Foley Cultural Center

Foley Cultural Center, GVRD’s largest center, provides a beautiful view of Lake Chabot and surrounding Dan Foley Park.

The Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame 15th is dedicated to preserving and honoring the people, events, and memories of our ongoing sports

heritage. March 10 , 2018 To submit any donations, please contact the GVRD main office: 395 Amador St. Vallejo, CA 94590

Foley Cultural Center

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VALLEJO SPORTS HALL VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF FAME CLASS OF 2017 OF FAME CLASS OF 2016 2018

The Hall of Fame Committee Mike Brown C.J. Anderson Shiela Lerit The Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame Committee is comprised of a Armand Chiono diverse group of volunteers who represent the various high Bobby Brooks Shamone Warren- schools in Vallejo as well as a range of eras. Collectively they Draak Davis comprise an institutional memory of over 6 decades of athletes Malbrough Rich Osterkamp and athletic endeavors. They meet several times a year to Terry Duensing Rashad Ross consider various candidates proposed by the committee as well Mark Cameron as other interested people. Reggie Hubbard Dallas Bernstine Dan King The Committee is comprised of the following members Bob Robitaille Leon Morgan  Michael Kollar  Dave Plump  Johnnie Herline Jodi Tennyson-Smith Gary Young  Matt O’Donnell  Marilyn Smith Ifland  Justin Saroyan Boyce Von Morgan  John Stevens  Ed Sowash  Rusty McManus Kevin Tolliver Mike Zuppan Jim McManus  Tony Ramos  Mike Minahen  John Baptista 1958 Vallejo High 1963 Vallejo High School Team If you are interested in joining the Hall of Fame Committee, please Team contact Justin Saroyan at 707-648-4663. Byron Craighead Ed Rust Jim Hunt Selection Criteria Dr. Roger “Doc” Pe- Ed Sarna Vic Wallace The following criteria is considered for inclusion in the Vallejo trie Sports Hall of Fame: 2007-2008 St. Pat- M.C. for 2017 Gatlin “Jerry” How- rick-St. Vincent ATHLETE ell Steve R Mortara High School girls  Must have attended a Vallejo school. team  Must be out of high school a minimum of 5 years prior to Michael Wilson induction Anthony Hughes  Must have demonstrated leadership and good citizenship M.C. for 2016  Must have been an outstanding athlete competing at a high Larry Damitz level of achievement. Steve R. Mortara MC. For 2018  Must have earned exemplary honors in their sport(s) such as All American, All State, All Conference, MVP, Capt., etc. Steve R. Montara

COACH  Must have coached at a Vallejo School (grades 7-12) for a minimum of 10 years.*

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VALLEJO SPORTS HALL VALLEJO SPORTS HALL VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF OF FAME CLASS OF OF FAME CLASS OF 2013 2014 2015

Harry Diavatis Pat Huges Greg Blankenship  Must have dedicated himself/herself to the development of the complete athlete, to include leadership, citizenship, and Mike Kollar Demetrius Davis Dick Hegeman sportsmanship, in addition to athletic ability.  Teams must have competed successfully at the highest level Gent Davis Jim Davis Eddie Jacobsen possible.

John Eaton Royan Hammond Bobbie Lorentz * An exception may be made for a coach who is a product of Vallejo schools and has distinguished himself/herself in the Julie Gonzalez Rusty McManus Joe Pedrazzini coaching profession elsewhere.

Bob Herlocker Roni Sparrey Ron Stover TEAM  Must be out of high school a minimum of 5 years prior to Jerry Hinton Cliff Strouhter Tome Weyerts induction Barton Williams Jim Capoot  Must have attained excellence on a regional, state, or Joe Rasler international level. Don Wouda John Baptista Deborah Ayers  Must have compiled an outstanding winning record or have achieved other equally outstanding accomplishments. Abe Hobbs Bob LaBelle Mal Simpson  Teams are to be selected based upon their achievements during a single season, or over an extended period of time. 1964 St. Vincent’s 1956-57 Vallejo 1967-68 Vallejo  Consideration for this award must include the level of Mens Baseball Team Junior College High School Football integrity, sportsmanship and character exhibited by the Basketball Team Team nominated team. M.C. for 2013 1960-61 Vallejo M.C. for 2015 SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Steve R. Mortara High School Cheer While the recipients of this award may have been athletes or Steve R. Mortara Squad coaches at one time, the award is intended to recognize the recipient’s other contributions to the Vallejo sports experience. M.C. for 2014  Must have promoted, sustained, or added significantly to the experience of Vallejo athletes and the local sports scene. Steve R. Mortara  Must have given unselfishly of their time and resources for the betterment of the Vallejo sports scene.  Must have demonstrated exemplary leadership and/or citizenship characteristics.

