(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, 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 matches (2nd all-time at..Read More
(Jan. 4, 1914 – Sep. 22, 1989) A native of Portland, George Yerkovich, has combined distinguished years of service in sports with a notable career in politics. He was four times elected auditor for the City of Portland, attended Portland’s Washington High School and Southern Oregon College where he participated in three sports. At Southern..Read More
Jerry O’Malley served on many Amateur Athletic Union and U.S. Olympic committees. He was the Olympic Fundraising Chairman for the State of Oregon from 1963 through 1976. He was a founding member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and on its Board of Directors.
The most successful high school track and field coach in the state’s history, winning nine state championships and finishing second once from 1948 through 1957. Newland was an all-Southern Oregon Conference quarterback two years, an all-conference guard in basketball three years, and a two-time state high jump champion. Newland won numerous honors for athletics administration…Read More
Ruben T. Ross was a three-year track letterman and standout at the University of Oregon from 1926 to 1928 for coach Bill Hayward. He participated in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field trials in 1928. He was a co-founder of the Oregon Empire Athletic Foundation that evolved into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in..Read More
A native of Laurel, Oregon and a 1930 graduate of Estacada High School, Harold Taylor founded Taylor Electric Supply with a four-person staff more than 30 years ago and now employs 115 people in Southeast Portland. His company sponsors Junior, American Legion, and City League Baseball and Pop Warner Football. The baseball field at Rex..Read More
(Nov. 15, 1914 – Sep. 20, 2002) Athlete…sports official…organizer…journalist. The tags all fit when applied to Salem’s own Orland “Al” Lightner. Born in Colorado, he attended grade and high school in Stockton, California and later attended Compton Junior College where he captained the baseball team which competed against major league great Jackie Robinson. He signed..Read More