent Press, becoming sports editor there in 1978 until his retirement in 1984.

Needless to say, over 40 years covering sports is an accomplishment few can claim. Along the way, Beronio has covered eight Olympic Games; covered or attended 28 of the first 30 Super Bowls; seven Rose Bowls; several and numerous world title fights as well as other international sporting events during his career. And while he was well-known for his writing, Beronio touched even more lives with his ability to draw, having sketches of countless athletes published in numerous programs, magazines and newspapers around the country.

During his distinguished career, Beronio won several awards, including the Headliners Club Medallion Award for the Best Sports Column of the Year, joining past winners such as Eric Severied, Edward R. Murrow, and Ernie Pyle.

Along with his writing talent, Beronio was an accomplished artist. Having never received any formal training, he has spent the last 69 years sketching portraits of countless sports stars, from local middle school and high school athletes to professional athletes. It has been said that if you had been immortalized by Beronio, you had “made it as a high school athlete.”

He is past president and board member of the Northern California Football Writers Association, past board member of the National Golf Writers Association, and is currently serving as director of Public Relations of the Alumni Association, Northern California Chapter.

24

Signature Page A Public Charter School serving grades 6-12 No Tuition Dress Code Project Based Learning Safe Environment High Academic and Behavior Standards Small School Setting (26 students per class) Computers in every classroom Core Curriculum Math and Reading Support Support for Accelerated Students Parental Involvement (40 hours per year) College class options beginning in 6th grade Homework Club for Middle School Students And More…

Applications available: 2 Positive Place, Vallejo (near Mini Drive, off Corcoran Street) Or download at www.mitacademy.org

Questions: 707-552-MITA “Growing Great Minds and Caring Hearts”

25