2011 COACHING-BASEBALL INDUCTEE KEN PAPI A love of baseball, commitment to youth and loyalty to Fresno High School underpinned a coaching career that ranks among the greatest in Central Section history. Papi had coached 37 varsity seasons for the Warriors at the time of his induction, winning 580 games, second-most in the section history, and…
2011 FOOTBALL INDUCTEE LORENZO NEAL Arguably the best blocking back in NFL history, he paved the way for the 1,000-yard rushers over 11 consecutive seasons and was named to the All-Decade Team of the 2000s by The Sporting News. Neal, a fourth-round pick in the 1993 draft, created holes for some of the best tailbacks…
2011 BASEBALL INDUCTEE DAN GLADDEN The outfielder with a fiery streak was a prime example of how wrong the scouts can be. No speed and no power, the scouts said. Undrafted after his last season at Fresno State, he asked Fresno Giants General Manager Bill Thompson for a tryout. Gladden went from a Single-A chance…
2011 SOFTBALL INDUCTEE COURTNEY DALE What began as a wish to play a team sport with her friends and was nurtured by hours of practice with her dad, Jerry, culminated in national championships, All-America honors, and MVP award in Japan Women’s Professional Softball League. She rose to stardom as a two-way threat, as an overpowering…
2011 BASKETBALL INDUCTEE BRUCE BOWEN His name is synonymous with championships, defense, hustle, durability, and clutch 3-point shots for the San Antonio Spurs during their run to NBA glory during the 2000s. A self-made player who wasn’t drafted out of Cal State-Fullerton, the 6-foot-7, 200-pound swingman played two years in France and had early stints…
2011 SPORTS HISTORIAN INDUCTEE BOB BARNETT An interest in sports that began as a youngster listening to basketball games on the radio became a passion that produced a complete and accurate history of high school athletics in the central San Joaquin Valley. Barnett began researching and documenting Valley high school sports in 1985 after being…
2011 BASKETBALL TEAM INDUCTEE 1972-73 SAN JOAQUIN MEMORIAL BOYS BASKETBALL Perhaps the most dominating basketball teams in the Central Section history, the Panthers of Coach Tom Cleary won not only back-to-back section titles but also twice reigned supreme in the Tournament of Champions, the precursor of the state championship. No central San Joaquin Valley team…
2010 SPORTS BROADCASTING INDUCTEE BILL WOODWARD An eye for detail, a passion for the preparation, and a distinctive, reassuring voice – perfect for story-telling – brought the Selma native acclaim as the radio “Voice of the Bulldogs” during 37 seasons of broadcasting Fresno State sports. Woodward was the Red Wave’s eyewitness to history from 1972…
2010 TRACK & FIELD INDUCTEE JERRY WILSON Taking up the hurdles in junior high school, Wilson blossomed into a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder and a world-class star during the golden age of track and field in the 1960s and 1970s. During his career, Wilson beat many of the best hurdlers of the era, including fellow American Charles…
2010 AUTO RACING INDUCTEE GARY SCELZI Sclezi got his first taste of drag racing on sand tracks as a teenager, later tasted success in the Sportsman classes and blossomed into one of the most dominant drivers in National Hot Rod Association history. The Fresno native’s name is all over the NHRA record book. Lightning quick…