Oakland (2010)
Lucius Bateman, born in Louisiana, the great Bay Area golf instructor spent his formative years as a scratch golfer, caddy and Assistant Professional at Edgewater Hotel & Golf Club in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he taught over 250 youngsters and tied the course record.
Bateman excelled as an instructor, promoting a compact golf swing not common in his day. He provided lessons seven days a week, keeping the lights on- and smudge posts burning when it was cold- at his post at Airway Fairways driving range until 11:00 every night to meet the overwhelming demands for his time. He never turned anyone away.
Especially the youngsters, for whom he provided free lessons, equipment, tournament entrance fees, food jobs to earn pocket money, strong support to pursue academic education, and disciplined competitive fortitude. He made Airway Fairways a sanctuary for thousands of youngsters over the course of 27 years, many with no other means or opportunity to purse the game.
Coach Ben Parks, an African-American high school coach who has dedicated over forty-two years of his life to selfless service and giving. Through his tough and seemingly hard-handed approach, Coach Parks has profoundly influenced both the athletes and students of Menlo Atherton High School–a racially and often economically divisive school–in ways that have inspired, changed, and healed thousands of lives. Moreover, he has been a role model to athletes like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, Eric Davis and many others, all of whom give powerful testimony to the effect Coach has had on their lives. From the most successful businesses of Silicon Valley to the most impoverished economic communities of the inner-city, Coach Parks has changed and continues to change lives through one powerful lesson:
“Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” –Coach Parks
His unmistakably strong personality has also gained him national recognition. For the past five years he has been invited to Washington DC to serve on the President’s council for building character in youth through sports. He is a living example of what he preaches. Each year on his birthday, he runs a mile for every year of his age. The money he raises all goes to charity, including $100 a mile from Joe Montana for the past few years. “Harder, harder, you can do more!”, Coach Parks yells at his trainees. He challenges everyone to go deeper within themselves. “What he teaches stays with you your whole life,” says John Tittle, son of the legendary Y.A. Tittle. On and off the training field he pushes people to their limits–and beyond. “Service is the rent we pay for living,” Coach says.
San Jose State College track and field coach Lloyd “Bud” Winter perhaps is the best known for the relaxation techniques he
Developed prior to a stint in the Navy where he prepared Naval pilots for battle—during World War II. A decade later, those relaxation techniques would enable Oakland California’s Ray Norton, an admitted “average sprinter” to set, break, or tie records at 100-and 200 yards, and 100-and 200 meters.
There was something about my style,: said Norton, who admits he could not have been ranked any higher than 50 when Winter approached him during the spring of 1955. “I was teachable.
Apparently. Under Winter, Norton would become the “Worlds’ Fastest Human.” He and Pasadena Bob Poynter, a high school and community college state spring champion, would be ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectfully, in the world.
In all, Winter, and assistant Olympic coach in 1960, would coach 37 world record holders, 102 NCAA All-Americans; 49 NCAA record holders; and 27 Olympians. He may, too, be remembered for his innovative Operation Gym Suit (which sent American athletes overseas as Goodwill Ambassadors), international coaching clinics, and several coaching books, including the long-time best seller So You Want to be a Sprinter.
According to Poynter, who memories of Winter pulling up to practice in his 1928 Model “A” Ford, while dressed in hunting gear. “He was funny and very witty. He wanted you to work hard, but he had an air of humor about it.
Winter suffered a heart attach on December 6, 1985, after playing racquetball with is former assistant Bert Bonanno. He was to be inducted into the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame the next evening.
Pat Winslow Connolly is an accomplished track and field athlete and coach. She is an Eight-time All American; winning 14 Outdoor National Championships in 800 m., Long Jump and Pentathlon. She is the1967 Pan American Games Pentathlon Champion and was a member of the USA Olympic Team in1960 Rome; 1964 Tokyo; 1968 Tokyo. In addition, she set 18 Outdoor American records in 400m, 800m, and Pentathlon.
Highlights of her illustrious coaching career include:
2004Coaching 18 year-old Allyson Felix to personal records in 100meters, 200meters and 400 meters. USA Olympic Trials 200m. Champion; Olympic Silver Medal and World Junior record, in Athens, Greece
2001 – Recognized as Outdoor Women’s Coach of the Year of the Big South Conference, Division I NCAA. She coached Conference Champions in 3k Steeplechase, 10k, 5k, 100 meters, Hurdles and Long Jump
2000- Coached NCAA National 400m. finalist Khadijah Conda to All- American
1998 – 2001- Served as Head Coach/ Director of Men’s and Women’s Track & Field &Country at Radford University, Radford Virginia
1990- 1991- Coached hurdler Renaldo Nehemiah in comeback after SF 49er Football
1984 – 1987- Coached Diane Williams to 100 meter National Championship Title Gold Medal in World Championships 4 x 100 meters relay
1976 – 1985- Coached Evelyn Ashford, named by Track and Field News as the Fastest Woman in the Century, to 5 World Cup victories, 2 Pan American and 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals and 3 World Records
1978 – Coached UCLA Women’s T&F Team to runner up at AIAW Collegiate
National Championships
1977 -Coached UCLA Women’s T&F Team to AIAW National Collegiate Championship Team Title
1976 – Coached UCLA Women’s Cross Country to 5th place at Nationals
1971- 1972 – Coached Beverly Hills H.S. Girls Team to 2 Bay League titles
In addition, Pat Winslow Connolly published,Coaching Evelyn, Fast, Faster, Fastest Woman in the World, HarperCollins, May 1991. She has written numerous articles for the New York Times between 1983 and 1998, and appeared onThe News Hour with Jim Lehrer in1996 with 3 appearances during the Olympics in Atlanta, and in 2000 with 1 appearance during the Olympics in Sydney. In 1989, she testified in U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the detrimental effects of drug use in sports.
