Riverside,CA (2009)
Rosie Bonds-Kreidler (Track and Field) competed in the 1964 Olympics for the United States in the Women’s 80-meter hurdles. She finished in first place in the fourth heat of the first round (10.6) seconds) in fourth place in the first semifinal (10.8 seconds); and in eighth place in the final race.
At age 15, Bonds-Kreidler, who was born on July 7, 1944, proved to be the best West Coast junior sprint champion, and then dominated the 50-yard dash nationally. Representing the Spartan Athletic Club, she is listed on the All-American Women’s Track and Field teams.She took a break from track and field for several years before returning to dominate the women’s hurdles events in 1963.
That year, Bonds-Kreidler won the 80-meter hurdles at the Outdoor Championships held in Dayton, Ohio, and qualified to represent the U.S. in the Olympics that summer. She dominated her event in the United States, and threatened an upset in the finals of the Tokyo Olympics when she pulled a muscle and finished last in the finals. Bonds-Kreidler was the only American female hurdler to make it to the finals.
Kermit Alexander born January 4, 1941 in New Iberia , Louisiana. A legendary 49er, Kermit is know for his memorable hit on Gale Sayers in 1968. This played a role in Brian Piccolo helping Sayers recover from the injury. The lie action footage of this hit was featured in the move “Brian’s Song.” In that same game Kermit returned a punt for a touchdown and this is how he described it.
“The game was close! It was the 49ers vs the Bears in 1966 showdown at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. I was setting up about midfield to receive a Chicago punt. We needed a good return to put our offense in good field position. With a good punt I would have a chance for a run back. It turned out to be a perfect line drive punt in my direction, giving me a chance for a run back. I made the first two defenders miss, and when I ran between them I was able to cut to the sideline and then straight into the end zone putting the 49ers into the lea for a win over Chicago.”
Armando Muniz (Boxing) was born May 3, 1946 in Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. His family move to El Paso, Texas in 1952. His father worked in construction and as a result his family moved often. Muniz was an honor student in high school and was a very good athlete. He lettered in football and made all league his senior year as a linebacker. He lettered three years in varsity wrestling.
He became an amateur boxer in 1964, right after high school. He had a total of 82 amateur bouts and won the Los Angeles Golden Gloves in 1966 and 1967. One of the great experiences for Muniz was becoming a US citizen and being drafted by the Army. He reported for active duty in 1968.
Armando was fortunate to have been allowed to box at the eliminations for the Olympics. He represented the United States ain he Olympic games in Mexico City in 1968. To this day Muniz says that being an Olympian was the most exciting and meaningful experience of this life. “My dad was so proud of me, ” he said. “It was the first time in my life that he called me a man. I said, “Oh my God, my dad called me a man, it was great.”
Muniz turned professional after leaving the Army in 1970. He won twelve fights in a row, nine by knockout. His pro record was 53-12-1. He fought for the world welterweight title against Jose Napoles and Carlos Palomino. His career ended after his loss to Sugar Ray Leonard 1976.
Reynaldo Brown (Track and Field) is native of Los Angeles, California. He attended Compton High School, then on to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California majoring in Communication. He received his Bachelors Degree in Information Systems. He has been married to wife Carol for 24 Years, has four children and seven grandchildren.
Reynaldo was the first “high schooler” to jump seven feet. At the age of 17 and as a junior in high school, Reynaldo competed in the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City, in which came in “Fifth Place” and was the youngest member of the men’s team. He then returned to participate as an Alternate in the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich, Germany. He also competed in the 1971 Pan Am Games. He set the small college record with a height of 7’4″ in 1973.Reynaldo dominated the American Collegiate High Jump scene in the early 70′s. He ranked number two in the World.
Reynaldo accomplished something that many Division II athletes could only dream of. He competed in the Olympics not once, but twice. He competed in the NCAA Championships…four times. And possibly, the most remarkable note is that Reynaldo won the High Jump in the NCAA Division II Championships in 1971 and 1973, and later went on to win the Division I Championships in each of those same seasons. At this time, Division II champs were allowed to compete in the higher division. Other accolades for the Los Angeles native included All-League, All-Conference, All-American Honors and a Collegiate Athlete of the Year Award. He was a member of the President’s Physical Fitness Program.
James “Mudcat” Grant was born in Land O’ Lakes, Florida in 1935. He is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for he Cleveland Indians (1958-1964); Minnesota Twins 1964-1967); Los Angeles Dodgers 1968); Montreal Expos(1969); St. Louis Cardinals (1969); Oakland Athletics (1970) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1970-1971).
