2010 INDUCTEES
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ATHLETES
ABRAHAM ANDERSON BYERS GERBER HEATH JACKSON JONES LENZ LIKINS MATTSON MERKI RICE SINCLAIR SUH TORREY WEST WHITEHEAD A. WILSON C. WILSON |
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NINETEEN former Grant high athletes and one coach were added to the Grant Athletic Hall of Fame at the school auditorium on Monday, October 18, 2010. They join a group honored at the inaugural event a year earlier when 53 athletes and 10 coaches were honored.
Grant students were on hand for the program, with the Royal Blues singing several selections, and the cheerleaders acting as ushers and award presenters. Principal Vivian Orlen gave greetings, as did retired principal Joe Malone. Gerry Spencer, ‘59 was co-emcee, and pianist was Ray Johnson, a Jefferson grad. Assisting in program preparation were committee members Wilson
Walker, John Keller, Bob Holcomb, and Rodger Eddy.
Jon Abraham '57, deceased, excelled in football, basketball, and track, where he won three events in the PIL meet, and was state champion in the 100-yard dash. He became track coach at Franklin high school where the track was named in his honor.
Kiauna Anderson Floyd '97, was all-PIL in softball for four years, all-state two years as an honor student as well. She played four years at Portland State, twice as All-American, and played for the national team. She owns two Italian restaurants.
Ron Byers '65, led Grant to 3 PIL and state titles in spring and cross country track where he won several individual state championships and was all-PIL guard for the undefeated 64-65 PIL basketball team. He competed for U of Cal after winning 10 Grant letters.
Joe Gerber '96, was PIL Athlete of the Year after excelling in basketball and baseball as pitcher and first baseman. He played four years at Oregon State and went on to pro ball.
Rollie Heath '55, was undefeated in the 1955 PIL title year, and later pitched for the University of Oregon, He was a Nestucca high coach for many years.
Scott Jackson '71, won five state championships in track and cross country
and numerous PIL titles and was on the 1970 state champion track team.
Robert Jones '45, was a 4-year golf letterman and led the 1945 undefeated team with the individual state championship. He is still a U.S District Court judge.
Gordon Lenz ‘48, excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, where he earned four of his 10 varsity letters and he went on to two years as a professional.
The oldest honoree was deceased Bob Likins '40, whose award was accepted by his son, one of several family members at the ceremony, Likins was two-time All-American for javelin throwing at San Jose State College after breaking state and junior college javelin records and serving as captain of the Generals football team.
Riley Mattson '57, was all-PIL end and Shrine player, captain of the PIL co-champion basketball team and named to the all state team, set the Grant high jump record in winning the PIL, and went on to an illustrious football career at U of 0 and the National Football League.
Nancy Merki Boland, '43, now of North Carolina, was unable to attend, but sent a heartfelt message read by Pete Charlston, co-master of ceremonies. Nancy was one of the nationally famous "Cody Kids" who set national swim records competing for the Multnomah Athletic Club at a time when swimming was not yet a Portland Interscholastic League sport. Thus she became the first person named for achievement outside of PIL competition, although her national recognition occurred during her high school years at Grant, from which she was graduated in 1943 after serving as Girls’ League President.
Jackie Rice '58, although a 4-year tennis letterwoman, gained greater fame when she started softball pitching for the Erv Lind Florist team where she gained world fame and coached at Milwaukie high and Oregon College of Education.
Robin Sinclair '70, was leading scorer and Shrine selection in football, played on the 69-70 state champion basketball team, and was all-league baseball pitcher, going on to play football at Washington State.
Ndamukong Suh '05, is the first athlete to qualify under the hall's qualification limit of five-year past graduation. He was Parade magazine's All-American high school football player after winning city and state Defensive
Player of the Year awards. He was also state shot put champ, and played basketball, too. At U of Nebraska he earned several national awards and was a Heisman trophy finalist, all while maintaining a Big-12 Academic Honor Roll standing in engineering. He now plays pro ball.
Dan Torrey '46, deceased, was state golf champion a year after Jones and also excelled at basketball at Grant and at Oregon State College, playing on the 1949 Pacific Coast Conference championship team which finished fifth nationally.
Mark West '86, as on the 1986 state title track team, was all-PIL and all-state in basketball, which he played for U of Washington.
Adam Whitehead '01, was an all-city and all-state football end, all-city in basketball, and PIL 2001 Athlete of the Year. He was a four-year football player and All-Conference at Portland State, and volunteers for Portland Rescue Mission.
Artie Wilson '70, was all city and all state for the 1969 state championship basketball team, but also all-city and all-state as a baseball
third baseman. He excelled in those at U of Hawaii where he went on to coach for 20 years and became a civic leader.
Chuck "Bumper" Wilson '59, was guard in basketball when the Generals were second in state with a 26-1 record, and was second baseman on the 1958 state champion baseball team. After a basketball career at Stanford he became active in real estate and community development as well as mission work.
