| School: Cleveland (Commerce) | Graduation Year: 1963 |
Year Inducted: 2012
Sports Played: Basketball, Baseball
Featured Member of the Month ~ July 2024
High School Honors: Basketball: 2-year letter winner; member of PIL Championship team, 3rd at State Tournament; honorable mention All-PIL as junior. Baseball: 3-year letter winner; All-City 2nd Baseman as Junior and Senior; honorable mention as a sophomore. National Honor Society.
Post High School Career: 2-year Baseball letter winner at University of Oregon; played Semi- Pro Baseball in Portland City League, 1963-1967; coached youth Baseball and Softball, 1983-1993. Vocation: Residential Developer-Builder. One of Portland’s first row house developers.
Commentary:
The high school years are very formative ones. Young people are learning and developing in every facet of their lives. I feel very fortunate in that I was involved in athletics in those years and for the life lessons gained from that athletic involvement.
I was involved in team sports, basketball and baseball. From the very start, there was pride and excitement just donning the uniform. The games themselves are filled with passion and inspiration. And after each game became a special time. I would replay and review how the game had gone.
There were four possible outcomes for each game, but one was the essence of it all. The first outcome:
the team lost and I played poorly. Totally depressing. The second outcome: the team lost and I played well. A hollow victory at best. The third outcome: the team won and I played poorly. A good result, but with a bit of a sting as I had failed to do my part. The fourth outcome: The team won and I played well. Totally exhilarating! Complete gratification! This was what it was all about!
This lesson became ingrained in me. In everything we do, we are involved with others as part of a group, a team. Our family life, vocation, volunteer activities, everything. And my goal is to perform my part to the best of my ability to help make the team successful. It is what I strive for always. It truly is a way of life. And it had its most valuable beginnings on the grand stage that is the PIL.