{"id":44260,"date":"2025-11-08T14:36:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T14:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/44260\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T14:36:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T14:36:21","slug":"san-jose-sports-hall-of-fame-is-like-a-family-reunion-at-its-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/44260\/","title":{"rendered":"San Jose Sports Hall of Fame is like a family reunion at its heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Jose celebrated another set of sports heroes Thursday night at SAP Center, inducting the 30th class into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame<\/a>. More than 550 people attended to cheer on the eclectic group of trailblazers, stars and out-and-out icons.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Hall of Fame honorees were San Jose Earthquakes star Landon Donovan; USA Rugby\u2019s \u201cCaptain America,\u201d Todd Clever; women\u2019s wrestling pioneer Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston; longtime Oak Grove High football coach Eddie Buller and retired San Jose Giants General Manager Mark Wilson, who will go down in history as the man who invented the \u201cbeer batter\u201d promotion.<\/p>\n

The evening\u2019s other honorees were the high school athletes of the year, baseball player Quinten Marsh of Valley Christian High and basketball and track star Nicole Steiner of Los Gatos High; the amateur athletes of the year, San Jose State football standout Nick Nash and SJSU track and field athlete Emilia Sjostrand; and Michael Aguilar, who was honored as the Special Olympian of the Year \u2014 and received the night\u2019s first standing ovation.<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, former wrestler and coach, chats with inductee Eddie Buller during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Wilson, former general manager for the San Jose Giants, chats with a guest during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"Images<\/p>\n

Images of bronze busts of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductees during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee busts, from left to right, Eddie Buller, Todd Clever, Landon Donovan, Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston and Mark Wilson during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Landon Donovan, former professional soccer player, is interviewed during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Buller, former football coach at Oak Grove High School, chats with a guest during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Todd Clever chats with guests during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Buller, former football coach at Oak Grove High School, speaks during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Todd Clever, former professional rugby player, speaks during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, former wrestler and coach, speaks during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Landon Donovan, former professional soccer player, speaks during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Wilson, former general manager for the San Jose Giants, speaks during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

\"San<\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Wilson, former general manager for the San Jose Giants, speaks during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

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San Jose Sports Hall of Fame inductee Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, former wrestler and coach, chats with inductee Eddie Buller during the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame\u2019s 30th class ceremony at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

San Jose Sports Authority Executive Director John Poch told me that one of the things he loves about the Hall of Fame event is that it turns into a who\u2019s who of San Jose sports, especially thanks to the previous 131 honorees like Dave Righetti, Anne Cribbs, Sam Piraro and Raymond Townsend who attended Thursday.<\/p>\n

But it also has a real family reunion vibe, or really, several reunions going on at the same time, which is very on brand for San Jose. The honorees all were surrounded by family members, friends, teammates and mentors. Clever even hosted three of his former teachers from Santa Teresa High School, taking the opportunity to apologize to them for not being such a great student. From where I was sitting, they looked pretty proud.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not always true of every class, but for this one, San Jose played an instrumental part in their lives. It was at Independence High School where Johnston stood up to the challenge of joining the boys wrestling team. It\u2019s where Clever fell in love with rugby while playing for the College Park club, where Buller coached future NFL players like Tim Ryan while amassing a 214-29-3 record and winning five CCS titles and where Wilson used wacky promotions and churros to keep fans coming to see future San Francisco Giants stars.<\/p>\n

And it was the city that welcomed with open arms the homesick teenager Donovan, who had been playing in Germany.<\/p>\n

\u201cI arrived in San Jose as a young boy, and I left as a man,\u201d Donovan said. \u201cI really fell in love with the game again after I\u2019d fallen out of love with it a little bit in Germany. I\u2019m really grateful for my teammates, my coaches, all of you who helped me and this beautiful, beautiful city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donovan grew up in the San Bernardino County city of Ontario and fondly remembers being allowed to fly home after Saturday games to spend a couple days with his mom and sister. He says he didn\u2019t realize how green California could be until he came to San Jose.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so nice to be back here,\u201d he said. \u201cI flew up this morning and was just feeling nostalgic, like I used to fly up when I was a 19-year-old kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