VALLEJO SPORTS HISTORY RECOGNITION  Must have enriched the Vallejo sports scene through actions, records, character, history, lore etc. 38 3

VALLEJO SPORTS HALL VALLEJO SPORTS HALL VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF OF FAME CLASS OF OF FAME CLASS OF 2010 2011 2012 Wes Gibson Jay Bozman Bob Albrecht

George Anderson T.R. Buchanan Ricky Lee Campo

Minuteman Lagunitas Wes Matthews Michelle Domagas Gary Coronado Press Frank Milo Larry Everingham Joel Hall

Harold “Fast Mail” Sonny Hatsme James LeDoux Johnson Katie Layne Hank McGraw Lau Transportation Joe Jones Sac’s Tasty Dogs Al Manfredi Coke Morrison Robert Reed Tom Cosso Dave Marshall Ed Sowash Bill Nunes Mike Minahen Harold Steinback Spring Dawson CuriOdyssey Bobby Russell 1987 St. Vincent’s MC Hurd Men’s Football Team 7 Flags Car Wash Lou Sanders First Street Café Robert “Peanuts” M.C. for 2012- Ste- Roger Sturgeon Smith ve R. Mortora SF Giants Joe Tavalero Bravado 1936 Vallejo High School Football 1962 Hogan High Blue Rock Springs Gold Team School Football Course Team 1965 Vallejo High Encore Gym School Football 1999 Vallejo High Team School Track Team

M.C. for 2010– M.C. for 2011- Harry Diavatis Beyonka McDowell

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VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2008 FAME CLASS OF 2009

Shawn Campas Tricia Allen Anthony Daigle Frank “Ping” Bodie Jesse Bethel Interact Club Dan Dion Jim Doyle

Joe Grove Don Gleason Hostess: Katie Lerseth Mario L’Esperance Vernon Higbee Bob Mansfield Billy Himes Police Activities League: Suzie Kaluza Jim Marsh Cedric “Mud” Howard The Vallejo Times Herald: Neil McCarthy Clarence Marshall Hall of Fame Logo design by Ruth Schneider Willis McJunkin Beyonka McDowell Dennis Myering Kathleen Joseph Myers Matt O’Donnell – Sports Editor Dick Nettleton Dave Parsons National Anthem: Tori Langfitt Joe Wardlaw Joe Rapisarda

Richie Williams Bob Salinas Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum: Jim Kern 1918-1919 Mare Island Foot- Martin Wyatt ball Team 1947 Vallejo Junior College Event Coordinator: Justin Saroyan 1960-1961 St. Vin- Football Team cent’s Football Team M.C. for 2009 -Mark Low Biographies: Matt O’Donnell M.C. for 2008 -Mr. C Kevin Gleason Program Printing: Minuteman Press

Trophy Maker: Michael’s Engraving

GVRD Board of Directors: Robert Briseno, Gary Sal- vadori, Sheryl Pannell Lea, Wendell Quigley, Ron C Bowen

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VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2006 FAME CLASS OF 2007

Bob Coronado Leo Bellutini Steve “Raider Spencer Davis John Bohnet Mort” Mortara Doc Hollister Elmer Boyden

Lyston Johnson Jerry Causey

Frank Mixon Bob Edgar Our host tonight was born and raised in Vallejo. At St. Basil’s Joe Mortara Sr. Walter Highbaugh Grammar School, he scored 23 points a game in basketball with a high of 36. In baseball, he threw three no-hitters & one perfect game Joe Mortara Jr. Freey Manuel with a 12-2 pitching record, batted 468 with 8 home runs winning MVP honors in both sports. This will be Steve’s seventh year hosting Steve Mortara Mike Scrivner this great event. Dave Osterkamp Bud Smith At St. Vincent’s High School he was Captain and MVP of the basketball team for 2 years. He led the league in scoring 2 years in a Bill Posdel Admiral Ray Smith row with a 25 point per game average, with a high of 45 points. He was All-League, North Coast Section Player of the Year, 10th leading Norm Tanner Norm Tavalero scorer in Northern California, and a member of the All Northern California Team. Tuffy Williams Jim Upchurch

In baseball, he made the varsity team for four years. In his senior Tom Zunino Albert Vidaurreta year, he led the team in hitting 333 and made All-League . At the Spring Awards Banquet he was named MVP in basketball, 1991 Vallejo High School 1969 St. Vincent’s Women’s top hitter in baseball, and won the prestigious Ryan Award for Baseball Team Basketball Team Athletics & Academics. At San Jose State, he was on a Division I basketball scholarship. M.C. for 2006-Martin Wyatt M.C. for 2007– Cheryl Hurd While there, he was recruited by football Harry Anderson to play safety. He was recruited by baseball coach Gene Menges to play infield. He was recruited by the legendary Bud Winter to the 440 with Olympic Champion Lee Evans.

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VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF VALLEJO SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2004 FAME CLASS OF 2005 Mortara was involved in two of the biggest sports upsets in San Jose State history. As a freshman starter at point guard, he scored Ted Albrecht Dave Beronio 18 points, dished out 10 assists and the 1-1 with 10 seconds left to beat the undefeated California Bears (21-0). Dick Bass Dick Biama On the San Jose State varsity team, on February 21, 1969, he Norm Bass Jerry Bradley played 35 minutes of the 50 minutes, and played in a -over Vic Bottari Bobby Campo time victory win 73-69 over the undefeated (21-0) #2 team in the United States, the Santa Clara Broncos. He hit the front end of a 1-1 Bill Corbus Edie Chavez to ice the victory with 4 seconds left, in the 2nd overtime on a Fred Faucett Charlie Fuller regional televised game! This game was named the best College Basketball game in the history of the Silicon Valley by the San Jose Augie Garrido Ted Gebhardt Mercury News. Mortara graduated with a double major in Business Management and Physical Education, double minor in Social Fulton Keykendall Nikki Gianulias Science and Business Education, a Masters degree in exercise Colon Kilby Jeff Gordon Physiology and a California State Teaching Credential.

