2007 MOTORCYCLE RACING INDUCTEE GEORGE HOLLAND III George Holland displayed his talent early when he won the Grand National 80cc Modified Expert Class Motocross at age eleven in 1977. But that was just the beginning for the Kerman resident, who became a legend in his sport before an injury forced his retirement prior his 25th…
2007 COACHING-TRACK & FIELD INDUCTEE BOBBY FRIES Bobby Fries spent two years in the Marines after graduation from Fresno State where he competed as a distance runner. He coached track and field for thirty-six years beginning in 1955 at Fowler High School where he started the school’s cross country team. In 1956, he took over…
2007 TRACK & FIELD INDUCTEE MIKE AGOSTINI Fresno can claim Mike Agostini as one of its own after the world-class sprinter flew into town on a whim. Agostini, who once owned the title of “The Fastest Man in the World,” competed in the Melbourne Olympics and was ranked among the top ten sprinters in the…
2007 BASEBALL TEAM INDUCTEE 1977 BULLARD HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL Mike Noakes, winningest baseball coach in Central Section history, produced many great teams at Bullard, but this one was his favorite. The Knights went 31-1-1, won the school’s first section championship, had three players -center fielder Rex Hudler, shortstop Dave Meier and pitcher Steve Ellsworth -…
2006 TRACK & FIELD INDUCTEE JOHN WARKENTIN John Warkentin’s trip to Fresno from India, where he was born to missionary parents, was precipitated by the tragic accidental death of his father and the fact that both sets of grandparents lived in Fresno. He attended Webster Elementary School and Washington Junior High. Warkentin’s Washington coach, Dean…
2006 BASKETBALL INDUCTEE PETE VERHOEVEN A stout defender, rugged rebounder and deft passer, the 6-foot-9, 215-pound center/forward was a key ingredient in Fresno State’s success during the Boyd Grant era and relied on those tools during five seasons in the National Basketball Association. The Hanford-born Verhoeven was Grant’s top high school recruit in 1977 and…
2006 SOFTBALL INDUCTEE LORI ROMEIRO-GARDNER When Lori Romeiro-Gardner was at Lemoore High school, she set the standard for what It took to be a successful student athlete. In softball, she was the ace of the Tiger pitching staff and led her teams to many championships. Not only could she hit and field, but she established…
2006 RODEO CLOWN INDUCTEE WILBUR PLAUGHER From the time he was six, “All I ever really wanted to do was to be a cowboy” Wilbur Plaugher said when he could see the cattle drives from his family home in Sanger and watch the cowboys move the herds across the open range to the mountains. It…
2006 FOOTBALL INDUCTEE CARTER HARTWIG Carter Hartwig caught many passes. It didn’t really matter whether he was playing offense or defense; his quarterback teammates, Randy Cerelli and Larry Ramos threw many passes that were reeled in by Hartwig. He also hauled in many interceptions from his cornerback and safety positions for the Central High School…
2006 FOOTBALL INDUCTEE AARON CRAVER In the spring of 1989, Fresno State football recruiting coordinator, Pat Hill, had some very good news for his boss, FSU head coach Jim Sweeney. Aaron Craver was going to be a Bulldog. Coach Sweeney was most happy and felt that Craver would be key to the next two football…