2013 Inductees
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME: 2013 Induction Class
Jim Anderson, Kenny Barnes, Sam Barton, Sr., Winfred “Win” Bootman, Vernon Burke, Bruce Burnett, George Culver, Jordan “Turk” Eliades, Linda Goen-Hatcher, Dick “Hubba” Heber, Jack Hill, John Miller, Randy Rich, Guy Rounsaville, Duane Williams, Lloyd Williams, Bill Williamson
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2013 Inductee Biographies
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Bill Williamson never went to North High School, but he is thoroughly aware of its history and traditions. Williamson, who grew up in Oildale where he remains today, watched the construction and development of North High school. In 1955, two years after the school opened, his father, George Williamson, became the second principal of NHS and served in that capacity until 1965.
Williamson played football on the 1959 Bakersfield College Renegade National Championship team, went on to play at Utah State and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. He returned home to Oildale with his wife, Lois, and daughter Lora. Shortly after his return he had a son, Greg. Both children went on to be “Stars” graduating in 1980 and 1982 respectively.
After obtaining a job at the Kern County Probation Department, where he eventually became Chief from 1988 to 1994, Williamson had a deep desire to serve the Oildale community. He initially fulfilled this desire by becoming a football coach in the Jack Frost Football League. He coached the Highlanders and Cowboys which were the “feeder” football teams to North High School. This provided him the opportunity to prepare young men for their future at North High and beyond. He coach hundreds of future North High Stars and had a lasting impact on the life of each individual he the chance to mentor. While volunteering in this capacity, Williamson developed numerous lifelong friendships and relationships with North High students, parents, coaches, teachers, administrators and the Oildale community.
Williamson was an active member of the North High School Athletic Booster Club from 1967 until 1986. During this time you could always find “Big Bill” on Friday nights sitting at the top of the Southeast corner of “Eliades Field” cheering on the Stars at their home football games.
Utilizing his unique skill of motivation to bring people together, Williamson was able to inspire those with the common cause of promoting North High School athletics to become involved through volunteerism and fundraising. He was involved in the development of numerous fundraising efforts. Everything from the Athletic Booster Club BBQ booth at football games to reverse draw events Williamson was at the forefront to ensure North High Athletes had community support and the best equipment money could buy.
During his tenure on the North High School Athletic Booster Club, Williamson was directly responsible for raising tens of thousands of dollars to support North High School athletics. One of his greatest accomplishments includes his involvement and constant oversight of the construction of the first North High School weight room.
Williamson also understood the importance of academic achievement for all North High athletes. He was responsible for the development of the “Star Award” for all athletic programs which was given to the student athlete on each team who excelled both in the classroom and on the field.
Most of all Williamson was a friend to North High School Athletics. His ability to rally people together was perhaps his biggest accomplishment. Through continued fundraising and social events, including the annual coach’s retreat, Williamson developed numerous relationships with his North High family. Many of these “Star Quality” relationships still exist today.
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Bruce Burnett was a two-time South Yosemite League Champion and placed first, second, and third in the Central Section Championships while at North High. After graduating, he went on to Bakersfield College and was a two-time JC State Champion with a 55-3 record. Bruce was named the state’s outstanding wrestler in 1970.
While at Idaho State University in 1971 and 1972, Bruce went undefeated in dual meets and was the Big Sky Conference Champion and the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Champion. He finished his collegiate career with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary Education.
Bruce coached at Meridian High School in Meridian, Idaho, from 1974-87 where his teams compiled a record of 154-13-2 and won nine conference, six district and four state championships. Under his direction, the wrestling program grew from just 23 wrestlers his first year to 119 his last season. The Idaho Coaches Association voted him Coach of the Year six times, and in 1987, he was inducted into the ISU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Between 1987 and 1990, Bruce was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University where he helped guide the Cowboys to two NCAA team titles, three Big Eight Conference titles and two National Dual Meet team titles.
Bruce has served as the national freestyle coach for world and Olympic competition since 1992 with his 1996 team capturing five medals (three gold, one silver and one bronze). In 2000, his Olympic freestyle team won one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. He was named the Freestyle Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1995 and 96, and, was named the United States Olympic Committee Elite Coach of the Year in 1996.
Bruce is in his 13th season as the head coach of the US Naval Academy’s wrestling program. He has led the Midshipmen to a 107-56 record producing nine Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Champions, with ten wrestlers earning All –American status. Over the last six seasons, Navy has won seven EIWA individual crowns, while garnering All-America honors seven times.
According to Navysports.com,” Bruce Burnett is a winner. At every level of the sport, Burnett has seen success and it is without a doubt that he will continue the winning tradition that has made Navy a household name in the sport of wrestling”.
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Dick “Hubba” Heber, a social studies teacher of history, geography and government and major contributor and supporter of athletics at North High for 34 years (1953-1987) as well as a dedicated volunteer in the field of history and sports in the community, is honored to become a member of the North High Athletics Hall of Fame 2013.
Heber’s parents, Roy Lafayette Heber and Edna Everingham Heber, came to Maricopa from the midwest as homesteaders with the oil boom in Kern County in the early 1900s. Two children were born during that time, George in 1909, and Alice in 1911. The family moved back to Hutsonville, IL, after a few years and two more sons joined the family. Miles was born in 1916 and Richard (Dick) in 1919. The family eventually moved back to California settling in Bakersfield on Sunset Avenue near KCUHS in 1923.
