Kenny Washington & The 1935 Lincoln Tigers - Los Angeles City Football Champions 1 S T A N N U A L KENNY WASHINGTON MEMORIAL GAME TIGERS VS TOROS

Transcription

1 Kenny Washington & The 1935 Lincoln Tigers - Los Angeles City Football Champions 1 S T A N N U A L KENNY WASHINGTON MEMORIAL GAME TIGERS VS TOROS OCTOBER 7, 2011

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3 Stephen Sariñana-Lampson President Art Minchaca Vice President Robert Granados Secretary Margaret Garcia Kochinas Treasurer Albert Carrillo Board Member Ron Chico Board Member Robert Pasillas Board Member Dan Ramirez Board Member Marco Robles Board Member Kirk Washington Honorary Board Member Kraig Washington Honorary Board Member Kysa Washington Honorary Board Member On behalf of the Foundation let me welcome all of you to our 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game. This game is both a celebration of the past and the beginning of a new journey. Tonight we celebrate the legacy of arguably our school s greatest athlete, Kenny Washington. His athletic exploits while wearing the orange and black were truly what legends are made of. In less than a 12 month span in 1935 he led the Tigers to our only City Championships in both baseball and football, while being recognized with 1st Team All-City honors in each. This young man from the neighborhood later went on to a stellar career at UCLA and eventually to the Los Angeles Rams where he was the first African-American to sign a contract in the modern N.F.L. - a year before Jackie Robinson did the same in Major League Baseball. For the Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation tonight also marks our first steps towards reinventing Lincoln s athletic field into a modern sports complex. For far too long we have patiently waited our turn for improvements to our 75 year old athletic facility - improvements we have seen others receive, while things remain the same here on the hill. That s going to change. As you ll read about in this program we have very specific ideas about how to make this field something that we can all be proud of as students, parents and Lincoln Alumni. I can assure you that the Foundation s Board of Directors are dedicated and focused to making this a reality. When our work is completed we will vigorously promote naming the new complex Kenny S. Washington Stadium to honor Kenny s legacy, while preserving the playing field name of Andrus Field with it s new artificial surface and track. Making an event such as tonight happen requires a lot of hard work, a lot of support and a little luck. Many thanks go to our school site partners who have helped made this evening possible - Lincoln High School Principal Jose Torres, Assistant Principal Ricardo Rosas, Band Director Mark Santos, the Lincoln High School Marching Band and Athletic Director Mike Gordon. Thanks also to the many dedicated Lincoln Alumni who have rebuilt the historic Association almost from scratch into a once again viable school community resource - they deserve your membership and involvement. Finally, a special thank you goes to the Washington family, in particular Kenny s grandchildren Kirk, Kraig and Kysa. From all of us in your long lost Tiger family we say Welcome home. The Foundation has future events planned for making this very special hillside enchanted once again. Follow our progress on Facebook or on our web site: We welcome you to be a part of what will be an amazing journey ahead. Yours for Lincoln, Stephen Sariñana-Lampson, S 75 President Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation

4 Congratulations and best wishes on this wonderful endeavor! If there is no struggle, there is no progress. - Frederick Douglass Virginia Garcia Lampson W 53 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WASHINGTON FAMILY. KENNY WASHINGTON IS AN INSPIRATION TO THE PLAYERS, ALUMNI, AND STAFF OF LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. THE CARRILLO FAMILY

