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Hall of Fame inducts class
By DANIEL DULLUM
Staff Writer
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Florence Unified School District/submitted photo, Mark Navarre, a member of the 1947 state championship boys basketball team, addresses the crowd at induction ceremonies for the Florence High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. FUSD Assistant Superintendent Tony Jimenez, left, and Florence High School Principal Chris Knutsen watch.
“It exceeded my expectations,” Tony Jimenez, FUSD assistant superintendent and Hall of Fame committee member, said. “I anticipated anywhere from 50 to 75 people showing up. We were closer to 125 or 130 people. We had to put out more tables and chairs.
“It was a huge success for an initial banquet of that kind.”
“We had nothing but positive comments,” Dan Turner, an inductee who coached Class B baseball championships in 1972 and 1973 and a softball championship team in 1978, said. “We’ll probably scale it back a little and maybe induct about 10 or 12 people next year. We want to start getting our athletes in.
“What I enjoyed about it was seeing people I haven’t seen in a long time. I was just real appreciative that things turned out so well.”
Heading the inaugural class was the 1947 boys basketball single-class championship team, along with state championship coaches prior to 1980. That group included George Ahee (1947 boys basketball), Chester Zabek (1950 baseball), Art Celaya (1965 baseball), Wayland Harris (1969 football), Turner, Darrel Le’De (1974 cross country), Jack Hamilton (1978 cross country), John Borquez (1979 boys basketball), John White (1978-79-80 girls basketball), Pat Navarro (1979 volleyball) and Dave English (1975, 1979 cross country).
“I’m humbled by it,” Turner said. “I spent 30 years here, but you never think something like that’s ever going to happen. You don’t think about things like that when you’re coaching. You think about preparing your teams to win and be good citizens. That’s what it’s all about.
“This is just icing on the cake,” he added. ”I like it better being in the Hall of Fame at Florence High School than I would statewide or something, because this place means so much to me. It’s been my second home for about 46 years now.”
Nominations to the hall of fame can be made by visiting the Florence High School Web site, and, by downloading and completing a nomination form. “By May 15 of next year, we want all of the nominations in, so it gives us time to get those people in,” Turner said. “We’ve had some great athletes who really need to be in this.”
Jimenez said the banquet was “really exciting” for him on a personal level.
“As a former graduate, coach and principal of the high school, listening to the stories told by the members of the 1947 team made me swell up with pride,” Jimenez said. “You could really see the pride those players and coaches had in Florence High School. And you could feel that you really did make a difference as educators and coaches.
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