Antioch’s 2016 Sports Legends Hall of Fame Class announced, Gala October 8th
By Tom Lamothe, Coordinator, Antioch Sports Legends
As in the past decade, the Antioch Historical Sports Legends Museum’s Hall of Fame class is amazingly full of talented athletes, a spectacular team, an exceptional coach and a community leader dedicated to bettering our city through sports.
The 10th Anniversary, 2016 Hall of Fame Gala induction class is no exception. They will be honored at the annual Gala on Saturday, October 8th.
This Hall of Fame class has many accomplishments to be honored. We begin with Antioch High’s legendary Golf Coach Joe Gambetta, who’s unparalleled coaching success enjoyed at least 15 league championships in 31 years of coaching.
Rich Hall, NFL Umpire
Then, Bob Beswick, a community leader dedicated to improving our city by helping start, Antioch Little League, our Sutter Delta hospital, the Antioch Community Investment Fund and more. Also being honored will be the 1979 Track & Field Team, believed by Hall of Fame Coach Mike Hurd, as the greatest Antioch High Track & Field Team of all time.
As in so many previous Hall of Fame classes the Antioch Sports Legends is inducting a professional athlete and this year it’s, former NFL Chicago Bear, two-time BYU All-American and Antioch High linemen class of 1990’s, Evan Pilgrim. Also representing the NFL is AHS class of 1972’s Rich Hall. Besides having a high school football career as one of Northern Cal’s best linemen and championship years at University of Arizona, Rich is now in his 13 year as an NFL Umpire. Rounding off the football inductees will be Antioch High’s 1950’s, All-Northern California defensive tackle, 6′ 185 pound Ray Salazar.
The 2016 Class will also be remembered as the night of the Wolverine, as two Deer Valley High athletes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, high school All-American Volleyball player and Cal Bear Pac 10 honorable mention, Gabrielle Abernathy and 2000 North Coast “Player of the Year” by Sports Focus, and St Mary’s soccer player, Niles Almarinez.
Niles Almarinez
Many like to think Antioch’s a football town. Just don’t tell the 13 AA and above Antioch natives who played baseball in the bigs or chased the dream. Continuing Antioch’s baseball legacy are three outstanding ball players; 1992 All-California Interscholastic Federation softball pitcher Stephanie Andrews; three-time All-BVAL and AHS class of 1990’s, UC San Diego’s catcher, Al Del Favero and wrapping it up with Steve Ochoa who put on the burners after AHS and was first team- Junior College All-State in ’84, first-team All Pacific Coast Athletic Association at San Jose State and Philadelphia Philly’s free agent pick.
A wrestler will also be honored. Bill Dupree, of Antioch High’s Class of 1979, was the two-time North Coast Section wrestling medalist, and who as a freshman at Park qualified for North Coast, placing fourth.
Larry Lentz II, the 1995 volleyball “All North Coast Section MVP” and “AHS Male Athlete of the Year,” will be honored with the high flying pole vaulter, Mitch Mikula of the AHS Class of 1984, who jumped 15’ 6” at the 1984 California Interscholastic State meet and set the school record that still stands, today.
Gabrielle Abernathy
In the Hall of Fame’s special category of their own, are the All- Around Athletes, those amazing female athletes that varsity lettered in at least two sports at high levels, and male athletes in three. This year’s Female All-Around is, AHS 1994 “Athlete of the Year” Christine Brockett. Whether it was basketball, track or volleyball, Brockett rocked it. A two-time, first team All-BVAL and team MVP in basketball, Brockett also held the long jump and triple jump records as the team MVP in Track and was 1993’s “Most Outstanding Defensive Player” in volleyball during her junior year.
The Male All-Around honoree is AHS Class of 1981 Doug Snyder, the two-time All- DVAL and team MVP outfielder in baseball and first team All- DVAL and honorable mention All East-Bay in football. While at LMC he received the 1983 All-State honors, and was the Major League Baseball 37th round draft choice by the Astros.
The Alumni Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, October 7, at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch. Call Alumni Chair Steve Parks 925-550-3819 for details. 10:00 AM start followed by Alumni and new Inductees social from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.
Evan Pilgrim
The Gala is October 8 from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM, also at the Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center. For Gala dinner tickets at $65.00, mail your check payable to Antioch Sports Legends to Joanne Bilbo by mail at 234 Flagstone Drive Antioch, CA 94509 by September 19. Tickets will be mailed to you. You can also pay online at www.antiochsportslegends.com by the September 19th deadline. A convenience fee will apply. Or call Antioch Sports Legends Coordinator Tom Lamothe at 925-639-2536 by October 1.
Don’t wait this event has sold out for nine years.
The Antioch Sports Legends Museum is inside the Antioch Historical Society Museum at 1500 West 4th Street in Antioch. It’s open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
the attachments to this post:
Evan Pilgrim profile shot
Gabrielle Abernathy Cal program 00
Niles Almarinez
Rich Hall NFL Umpire001
ASL 10 Year Anniversary_Final
2016 Hall of Fame