Dick went to William Penn, Emerson, and Kern County Union High School. At “KC” as it was called then, he was a student leader and athlete. During high school he was on the freshman class council, President of the Junior Class, and Vice President of the Senior Class. He was a pitcher and first baseman on the baseball team and he followed in his older brothers’ footsteps as a center on the KC basketball team. He graduated from KCUHS in 1937.
Heber attended Bakersfield College from 1937 to 1938 and played both baseball and basketball. Then he transferred to the University of California at Berkeley graduating from CAL in 1941. At CAL he was a member of the traveling baseball team that took one especially memorable road trip by train that included 18 stops to play baseball teams at Michigan State, Ohio State, University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Carleton College, Notre Dame and other colleges and universities.
While at CAL Heber belonged to Psi Upsilon fraternity and held jobs in college that included waiting tables at the fraternity, parking cars at the famous Claremont Hotel, and “guarding” the secret football practices.
Following graduation from CAL he joined the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer and remained in the Navy from 1941 to 1945. Stationed in New York State for much of the time, he had the opportunity to visit his father’s relatives in the Pittsburg area.
He then returned to California earning his teaching credential at the University of California Santa Barbara. He began his career with a practice teaching assignment in the P.E. department at East High where he worked with Gil Bishop, Les Carpenter, and Bob Jellison. He then accepted a teaching position at Shafter High School where he taught world geography and coached baseball. The Shafter High athletic director, Lowell Todd, introduced Heber to golf and that led to a lifetime golf hobby (including two- hole- in- ones).
He taught at Shafter High for six years from 1948 through 1953. The principal of Shafter High was Jack Hill. When Hill was hired to become the first principal of North High in 1953, he brought four Shafter High teachers with him. The four teachers/coaches were: Dick Heber (history and baseball), Turk Eliades (math and football), Ernie Graf (music/band), and Dusty Rhodes (industrial arts and track).
During Heber’s first years at North he also had a summer job working as a lifeguard and swimming and diving instructor at Bakersfield Country Club.
Although he was the first varsity baseball coach at North, he recognized that his calling and passion was in classroom teaching. He taught social studies (world history, world geography, U.S. History, and government) for 34 years at North from 1953-1987.
In 1958 Mr. Heber’s second period world affairs class placed second in a national contest sponsored by the editors of Every Week, a news magazine. The contest invited social studies classes in high schools to submit lists of the 10 top news stories of 1958 which had international significance. The commendation from Every Week read: “Since hundreds of students from every state in the union entered the contest, you have just cause for pride in your victory.” The seniors in Heber’s class were all seniors who were preparing to major in social science.
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Williams, a 1973 North High graduate, was a three-sport varsity athlete in football (3 years), wrestling (4years) and baseball (2 years). In football, under Coach Eliades, he was an All-Area selection playing on two league championship teams in 1970 and 1971. In wrestling, he was a 2-time league and CIF central section champion in 1972 and 1973. In baseball, under Coach Barton, he was on North’s league championship teams in 1972 and 1973. In 1973, he was selected “FCA” Kern County Athlete of the Year. He went on to play football and wrestled at Bakersfield College in 1973 & 1974. In football, he was selected First Team All-League. All-State, and All-American. In wrestling he was Metro League Champion on BC’s 1974 championship wrestling team. He was selected BC freshman Athlete and BC Scholar-Athlete of the year in 1974. He received a football scholarship to play for the University of California at Berkeley (CAL) under Coach Mike White.
At Cal, Williams was the starting center on Cal’s Pac-8 Co-Championship Team in 1975. He was given Cal’s Outstanding Athlete Leadership Award. He was selected 1st Team All-Pac-8, All-West Coast Selection and Honorable Mention All-American. After his senior year at Cal he was selected to play in two of NCAA’s top senior all-star games: the Hula Bowl in Hawaii and the Japan Bowl in Tokyo, Japan.
Williams returned to Bakersfield after being signed by the Philadelphia Eagles and later waived. In 1978, he was selected to be a staff member of the Japan Bowl All-Star Football Game sponsored by Sports Nippon Newspaper in Tokyo, Japan. The Japan Bowl was a game played by American football players in their senior year of college. It is the only collegiate all-star football game ever played overseas.
In1980, he was promoted by the Japanese staff to become Game Director. His duties involved selecting, recruiting and organizing the coaches, players, cheerleaders and medical staff each year. Some of the coaches that Williams was successful in selecting and recruiting for the game were such notables as Bobby Bowden (Florida State), Steve Spurrier (Florida), Jimmy Johnson (Miami), Lou Holtz (Notre Dame), John Cooper (Ohio State), Lavelle Edwards (BYU), Don James (Washington), Johnny Majors (Tennessee), Dennis Erickson (Miami), Vince Dooley (Georgia), Dan Devine (Notre Dame), Lee Corso (Indiana), Dick Tomey (Arizona), Jackie Sherrill (Mississippi State), Mack Brown (Texas), R.C. Slocum (Texas A&M), and Larry Smith (Missouri) to name a few.