Dante Magnani Larry Himes “Mortara’s outside jump shot was considered by many old-school players and coaches as one of the best in city history”. Tug McGraw DL Hurd Dante McKinley Over the years , Steve has earned several special achievements Earsell Mackbee awards: in 2001 he was inducted into the Pro-Football Hall of Fame Stan McWilliams Glen Odale as the top Oakland Raider fan in the United States. He was selected to the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame in 2006; inducted into the Fox Mike Merriweather Dave Plump Sports Hall of Champions in 2007; and in 2014 he was inducted into Danielle Mitchell Sid Rich the St. Patrick-St. Vincent Hall of Fame.

Mark Munoz Bob Rodrigo Steve has recently been recognized and mentioned in two books: Sid Nickolas The Handoff by John Tournour of Fox Sports and Ala Eisenstock; George Souza and Krazy George: Still Krazy after all these Cheers by Krazy George Bob Patterson CC Sabathia Henderson and Patricia Timberg.

Bruno Pellegrini Dave Thomas

Jack Renfro Frank Wetmore

Marilyn Smith-Ifland 1949 Vallejo High School Football Team Jeff Wilson M.C. for 2005– Martin Wyatt 1954 Vallejo High School Football Team

M.C. for 2004– Martin Wyatt

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After winning the Late Model championship in Petaluma Dallas Bernstine in 1987, Larry became the crew chief for his nephew Milt McGinnis who won the next two championships. He did

continue racing after that, but also let Jim Petitt II drive Dallas Bernstine helped put his car at times in 1991 and, in fact, Petitt won the Antioch Jesse Bethel High School on the championship that year. map. He started high school at Vallejo High, but two years lat- He scored 58 wins in Petaluma alone from 1987 to 2007. er he made a name for himself As he approached his eighties, he showed no signs of with the Jaguars. slowing down, continuing to win in Antioch and even Over the years Bethel has devel- Merced. He continued winning until 2016 and was oped some talented athletes on crowned the limited late model champion at age 87. He the gridiron such as C.J. Ander- never talked about his age and certainly never boasted son and Bobby Guillory. But Bernstine was the first, and de- about his accomplishments. He raced for the love of the pending on who you ask, possi- sport and the love of cars. By all accounts, Damitz was a bly the best. genuinely nice guy, a mentor to some and an inspiration However, when Bernstine came to many. over to Bethel for his junior year in the fall of 2001 he knew he had his work cut out for him. Bethel officially started to gain respect on Oct. 28, 2001 in a game against Vintage. Earlier that month one of Bethel’s top running backs, Carl Jiles, was injured and therefore Bernstine would get the bulk of the carries in the game against the Crushers. He rushed for 555 yards and scored five in 59 -38 win. Four of those touchdowns were for at least 60 yards while his longest went for 78. He also played safety the entire game. Although Bernstine’s big game was the eighth-highest rushing total nationally in the history of high school foot- ball at that time, Bernstine was no one-game wonder. As a senior he rushed for 1,942 yards and was the Monticello Empire League’s MVP. Bethel won the league title that season, the first-ever for the program. In his two years at Bethel, Bernstine registered 3,394 yards and 54 touch- downs. In the summer of his senior year Bernstine was named MVP of the East-West All-Star game after he gained 95

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yards on 20 carries. Larry Damitz He also excelled in basketball and baseball. In basketball he helped Bethel win a league title his senior year, while in baseball he hit .467 and had a 14-game hit streak. Larry “The Sun Drop Kid” Damitz In 2003 when he graduated, Bernstine became the first ath- earned that nickname because he, at lete at Bethel to receive a full-ride scholarship when he signed with Boise State. one time, drove a delivery truck for the Although Bernstine was thrilled to get the opportunity to soda company. At 87 years old, he was play in Idaho, fate intervened and he never the oldest and most respected dirt track played a down with the Broncos. championship driver in the United “It was really surreal, but my daughter (D’nyia Bernstine) States – and was still winning; but it was born during my senior year and in the end I wanted to stay home and be a good father,” he said. took a while for him to finally win his Bernstine played football and went to college instead at San first Main Event. Francisco City College. Although he stayed close to home, his production on the gridiron was still out of this world. In Damitz was always interested in cars his sophomore year he was one of the state leaders in rush- and started working on them and driving them when he was ing as he helped the team go 12-0 and win a state title. only nine years old. He started driving Hardtop in 1953 at Bernstine doesn’t play football anymore, but instead helps Contra Costa Speedway in Pacheco on Friday nights and others in their attempt to become great players. He has been an assistant coach for the Bethel’s junior varsity team Vallejo Speedway on Sunday nights. He didn’t win the and is a coach with the Junior Jaguars youth football pro- Main Event until 1963 at the Vallejo track. When Damitz gram and said someday he would like to be an offensive co- was done racing hardtops in the mid 1970’s, he had won ordinator somewhere. three track championships and the Chet Thomson Memori- When is not on the football field he is helping in other ways, al 100 lap race. He appeared in the movie “Heroes” in 1977 either as trainer at Planet Fitness on Sonoma Boulevard or on the production side of the music business, helping to with Henry Winkler. In 1978, he was the Vallejo Champion make beats. He also spends countless hours with this three of the highly competitive Super Stock division and the Peta- daughters. luma champion in 1980 and 1981. He won his first Late Model feature in Antioch in 1984, where he broke his shoul- der blade in a crash in 1985 and still managed to win ten Main Events in 1986. “Back then, the configuration of this track was altogether different than any other track,”Damitz remembered. “It was fun to drive. It was a lot of fun. They had it banked right up to the wall, and you had to run right around the wall.”

