St Ignatius’ Haskell leads Class of 2018
Gil Haskell, a longtime NFL coach and offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks and 1997 Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, heads a group of eight who will be inducted into the 36th annual San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame on May 19.
Haskell, a 1961 graduate of St. Ignatius, will be recognized for his coaching of football and track and field at both Riordan (1966-68) and SI (1969-77).
Haskell served as an assistant coach at USC (1978-82) before embarking on a nineyear stint for the Rams under John Robinson, another Bay Area native.
With the Rams, Haskell was in charge of special teams for four years, then was running backs coach from 1987 through ’90. His prized pupil then was Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.
After the Rams, Haskell coached with yet another Bay Area native, Mike Holmgren, from 1992 through ’97, helping the Packers win Super Bowl XXXI, a 35-21 victory over the Patriots.
From there, Haskell became the offensive coordinator for Carolina (1998-99) and the Seahawks (2000-08) before acting as senior adviser and president of the Browns (201012). Now 74, Haskell is retired and living in the North Bay. Like the other inductees, Haskell is being honored for his contributions locally, though surely he’ll tell stories of his NFL glory days during his enshrinement at the Spanish Cultural Center — Patio Español Restaurant.
The other inductees honored that night, and the years they played/served in high school are:
Michael Cunnie, Riordan, football and track and field, 1965-69.
Michael Gridley, Washington, basketball and track and field, 1958-61.
Levy Middlebrooks, St. Ignatius, basketball, 1980-84.
Helen Nazar-Bishop, Lowell, tennis, 1978-82.
Fred Quinn, San Francisco Unified School District, coach, official, interim commissioner, 1958-2003.
Thelma “Coach” Williams, youth baseball coach, 1955-92.
Francois Wise, Balboa, basketball, 1973-76.
The event, this year starting at 5 p.m. (dinner is at 6:30), has typically sold out. For more information on tickets and how to attend, contact Gary Bader at (415) 260-8027. Peninsula Hall Class of 2018
Current NBA and NFL players Jeremy Lin and Julian Edelman are part of the nine-person 2018 Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame class, it was announced recently.
The 28th annual induction, presented by the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, will take place March 29 at the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel in Millbrae.
Lin, now a point guard for the New Jersey Nets, led Palo Alto to the 2006 CIF State Division I title.
Edelman, who went to Woodside High and College of the San Mateo, caught the game-winning touchdown for the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. Other inductees are: Isaac Carson, Jefferson-Daly City, track and field — 1991 state champion.
Caroline “KK” Clark, Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, water polo — Olympic gold medalist.
Jack Daniels, Sequoia-Redwood City, track and field — 1956 silver and 1960 bronze Olympic medalist.
Julie Middleton, San Mateo, track, gymnastics — played basketball at Cal State Northridge.
Larry Owens, Sequoia and CSM football coach — also coached at Woodside and Humboldt State.
Bill Shine, Menlo School-Atherton, tennis — 20-plus-year coaching record of 988-147.
Archie Williams, CSM track and field — 1936 Olympic gold medalist in 400.
For more information on the event, contact the Bureau at (650) 348-7600.