(KRON) — Four athletes were chosen this year to be inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of
Fame, the San Jose Sports Authority announced Thursday.
SJSA will mark the 29th year of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame when the four sports legends are inducted on November 13 in SAP Center. “The inductees hail from the upper echelon of collegiate, professional, Olympic and international competitions. Although from different sports in different eras, they have made a lasting impact both on and off the field of play,” SJSA wrote.
Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero – Boxing:
Gilroy native Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero fought his way to world championships in two different weight divisions to become the South Bay’s most accomplished boxer in history, SJSA said.
Omar Figueroa Jr., left, battles Robert Guerrero during their Welterweight fight at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on July 15, 2017 in New York. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images)
“His nickname was spawned by the way his elusive style haunted opponents who couldn’t corner him. At age 15, Guerrero won a Junior Olympics gold medal before turning professional and winning the IBF Featherweight title in 2006. Three years later, he claimed the IBF Super Featherweight championship. His career 38-6-1 record included 20 knockouts,” SJSA wrote.
Fighter Robert Guerrero shadow boxes in the ring during a media workout at LA Live on September 24, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Kerri Walsh Jennings – Volleyball:
Five-time Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings is the worldwide face of beach volleyball. She was born in Santa Clara.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 17: Kerri Walsh Jennings of the United States play a shot against Talita Rocha of Brazil during the bronze medal match of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games August 17, 2016. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Jennings and partner, Misty May-Treannor, won gold medals at Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, and London in 2012. The duo also won a bronze medal at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Kerri Walsh Jennings (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
“As a multi-sport athlete at Archbishop Mitty High School, she led the Monarchs to three state volleyball titles and a basketball state championship. At Stanford, she was a four-time volleyball All American and won two NCAA titles,” SJSA wrote.
Kerri Walsh Jennings attends a premiere at the El Capitan Theatre on March 11, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Mike Holmgren – Football:
Bay Area native Mike Holmgren was a highly respected football coach at Oak Grove High School in San Jose, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator from 1975 to 1980. He won two NFL Super Bowl championships as a San Francisco 49ers assistant coach, and another Super Bowl as the Green Bay Packers’ head coach.
Quarterbacks coached by Holmgren include Steve Young, Joe Montana, and Brett Favre.
Offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren (C) and receivers and quarterbacks pose before Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1989. The 49ers won the Super Bowl 20-16. (Photo by Focus on Sport /Getty Images)
In 2005, he guided the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance.
Head coach Mike Holmgren of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after his team scored on December 11, 2005 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Focus on Sport /Getty Images)
“Holmgren’s career NFL record of 174-122 included 13 postseason head coaching victories, seventh most in league history,” SJSA wrote.
John Arrillaga – Builder / Philanthropist:
After arriving at Stanford in 1955 on a basketball scholarship, Arrillaga became an all-conference player. He then spent the next six decades helping shape the university’s overall athletic program into a national collegiate role model. He funded hundreds of scholarships to support Cardinal athletes. As a pioneering Silicon Valley developer, Arrillaga used his resources and expertise to build state-of-the-art sports facilities, including Stanford Stadium in 2006. Arrillaga passed away in 2022.
(KRON) — Four athletes were chosen this year to be inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall ofFame, the San Jose Sports Authority announced Thursday. SJSA will mark the 29th year of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame when the four sports legends are inducted on November 13 in SAP Center. “The inductees hail […]
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