COACH
Frank Buckiewicz, 1960-1985
Coach Buckiewicz led the Generals to 44 football victories and two city titles, taking the 1963 co-state title. He returned to his alma mater, Pacific University, as coach and athletic director.
Grant students were on hand for the program, with the Royal Blues singing several selections, and the cheerleaders acting as ushers and award presenters. Principal Vivian Orlen gave greetings, as did retired principal Joe Malone. Gerry Spencer, ‘59 was co-emcee, and pianist was Ray Johnson, a Jefferson grad. Assisting in program preparation were committee members Wilson
Walker, John Keller, Bob Holcomb, and Rodger Eddy.
Jon Abraham '57, deceased, excelled in football, basketball, and track, where he won three events in the PIL meet, and was state champion in the 100-yard dash. He became track coach at Franklin high school where the track was named in his honor.
Kiauna Anderson Floyd '97, was all-PIL in softball for four years, all-state two years as an honor student as well. She played four years at Portland State, twice as All-American, and played for the national team. She owns two Italian restaurants.
Ron Byers '65, led Grant to 3 PIL and state titles in spring and cross country track where he won several individual state championships and was all-PIL guard for the undefeated 64-65 PIL basketball team. He competed for U of Cal after winning 10 Grant letters.
Joe Gerber '96, was PIL Athlete of the Year after excelling in basketball and baseball as pitcher and first baseman. He played four years at Oregon State and went on to pro ball.
Rollie Heath '55, was undefeated in the 1955 PIL title year, and later pitched for the University of Oregon, He was a Nestucca high coach for many years.
Scott Jackson '71, won five state championships in track and cross country
and numerous PIL titles and was on the 1970 state champion track team.
Robert Jones '45, was a 4-year golf letterman and led the 1945 undefeated team with the individual state championship. He is still a U.S District Court judge.
Gordon Lenz ‘48, excelled in football, basketball, and baseball, where he earned four of his 10 varsity letters and he went on to two years as a professional.
The oldest honoree was deceased Bob Likins '40, whose award was accepted by his son, one of several family members at the ceremony, Likins was two-time All-American for javelin throwing at San Jose State College after breaking state and junior college javelin records and serving as captain of the Generals football team.
Riley Mattson '57, was all-PIL end and Shrine player, captain of the PIL co-champion basketball team and named to the all state team, set the Grant high jump record in winning the PIL, and went on to an illustrious football career at U of 0 and the National Football League.
Nancy Merki Boland, '43, now of North Carolina, was unable to attend, but sent a heartfelt message read by Pete Charlston, co-master of ceremonies. Nancy was one of the nationally famous "Cody Kids" who set national swim records competing for the Multnomah Athletic Club at a time when swimming was not yet a Portland Interscholastic League sport. Thus she became the first person named for achievement outside of PIL competition, although her national recognition occurred during her high school years at Grant, from which she was graduated in 1943 after serving as Girls’ League President.
Jackie Rice '58, although a 4-year tennis letterwoman, gained greater fame when she started softball pitching for the Erv Lind Florist team where she gained world fame and coached at Milwaukie high and Oregon College of Education.
Robin Sinclair '70, was leading scorer and Shrine selection in football, played on the 69-70 state champion basketball team, and was all-league baseball pitcher, going on to play football at Washington State.
Ndamukong Suh '05, is the first athlete to qualify under the hall's qualification limit of five-year past graduation. He was Parade magazine's All-American high school football player after winning city and state Defensive
Player of the Year awards. He was also state shot put champ, and played basketball, too. At U of Nebraska he earned several national awards and was a Heisman trophy finalist, all while maintaining a Big-12 Academic Honor Roll standing in engineering. He now plays pro ball.
Dan Torrey '46, deceased, was state golf champion a year after Jones and also excelled at basketball at Grant and at Oregon State College, playing on the 1949 Pacific Coast Conference championship team which finished fifth nationally.
Mark West '86, as on the 1986 state title track team, was all-PIL and all-state in basketball, which he played for U of Washington.
Adam Whitehead '01, was an all-city and all-state football end, all-city in basketball, and PIL 2001 Athlete of the Year. He was a four-year football player and All-Conference at Portland State, and volunteers for Portland Rescue Mission.
Artie Wilson '70, was all city and all state for the 1969 state championship basketball team, but also all-city and all-state as a baseball
third baseman. He excelled in those at U of Hawaii where he went on to coach for 20 years and became a civic leader.
Chuck "Bumper" Wilson '59, was guard in basketball when the Generals were second in state with a 26-1 record, and was second baseman on the 1958 state champion baseball team. After a basketball career at Stanford he became active in real estate and community development as well as mission work.
COACH
Frank Buckiewicz, 1960-1985
Coach Buckiewicz led the Generals to 44 football victories and two city titles, taking the 1963 co-state title. He returned to his alma mater, Pacific University, as coach and athletic director.