HomeNews Antioch, California To Induct Sports Legends In New Museum Wing
Antioch, California To Induct Sports Legends In New Museum Wing
Antioch Sports Legends
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ANTIOCH, CA - This city on the bank of the San Joaquin River has produced national record holders, nationally recognized coaches and NFL and major league baseball stars, but until now, there was no large display in their hometown to honor their achievements.
Our Sports Heroes are coming home on October 27, 2007, when the ribbon will be cut for the new Antioch Sports Legends hall housed in the lower level of the Antioch Historical Society Museum, 1500 West Fourth Street, Antioch, CA. Most of the 14 Sports Legends and Championship Team member inductees will be present on Saturday, Oct. 27 for a public ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., and later that evening for a sold-out induction ceremony dinner at Lone Tree Golf and Event Center.
An active group of volunteers has worked for nearly two years to create the stunning presentation; a wall display of the many Antioch natives who are current pro athletes, sports memorabilia from Antioch’s past and present, a mini-theater showing sports and historical highlight videos, a re-creation of a corner of Antioch’s famous Mercado’s barbershop - the unofficial headquarters of Antioch sports fans for decades - and the wall showing the biographies and photos of the first group to be inducted as “Sports Legends.”
The public is invited to meet, greet and get autographs from the Antioch Sports Legends who will be attending the Oct. 27 Open House between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the Antioch Historical Society Museum grounds.
A sampling of these Legends to be honored all spent their prep years in Antioch public schools; Former Stanford Baseball All-America Catcher Ralph Holding, former Houston Oiler Ron Pritchard, swimming record holder Shaun Bogan, World Championship Softball star Michelle Gromacki, former LA Ram Duane Putnam, former U.S. Wresting National Coach of the Year Steve Sanchez, and NFL Hall of Famer Gino Marchetti. Other Antioch Sports Legends inductees scheduled to attend are brothers Rally and Gene Rounsaville. Gene was the first Antioch prep star to break into major league baseball, pitching for the White Sox in 1970. Rally was named by the Contra Costa Times as one of the best high school basketball players in the history of the Diablo Valley
Athletic League. Additional inductees include: George Ackerman, Jack Danilovich, Ron Edwards, Jack Garrow, Worth Shaw and the 1945 undefeated Antioch High football team.
The inductees and program founders will be available at a press conference at 9:15 a.m. at the museum prior to the 11:00 a.m. ribbon cutting on Oct. 27.
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