There is a hole in the Southern California sports world after the loss of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others. Bryant was an inspiration for generations of athletes in Long Beach, and not just basketball players. “I met Kobe at the […]
Jordan alum Ron Fairly had one of the most unique lives of any Long Beach athletes, making his name twice over as a baseball star and as a beloved broadcaster. Fairly died on Oct. 30 after a years-long battle with cancer, at the age of 81. Fairly grew up in Long Beach in the 1940s […]
A Long Beach water polo legend passed away last week as Bob Horn passed away at 87 after a long illness. Horn was known most for his legendary career as a men’s swimming and water polo coach at UCLA, but he was a two-time All-American player at Long Beach State in 1957 and 58. Horn […]
Image from Basketball in Long Beach; Tex Winter draws a play on the hardwood.This story features excerpts and a photo from Basketball in Long Beach, available in bookstores, online, or from the authors. Additional reporting by Chris Trevino. Former Long Beach State men’s basketball coach Tex Winter passed away Wednesday at the age of 96; […]
One man is known for being the architect of the famed triangle offense, and he coached five seasons at Long Beach State. Legendary coach Tex Winter died on Wednesday evening at age 96. His is survived by his wife, Nancy, his sons Chris, Brian, and Russ, and three grandchildren. Winter coached the LBSU men’s basketball team […]
Friday’s memorial for Long Beach Poly football, basketball, and baseball legend Willie Brown began, fittingly, with a round of applause. The memorial took place in the Poly auditorium and, as the pastor pointed out, Brown was accustomed to hearing cheers as he crossed the line into the end zone or rounded third and headed towards […]
When I heard that Long Beach legend Willie Brown had passed away a few weeks ago, I was on a family vacation in Mammoth. Willie was one of Long Beach’s true legends, and I was sad to hear that he’d left us; I spent most of the rest of the day thinking about him and […]
Long Beach Poly fans lost a special member of their community last week, and the city lost one of its greatest ever athletes. Poly alum and 1959 CIF Football Player of the Year Willie Brown passed away due to complications from cancer at the age of 76. Brown is survived by his wife, Carole, son, […]
Sunday was a somber day to be a Bruin, as the Wilson athletic community said goodbye to a pair of local legends during simultaneous memorials across town from each other for Bob Ballack and Bob Bailey. Bailey was a legendary baseball star at Wilson who passed away in early January at the age of 75. […]