Long Beach Poly legend Darrell Patterson passed away last month at the age of 62.
Coached by Hall of Famers Ron Palmer at Poly and Ron Massey while in middle school at Stephens, Patterson arrived at Poly as a heralded incoming player.
He went on to help lead the Jackrabbits to a 1981 CIF Southern Section basketball championship as well as a CIF-SS runner-up finish in 1980. Patterson was a two-time All-Moore League and Press-Telegram Dream Team selection.
Patterson also played baseball and hit an opposite-field homerun over the fence at Wilson for the Jackrabbits. He went on to play basketball at Long Beach State for Palmer during his time at LBSU.
“I know he will be missed by our basketball family,” said Palmer. “His contribution to the Poly tradition was significant–I was fortunate to coach Darrell and to receive the support of the entire Patterson family.”
Patterson was part of a historic 1981 class at Poly that won the CIF-SS football and basketball championships and helped lift the Jackrabbits’ campus out of a turbulent 1970s that saw racial unrest and other challenges. That group has remained tight-knit and active in the community over the years.
“We shared a lifetime, forging a bond from the playground of childhood straight through to today,” said teammate Karl Welch. “We say goodbye to an extraordinary friend whose legacy is defined by his beautiful spirit and enduring kindness.”