Williams was responsible for making the Japan Bowl the top ranked college all-star game from 1980 to 1993. He achieved this by securing the top senior players in the country each year. During one five-year stretch, his roster included the Heisman Trophy winner for each of those years. This feat has never been accomplished by any other all-star game before and since. Past participants are a who’s who of NFL football greats: Joe Montana (Notre Dame), Steve Young (BYU), Vinny Testaverde (Miami), Randall Cunnigham (Las Vegas), Troy Aikman (UCLA), Doug Flutie (Boston College), Mark Burnell (Washington), Bo Jackson (Auburn), Reggie White (Tennessee), Tim Brown (Notre Dame), Chris Collinsworth (Florida), Lawrence Taylor (North Carolina), Kenny Easley (UCLA), Tony Dungy (Missouri), Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh), Ricky Bell (USC), Mike Singletary (Baylor), and Mark May (Pittsburgh) to name a few.
From 1989 to 1992, Williams was also asked to organize the Japan Classic Basketball All-Star Tournament. The tournament was the same concept as the Japan Bowl except for basketball. Both all-star games, the Japan Bowl and the Japan Classic, were suspended in 1993 due to an economic downturn in Japan. Both events were very popular. The games were routinely sold-out and were covered by ESPN.
Williams’ first love was always football and this led him to be a volunteer assistant football coach under his previous coach, Jack O’Brien, in the 1980’s. His coaching didn’t end there. In 2001, he became an assistant softball coach to his daughter, Corrie Williams-Gannaway (a four-year starter at Florida State in softball), who is now the all-time winning softball coach in North High School history.
Some of his fondest memories of North High School are playing for Coach Eliades and Coach Barton on North’s Championship Teams 1970 thru 1973.
Williams was elected to the Bob Elias Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Bakersfield College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. He is honored and very appreciative of being elected into the inaugural class of the 2013 North High School Hall of Fame. In 2012, Williams retired as a Captain from the Kern County Fire Department after 33 years of service.
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George Culver graduated from North High in 1961. Played baseball, football, basketball and ran track and cross country. Helped Stars win their 1st South Yosemite League baseball championship in 1961. Pitched and lost in the Valley semi-finals to Roosevelt High of Fresno, 4-2, in 14 memorable innings at Sam Lynn Ball Park. Pitched all 14 innings, as did opposing pitcher Wade Blasingame of Roosevelt. Ironically they later played together on the Houston Astros. Finished high school with a 26-4 career record. Played parts of two seasons for the legendary Sam Barton at the JV level.
Names Barton as one of the most influential people in his life. Two year varsity starter in basketball, selected 2nd team all-SYL and honorable mention all-Valley as a senior. Finished in top 5 in scoring in SYL.
Attended Bakersfield College for 2 years after leaving North High and played for another legend, Gerry Collis, whom he considers the most influential person in his career. Helped BC win its first ever Metropolitan Conference baseball championship in 1962, earning 1st team all-Conference honors.
Signed with the New York Yankees out of BC in 1963, making it to the major leagues in 1966 with the Cleveland Indians. Played 9 years in the major leagues with the Indians, Reds, Cardinals, Astros, Dodgers and Phillies. Finished his career playing in Japan’s major leagues in 1975 then retired. Finished with a career record of 48-49, 23 saves and an ERA of 3.63. Highlight of career came on July 29, 1968 while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. Pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies, winning 6-1. Playing for the Phillies in that game was East Bakersfield High legend Johnny Callison.
Started coaching in the minor leagues for the Phillies in 1981 until 1998. Went to work for the Dodgers in the minor leagues in 2001 to 2005 and again from 2008 to 2010 before retiring from professional baseball. Hosted 12 celebrity golf tournaments from 1970-1981, raising money for BC baseball. In 1989 started the Light Brigade, a non-profit organization dedicated to the benefit of youth baseball in this area. The main project for the Light Brigade was the BC Baseball Hot Stove Dinner which ran for 22 years, raising over $1,000,000 for the BC baseball program in the process. The funds were used to erect lights, scoreboards, dugouts and storage facilities, purchase various field maintenance equipment and build a clubhouse for the BC players. Gerry Collis Field is now considered one of the top JC facilities in the nation. In 2006 raised over $1,000,000 to help Cal State Bakersfield start up its first ever baseball program as the school initiated a move to become a D-1 program.
In 2012 was elected to the California Community College Hall of Fame. Also a member of the Reading (Pa.) Phillies Baseball Hall of Fame, The Bakersfield College Alumni Hall of Fame and the Bob Elias Kern County Hall of Fame. A baseball and picture from the no-hitter are on display in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Now retired and enjoying life with his wife Rosie. They will be celebrating their 36th anniversary next week. He’s back home now in what he considers the greatest town in America, Bakersfield, California.
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Guy was one of the top scholar athletes ever to play sports at North High, and, graduated with honors in both athletics and academics in 1961. Raised in Oildale and graduating from Beardsley Junior High in 1957, his father, Guy Sr., was a WWII U.S. Army veteran who saw combat while landing on the beaches of Italy and Sicily. During his North High career, Guy excelled in football, basketball, and, baseball. He played three years of varsity football under legendary coach, and, fellow inductee, Turk Eliades. He was All-Valley in both football and basketball as a junior and senior, and, led the SYL in scoring as a senior on the basketball team.