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for Corona High (1973-1976), Fontana (1976-1983) and Shiela Lerit Claremont (1983-2000). Hughes was named the High School Trainer of the Year by the American Athletic Train- It seemed that while Shiela Lerit er Association in 1982, and in 1988 and 1992 was named attended Vallejo High her attitude the National High School Trainer of the Year by American remained constant. The 2002 grad- Sports Medicine. uate was always asking herself the Hughes also had success on the national level as he was same thing — what’s next? the trainer for track and field, marathon and baseball in As an Apache, Lerit seemed to be in the 1984 Olympic Games, which were held in Los Angeles. more gyms than a speed bag as she There he helped such athletes as Carl Lewis and Edwin excelled in , , Moses. He was also the trainer for the track and field U.S. and . team in 1996.

Lerit accomplished plenty while she Hughes says that although he hasn’t been a trainer since was at Vallejo as she was an All-American and a two-time 2000 when he retired, he still keeps up with the news on state champion in the 114-pound division for girls wres- issues dealing with his profession. He’s glad to see more tling. She was the captain of the girls volleyball team and high schools in California beginning to hire full-time was part of a section championship badminton team. She trainers. He says the most important piece of equipment even played well in tennis during her senior year. in all of sports is a football helmet, because the injury to a brain can last for life. Due to these accomplishments, former Vallejo High ath- letic director and wrestling coach Mike Minahen was able to tell her what’s next — making a plane trip from Indiana to California in March to enter the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame.

Lerit excelled in sports immediately at Vallejo, as she played volleyball her first semester at the school. It was there she met her good friend, Lenci Landecker, who also played volleyball.

The decision turned out to be a great one, as during their junior years both would

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win a state title. Back then, instead of the state tournament Anthony Hughes being in Visalia, it was held in Vallejo at Bottari Gym. The next year, Lerit and Landecker would train against each For decades, many athletes put their trust in Tony Hughes. other in practice, and in 2002 they would both become state Whether it was a bump, a bruise or something more seri- champions and All-Americans. ous, they looked to the trainer to help heal them and make them perform better. In the spring Lerit would play badminton, another sport she didn’t pick up on until high school. She played varsity dou- But of all the cuts Hughes had to make over his career both bles on a team that won a section championship in 2002. locally and nationally, the one he will make this spring he might enjoy the most. In the fall of her senior year, Lerit decided to play tennis at the same time as volleyball. In March the three-time National High School Trainer of the Year will enter the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame. Alt- Lerit was the volleyball team’s setter and she said the group hough the 1962 St. Vincent High graduate is already in the of girls that she played with made everything worthwhile World Sports Medicine Hall of Fame, he still feels thrilled to that senior year. head into the one in Vallejo. Hughes was told by his former Lerit, who now lives in Indiana and works as an admissions classmate, John Stevens. coordinator with Vibra Hospital, also works as an assistant coach with Maryville Pirates Wrestling Club. Hughes is no stranger to the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame. He was already a member when he was inducted as part of the 1960-61 St. Vincent High football team in 2008 and his brother, Pat Hughes, was enshrined in 2014 for auto racing.

Tony competed in sports at a very early age in Vallejo, as his father, Leon Hughes, assisted with the building of Wilson Park.

Although Tony did well as an athlete, his true calling came helping others as a trainer. He first became a trainer when he went to the U.S. Air Force in 1963.

Hughes had plenty of success as a trainer in Southern Cali- fornia, as he was with the Riverside City College football team from 1976 to 1996. He was also a high school trainer