5 About The Foundation The Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation Formed in the Spring of 2011, The Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation brought together a diverse group of Lincoln High School ex-athletes and alumni dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of Southern California s most revered athletes and promoting the long overdue rehabilitation of the LHS sports stadium and athletic track to be named in his honor. We see the long term stadium project as an opportunity to create a more interactive connection between the school site and the surrounding neighborhood, while concurrently giving a sense of pride to future generations of Lincoln students. To that end, the Foundation will utilize the energy, spirit and gathered assets from our 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game event to promote strategic partnerships with government leaders, educational and sports endowments and corporate sponsors to achieve the ultimate goal of creating a state-of-the-art sports facility for our school and community. Tonight is the kickoff event for the Foundation - The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Football Game - a celebration of Kenny Washington s legacy - held 75 years after his graduation from Lincoln High School. This is an opportunity to introduce Kenny Washington to a whole new generation of Lincoln Students and Alumni, in addition to members of the local media and dignitaries from the political and corporate worlds. We re also here to introduce ourselves to our school community and all of Southern California as we begin our nationwide fundraising efforts. Mission Statement The mission of the Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation is to generate and provide funds for the modernization and enhancement of the Abraham Lincoln High School athletic field and stadium which also serves the Lincoln Heights community. Vision Statement It is the vision of the Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation that the renovation of the athletic stadium and football field at Abraham Lincoln High School shall create a safer playing environment for its athletes and the youth of Lincoln Heights. It is our hope these improvements will not only instill greater pride and ownership in one of the oldest high schools in the city, but also encourage student athletes to excel in the classroom and on the field as they prepare for greater challenges in the world at large; furthermore, naming of the stadium, Kenneth S. Washington Stadium honors one of the school s and city s most celebrated, respected and historically influential athletes. L to R: Robert Pasillas, Ron Chico, Dan Ramirez, Stephen Sariñana-Lampson, Kraig Washington, Kysa Washington, Albert Carrillo, Kirk Washington, Robert Granados, Margaret Garcia Kochinas, Art Minchaca, Marco Robles. The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game - Lincoln Tigers vs. Torres Toros

6 the lincoln heights youth association supports the kenny washington stadium foundation. For info on making donations to our non-profit youth football and cheer program, Lincoln Heights Youth Association please visit our website at: Visit us for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Have an upcoming event? Catering for all occasions small or large WEDDINGS - CORPORATE MEETINGS - BAPTISMS AND WHERE GREAT FOOD IS NEEDED! DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOOD FOR YOUR PLEASURE CALL MIKE: (323) for catering only maracas1956@gmail.com

7 The Stadium Project As shown below we have reimagined our facility into something that reaches back to the spirit of the original 1913 school site - fondly known then as the Enchanted Hillside. We intend to frame our stadium in green foliage of trees and local plants, while at the same time reclaiming underutilized spaces that can be repurposed for Lincoln High students to enjoy during their physical education classes. Along those lines one of our first priorities will be to coordinate the planting of low maintenance trees and foliage as a school community project. We see this first step happening sometime in our first year. When completed, the redesigned stadium will become a focal point of the community for organized sports, personal exercise and future public events. We see youth football teams playing on safe artificial turf, a new afterschool youth soccer developmental program, and a family environment for our extended school community to walk and jog in the evening. We also see the new stadium as a place of pride where cultural events may occur for all of Northeast Los Angeles. In the clearest of terms, our strategic goals include: - Installation of an artificial playing surface on the Football/Soccer field. - Renovation of the school athletic track. - Installation of a video-capable scoreboard. - Installation of a bronze statue of Kenny Washington. - Rebuilding of school stadium with concession stands, a new press box, and real working restroom facilities. Imagine! The projected timetable to complete Phase I of these major renovations to the facility is 4 years. When we are finished building this new facility we propose to name it Kenneth S. Washington Stadium after our school s greatest athlete. Imagine attending a Lincoln High School football game some day played on a revitalized Andrus Field at Kenny Washington Stadium. We have. The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game - Lincoln Tigers vs. Torres Toros