As a pitcher for the Star’s baseball team, he was All-SYL as a junior, but, had to sit out his senior year with a broken arm. He was unaware of the broken arm that had occurred during the football season, yet, he still made All -Valley in both football and basketball that year! In 1961, he won the Sam Lynn Award for the top scholar/athlete in Kern County.
With a high school GPA of 3.97, Guy was awarded a full ride scholarship to Stanford University to play football. While at Stanford, he played under four legendary coaches; Jack “Cactus” Curtis, John Ralston, the “Great” Bill Walsh, and, Mike White. At 190 pounds, Guy played varsity offensive and defensive end from 1961-1964, and, co-captained his team in 1964 along with Dick Ragsdale. His teammates awarded him the “Vern Purcell Award” as the “Most with the least”. Bill Walsh was quoted as saying “Guy Rounsaville was the toughest player I ever coached”.
Guy graduated from Stanford in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and, then attended the Hastings Law School receiving his law degree in 1968. In 1969, he was admitted to the California Bar Association, and, later, went to work for Wells Fargo based in San Francisco. In eight short years, he became the lead attorney for Wells Fargo and remained in that position until 1998 when the bank merged with NorWest Bank Corporation.
During his exceptional career, Guy became an impassioned leader and champion with the worthy cause of providing opportunities for minorities in the workplace; also known as “Workplace Diversity”. Former Speaker of the House for the California State Assembly, and, San Francisco Mayor, Willie Brown, issued a proclamation for “Guy Rounsaville, Jr. Day” on November 19, 1998. Brown’s statement declared “Whereas, Guy Rounsaville’s vision, determination, courage, and commitment to equality of opportunity have formed a transformation of hiring, retention, and advancement practices of law firms and corporate law departments across the most diverse State in the country.”
His accomplishments as an attorney are too many to list here tonight. Although Guy now resides in Hillsborough in the bay area with his wife of 38 years, Lenore, he will always be an ‘08er at heart. He has two grown daughters, Ashley and Lindsey, who are now involved with their own careers.
Welcome home, Guy.
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Jack Hill, North High’s first principal, opened North High in the fall of 1953 with freshmen and sophomores. From the beginning, he realized that athletics complemented academics and was a very important part of the overall school curriculum.
Jack had been the principal at Shafter High School since 1942 and had built a very strong and dedicated faculty at that school. He brought many of his first faculty from Shafter and they filled many of the important positions at North. He paid special attention to athletics. Two of North’s first coaches who were hired by Jack are being honored tonight: Dick Heber and Jordan Eliades.
Jack had an outstanding sports background in his own right. An all-sport performer at Pomona High School in Southern California, some of his records still stand to this day – 90 years after his high school career.
After high school, he went to the University of California at Berkeley where he pitched and played outfield for the Golden Bears. In 1927 he was part of the Golden Bear team that traveled to Japan to teach the Japanese people about the sport of baseball.
In 1929, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds and was thought to be one of three (3) “can’t miss” players in the National League.
As sometimes happens, fate took a turn that would change the course of Jack Hill’s life that fall when his father died of a sudden unexpected heart attack. Jack quickly left the Reds to return home for the funeral and to help his brother with the family business. He was never able to go back to Cincinnati.
Jack and his brother tried in vain to keep the family business going, but, it finally went under during the height of the Great Depression in 1933. At that point Jack figured that the baseball career was over and he went back to finish his degree at Fresno State and also get a teaching credential.
His first teaching job was at Vineland School locally and then he was in the group that started East High in 1938. In the meantime he had married the love of his life, Blanche Cook in 1934 and Jack and Blanche started a family in 1940.
Jack taught history and economics at East High and was an assistance football coach and varsity baseball coach. He was promoted to be principal at Shafter High in 1942 and stayed there until North High opened.
Jack’s stay at North High was cut short in May of 1955 by a sudden and fatal heart attack at the age of 48. Although Jack died way before he was able to see the full greatness of North, Blanche carried on his legacy raising two sons before she went to be with Jack in 2003 at the age of 96.
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Jim was an Oildale boy through and through. Born August 1, 1942, he resided in Oildale until he left for college. He spent his early educational years in the Standard School system in grades K thru 8. In 1956, he entered North High as a freshman.
Jim participated in football all four years at North; baseball in 1957 and 58, and, track and field in 1959 and 60. As a lineman on the SYL Championship team in 1957, he earned second team all-league honors. In 1958, Jim was selected to the all-league team as well as the all-valley team. Following his senior year in football, Jim was selected to the all-city and all-valley teams. He was the Stars’ Most Valuable Player that season as well as being named an Honorable Mention All American player nationally. During his senior year, he received the Sam Lynn Trophy as the Most Outstanding Male Athlete at North High School. Upon graduation, he was off to the University of California at Berkeley on a full-ride football scholarship.
At Cal, Jim was the captain of the 1960 freshman team and, in 1963, the captain of the varsity squad. At the end of his senior year, he earned the “Brick Muller Award” as the Most Valuable Lineman. He also received All-Coast Honorable Mention and was selected to play in the 1964 Hula Bowl. While at Cal, Jim got involved with their Rugby squad playing from 1962 thru 1965. The 1965 squad was number one in the nation. From 1967 thru 1985, he played on the Bay Area Touring Side team getting to play in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and England. In 1968, the Bay Area Side was number one in the world.
