Fairfax High Grads Inducted into Hall of Fame

The Los Angeles High School Hall of Fame held its inaugural induction ceremony June 5 at the University of Southern California.

Several graduates were among the 55 initial inductees, all of whom contributed to the Los Angeles City Section's sports history.

The Fairfax alumni are as follows:

Dorothy Poynton: Class of 1933

Poynton was a silver medalist in springboard diving at the age of 13 at the 1928 Olympics and won the gold in platform in the 1932 Olympics and continued to dominate that event, winning three straight U.S. National AAU titles. At the 1936 Olympics she won the gold in platform and the bronze in springboard. She was elected to the International Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame in 1968. 

Jack Kemp: Class of 1953

A standout football player at Fairfax, Kemp continued his career at Occidental, where he also threw the javelin. He went on to play for the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers in the American Football League and was named the AFL's Most Valuable Player in 1965. He retired after the 1969 season to begin a successful career in politics.  

Bob Falkenburg: Class of 1942

Known for his serve-and-volley game, he won the LA City singles championship his senior year and partnered with his brother Tom to win the City doubles title. The duo went on to win the NCAA doubles crown at USC. Bob won the U.S. Open doubles title with Don McNeil in 1944 and paired with Jack Kramer to win Wimbledon in 1947. Bob won the Wimbledon singles title the next year.

Below are the other inaugural Los Angeles High School Sports Hall of Fame inductees:

AQUATICS

Sammy Lee, Franklin High, 1939

Esther Williams, Washington High, 1939

BASEBALL

Les Haserot, Hollywood High, 1923

Raoul "Rod" Dedeaux, Hollywood High, 1931

Emmett Ashford, Jefferson High, 1934

George "Sparky" Anderson, Dorsey High, 1952

Don Drysdale, Van Nuys High, 1954

Ozzie Smith, Locke High, 1973

Bret Saberhagen, Cleveland High, 1982

BASKETBALL

Frank Lubin, Lincoln High, 1927

Fred "Tex" Winter, Huntington Park High, 1940

Alex Hannum, Hamilton High, 1942

Larry Hanson, Jefferson High Coach (1947-72)

Willie Naulls, San Pedro High, 1952

Gail Goodrich, Polytechnic High, 1961

Marques Johnson, Crenshaw High, 1973

Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Locke High, 1981

Willie West, Crenshaw High Coach (1970-2007)

FOOTBALL

Jim Blewett, Manual Arts High, 1917

Harry "The Bull" Edelson, Jefferson High, 1926

Ernie Smith, Gardena High, 1929

Kenny Washington, Lincoln High, 1936

Bob Waterfield, Van Nuys High, 1938

Tom Fears, Manual Arts High, 1941

John Ferraro, Bell High, 1942

High McElhenny, Washington High, 1948

Mike Garrett, Roosevelt High, 1962

Ricky Bell, Fremont High, 1973

John Elway, Granada Hills High, 1979

GOLF

Amy Alcott, Palisades High, 1974

GYMNASTICS

Dick Bishop, Polytechnic High, 1930

Jack Beckner, Franklin High, 1948

Makoto Sakamoto, Los Angeles High, 1965

SOCCER

Hugo Perez, Los Angeles High, 1982

SOFTBALL

Sheila Cornell Douty, Taft High, 1980

TENNIS

Mary K. Browne, Polytechnic High, 1909

Patricia Henry Yeomans, Los Angeles High, 1935

Pauline Betz Addie, Los Angeles High, 1936

TRACK & FIELD

Lillian Copeland, Los Angeles High, 1923

Lee Barnes, Hollywood High, 1924

Cornelius Johnson, Los Angeles High, 1934

Thomas Bradley, Polytechnic High, 1937'

Mal Whitfield, Jefferson High, 1943

Mel Patton, University High, 1943

Charles Dumas, Jefferson High, 1953 (finished at Compton Centennial High in 1955)

Valerie Brisco, Locke High, 1978

Denean Howard Hill, Kennedy High, 1982

VOLLEYBALL

Gene Selznick, Manual Arts High, 1948

Mary Perry, Birmingham High, 1961

Gayle Van Meter, Palisades High Coach (1970-91)

WRESTLING

Jack Fernandez, Los Angeles High, 1948

CONTRIBUTOR

Willrich "Bill" Schroeder, Hollywood High, 1923