And now, like his fellow inductees, he\u2019ll have a bronze plaque at SAP Center to visit the next time he\u2019s feeling nostalgic.<\/p>\n

HONORABLE SALUTES: Tuesday is Veterans Day, and that means the return of the big ceremony and parade in downtown San Jose. This is the 107th annual celebration of the holiday in S.J., going back to the year after World War I ended, and \u2014 unlike last year \u2014 the weather is expected to be clear and warm.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll help welcome people at the opening ceremony at 11 a.m. in front of Plaza de Cesar Chavez, and you can listen for me and Lissa Kreisler announcing the parade entries after it kicks off from SAP Center at noon. This year\u2019s grand marshal is U.S. Marines combat veteran A.J. Pasciuti, who grew up in Sunnyvale and was deployed three times in Operation Iraqi Freedom.<\/p>\n

Of course, that\u2019s not the only event in Santa Clara County. Cupertino will have its 18th annual celebration at its veterans memorial, which was the first in the nation to honor Afghanistan war veterans. The 11 a.m. ceremony at 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., across from De Anza College, will include remarks by retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rob Ostenberg and Santa Clara County Sheriff Bob Jonsen, along with music by the West Bay Community Band and the Kennedy Middle School choir.<\/p>\n

BIG CHECK, BIGGER IMPACT: There were a lot of smiling faces Thursday at the Alviso Youth Center as San Jose semiconductor firm ASML presented a $900,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley. The gift is an extension of the $1.4 million grant the company made two years ago to promote STEM education for elementary school kids.<\/p>\n

Steve Wymer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley\u2019s CEO, said while there was an oversize check and lots of balloons at the event Thursday, ASML\u2019s aim is more about outcomes than public relations. The company, he said, follows up and expects the nonprofit to hit metrics. \u201cIt\u2019s the right way to do things because ASML holds us to account,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"BoysBoys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley students hold up a big donation check for $900,000 from San Jose semiconductor firm ASML at the Alviso Clubhouse on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. They are joined by ASML employees wearing purple shirts and, from left, Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley Development Director Machelle Locsin, San Jose City Councilmember David Cohen, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley CEO Steve Wymer and ASML Community Engagement Program Manager Verona Nunez. (Sal Pizarro\/Bay Area News Group)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Verona Nunez, ASML\u2019s community engagement program manager, was a Boys & Girls Clubs kid when she was growing up in San Jose and said the company collaborates with partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs to create lasting impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt ASML, we challenge ourselves to think bigger about equity and education,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd we care deeply about the future of our youth, not just by writing a check, but by showing up in clubhouses, as mentors and volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n

READING ROOM: NBC News correspondent Vicky Nguyen, who spent 12 years at NBC Bay Area, will bring her memoir, \u201cBoat Baby,\u201d to the San Jose Public Library Foundation\u2019s Signature Author Event on Nov. 15 at Blanco Urban venue in downtown San Jose. And who better to lead a conversation with Nguyen than Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong, whose parents also fled Vietnam after the war and settled in San Jose. The event, which runs from 1 to 3 p.m., are available at sjplf.org\/AuthorEvent2025.<\/p>\n

While we\u2019re on the topic of writing, the last Flash Fiction Forum of the year is taking place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 at Works\/San Jose gallery at 38 S. Second St. If you haven\u2019t been, the quarterly event features local writers reading their works aloud to an audience (both in-person and online<\/a>). You can find out more about the group at flashfictionforum.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"San Jose celebrated another set of sports heroes Thursday night at SAP Center, inducting the 30th class into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44261,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[417,184,7,181,23,419,5466,88,90,89,198,200],"class_list":{"0":"post-44260","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-jose","8":"tag-around-town","9":"tag-bay-area","10":"tag-california","11":"tag-latest-headlines","12":"tag-local-news","13":"tag-news-columnists","14":"tag-nonprofits","15":"tag-san-jose","16":"tag-san-jose-headlines","17":"tag-san-jose-news","18":"tag-santa-clara-county","19":"tag-south-bay"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}