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After graduation, Sarna followed his country’s call and joined the United States Marines. While there, the then-Lt. Jim McManus Sarna coached the National Marine Boxing Team. Lt. Sarna also coached and trained Terry Downs, who was in the Ma- Born and raised in Vallejo, Jim McManus, rines on a visa from England. Downs later returned to Eng- like many other kids, gravitated towards land and became the European middleweight boxing cham- sports through the numerous recreation pion and was ranked third in the world. programs offered by The Greater Vallejo Recreation District. He spent many hours Coach Sarna started work for the Vallejo Unified School after school and on Saturdays honing his District as an elementary school teacher at Grant, Farragut, skills at Washington Playground, just one Olympic and Cooper schools before being hired at Hogan in block away from his childhood home. “The 1965. At Hogan until his retirement, Coach Sarna’s roles Park”, as it was known, became a melting included head JV football coach, assistant varsity football pot of future athletes. coach, head varsity football coach, head varsity baseball coach, head varsity track coach and athletic director. Coach It was during this time that McManus developed his pas- Sarna also started the first boxing program at Hogan spend- sion for football, basketball and baseball. His recreation ing time to mentor kids after school. During his years as leaders and youth coaches encouraged him to play sports head of the Spartans’ athletic department, he oversaw and in high school. He listened well! led the school through a productive expansion of teams, McManus attended St. Vincent Ferrer High School from sports programs and facilities, including Hogan’s Joe Grove 1954-1958. While there, he played football for three years, Gym. Coach Sarna was voted educator of the year in 1986, basketball for three years and baseball for four years. At received the Fran Marra Award and was inducted into Ho- 6’5” tall, McManus was a receiver in football, a center in gan High School’s Hall of Fame in 2007. He played fast- basketball, and a in baseball. He was an All SCAL pitch , he coached Joe DiMaggio baseball and was a (Solano County Athletic League) performer in football and YMCA camp director for many years teaching kids outdoor basketball as well as All City. In his senior year, he was sports such as hunting, fishing and archery. the basketball team’s leading scorer and named Most Val- He passed in February of 2008 after a long battle with Lou uable Player. Gehrig’s disease. His compassion and mentorship toward After graduation, McManus attend Vallejo Junior College student athletes and the Vallejo community left an indelible impression on his players. Their fondness of him has kept where he played baseball for one year before opting to go the stories of his sense of humor and practical jokes circu- to work full time at Mare Island in Vallejo. lating throughout town. His love of sports did not stop there, however, as he would spend the second half of his life dedicated to youth sports and raising a family. McManus coached baseball for the

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next sixteen years in both the Joe DiMaggio and Vallejo Ed Sarna Babe Ruth leagues. During his tenure, he would serve on the Executive Board as a National Division Representa- Ed “Coach” Sarna was a teacher, coach and tive, Tournament Director, and Administration Division athletic director at Hogan High School from Chairman. He was voted by his peers to be either coach or 1965 to 1994. He taught English, reading of Vallejo All Star squads on four different occa- and P.E. and coached football, baseball, box- sions (1966, 1968, 1969 and 1970). He led his own team, ing and track and was the school’s longest- Moose Lodge, to six National and three City League cham- serving athletic director, from 1974 through pionships. In 1966, his All Star team advanced further 1990. His career at Hogan was as accom- than any team in the history of Vallejo Babe Ruth League plished as the rest of his life. up to that time. His goal was to take Vallejo to Ruth . His overall record showed 149 wins Coach Sarna was born on April 5th, 1930, and was the and 40 losses, an astonishing 79% winning ratio! Jim’s youngest of 9 from a Polish immigrant family. He became winning ways and tireless efforts to mentor Vallejo youth the town and state’s premier athlete during his high school did not go unnoticed. On May 8, 1976, the mayor of Valle- career. He was the starting quarterback for three years, a jo and members of the GVRD dedicated the baseball field three year starter on the baseball team and a two year start- at Dan Foley Park “James D. McManus Field” in his hon- er on the school’s basketball team. Among his top athletic or. accomplishments were 5 no-hitters in baseball and twice scoring 6 touchdowns in a game. He earned many honors, Jim left behind his lovely wife Cecilia, and three children, including two time All-State in football, two time All-State Jim, Terry and Jancy. “Big Jim” is gone but not forgotten. in baseball, eight time player of the week, scholastic player #24! of the year and two time All League in two sports (baseball and football).

After high school, Sarna attended Valley Forge Military Academy where he was named Most Valuable Player in 1949 after which he received a full scholarship to play foot- ball at the University of Notre Dame. There he played foot- ball for the storied Coach Frank Leahy. Due to a career- ending injury to his knee, Sarna wrestled and boxed for the Fighting Irish, and was crowned the light heavyweight NCAA Bangle Bouts Champion in both 1953 and 1954. He also earned a Golden Gloves award.

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time was exciting for her as people would come up to the team in a movie theater or grocery story and say they heard about the Boyce Von Morgan Bruins' game and were wishing them luck. Cowling said this made the team feel like they were playing for the entire 707 area code. The Bruins had many players that could make a big play, but St. Pat’s star player in 2007-08 was Cowling, who would later Boyce Von Morgan was go on to become the all-time leading scorer in the West Coast born February 27, 1933 in Conference while at Loyola Marymont. Faucett said Cowling had Formosa, Arkansas. The fam- a great work ethic and was easy to coach. After going 17-0 in ily moved to Vallejo in 1941 league play the Bruins entered the 2008 playoffs on a roll, but the where he proved to be an ex- run was hit with a thud when St. Pat’s lost to Justin-Siena in the cellent student and athlete. section championship game.