Jim’s greatest memory of North High is being a starting tackle on the 1957 team that won the school’s first SYL football title. He relished being the captain of the first football team to defeat the mighty Bakersfield High Drillers as well as having the privilege of playing for coaches Eliades and Allen. He is especially grateful for having grown up with teammates and classmates who have become life-long friends.
Jim’s adult life has been spent working in the Labor Relations and Human Resources field with such large companies as Kaiser Gypsum and Bethlehem Steel. However, Jim claims his best job was working for the Hilton Group as their Head of Labor Relations. He and his wife Pat are enjoying his semi-retirement in Thousand Oaks, California, although he sometimes still takes consulting jobs in his area of expertise.
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Earning a spot on the first National Junior Olympic Wrestling Team in 1967 was probably the highlight of John’s wrestling career. After winning the California State Junior Olympic Championships at 178.5 lbs. held in Bakersfield, seventeen year-old John traveled to Illinois to wrestle for a spot on the National team. Fifty-seven finalists from around the country reported to a training camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago. John won the Greco Roman tournament in his weight class at a time when that style of wrestling was almost totally unfamiliar to U.S. high school wrestlers. In Greco Roman, a wrestler cannot use his legs to take down an opponent; it is all upper body strength.
From Illinois, the two teams, made up of nineteen young men from the United States and one from Canada, traveled to Germany where they won all four dual meets against the “cream of West Germany’s young wrestlers”. After seventeen days in Europe, John returned to Bakersfield and went on to amass a 40-0 record his senior year winning the title of California Wrestler of the Year in 1968.
John lost only one match in his last two seasons at North High bringing his overall high school record to 91-6-2. He was a two time CIF Valley Champion at 175lbs and 191lbs, and, Co-MVP of the team in 1967 and ’68. After graduating from North, he went on to wrestle for two years at Bakersfield College and one year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on a football/wrestling scholarship.
John was a two sport athlete while at North High, playing football for three years also. He was selected to the All City Team in 1966 as a defensive back, and then in 1967, as an Offensive Back. His senior year, he was Co-MVP and team captain.
While playing for BC, he was a member of the Metropolitan Conference Championship team in 1969 and was voted to the All Conference Team in 1970.
John graduated from Cal State University Bakersfield in 1974 with a teaching credential, and taught at Royal High School in Simi Valley where he also coached football and wrestling. In 1975, John moved his family back to Bakersfield to take over his family business. His Dad, John Sr., started Oildale Auto Parts in 1960, and, John and his wife of 41 years still run it today. John met Debbie at North High in 1966, his two daughters, Lori and Erin, were North High athletes, and his son-in-law, Darin, taught and coached at North High. He also has a nine-year old grandson, Devon who loves to play football.
When John was selected as Prep of the Week, January 31, 1968, the Bakersfield Californian asked his coach, Win Bootman, this question. “Does the wrestler make the coach or does the coach make the wrestler? Coach Bootman replied, “neither”…in the case of John Miller. “I’d say the key to John’s success has been his parents…They never boast about their boy and I never have heard John boast about his accomplishments. Humility is Miller’s greatest attribute.” He went on to say, that Miller combines strength with grace and balance…and, is as great a high school football player as a wrestler.
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When Turk Eliades took over the North High football program at the newly opened school in 1953, he was handed a brand new team made up of “slow white guys”. One year later the Stars-with no seniors–won the Valley Sierra Division Championship, and Coach Eliades continued coaching and teaching at North for over 30 years. During those years, his teams won eight league championships outright and shared two more all with the help of such players like Dale Standifer, Jimmy Doss, and Vernon Burke. The ex World-War II fighter pilot held his own against some of the most memorable Kern County coaches like Paul Briggs, Migs Apsit, Ray Frederick, Marv Mosconi just to name a few.
Turk came to North High by way of Shafter High School, winning 24 games in just three years as the Generals’ head coach. He grew up in McGill, Nevada and starred at Nevada-Reno as a blocking back for Marion Mortlet. As a fighter pilot, he shot down four enemy planes before his own plan was shot down spending more than a year in a German prisoner of war camp. After the war, he returned home and married his life partner, Frances “Cookie” Cook, completed his education at the University of Nevada and the University of Southern California, and, became a teacher in and out of the classroom.
Turk had dual interests in his 32 years at North High-his football team and his mathematics classes. He felt like he had the best of both worlds as a high school teacher, bringing math’s accuracy to the football field, and, football’s passion to the classroom. His ex-football players and students remember him as both emotional and inspirational. He taught them about football and math, but even more about life. He taught them to believe in themselves and the value family and friends most of all.
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Ken Barnes won the first of his eight career individual World Championships by taking the .410 bore title in 1966. It was only the seventh perfect score of 100-out-of-100 shot up to that time with the 410. At the 1967 Western Open Championships, he broke the first perfect 400-out-of 400 score in history using four gauges at one shoot, and, is still the only shooter to do so with pump action guns.