Grant helped the Twins win the 1965 American League Pennant; the Pirates win the 1970 National League Eastern Division and 1971 World Series, as well as the Athletics win the 1971 American League Westerns Division. Grant was named to the 1963 and 1965 American League All-Star Teams.
He finished 6th in voting for the 1965 American League MVP for leading the League in Wins (21), Won-Loss % (.750), Shutouts (6) and Home Runs Allowed (34). He also started 39 Games, had 14 Complete Games, 270 1/3 Innings Pitched, 252 Hits Allowed, 197 Runs Allowed, 99 Earned Runs Allowed, 61 Walks, 142 Strikeouts, 8 Wild Pitches, 1.095 Batters Faced, 2 Intentional Walks and 3.50 ERA. Grant’s home run in the 6th game of the 1965 World Series was only the second by an American League pitcher during a World Series game. Grant ranks 46th on the Major League Baseball Career Home Runs Allowed List (292).
In 14 years, he had a 145-119 Win-Loss record, 571 Games, 293 Games Started, 89 Complete Games, 18 Shutouts, 160 Games Finished, 53 Saves, 2,441 2/3 Innings Pitched, 2,292 Hits Allowed, 1,105 Runs Allowed, 985 Earned Runs Allowed, 292 Home Runs Allowed, 849 Walks, 1,267 Strikeouts, 33 Hit Batsman, 60 Wild Pitches, 10,293 Batters Faced, 59 Intentional Walks, 3 Balks and a 3.63 ERA.
Norman Bass was stricken with the deadly disease meningitis, a disease which rendered him blind, deaf and totally paralyzed at ten, Norm was as close to death’s door as any child could be. Miraculously, he recovered his ability to walk, speak and hear.
By the time he reached 22, the six-foot-three, two-hundred-two pound athlete from Vallejo, California was a starting pitcher of the Kansas City Athletics. A short two years later in 1963, Norm was unknowingly in the beginning stages of rheumatoid arthritis, which was severely affecting his pitching arm. Released by the A’s at the end of 1963, Norm’s entire body was contaminated with rheumatoid arthritis. His ankles, wrists, elbows and hands swelled to twice their size. Still determined to fulfill his childhood dream of being a professional athlete, Norm decided to try out for the Denver Broncos of the AFL-despite having not played football of any kind in seven years. In a gutsy tryout performance, Nom made the starting team as a defensive back. However, the rheumatoid arthritis allowed him to play but only one regular season game but that one game enable him to become the first African-American two-sport athlete in the post-Jackie Robinson era.
In 1965 Norm gave professional baseball one more try with the California Angles’ farm team in El Paso, Texas. Again, the rheumatoid arthritis forced Norm to retire after only one game. His lifelong dream was over at 26 years of age. During the next 30 years Norm went through sadness and depression that affected everyone around him. It was not until the mid-1970s when Norm discovered the sport of table tennis, the only sport that his broken body would allow him to play. After discovering the United States paralympic table tennis team in 1998, Norm decided to tryout for the team. After securing a spot on the team, he qualified for the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The oldest athlete to compete at 61, Norm and his doubles partner Joshua Bartel won a bronze medal in the team event. After 35 years of silence and obscurity, Norm returned to fulfill a childhood dream. His performance showed that one can achieve in the second half of life.
In his book, Color Him Father you can find out more about the man and the myth they call Norm Bass.
Bill Wright (Golf) was born in 1936 in Kansas City, Missouri. His family move to Seattle when he was in the seventh grade. In high school he was an outstanding athlete, playing basketball and golf. His high school basketball team won the 1954 City and State Basketball Championships. In addition, he was selected to be on the Seattle All-City team, as well as the State of Washington All-State team. Bill won the 1954 Seattle City High School Golf Championship, making him the number one man in the city of Seattle.
In 1951 Bill shot a 68 on the first day of he Seattle City Golf Championship, only to be asked to withdraw because he didn’t belong to a golf club–which “Negroes” weren’t allowed to join at that time. Bills parents, avid golfers, were frustrated by the discriminatory practice and filed a complaint with the Washington Board of Discrimination, which changed this public golf course practice.
In 1959 he qualified for the prestigious USGA National Public Links event in Denver. As it turned out he became the first African-American to win a national USGA tournament. Today this win gives the winner an automatic place in the Masters at Augusta, Georgia.
Bill graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington in 1960 with a Bachelors Degree in Education. He was a starter on the basketball team each year. He was number one on the University’s golf team and in 1960 won the National Intercollegiate Golf Championship in Minnesota.
He turned professional in 1964. In 1966 he qualified and played in the U.S. Open at the Olympic Golf Club in San Francisco. Bill has also played in six U.S. Senior Opens: 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1995.