He made a name for himself The Bruins regrouped, however, and won consecutive games on at Vallejo High in football, the road of the Northern California playoffs before getting re- venge on Justin-Siena with a 65-60 win in overtime. At state, this basketball and track from time against La Jolla Country Day, the Bruins fell behind early 1949 through 1951 as captain and with 10 minutes to go trailed by 15 points. When the fourth of all three teams. He partic- quarter began, St. Pat’s was down 50-39. ipated in The Northern Cali- fornia Track Meet in Berkeley The Bruins came back, however, thanks to many contributors. with a long jump of over twenty-four feet! He was named Rojas scored 11 of her eventual 14 points in the final quarter, and All American in football in 1950, then invited to play in Carter hit a big 3-pointer from long range. Cowling had seven of her 21 points in the fourth, but with three minutes left she fouled the East-West All Game in Oklahoma out, and would have to watch from the bench. City in 1951. Von was named Northern California Athlete of the Year in 1951. With Cowling on the sideline, it was Terrell who hit the big shot in the final moments for the Bruins. With St. Pat’s trailing 65-64, Graduating from high school that year, Von was offered Terrell hit a circus shot from 15 feet out to put the Bruins up for scholarships to UC Berkeley, UC Davis and Stanford, but good. Moments later, St. Pat’s were the state champs. decided to attend Abilene Christian University on scholar- ship because of the dental school.

While at Abilene, he captained the football team in 1954, was the First Team All American in 1953 & 1954, led in scoring and receiving during those years and led the na- tion in passes. He was also the Texas Confer- ence champion in the long jump. He led the Wildcats to

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2007-2008 St. Patrick-St. Vincent High victories over the Florida State Seminoles in 1953 & 1954. School girls basketball team In 1955, he was selected in the NFL draft by the Philadelph- ia Eagles. There is an old English proverb that states, “You have to crawl before you can walk.” Never was this more true than with the Upon graduation from Abilene, he declined the Eagles invi- 2007-08 St. Patrick-St. Vincent High girls basketball team. A tation, and enrolled at Baylor University to finish his dental year earlier during the 2006-07 season, the Bruins seemed un- degree. Completing dental school, he moved back to Cali- beatable, as they went 13-0 in the Bay Shore League before plow- fornia and married his high school sweetheart, Joan Ferre- ing through the North Coast Section playoffs and advancing to ra. They had four wonderful children – Melissa, Andrea, the 2007 CIF Division IV title game against Marlborough. St. Von Jr. and Jonathan. He established a very successful Pat’s had a 14-point halftime lead in that contest before every- dental practice in Sonoma. thing fell apart in the second half as the Bruins lost the big lead and the game, 57-42. In the early 1980’s, he moved to McCloud where he prac- A year later, however, the Bruins flipped the script and fulfilled ticed dentistry until his death in a car accident in 1984. Von their prophecy as they won the 2008 state championship, this was inducted posthumously into the Abilene Christian Uni- time coming back from a 15-point deficit to beat La Jolla Country versity Sports Hall of Fame. Day 67-65. It was the first state championship in any sport for the Besides being an All American in high school, All American city of Vallejo at the time. Ten years later, that St. Pat’s team isn’t in college, and excelling at three sports; he was also an out- crawling or walking. They’re strutting, all the way into the Vallejo standing scholar and excellent dentist – successful in just Sports Hall of Fame. about everything he did. Coaches often say you learn more from a loss than a win. Dr. Rod Faucett, who coached the Bruins from 1996-2000, seemed to agree and he used a different style of defense in the 2008 title game as he didn't go to a full-court press until the fourth quarter. Another thing that helped the Bruins in 2008 was maturity. Star players such as Cowling, Olivia Reed and Jamiez Terrell were now all seniors. Ashley Moore, Kateri Grey and Rechel Carter now knew what to expect on the varsity level as they became sophomores. Taylor Rojas was now a junior. The rest of the roster was filled out with key contributors such as Alayna Woody, Mari- el Dinglasan, Tiahnna Solon, Vanessa Delgado and Vanessa Zara- goza.

Two years later in 2009-10, Carter and Moore would become champions again, as they won a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II title with Vallejo High and the late Jim Capoot. Cowling said the

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State, playing for head coach . Ross had several top games with the Sun Devils but maybe the one that put him on Joe Thurston the mind of NFL scouts came in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at If there was one word to describe AT&T Park. He caught four passes for 139 yards and had three former Vallejo High baseball star touchdowns in the 62-28 win over Navy. Joe Thurston during his time as an Just like his buddy Anderson, Ross was not selected in the NFL Apache in the 1990’s, it might have draft in 2013. They quickly signed free agent contracts as Ross been “prepared.” became a Tennessee Titan and Anderson a Denver Bronco. It took a few more years, but Ross finally had his breakout season After eventually starting on the var- with the Washington Redskins in 2015. He scored three touch- sity baseball team at Vallejo High downs and had 684 kick , which ranked him sixth in his junior and senior years, as well the NFL. He also had eight receptions for 184 yards. as , On before a national audience he re- Thurston went on to have a 16-year- turned a kickoff return 101 yards to the end zone in the final career in . minutes of Washington’s 32-21 loss to the . That Thurston had stops with the , Phila- wasn’t even the first time Ross had a kickoff return for triple dig- delphia Phillies, , St. Louis Cardinals and its in yards as he had a 100-yard kickoff return for Arizona State Florida Marlins at the major league level while he also in 2011 against Colorado. His 101-yard kickoff return for Wash- played in several minor league systems. ington was the second longest in the team’s long history.

