2016 Breitbard Hall of Fame Inductees:
RICKY WILLIAMS
From All-CIF Player of the Year at Patrick Henry High to Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Texas to All-Pro in the NFL, Ricky Williams is a home-grown superstar. Williams set the then-NCAA record of 6,592 career yards at Texas before going on to the NFL where he rushed for 10,009 yards in an 11-year career.
PAUL VADEN
San Diego has only produced one native-son world boxing champion, and that is Paul Vaden. In 1995, Vaden beat Vince Pettway for the World Junior Middleweight crown as the referee stopped the fight with 27 seconds remaining. He was 327-10 as an amateur and 29-3 as a pro before retiring.
DAVE ROBERTS
One of the truly great all-around athletes attending Rancho Buena Vista High, Roberts went on to star at UCLA before moving on to professional baseball. He had a key role in Boston’s 2004 run to World Series crown as his stolen base against the Yankees led to an extra-inning victory and the start of an 8-game streak that produced the title.
Check out the 2015 Salute to the Champions event highlights: https://vimeo.com/149691411
ABOUT THE SALUTE TO THE CHAMPIONS
The Breitbard Hall of Fame, established in 1953 by Robert Breitbard, honors athletes who have excelled athletically in San Diego or who are native San Diegans and have achieved athletic fame elsewhere. Since 1953, the Breitbard Hall of Fame has inducted 140 members representing 20 sports. The Hall of Fame’s charter member is Harold “Brick” Muller, a standout for the “Wonder Boy” Cal Berkeley football teams of 1920, 1921 & 1922.
New members are inducted each February at the Salute to the Champions dinner. The Breitbard Hall of Fame originally stemmed from the Breitbard Athletic Foundation, founded in 1946. After initially awarding only Stars of the Month, and then Stars of the Year, the Foundation decided upon a career achievement award, and the Breitbard Hall of Fame was born. To be inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame is the ultimate accolade for a local athlete.