8 Kenny Washington - Hero. Legend. Pioneer. Hero From his earliest years as an adolescent growing up in one of the few African-American families in the Lincoln Heights community to his accomplishments as a high school sports superstar on both the diamond and gridiron, Kenny was truly a neighborhood hero. From an early age through high school, Kenny grew up in a small one-story house at 240 S. Avenue 19 with his uncle Roscoe Rocky Washington and his Aunt Hazel. His athletic career began in the sandlot next to Our Lady Help of Christians church down the street from the Washington s home where his love of baseball and football was usually on display for all the neighborhood kids to see - Kenny was a regular participant in the church s sports leagues. His natural athletic feats were derailed when at age 10 he broke both knees in a bicycle accident. His problematic knees would be a source of pain throughout his athletic career. In his adolescence, Kenny grew up long and lanky, with an occasional bit of awkwardness. In fact he was considered too weak to play football at Lincoln until his junior year in school, concentrating instead on baseball. But when finally allowed on the gridiron, Kenny Washington became an unstoppable force on the football field during his final two years of high school. As a junior in 1934 he was credited with a pass that flew 60 yards in the air before it hit its receiver. He also ran a 95 yard interception for a touchdown and was credited with a 70 yard offensive run from scrimmage. In his final season with the Tigers in 1935, Kenny lead his team to their only undisputed City Championship and a perfect undefeated season. In a memorable performance in the championship game held at the Coliseum against Fremont, Kenny was responsible for all but 6 yards of offense for the Tigers, while also playing with the first team on defense. Kenny s baseball career at Lincoln was just as impressive as he led the Tigers to their only City Championship in 1935 after winning the City batting title and hitting a home run in the championship game. Legend His athletic exploits in high school lead to an athletic scholarship from U.C.L.A. where he distinguished himself as one of the greatest college football players of his era. In his senior season playing alongside Jackie Robinson, Kenny Washington was the halfback in the team s single-wing offense where he ran the offense and was responsible for both running and passing. Kenny led the nation in total offense with 3,206 yards (1,300 yards passing and 1,915 yards rushing). Yet maybe more amazingly, he played both offense and defense for the Bruins and only missed a total of 20 minutes for the entire season! Kenny s legendary performances as a Bruin were recognized with his selection to the All-American Football Team as a senior. He was also honored with the 1939 Douglas Fairbanks Jr Award a predecessor to the Heisman Trophy given to the nation s top football player. Liberty Magazine named him the Back of the Year and the Helms Foundation named him Athlete of the Year for all of Southern California. Again, while he was simply an amazing football player, Kenny was also the first African-American to play baseball at UCLA hitting.454 in Kenny was selected to play in the 1940 College All-Star Game with college football s best pitted against the N.F.L. Champion Green Bay Packers in Chicago. (In the game Kenny scored a touchdown against the Packers.) After the game he was persuaded by George Halas to stay in Chicago while Halas tried to convince the other N.F.L. franchise owners to lift the ban on signing African-American collegians. Unfortunately, it was not to be. He was the very first Bruin inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956 and also the first to have his UCLA uniform number (#13) retired. During his playing days in high school, Kenny s athletic achievements were extraordinary while his presence on the baseball diamond or football gridiron was simply dominant. Twice he was named to the All City Teams in both football and baseball. His abilities were summed up best by the words on his 1948 football trading card while a member of the Los Angeles Rams. It simply states: Considered by many as the greatest high school player in Southern California history. The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game - Lincoln Tigers vs. Torres Toros

9 Pioneer After his collegiate career ended Kenny was denied the opportunity to play in the N.F.L. because of his race. Instead he played several seasons of minor league professional football on the West Coast and was always one of the premiere players on the field. While with the Hollywood Bears of the Pacific Coast League, Kenny was a featured attendance draw because of his popularity with games sometimes billed as Kenny Washington and The Hollywood Bears. His playing career was temporarily suspended with the onset of WWII while Kenny served his country in the military as a type of sports ambassador regularly visiting with troops and playing in exhibition games. Returning to professional sports, Kenny became a groundbreaking pioneer in professional football as the first African-American to sign a contract in the modern-day N.F.L. with the newly relocated Los Angeles Rams. With the Rams move to Los Angeles from Cleveland in 1946, the Coliseum Commission required that the team be integrated before a lease for the stadium could be signed. With Uncle Rocky acting as his manager, Kenny signed a contract with the Rams on March 21, 1946 thus breaking the color barrier in football a year before Jackie Robinson did the same in baseball. A short time later his former UCLA teammate Woody Strode would do the same and the two played alongside one another once again as Los Angeles Rams. But the years of football upon his body limited his career with the Rams to 3 years before his retirement in 1948 on a day proclaimed Kenny Washington Day by the Los Angeles Mayor and City Council. Kenny s brief career with the Rams is highlighted by 859 career yards, 8 touchdowns and 7.4 yards per carry - respectable numbers for any pro football player of the era. In 1947, his electrifying run of 92 years from scrimmage still stands as one of the longest by a Ram in team history. And while he was elected to the National Football Hall of Fame in 1956, he has still not been recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio for his groundbreaking efforts at integrating professional football. His post sports career included roles as an actor in Hollywood films, a distinguished career as an LAPD officer, celebrity product endorsements, various civic leadership positions, and work as a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a regular at Lincoln High School football games throughout his career as a professional athlete and in his later years. Vintage photographs show him sitting on the sidelines with the team during games. Images from past yearbooks show a smiling Kenny attend sports banquets and personally handing out awards. Kenny would frequently visit the campus as both a role model and proud former Tiger - someone always available when called upon. He was a member in good standing of the Alumni Association until his passing. Many alumni today can recall a firm handshake or quiet personal words of wisdom shared from Kenny who always left a sense of admiration in those he personally met with. Upon his untimely death in 1971 at the age of 51, newspapers across the country wrote glowing obituaries and tributes about this gifted man from Lincoln Heights. A documentary film on the life of Kenny Washington entitled: Hero from the City of Angels is currently in production and slated to be completed in Tonight we proudly honor the memory and legacy of the greatest Lincoln Tiger of all. The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game - Lincoln Tigers vs. Torres Toros