Between 1966 and 1969, Ken captured eight individual nationwide high averages for the year, five of which were world records at the time. He is the first shooter to carry a 99% all around average for the year, and again, the only to do so with pump guns. Ken was selected to the Sports Afield Magazine’s All–American Team twelve times between 1966 and 1978, being selected team captain twice. Between 1966 and 1969 he won 12 individual California State titles including the All-Around four consecutive years. He still holds the California State record of 27 individual titles won.
In 1974, Ken won his second world .410 title with his ninth perfect score with the Winchester Model 42 Pump gun, seven more than anyone else in history. That gun is enshrined at the Hall of Fame in San Antonio, Texas. After winning the 12 gauge title in 1975, Ken became one of only five shooters in history who have won a world title in each gauge.
Ken was inducted into the National Skeet Shooting Association Hall of Fame in 1979, and, the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. He is also a charter member of the California Hall of Fame. For the last thirty years, Ken’s only competition has been at the event named for him annually at the Kern County Gun Club.
Born and raised in Bakersfield, Ken was introduced to skeet shooting in 1962 by his friend, Pete Lokey, owner of Westchester Bowl. His first registered target shot at the old Kern County Gun Club below the Panorama bluffs was declared lost because the safety was still on. He fondly recalls that “I only broke four targets out of 25 the first time I shot”.
Ken and his father built and operated the tire store on Garces circle where he is remembered for putting up the “Big Indian” in the 1960’s. During the mid-70’s, he managed the gun department at Vincent’s Sporting Goods entering the real estate profession in 1978 until his recent retirement.
Ken feels very fortunate to have the shooting career that he has had and credits the support of his family and friends. Ken and his wife Loretta still live in Bakersfield and are blessed with five children and eight grandchildren.
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“Amazing Linda does it again!” That was a headline in a 1977 Bakersfield Californian article after Linda Goen captured the National AAU Women’s Junior 800 meter title in a meet record of 2:05.43. Just 15 years old at the time, she beat the old meet record set by Olympian Jan Merrill and earned a spot on the USA team that was to face the Russians later that summer in Richmond, Virginia. Standing 5’2” and 87 pounds, Linda was able to “zip right through an opening” after being boxed inside a four-woman pack going into the last lap. As her cross country coach, Stan Ingram said at the time, “If she had been bigger, I don’t think the opening would have been big enough. She didn’t even touch the other girl as she went by. I think she still could have won by going outside. She had a lot of strength left.”
“What makes Linda run?” was another headline in the Californian when Linda was a senior at North. Then Sports Editor, Larry Press called Linda the most prominent and talented high school athlete in town, and, who might also be the toughest competitively. The fact is that, Linda is still considered the finest women’s distance runner to ever come out of Kern County. But, running wasn’t her first choice of sports. Originally a gymnast, Linda turned to running after a swimming pool mishap hurt her back so much that she couldn’t arch it anymore. Two months after back surgery, she was running, and, running so much that she rarely took any time off from workouts. “I have to put a damper on her as far as training is concerned,” Ingram has said. “I don’t have any quite as dedicated as she is.”
Linda’s dedication to her sport paid off in school records in the 880, the mile, the two mile, the mile and two mile relay, along with the 880 medley relay and the distance medley relay. She is a 15 time SYL champion , a 14 time Area champion , and, a 12 time Central Section champion in cross country and track . She also captured four individual Kern County cross country Invitational Championships and is a four time champion at the Arcadia Invitational in the 880 and mile putting her in the Arcadia Invitational Hall of Fame. Her 1977 time in the 880 of 2:10.4 was a national record. But her ultimate track accomplishment in high school came her sophomore year when she won the California State Track Meet in the mile setting a meet record in 4:47.8. She became a state champion again as a senior when the state meet was held at UCLA , the same arena where she won as a sophomore, and, where she would later run as a collegiate athlete.
While at UCLA, Linda’s accomplishments in track and cross country were just as impressive as her high school career. She was voted Outstanding UCLA Track and Field and Cross Country Athlete in 1979 and 1980, was a member of the 2-time NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field National Championship Team in 1982 and 1983, 5th place NCAA Division 1 Nationals in the 1500, All American in Track and Cross Country, 2nd place TAC/AAU Nationals in the 1500 in 1980 and 4th place AIAW in the 1500 in 1981. Linda went to the Olympic Trials in 1980 and 1984 placing 4th in 1980 in the 1500 in a time of 4:11 to become an alternate member of the US Olympic Team. In 1981, while on the USA Track Team, she placed fourth in a dual meet against the Russians.
Gary Kuster, Linda’s track coach while at North High, remembers her as being a fun loving teenager, a dedicated, goal oriented athlete, and extremely serious when it came to her training and competing. He said recently, “I would have to smile every time I saw her in an attempt to get her to do the same.” Kuster went on to say that he feels the high point of her high school career was during her sophomore year when she fan faster than the existing national records in the 880, the mile and the two mile. That was also the year that his North High track team missed winning the state title by one point!!
Both Gary Kuster and Stan Ingram remember the “friendly, courteous and delightful athlete, a coach’s dream”. But they also remember “little Linda as being a hard-nosed battler of the old school who competes as long as she can stagger out onto the track”. A question that had been asked of the family so often is “what makes Linda such a powerful running machine?” The answer: “She has her dad’s circulatory system and her great-grandfather’s heart”. It definitely takes both to have accomplished what she did while a STAR at North High.
