(September 7, 1945 – June 8, 2022) A giant on the football field for the Oregon State Beavers, Rockne Freitas has also been a giant in education in his home state of Hawaii. He was destined for the gridiron from birth. His father, John Freitas, named him after Notre Dame coaching legend Knute Rockne. He..Read More
(born May 27, 1966) Another Portland kid made good on the diamond. John Jaha went from East County to a 10-year major league career. The road was long and winding, but the rewards were very sweet. John’s path began as a lanky shortstop in the David Douglas Babe Ruth league, playing for Matt Niebergall. In..Read More
(born July 5, 1959) The time was right. You know the years, 1976 & 77. The birth of Rip City. The state of Oregon was crazy for basketball. The champion Trail Blazers, the Kamikaze Kids and some of the best years of high school basketball in history. In the center of it all was Grant..Read More
(born September 23, 1958) A big guard who shoots 50%, plays great defense and long minutes? Let’s sign him up. Ray Blume checked off all the boxes as a key member of the Oregon State’s “Orange Express” basketball teams. Blume was already a hometown hero at Parkrose high school. He led the 1977 version of..Read More
(November 2, 1936 – July 3, 2020) Bob Gill had an early love for football. But it wasn’t until his 1953 senior season at Jefferson High School that he excelled. As Tom DeSylvia’s first quarterback, Bob had an all-star season as the play caller and passer. It earned him a Shrine game selection and a..Read More
Lynda Johnson Black (b. May 21,1964), from Gresham’s Barlow High School, arrived at Portland State University and went on to become one of the greatest players in PSU volleyball history. Lynda is the only 4-time 1st team AVCA All-American in NCAA II history (1982-1985). She ended her brilliant career compiling amazing statistics: playing in 164..Read More
(Jun. 18, 1941 – Apr. 9, 2012) Sam Lee played his way from Oregon to the top of the college tennis ranks and left a legacy as an adult player and administrator across the Northwest. Lee was a nationally-ranked played as a youth and won the NCAA Doubles title with partner Joe Coughlin in 1933..Read More
(1921 – 2007) Emery Neale took tennis by storm as a singles and doubles player and earned the nickname “Mr. Oregon Tennis” over the course of five decades of involvement. Neale gew up in Northeast Portland and won the state singles title in 1937-39 while at Grant High. He also team with Ned Junger to..Read More
In collegiate tennis, Jack Neer left no doubt about his measure of success. He was undefeated at the University of Portland, ringing up a record of 53 wins and no defeats in singles play and 52 wins and no defeats in doubles. That record propelled him to the quarterfinals of the 1954 NCAA Tennis Championships..Read More
(Born April 3, 1971) Oregon’s greatest tennis success came from the Rogue Valley in the late 80’s and became one of the most dominant doubles players of his era. Jonathan Stark emerged as a force when he won the state singles championship as a sophomore at South Medford High School in 1986. He would repeat..Read More