10 Best of Luck & Many Successes to the Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation The Minchaca Family In memory of our parents Alfredo & Manuela HAVE A GREAT SEASON! FROM THE EMANCIPATORS CLASS OF S 62 Ken A. Green, Elio Chiavetta, Christopher Cangialosi, Louise (Watanabe) Izumi, Nick Tirre, Frank Beltran, Robert & Genevieve Granados

11 Gallery Receiving the Athlete of the Year Award from Paul Helms Senior year at U.C.L.A The 1946 Los Angeles Rams Backfield Retirement Halftime Ceremony - Dec. 12, 1948 with The Kenny Washington Trophy in hand Kenny s only starring role in While Thousands Cheer 1940 (The film was later re-released as Crooked Money ) The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game - Lincoln Tigers vs. Torres Toros

12 The Winter Class of 1965 Are Proud to Support The Kenny Washington Stadium Foundation Margaret Garcia Kochinas Class President

13 The Kenny Washington Trophy First presented to Tiger football star Jimmy Cellino in 1949, the Kenny Washington Trophy has be awarded ever since to the Lincoln High School varsity football player deemed most outstanding for the year by his coaching staff. The trophy - part of our wonderful school history and culture here at Lincoln for over 6 decades - was first presented to Kenny during his halftime retirement ceremonies from professional football on December 12, 1949 at the Los Angeles Coliseum on a day proclaimed Kenny Washington Day by Mayor Fletcher Bowron. It was Kenny s last game as a Los Angeles Ram. The trophy was given to Kenny by the Helms Athletic Foundation and presented by its founder Paul Helms himself. Upon receiving the trophy, Kenny then immediately presented it to Lincoln High School principal Dr. Thomas M. Riley with the intention that it be a perpetual trophy for the school s football program. *It should be noted that at his other alma mater, the Kenny Washington Award is still given today to the top UCLA Bruin offensive player of the year. Below is a listing of the Kenny Washington Trophy winners who have displayed excellence in football while proudly wearing the orange & black of the Lincoln Tigers. Shortly after his retirement Kenny Washington later returned to Lincoln - as he would continue to do frequently once his playing days were over - with his uncle Rocky Washington, to personally present the trophy to the late Jimmy Cellino James Cellino 1949 Guillermo Lerma 1950 Frank Pachino 1951 Frank Buccola 1952 Akira Doi 1953 Benny Padilla 1954 Alfred Carrillo 1955 George Fontes 1956 Richard Maldonado 1957 Tommy Huitron 1958 Alex Martinez 1959 Tony Gomez 1960 James Wong 1961 Robert Ybarra 1962 Tony Rosas 1963 Tony Kochinas 1964 Douglas Huff 1965 Tom Kochinas 1966 Tom Kochinas 1967 Elmo Traylor 1968 Roy Martinez & Gus Martinez 1969 Julio Rodriguez 1970 Ron Malone & Ray Zamora 1971 Gordo Sermeno 1972 Gabriel Correa 1973 Sylvester Traylor 1974 Ron Perez & John DiSanti 1975 Dennis Acosta 1976 Dennis Acosta & Ruben Diaz 1977 Tony Miranda 1978 Jesus Castillo 1979 Johnny Mercado 1980 George Martinez & Victor Zamora 1981 Frank Amezcua 1982 Bryant Gaines & Jesus Soto 1983 Peter Hernandez 1984 Julian Salinas 1985 Steve Silva & Pablo Cano 1986 Steve Silva 1987 Jesus Padilla 1988 Albert Solorzano 1989 Roland Peters 1990 Roland Peters 1991 Francisco Rendon 1992 Marcelo Ortega 1993 Oscar Mendoza 1994 Jose Guevara 1995 Alex Minero 1996 Armando Flores 1997 Alexis Olguin & Sherman Austin 1998 Arturo Hernandez 1999 Roger Sepulveda 2000 Roger Sepulveda & Hannibal Thomas 2001 Filberto Arroyo 2002 Christian Flores 2003 Jesus Becerra 2004 Alfonso Cabada 2005 Jayme Barreto & Mike Sanchez 2006 Juan Casillas 2007 Richard Castellanos 2008 Anthony Flores 2009 Andrew Medrano 2010 Andrew Medrano The 1st Annual Kenny Washington Memorial Game - Lincoln Tigers vs. Torres Toros

