Retired Colorado Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs is big on the history.
It seemed only fitting then that “Spilly” was included in the first induction class of the Santa Barbara High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Spilborghs was joined by football star Randall Cunningham, standout tennis player Alison Hardey, and community leaders and philanthropists Peter and Gerd Jordano as the first inductees to the newly created Dons Hall of Fame.
Also going in as charter members were 77 Dons athletes and coaches from the last eight decades that were honored by the alumni organization Ye Olde Gang.
Several of the 77 were in attendance at the ceremony at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion, including Randall’s older brother, Sam Cunningham, who starred in football at USC and played in the NFL with the New England Patriots.
Spilborghs was an All-CIF baseball player for legendary coach Fred Warrecker (an inductee from the Ye Olde Gang list) before playing at UCSB, and then realizing his dream of playing in the major leagues. He had a seven-year career with the Rockies and played pro ball for two more years before retiring. He is now a broadcaster for the Rockies.
“I think the history of Santa Barbara High, the lore behind it, the accomplishments people have done, is magical,” Spilborghs said in his acceptance speech. “I would be on that baseball field and people would say: ‘See over those oak trees (in right field), that’s where Eddie Mathews hit a ball.’
“Seriously, that’s like 9,000 feet,” he shot back in disbelief. “It didn’t really happen but the idea of it is great.”
Spilborghs was well aware of his fellow inductees and other standout athletes before he entered Santa Barbara High.
“I knew it was the school of Randall Cunningham, NFL superstar. I knew it was home of the best volleyball player in the history of beach volleyball, Karch Kiraly,” he said. “There’s a MLB pitcher named Jesse Orosco, and Eddie Mathews, an old favorite.”
He said he was humbled by being included in such an illustrious group, being part of the rich athletic history of the school and “everything what you guys have done — what Randall has done, what Alison has done, what the Jordanos have done.
“You look at the names with Ye Olde Gang, there are some awesome names in here. It’s pretty incredible when I look at the alumni of Santa Barbara High. I’m blown away by it, honestly.”
Cunningham, is one of those awesome names. He gained fame as an exciting dual-threat quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings after tearing it up on the gridiron at Santa Barbara High and UNLV.
Cunningham made his NFL debut in September of 1985, when the Eagles played the Los Angeles Rams.
“An outstanding moment in your life Randall, I’m sure, but also a great moment for all of us here in Santa Barbara,” said emcee and Hall of Fame committee chairperson David Bolton in his introduction.
“The thing I think about with Santa Barbara is family,” said Cunningham at the beginning his acceptance speech. “When I look back at our home town and I come back and I get to hug all the people I graduated with, and get to hang out like we used to hang out, and just be the family that we are, it means so much to me.
“When I come back and I see my brother, Sam, we reminisce about the old times of running track at Santa Barbara High School. And we’re getting a new track, which is awesome, and a new stadium, which is such a blessing. Thanks to the Jordanos and to those who are contributing.”
Cunningham lives in Las Vegas, He is a minister, high school football coach, husband and father of two successful athletes.
He brought his daughter, Vashti, who competed in the high jump at the Rio Olympics at the age of 18. His son, Randall Cunningham II, attends USC and is the NCAA champion in the high jump.
Randall Cunningham said he always felt the love from his hometown anytime his teams came to California to play. He recalled busloads of people from Santa Barbara coming to watch him play in San Diego and in Los Angeles.
He recalled spotting JR Herrera, his running back with the Dons, as he was departing the field after a game at the L.A. Coliseum.
“I remember JR had tears in his eyes because he was so happy for me,” Cunningham said.
Security tried to keep the fans separated from the players, but Cunningham told the security guy, “He’s my brother, he’s my friend.”
The two high school teammates reunited and both had tears in their eyes “because it was so great seeing the success of what God had done with us,” Cunningham said. “JR had tears in his eyes because he was so happy for the success I’d achieved. I was so happy that on the flight home I couldn’t even remember the game.
“All I could remember was my friend, my running back who I’d always hand the ball to, crying with me at the game. That showed me were are family. That represents who we are today.
“Seeing all the Hall of Fame inductees, it’s amazing to me. A couple of months ago I was receiving the College Football Hall of Fame, but let me tell you something, as happy as I was to be in that Hall of Fame, I’m more happy to be in my hometown Hall of Fame.”
That brought a huge roar from the room full of Dons, friends and family.
“I’m happy to know that I come from a family of people who are multicultural. I’m happy to know that I come from a family of people where my brother paved the way. We came from parents who were not athletes. So someone had to be behind the scenes doing a lot of praying in our behalf.”
Hardey, who helped Santa Barbara win four straight CIF tennis championships in the late 1970s and then went to Stanford where she won an NCAA title, said Cunningham was someone she looked up to.
“I’m very honored tonight because he is one of my heroes,” said the two-time Channel League singles champion.
Hardey recognized Santa Barbara High for its great support of girls athletics in the 1970s.
“For my generation, it was very rare to play sports at all as a female,” she said. “When I was in high school, they made me feel like it was the normal thing to do.”
She credited Carol DeRosa for encouraging her to go out for the tennis team at the high school. “She made me feel privileged to be a part of it throughout my days at Santa Barbara High School. She was so right to set that tone for me.”
Hardey also acknowledged Dons coach Lloyd W. Garrison.
He stepped in as coach and made us feel we were as good, if not better, than the men’s tennis team.”
The Ye Olde Gang honorees that were inducted into the Santa Barbara High Athletics Hall of Fame include: Jim Anderson, Cindy Lea Arbelbide, Faha Banks, George Batzianis, George Begg Sr., Clarence Bishop, Gene “Punky” Bowman, Alex Bravo, Russ Carr, Dario Castagnola, Sam Cathcart, CC Christiansen, Bill Crow, Sam Cunningham, Joe De La Torre, John S. Diaz, Santos Escobar, Elmo Ferrari, Rino Fillipin, Don Ford, Holly Ford;
Danny Gallagher, Jason Gamble, John Gilbert, Marv Goux, Gordy Gray, Payne Green, Gary Hart, Jimmy Howerton, Jeff Jameson, Vaune Kadlubek, Bob Kallman, Kristin Knapp, Peter Kwiatkowski, Betsy Lester, Bob Looney, Eddie Mathews, Del Mora, Mike Moropoulos, Jim Murphy, Gordon Nadel, Joby Nuñez, Pete O’Garro, Jesse Orosco, John Osborne, Sal Padilla, Sebastian Pinero, Rudy Ramirez, Stephanie Rempe, Poncho Renteria, Bud Revis, Bob Rickard, Dennis Rickard, James Rickard, John Rickard, Tom Rickard, Manuel Robledo, Cal Rossi, Al Ruiz, Cindy Schmandt Scannelle, Clarence Schutte, Ron Shelton, Doug Spence, Frank Swain, Chuck Sylvester; Amahl Thomas, Janelle Thompson, Jack Trigueiro, Frank Van Schaick, Fred Warrecker, Diane Wootton, Neill Wright, Howie Yeager, Donnie Yee, Ernie Zampese, Peter Zucco.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.