In 1997, Thurston was drafted in the 45th round by the Because of his blazing speed, Ross has still been still an intri- Red Sox, but he chose not to sign. guing possibility for a lot of teams. He has also spent time with the Chicago Bears, , , Thurston, who is also in the Sac City Hall of Fame, played and now the Cardinals. well for Sacramento City College during his sophomore year in 1999 and delivered the game-winning hit to lead the team to the state championship.

He was drafted for the second time by the Dodgers in 1999 in the fourth round.

Then he got his big league call-up in 2002, and his red-eye flight to Houston’s Minute Maid Park also had former , , aboard it.

On Sept. 14, 2002 in Colorado, Thurston collected his first MLB hit with a “swinging bunt” against lefty Brian

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Fuentes. Other notables in the lineup that night included Rashad Ross current MLB managers Dave Roberts and , along with Adrian Beltre and Todd Helton.

Long before the NFL, Rashad Ross grew up in Vallejo and Thurston would see action with the Dodgers for the next played youth football with the Vallejo Generals, West County three years, but could never get a full-time role. He moved Spartans and Vallejo Raiders. Coaches tried him at running to the Phillies in 2006 and the Red Sox in 2008, but no year back, , cornerback and safety and he seemed to could compare to the one the ex-Apache had in 2009. excel in every position. Ross said he learned football from his three older brothers, including Josh Ross, who went on to play That year Thurston made the Cardinals out of spring train- at Louisiana Tech. ing, the first time that ever happened in his career.

Ross started his high school career at John Swett High in Thurston played in 124 games and batted .224 with 25 RBIs Crockett for two years before playing football, basketball and that season for a Cardinals’ team that won the NL Central track for the Apaches in 2007 and 2008. In the second game of the season his junior year, Ross scored four times in a 48-41 Division. He also hit his only big league of his ca- win over Hiram Johnson. For the season, he finished with 14 reer that year. total touchdowns, including seven receiving and four rushing. Thurston kept playing in the minor leagues for the next sev- Ross had six more touchdowns his senior year on a team that en years, but wouldn’t play again in the majors until 2011 went 4-6 overall. The Apaches beat Hogan 31-13 but lost to with the Marlins. He finished his career with a .226 batting Bethel 13-10 pitting Ross against future NFL running back C.J. average in the big leagues. Anderson. It was in high school that Ross started to excel at re- turning kicks and punts to the house. Ross would later earn the These days Thurston is a batting coach with the Modesto nickname “Rocket” by his agent, but he was a blur trying to Nuts, a Class A–High Level minor league team in the Cali- catch as a high school player. fornia League and an affiliate of the .

Ross’ prep career is actually highlighted more by his work nn track and field. During senior year, he qualified for the CIF State Track and Field championships in the 200 and 400. He ran 21.22 seconds in the 200 and 49.39 in the 400 in the Sac- Joaquin Section’s final meet. Jesuit’s Tom Blocker beat him in the 400 and Ross beat Blocker in the 200.

Ross played at Butte College in Oroville after graduation. Butte was the school where NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers attended and the Roadrunners had won a national title the year before. Ross finished his sophomore year at Butte with 368 receiving yards and 180 rushing yards and scored nine touchdowns for the season. He parlayed that into a scholarship for Arizona

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Warren ’s school record was eventually passed by Lauren Johnson in 2005. After high school, Warren enrolled at Solano Community College and played women’s basketball for Kim Mitchell- Gervasoni. It was with the Falcons Leon Morgan was born September where Warren developed her all- 27, 1934 in Formosa, Arkansas, the around game, averaging 16.1 points son of Ray and Gerta Morgan. The and breaking the school’s all-time scor- ing record with 1,092 points. She was family moved to Vallejo in 1941 the Bay Valley Conference MVP in 1993 where he attended Federal and Cur- -94 and was eventually inducted into ry elementary schools, Vallejo Jun- the school’s Hall of Fame in 1999. ior High and Vallejo High School. The hard work paid off as Warren received a full-ride schol- arship to Northern Arizona University. She played guard for While at Vallejo High, he excelled in the Lumberjacks and graduated there in 1997 with a degree athletics – football, basketball and in health sciences. It was at Northern Arizona that Warren first discovered coaching as a student assistant. track. At over 6’4”, he made for a Warren returned to Solano County and was an assistant great tackle for three years. The coach under Mitchell-Gervasoni. The Falcons won two BVC 1950 football team went 9 and 1, while the 1950-51 basket- championships in 1997-98 and 1999-00. ball team went 24 and 2. After his senior year, he was se- With that coaching under her belt, she returned to Vallejo lected to play in the first North-South Shrine Football game High to head the girls basketball program in 2000. After finishing runner-up in the section during a previous season, held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, August 7, 1952. In basket- Warren led the Apaches to the section championship in ball, he was a standout player and was on the first team in 2004-05 as Vallejo knocked off city rival Hogan in the final. the Vallejo Invitational Basketball Tournament in 1951 and Warren-Malbrough currently serves as an athletic director was named team captain also in 1952. He was also named and teaches physical education and computer science at captain in track, where he threw the discus and competed in Holy Spirit Catholic School in Fairfield. In her spare time, she works as a certified basketball referee for youth and high jump. men’s leagues throughout Solano County and the Bay Area. After the Shrine game, Leon returned to Vallejo Junior Col- lege to play football and basketball and participate on the track team. He helped the Redskins make it to the Gold Dust Bowl in 1952 while also serving as captain of the bas- ketball and track teams. All three teams were conference champions!

