BHS’ Athletic Elite Inducted into Berkeley High’s Hall of Fame

At noon on Saturday May 8, friends, family, and admirers alike gathered in the Berkeley High School Donahue Gym to honor BHS alumni for their many athletic achievements. Athletes were awarded for their efforts in sports; both as students at BHS and in the larger world, in a Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The BHS Athletic Hall of Fame committee has been running these induction ceremonies for the past four years, and this year is the first time that the inductees were presented with their own placard, which will also decorate the entry of the Donahue Gym inside of a glass cabinet.

In past years, the format for honoring the Hall of Famers has been a large banner hung high in the Donahue gym, almost too high to read the names of the athletes. Gene Nakamura, chairman of the Athletic Hall of Fame and member of the HOF nomination committee, explained the significance of retiring the banner and initiating the placard. “There are so many athletes that have gone on and done well in college, done well professionally, done well internationally and in the Olympics … there are so many people that have represented Berkeley High School, so we want to have [a better] avenue to recognize these [athletes] as well as the coaches.”

The Master of Ceremonies for the event was KTVU Channel 2 news anchor John Sasaki, a BHS graduate and founder of the BHS lacrosse program. Athletes were called up in order of the decade that they participated in BHS sports; the eldest celebrated athlete was Gasper McGee, a BHS student from 1952. The names of honored athletes were announced and these people came up to the stage to receive their framed placard and to take a quick photo next to Sasaki. As each decade was celebrated on stage, one to two honorees gave speeches to the family and friends in the audience seated in yellow and red draped tables.

One speaker, Darryl Bartlett, a BHS alumni, gave encouragement to current BHS students who are involved in sports. “I just want to say, to all Berkeley High School athletes, continue to pursue [your dream] through any and all obstacles. Always shoot for your dreams past your challenges.” Bartlett ended his much applauded speech with these words of advice. As the stage was cleared of one decade of alumni athletes and was prepared for the next, guests were able to grab a snack from a table of finger food, or take a look at some BHS merchandise and clothing proudly sporting the name “Berkeley High” or flashing our beloved Yellowjacket mascot.

Kristen Glenchur, BHS sports enthusiast and former Berkeley High athletic director, gave her motive for her involvement in helping make the Hall of Fame ceremony possible, “What [the committee] wanted to do was bring our past to our present, get our alumni to meet our students, and to get students these stories about what they could become … And [the committee] wanted to recognize one hundred years of athletic history at Berkeley High.”

There is a long history of famous athlete graduates at BHS. Nakamura also states a few names of famous BHS alumni who were present at this 2010 event. “In this group, we have Richard Jochum, who has coached many Olympic swimmers. We have Brian Nabeta, who is currently a swim coach, and he is off to Barcelona this summer to coach the USA youth team. We have Claudell Washington who played 17 years in the major leagues.”

With these names being only a few of the many who attended the May 8 event, the Donahue Gym was full of accomplished and successful athletes. BHS has produced several Olympic level athletes and has an athletics program that is recognized nationwide.

This ceremony was a great way to honor the amazing athletes that have come from BHS. The new inductees helped BHS athletics reach impressive heights, and all current athletes now strive to be like them. The new name placards will give the Hall of Fame inductees a way to be recognized regularly, and the Donahue Gym will now have a decorative display in the foyer to welcome the students and great athletes of tomorrow.

Photos:

• Hall of Fame (courtesy of Leib Sutcher)