Pat Winslow Connolly received her Bachelor of Arts, English Goddard College, 1996 and attended Brigham Young University, Santa Monica College, CA and Montgomery College, MD.
To learn more, see her website: www.CLEANSPEED.net
Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Brown is in his 39th year with the Raiders and 14th season as director of squad development and defensive backs assistant. (Willie recently announced his retirement)
He was secondary coach for the Raiders from 1979-88, during which the team won two World Championships of Professional Football with wins in Super Bowls XV and XVIII. He also coached the secondary in 1997 while serving as director of squad development.
Brown was an assistant at Long Beach State before becoming heard coach in 1991,taking over for the late George Allen. In1995, he was head coach at Los Angeles Jordan High. Brown earned is master’s degree in Education at Long Beach State. He starred for the Raiders from 1967-78, beginning his pro career as a free agent with the Houston Oilers.
He spent 1963-66 with the Denver Broncos before being traded to the Raiders and going on to an illustrious career. Brown played in 205 games and was chosen for three American Football League All-Star Games and four NFL Pro Bowls.
He still shares the Raider career interceptions record with 39. Brown also holds the Super record for the longest interception return with a 75-yard TD in Super Bowl XI and is one of only two players to have intercepted at least one pass in 16 straight seasons. He intercepted 54 passes in his pro career and was selected to the AFL-NFL 25-year All –Star team.
The Yazoo City, Mississippi native starred at Grambling under legendary coach Eddie Robinson from 1959-62 and is a member of the Louisiana Sports, Grambling State Southwestern Athletic Conference, Mississippi Sports, Black Sports Hall of Fame and Bay Are Sports Halls of Fame. Brown’s induction into the African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame marks his seventh Hall of Fame.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
The Brown family includes wife Yvonne, two daughters and one son.
Chris Burford was born Oakland, California 1938 and attended Oakland High School., graduating in January 1956. Burford was All Oakland Athletic League (OAL) and team captain in both football and basketball. in 1955-56, he was selected to North-South High School All Star Game in 1956. Burford graduated from Stanford Universityin1960. He lettered in both football and basketball at Stanford.
He was named Outstanding Stanford freshman football Player 1956, Varsity MVP 1958 and 1959. All-Pacific Coast Conference 1958 and 1959. All-American 1959. Team-captain 1959 and lead NCAA in pass receiving with 61 receptions in 1959, 3rd in nation in 1958. Pop Warner Award winner, Most Valuable Senior Football Player on the Pacific Coast 1959, East-West Shrine game and Hula Bowl 1959. Named to the East-West Shrine Game Hall of Fame in 2004.
He was inducted into Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame 1965. Inducted into National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Played 8 seasons with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 1960-67. First team All Pro AFL 1962, AFL All Star Game 1961. Still hold Chiefs single season touchdown record for pass reception (12). 391 receptions, 55 Touch Downs for his career. Played in Super Bowl I in 1967.
Named to Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame 1975. Attended Law School at SMU and UMKC while playing for the Texans/Chiefs. Graduated Law School 1965, Member of Missouri and California State Bars. Burford practiced law in California from 1970 to the present time, including legal services for the Pacific-10 Conference 1983-2009.
Married to Catherine Burford and presently reside in Reno, Nevada.
John Riley Brodie was born August 14, 1935 is a former professional football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers,, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer. Brodie was born in San Francisco, California. He grew up in Oakland and attended Montclair Grammar (later Elementary) School and Oakland Technical High School and was a standout athlete even then. He went on to attend Stanford University, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity. He was selected as a consensus All-America in 1956, his senior year. He first appeared with the 49ers as a rookie in 1957, seeing limited action. He got more playing time in 1958 through 1960, sharing time with Y.A.Tittle, and became the starter in 1961.He was among the leading passers in the league throughout the 1960s. His best statistical year was 1965 when he led the League in passing average (3,112 yards) and touchdowns (30). He appeared in the Pro Bowl in 1965 and 1970. Also, in 1970, he received the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award. When Brodie retired from the NFL, he ranked third in career passing yards, behind only JohnnyUnitas and FranTarkenton.
After he retired from his football career, Brodie served as an NFL football and golf analyst for NBC Sports and competed as aprofessional golfer on the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour) from 1981 to 1998. He had one win and 12 top-10 finishes. He was very successful on the seniors tour. He had the longest gap between appearances in the U.S. Open, missing the cut in both 1959 and 1981.
In 2006, Brodie’s number 12 jersey was brought out of retirement and worn by Trent Dilfer, who was backup quarterback for the 49ers. Dilfer, is a close personal friend of Brodie.
One of his daughters is Erin Brodie, who found some fame on television in 2003, while another daughter is married to former NFL quarterback Chris Chandler.
For many years Brodie was affiliated with the Church of Scientology and was one of their leading celebrity spokespersons.