In 1953, Leon accepted a scholarship to Abilene Christian University where he was united with his brother, Von. In

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football, Leon played tackle and lettered for four years. He Shamone Warren- played in the first team all-conference game and was an Honorable Mention for All American. It is no surprise that he was named team captain in 1956.

Malbrough Leon lettered three years in basketball, and was the leading They say that star athletes don’t always make the best rebounder and second in scoring. coaches since they can’t relate to the average player. That was never the case for Shamone Warren-Malbrough. In 1958, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served for Warren, as she was known at Vallejo High School, starred two years. While there, he played basketball – winning two for the girls basketball and track and field programs from championships – in 1958 at Ft. Carson, Colorado, and in 1989 to 1992 and eventually came back to coach her alma mater, leading the Apaches to the Sac-Joaquin Section 1959 in Heidelberg, Germany. championship in 2004-05. She is being inducted into the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame In 1960, he was discharged from the army and started his in March. high school coaching career in Northwest Texas. He Warren was born in San Francisco but spent most of her coached for fifteen years, then became a school administra- adolescent years in Inglewood with her mother. When her tor in Arlington, Texas where he remained for the next mom died unexpectedly, she and her older brother moved to Vallejo to live with their father when she was age 14. twenty-one years. He retired in 1993, and now lives with After being at Solano Middle School for ninth grade, she his lovely wife, Lanelle, in Pocahontas, Arkansas. moved over to Vallejo High as a sophomore for the 1989- 90 school year. Warren played a few games of junior var- Many of his classmates from the Class of 1952 will be with sity before being moved up to varsity. us this evening. Although his son, Daryl is unable to attend, Warren said because she was able to play for “wonderful his daughter Angela Gober and her husband, Barry are people,” it helped elevate her game. Some of her coaches here. included Bob Lawson, Mo McNally and finally Art Miller. The Apaches finally took that next step in 1991-92, mak- ing the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs before losing to Downey in the first round. Because she was a great athlete and natural jumper, track and field coach Mike Wilson recruited Warren to try out for track. Warren said she ran both relays, the hurdles, the 100 and 200 and finally the long jump and triple jump. She eventually broke the school record in the triple jump with a leap of 38 feet, a distance at the section finals that helped her reached the CIF State Championships. Warren was a 1992 state qualifier in the 4-by-100 relay and the triple jump.

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Due to the fact that he needed both knees replaced, he could no longer continue in running and jumping events. Never one to quit though, he continues to compete in field throw events – javelin, discus and shotput as well as weightlifting. The California Police Olympics grew to be the California Po- Although he played baseball and participated in track and lice and Fire Summer Games, then the Western States Po- field at Franklin Junior High School, Ed Rust never got to lice and Fire Games and then five years ago, the national US play sports when he attended Vallejo High School. He was Police and Fire Games with a World Police and Fire Cham- trying out for JV football when he had to begin working to pionship every other year. Rust has competed most years help support the family. But that didn’t stop him from a and won well over a hundred medals. He was inducted into dizzying array of sports accomplishments. the US Police and Fire Championship Hall of Fame in 2014.

Rust has been an avid weightlifter starting at age nineteen. He has continued to earn medals in USA Track and Field After joining the Vallejo Police Department in 1963 and Championships and the US Powerlift Federation Champi- promoting to Sergeant, Rust was able to convince the city onships. He took home two first place trophies in the for- council to pay for a gym in the police department basement mer Northern California Wrist Wrestling Championships that included weight lifting equipment. held in Vacaville and second place at the World Wrist Wres- tling Championships in Petaluma. He discovered the California Police Olympics in 1972 and competed for the first time in 1973, winning a silver medal His most recent competition was at the World Police and in arm-wrestling. He went on to compete in powerlifting Fire Games last August where, at the age of 75, he won the and won several medals. gold in javelin and bronze in shotput and hammer throw. Recovering now from his second knew replacement surgery In the late 1970’s, he and some fellow officers started play- in January, Rust plans to return to competition this August. ing soccer at the Carquinez Straits Soccer Club. He had never played soccer before, but he became a fullback de- fender and backup goalie. His team won the championships twice in their league - the East Bay Men’s Senior (over 30) Soccer League. On the advice of his coach who told him he was “pretty fast”, he started competing in track and field events in the Police Olympics as well as several city and county competitions such as the Solano Senior Games and Sacramento Senior Games. He continued to win medal af- ter medal in these events.

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