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Lloyd Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1932 and the family moved to Bakersfield soon after. He attended Jr. high in Vallejo then moved back to attend BHS where he played basketball. After high school, Lloyd attended Bakersfield College where he played basketball and helped manage the baseball team.
After getting his teaching credential at Fresno State, his first and only teaching job was at North High School where he taught industrial drawing and architectural drawing.
Lloyd started his coaching in 1962 coaching Junior Varsity basketball, freshman baseball, and JV baseball. From 1967 thru 1978 he was the varsity basketball coach, a job he truly enjoyed. He knew the game of basketball and taught it very well. Ask anyone who played for him and they will tell you he “coached the whole player”. He was fair with all and they are still his fans to this day. One of the highlights of Lloyd’s career was coaching the west all stars in 1974.
In 1979 Lloyd became the Athletic Director and continued teaching in the classroom. As A.D., Lloyd went to many lengths to get the best coaches for his staff.
In 1982 Lloyd met Jeanette Donato and they were married down by the Kern River in 1984. Between them they have 6 children and 11 grandchildren.
In 1989, when the district eliminated all but varsity sports for economic reasons Lloyd organized a Saturday Frosh-Soph basketball league with the help of volunteers Mark Weir and Linda Leopold. Lloyd swept the floors, took down the volleyball nets and set up a cash box where parents would pay $2.00 each to offset the cost of officials. After the game, Lloyd was a one man cleanup crew to put the gym back the way he found it before going home.
Lloyd took over the assistant principal job in 1991 and retired in 1993 so he could play more golf and spend time watching the trains that he loved.
Lloyd was totally dedicated to all things North High. He was a very unique personality and never did the boring or expected. He also had several endearing nicknames, among them “The Greyhound” for his long, loping walk, “The Roadrunner”, and still to this day, many refer to Lloyd Williams as “Mr. North High”.
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In his three year varsity football career, Randy gained over 2400 yards and is considered one of North High’s top ball carriers in the school’s history. Often considered small and slow for his specialties, running back, defensive back, punt and kickoff returner, Randy maximized his skills with aggressiveness and intense desire. Those skills earned him a full ride athletic scholarship to the University of New Mexico.
But football wasn’t the only sport Randy played while at North High. As a freshman, he was on the Junior Varsity Baseball Team, and, he lettered in Track as a sophomore and junior as well. He was a three-year, first team, varsity running back and defensive back for the Stars from 1969-1971, was voted Co-MVP of his team as a junior and was MVP of the 1970 undefeated football team. In 1971, the Stars came back to win a three-way tie for the League championship. He was voted to the All City teams in 1971 and 1972, and was named All–City Back of the Year in 1972. Randy was also Student Body Vice President his senior year.
After graduating from North High, Randy was selected to play in the third annual Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was one of 28 players chosen to participate in this bowl game pitting the top California graduating seniors against those from Hawaii. Three California high school football coaches picked the players based on their football ability, citizenship and desire to play football. Randy’s desire to play the game might have come from his two older brothers, Darrell and Roger, who both played football at North High.
At the University of New Mexico, Randy became the first freshman ever to start in the defensive backfield for the Lobos. He retained that position for the remainder of his college career, leading the nation in punt returns his senior year. For three years running, he was voted All WAC Defensive Back of the Year. After college, he played four and a half years in the NFL as a defensive back and special team player for the Denver Broncos, the Detroit Lions, and, the Cleveland Browns including Super Bowl XII for the Broncos. Randy was inducted into the Bob Elias Hall of Fame in 1996.
Randy retired from the NFL and spent the next eighteen years in broadcasting as the President and General Manager of the oldest contemporary Christian music station in the United States. During his time at KLYT, he was a leader in developing regional satellite networks and was awarded the National Station Manager of the Year in 1997. With the development of a multi media interactive video program called “Change Your World”, he was able to present a message of hope and encouragement in hundreds of schools across the country. Apart from his relationship with his three daughters, this was the most rewarding thing he has done.
In May of 2009, Randy began a new phase in his life when he accepted his current position as Vice President of Philanthropy at K-LOVE and Air 1 Radio Networks. Both networks aim to effectively communicate the Gospel message to those who don’t know or fully understand it, through full time contemporary Christian music.
Randy and his wife, Cathy McCall, live in Roseville, California.
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Sam is a 1946 graduate of Delano High School. He started and lettered all four years at the varsity level in both football and baseball. He was elected to the Delano Football Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2000, Sam was inducted into the Bob Elias Sports Hall of Fame for his achievements as a baseball coach in Kern County.
In 1949 Sam signed a professional baseball contract with the Pittsburg Pirates Organization. After one season, Sam was released and began playing semi-pro ball in the Bakersfield area. In 1950, the team won the California State Tournament where he set a record for back to back home runs and was selected to the All State Team as an outfielder.
Sam began his coaching career at Bakersfield High School in 1950 as “B” reserve football coach, and, a Frosh/Soph baseball coach. His tenure at BHS didn’t last long as he was drafted into the armed forces and proudly served his country during the Korean War. After the war, Sam returned to the Kern County area and later attended San Jose State University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education with a minor in Health Education in 1955.