14 LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Dedicated to maintaining the heritage of Lincoln High School through a commitment to improving the well-being of its students. Go Tigers! Win! LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION P.O. Box LOS ANGELES, CA lincolnhighsaa@hotmail.com Marco Robles, President

15 Foundation Supporters Carmelita Vasquez Raul Esquivel Newland Hardware Special Thanks Jose Torres Ricardo Rosas Mark Santos Mike Gordon Maj. Kroeger Sgt. Gilberto Rosado LHS Marching Band Jim Tunney Gil Cedillo Arturo Chavez Ed Reyes Arabelle Van Ranzow Michelle Farias Kristin Ramirez Lourdes Villela Michael Contreras Lori Nahra Virginia Lampson Stephanie Encinas Chris Kattay Tom Kochinas Tony Kochinas Catherine Sudo Angie Montes Jesse Gomez Jim Orlandini Raul Armendariz Joel Peña Ken A. Green Elio Chiavetta Christopher Cangialosi Louise (Watanabe) Izumi Nick Tirre Frank Beltran Genevieve Granados

16 2011 Lincoln High School Varsity Football Team 1 Martin Magana Kicker JR 2 Danny Guerra RB/DB SR 3 Fidel Ortiz RB/LB JR 4 Jorge Torres TE/LB JR 5 Eduardo Ibarra RB/DB JR 7 Jose Bautista WR/LB Soph 8 Erick Guzman WR/DB SR 9 Gilbert Soto QB Soph 10 Brando Lopez QB SR 11 Vincent Lam TE/LB JR 12 Javier Cortes FB/LB SR 18 Danny Garcia WR/DB Soph 20 Roger Lemus FB/LB JR 21 Melvin Valencia WR/DB SR 22 Ederson Gramajo RB/LB JR 27 Joaquin Orozco WR/DB JR 28 Frank Anguiano WR/DB SR 30 Robert Villafan FB/LB SR 33 Jonathan Medina FB/LB SR 34 Kevin Pena RB/DB SR 35 Simon Gomez FB/LB SR 41 Patrick Lopez TE/LB SR 44 Arthur Chavez WR/DB SR 51 Jonathan Lee OL/DL SR 52 Oscar Madrid OL/DL JR 54 Ramon Rios OL/DL JR 55 Adrian Peniche OL/DL SR 56 Fernando Moreno OL/LB JR 60 Silvestre Damian OL/DL SR 64 Tony Carmona OL/DL JR 71 Omar Copado OL/DL JR 72 Francisco Mendoza OL/DL SR 74 Erwin Melesio OL/DL JR 75 Estevan Ayala OL/DL SR 76 Louis Sovalbarro OL/DL SR 77 Daniel Alvarado OL/DL JR 78 Arturo Zamarripa OL/DL JR 82 Jesse Hernandez TE/LB SR