In 1957, Sam began his teaching career at North High School where he coached the varsity line in football. This team won its first South Yosemite League title. Also that year, he coached the “D” Class basketball team. Sam started coaching baseball at North in 1958 at the Junior Varsity level. In 1959, his J.V. team won the SYL title, and, he coached at that level for seven years. From 1961 to 1967, Sam coached the “C” Class football team. In 1968 he took over the “B” Class team and won the league championship.
Sam became the Varsity Baseball coach in 1965 and retired from that position in 1978. During his career, Sam’s teams won over 300 games and won or shared SYL championships seven times. From 1972 to 1977, his baseball teams won six straight league titles, and, in 1976, he won his first Valley Championship.
Sam was the Department Chairman of the Physical Education Department from 1965 to 1971. He is also the former President of the Kern Chapter of the California Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
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Vernon Burke attended North High School from 1955 to 1959. In 1958, this “Star” was named to both the All-League football and basketball teams, was MVP of the basketball team, and was the school’s leading scorer. He was the MVP of the basketball team and the schools leading scorer that year. Burke continued his athletic excellence during his senior year being named to the All-League and All-Valley football teams in 1959. After this impressive senior campaign, Burke was selected to play in the Senior Bowl. Burke moved immediately into his senior basketball season where he was the SYL’s leading scorer and once again named to the All-League basketball team. Burke was honored with the Jim Tyack Award, as the best athlete in Kern County in 1959.
Upon graduation, Burke continued his football career at Bakersfield College. During his freshman year, Burke played end for the Renegades, a team that went on to win the National Championship and Junior Rose Bowl. Burke was named second team All-American and Junior Rose Bowl MVP. During his sophomore year, Burke was named first team All-American and played in the All-American Football game.
Burke quickly caught the eye of Oregon State football coach Tommy Prothro. Despite playing only two seasons at OSU Burke broke every important passing record at Oregon State including most catches in a career (117), most yards in a career, (1,799), most catches in a season (69) and most touchdowns in a season (10). He led the team in both receiving and scoring in 1962 and 1963. Burke broke the NCAA record in both pass receptions (69) and pass yardage (1007) in 1962. Oregon State won the Liberty Bowl that year. He was named the Oregon State Rookie of the Year and was a second team All-American. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49’ers in the 5th round and by the Oakland Raiders in the 15th round of the NFL draft after the 1962 season.
Burke went on to play his senior season at OSU where he was named the team MVP. Burke was a consensus All-American selection and was named to both the Kodak and Look Magazine All-American teams. Burke was honored with the Voit Memorial Award for the most outstanding senior football player on the west coast and the Pop Warner Award for the most outstanding player on the west coast. He was a Hula Bowl recipient and played in the East-West Shrine game where he was named MVP.
After leaving Oregon State, Burke play four seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49’ers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints until a knee injury ended his career.
Burke went on to become a successful real estate developer and general contractor in seven states.
Burke has since been inducted into the 1978 Bob Elias Hall of Fame, 1982 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, 1991 Oregon State University Hall of Fame, 2001 Bakersfield College Football Hall of Fame, 2012 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame (Oregon State Liberty Bowl Team) and 2012 Oregon State University Hall of Fame (Oregon State Liberty Bowl Team).
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Born in October 1919 in St. Joseph, Missouri, Win spent his early years in the Midwest. He graduated from Benton High School at the age of 16. He then attended a local Junior College, playing in a semi-pro football league.
He enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater, ending his military career as a Lt. Commander. During his stint in the Navy , he took up boxing. Following the war, he was stationed at the Alameda Naval Base and Moffet Field. On the G.I. bill, he attended the University of California at Berkeley.
While spending this time in northern California, he met and married Patricia after a two month courtship. He was employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad during this time, as well as going to school. His two sons were born while “Boot” was “on the rails”. It was during this time he felt a need to settle down. It was his father-in-law who encouraged him to come to Bakersfield, telling him that “the area will remind him of his early days in Missouri”.
The family moved to Bakersfield in 1957 and Boot fell in love with the area the moment he arrived. He started his teaching career, and, took over the wrestling program that same year at North High. Having never trained nor coached wrestling before, he read every book on wrestling he could get his hands on, and, attended any clinic he could. He actively recruited young men on campus to build up the numbers in the program. During his time as coach, he helped develop the North of the River youth program, which acted as a feeder for the high school program.
His coaching career was highlighted by the relationships he had with his wrestlers. He enjoyed the updates from his former student-wrestlers and was pleased when hearing about their successes in life. In 1968, Boot concluded his coaching tenure after creating one of the premier programs in the Kern High School District. He continued to be associated with wrestling in the area, doing some officiating and supporting the Coyote Club when it was established.
Twenty years after his arrival at North High, Boot completed his Masters Degree in History at CSUB in 1977. After 33 years as a teacher, he retired in 1990. He often remarked that he loved every day on the North High campus. After retirement, he and his wife, Pat, enjoyed many years of traveling the United States and abroad, along with the joy of three kids and eight grandkids. Knowing that life was a gift each and every day, Boot passed away in 1997 at the age of 78. His children would like to thank the North High Athletic Hall of Fame Committee for honoring their father. He would be humbly proud.
